AutoRecords... Stability?

btmoore said:

What would you like to know?

I have 1 AutoRecording set up. The key word is "Purdue" so I can capture any Purdue sporting event.

I have had 2 lockups under 0xef

1 was going into the To Do list, documented here :http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=725295&postcount=538
and the next one was later that night, it was locked up with live tv on, documented here: http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=725295&postcount=538

I had no lockups under 0xe3

I did have (lets say) 1 - 3 lockups per release, in prior versions of the software.

I have had this pass set up from day 1 of owning the HR20

Click to expand...

That is exactly the type of stuff I wanted to know

I have about 15 autorecords set on two boxes that both are seeing lockups (at least twice per day - more accurately: whenever I return to the TV rooms, it's locked). Both boxes have EF and both were completely reset (Reset Everything) after EF to try to solve the stability issues (also seen with EB).

Autorecords have everything from single keywords (Amistad) to multiple keywords (The Wild Bunch).

1 box connected via HDMI; 2nd box connected via s-video.

-mvkajsk

For your dataset to be complete I'll just post that I have no autorecord searches and never have. I've only had one lockup and that was due to loss of signal during a bad rain event.

Have never used Autorecord via search (in fact, never used search), just plain and simple Series Links or set recordings using the guide. Only had one lockup, but I think it's an HDMI issue (have switched to component since that and a reset everything, and no lockups since).

Main problems were BSODs (no longer an issue) and freezes, also gone. Considered moving back to HDMI, but am cautious about it. Why bother? Since he PQ is very good with component. Only remaining issues are video/sound dropouts on both MPEG4 and MPEG2 HD channels.

Hmmmm.... I need to ask my wife about this... she is the one who actually schedules stuff to record... to be continued....

No Autorecords - just series links currently and a very occasional search to find when a program is on in syndication, then recording from the Guide. One red-button reset a couple weeks ago when trying to delete an SD program off an MPEG2 local at the end of the program. Other than that, rock solid stability.

OK... called the wife at work... she says that she has not setup an auto-record via search in the fashion Earl is asking about. She said "I didn't even know there was a way to do that!". However, she has used the search to find a specific show and setup a series link. She did a search for "countdown", and found the show "#1 countdown" on the channel FUSE. We have had problems with recroding that show. It will not do a series link. She had to tell it to record each show manually one by one. This show has experienced the unwatchable bug. The HR20 also locked up for the very first time when she finished watching this show, deleted it and went to live TV. The second lockup is posted here:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=70224

Knock on wood... we haven't had a lockup since that last one and I unplugged everything instead of the red button. However, since then we get lots of stuttering video during recordings and live TV. I hope this information helps you Earl. Thanks man!

Just thought I'd throw my hat in by saying that I've never set up any autorecords or SLs from searches whatsoever, and my box has never locked up unless it was due to some specific command I was doing at that moment. Have not experienced a single lockup in well over a month now. Seems there might be some validity to this hypothesis.

Earl - I have had 2 lockups in the last 24 hours under EF. I did have an autorecord search for the word "Apprentice". Never any lockups under previous versions.

I just reformatted to see if this will help as I read a couple of posts that indicated some improvement after reformat.

However, there are also posts which say that reformat didn't help.

So, a thought: Reformatting erases all recording requests. Is it possible that of the folks who reformatted to try to improve the lockup situation, some then re-entered autorecord searches and some didn't yet? And that those claiming improvement got improvement because of no more autorecords?

If so, this would reinforce your suspicion that autorecord is a culprit and also answer the question as to why some see improvement after reformatting and some dont.........

Here's a silly question:

Has anyone that is experiencing lockups and has autorecords set up tried canceling the autorecords to see if it leads to stability improvements?

When I first experienced the repeating lockup in EB, I had the following autorecords set:

Howard Hawks
Nicholas Ray
Orson Welles
David Cronenberg
Alcatraz
Christian Bale
Christopher Nolan
Bernardo Bertollucci

After my reformat, I only re-entered Howard Hawks, so I still have one in but not nearly as many. I haven't had a lockup since. FYI, I had all those wishlists in from Day 1 of owning the HR20 and I had NO lockups through at least two or three software versions prior to the EB download. First lockup occurred within hours of EB downloading.

I have no autorecords set, but have still had a few lockups. So far, no lockups on 0xEF though. I'm not convinced the 0xEF update is why I'm not having lockups, I think I've just been lucky or haven't hit a scenario in which it causes a lockup.

This is good stuff... Thanks guys....
I am hoping this is the case, as then it is something they can fix and fix hopefully quickly.

The more examples the better.

I have never set up an autorecord, and only have had one lockup on firmware 0xE3 when I was trying to extend a recording by 3 hours. It locked up when I entered the 3 hour selection and I had to do a red button reset. Other than that I have had no problems.

I have the 0xEF software version. My unit locks up 3-4 times / week. I have 4 autorecords set. I also have another weird problem just with the Autorecords/wishlist feature. I use them to catch my sports teams. I went to the options to change the stop time to 1 hour later, hit update all...I go back to the same menu and it changes back to "on-time". So, I have to go to each individual game and change them to record extra time. I called DirecTV about this today, and they are sending me a new unit, I didn't know if this was necessary or if it was a software issue. Hope that information is helpful.

no autorecords here either, 1 lockup a few weeks ago.. other than that been real good...
Has anyone with autorecords and lockups tried deleteing the autorecords yet?

No auto-records here, and no lock ups, partials, BSOD, or missed recordings in 2 months. Earl, I think you may be on to something here.

Me too--I haven't used autorecord at all and have only had 1 lockup on 3 HR20's in the 2 months I've had them. I've had a few other problems with partials and lost signal and missed recordings, but those have greatly improved with the updates. Lockups--not a problem for me! I have seen a glitch or two with title searches that didn't make sense--it wouldn't surprise me that when/if there is a guide/info error that the HR20 might lockup trying to figure it out. I assume it must always be "looking" in the guide if there is an autorecord request.