[islesfan]

In October, I remember reading a post by someone who suggested a red-button reset about once a week just to keep the HR20 happy. I think the poster had said something about a CSR telling him this. Anyway, I ignored it because between the rapid update releases and the daily lockups, I had never gone a week without a reset. Now, my HR20 is pretty stable (it still misses recordings, but it generally keeps running without a lockup), and I started to remember that post. Last week, starting on Thursday morning, it started showing up with the unwatchable bug. I thought back, and the last unwatchable had been just over a week before (Heroes), and then just over a week before that (Numb3rs). After the previous unwatchables, I did a red button reset, but on Thursday I didn't have time before work, so it wasn't until Friday that I did the reset. In that time, every SD recording (but none of the HD ones) was an unwatchable. Since the reset on Friday, no more unwatchables.

So, the big question is, do I need to do a red-button reset once a week?

 

[PoitNarf]

So, the big question is, do I need to do a red-button reset once a week?

No, reset only if you're experiencing some problem that can't be resolved any other way. Preemptive resets are unnecessary.

 

[dervari]

Personally I don't think it would hurt. I do it to mine and haven't had a bad recording since.

 

[islesfan]

I was hoping that I was wrong, since even though it is a good idea to rstart your computer every few days or so, you don't normally reset comsumer items on a regular basis.

 

[patsrule316]

Still on OXFA, and had not done a reset in 3 or 4 weeks. I noticed this weekend that not only did I get 3 unwatchable recordings, but I also noticed that on any show I was watching, I could not use the DVR functions, or else the program would lock up until I changed the channel. A red button reset last night solved the problem and now it is back to normal. I never had the unwatchable bug in my months of having the box until this weekend, but this was also the longest I had gone without a reset. Not so sure it wouldn't be a good idea to reset every couple of weeks.

 

[islesfan]

Again, this is a bit disturbing. I've never reset my TiVo, and the only times it has been reset have been for power outages. Any possibility of this getting an added stability fix later?

 

[I.M. Nobody]

I hope I don't have to reset every week or so. I pay good money to have a stable usable unit. I can only hope that they know they have a problem and are working on it. I don't want to sound like a whiner but the Tivo never did this on channel change.but it was slow in every other application.

I just question the resets all of the time is it any good for the unit ?

 

[admiral39]

Hmm. I wonder if they'll recognize that resets may be necessary and add a function to schedule a reset once a week. Kind of like when I run my virus check on my computer at 4AM on Saturday. They could have some sort of scheduler that will "red-button-reset" your box for you once a week at the pre-determined time. This is of course not as desirable as not having to reset at all, but is better than having to do it when you could be watching your box.

 

[dervari]

The ReplayTV 5xxx series boxes do this.

 

[KFAR45]

We reset our Hr 20's every other day. They seem to locate up, cannot change channels or use the function key. D*TV has found a way to get us off the coach and to the box to reset. Something remotes fixed 20 years ago. The newest twist is the HDMI connection needs to be disconnected and reconnected after the box has been turned off. Sound is fine, no picture.

 

[Dusty]

You are resetting regularly. Everytime they send you an update, the machines are reset.

Aside from that, I don't see a point of preemptive strikes.

 

[Knon2000]

Again, this is a bit disturbing. I've never reset my TiVo, and the only times it has been reset have been for power outages. Any possibility of this getting an added stability fix later?

I have had to do a RBR on both the HR20's over the last month, but that isn't all that unusual for me. Even though I have UPS's on all my receivers, the DTivo's still had a tendency to lock-up every other month or so. Never lost a recording due to it, but did have to restart since they wouldn't let me do anything. The reset button was put into it for a reason I guess.
Kevin

 

[islesfan]

You are resetting regularly. Everytime they send you an update, the machines are reset.

Aside from that, I don't see a point of preemptive strikes.

As I said, I only start getting unwatchables after the HR20 hasn't been reset for over a week. I reset, no more unwatchables for a week.

 

[tonyoci]

I would never reset this unless I had to.

All the problems I've had, pixelation, a stuck picture here and there, a stuck startup have occured AFTER a reset for some other reason. I would never do it voluntarily without reason.

 

[islesfan]

But the reason is to stop unwatchables. I never have them anymore unless I have let the HR20 go for 8 days without a reset.

 

[tmmoore]

As an alternative to RBR, I would think that there are a set of behaviors to follow that will result in a positive experience, i.e. developers have use cases that are well tested paths through the code and if a user sticks to these paths, the HR-20 gives acceptable behavior and does not require resets. I have been observing the behavior of my HR-20 and the forum reported activities that precede problems. I have avoided these failing cases and have not required an RBR. This is not to say that other users are not having real issues even if following a similar course as they may have hardware that is causing them issues. It seems to me that this is working for some one with nominal hardware and a good signal.

Things that seem to help:

1.) Use customized Favorites that exclude the channels I do not receive.

2.) Schedule recordings using the guide and schedule a series link by a second press of the record button.

3.) Do not pad programming. I record the program before and after the show if in doubt. (You can then fastforward or rewind right into the next show without having to go to the list view to select the next show.)

The combination of 1, 2 and 3 seems to avoid blank recordings and missed recordings as you know exactly what station is being used to record the show.

4.) I also check for conflicts and try not to mess with the prioritizer. I use my Tivo's as a way of minimizing conflicts by offloading SD programming.

5.) After entering the MY VOD list, I start playback by highlighting the show title and then pressing play. At first I would instead press select and then select play in the sub-menu, but this seems to cause momentary lock ups and programs that do not start .

6.) Minimize trickplay or at least use it consistently. I typically use a series of 30sec skips to move forward, or I fast forward followed by replay to halt fastforward/move back in time to correct for overshoot. I do not press and hold FastForward/Rewind or Skip/Replay to get anywhere in a hurry.

(comment: undocumented behaviors are probably not as well tested, so it is use at your risk as far as I am concerned.)

7.) I do not use bookmarks. I have noticed instability in responsiveness, audio sync issues and sometimes it jumps to it and sometimes it does not behavior.

8.) Use component video and leave the display set to one resolution. (1080i stretch mode)


To date, I have zero complete lock ups, zero missed programs, zero Red Button Resets. I'm sure there are many that will say they did exactly the same and still had issues, but this is difficult to say with certainty as we usually have multiple users. Should I need to restrict my actions?, no. Does it seem to help?, so far for me yes. Do I believe Directv has 100% automated regression testing of the complete GUI with each release?, no. But for now, my box is responsive and works all the time.

 

[islesfan]

As an alternative to RBR, I would think that there are a set of behaviors to follow that will result in a positive experience, i.e. developers have use cases that are well tested paths through the code and if a user sticks to these paths, the HR-20 gives acceptable behavior and does not require resets. I have been observing the behavior of my HR-20 and the forum reported activities that precede problems. I have avoided these failing cases and have not required an RBR. This is not to say that other users are not having real issues even if following a similar course as they may have hardware that is causing them issues. It seems to me that this is working for some one with nominal hardware and a good signal.

Things that seem to help:

1.) Use customized Favorites that exclude the channels I do not receive.

2.) Schedule recordings using the guide and schedule a series link by a second press of the record button.

3.) Do not pad programming. I record the program before and after the show if in doubt. (You can then fastforward or rewind right into the next show without having to go to the list view to select the next show.)

The combination of 1, 2 and 3 seems to avoid blank recordings and missed recordings as you know exactly what station is being used to record the show.

4.) I also check for conflicts and try not to mess with the prioritizer. I use my Tivo's as a way of minimizing conflicts by offloading SD programming.

5.) After entering the MY VOD list, I start playback by highlighting the show title and then pressing play. At first I would instead press select and then select play in the sub-menu, but this seems to cause momentary lock ups and programs that do not start .

6.) Minimize trickplay or at least use it consistently. I typically use a series of 30sec skips to move forward, or I fast forward followed by replay to halt fastforward/move back in time to correct for overshoot. I do not press and hold FastForward/Rewind or Skip/Replay to get anywhere in a hurry.

(comment: undocumented behaviors are probably not as well tested, so it is use at your risk as far as I am concerned.)

7.) I do not use bookmarks. I have noticed instability in responsiveness, audio sync issues and sometimes it jumps to it and sometimes it does not behavior.

8.) Use component video and leave the display set to one resolution. (1080i stretch mode)

To date, I have zero complete lock ups, zero missed programs, zero Red Button Resets. I'm sure there are many that will say they did exactly the same and still had issues, but this is difficult to say with certainty as we usually have multiple users. Should I need to restrict my actions?, no. Does it seem to help?, so far for me yes. Do I believe Directv has 100% automated regression testing of the complete GUI with each release?, no. But for now, my box is responsive and works all the time.

I already do most of these, the only exception being 5 and 8. I didn't know about 5, so I will try that, and I had used component, but when I switched to HDMI to DVI the picture was so much better... (and I leave it in 1080i). Besides, I had all the problems and more so before I switched, although I know that had more to do with the software version than the HDMI to DVI cable.

Nevertheless, even assuming doing #5 will save me some resets, this is still pretty ridiculous. I mean, limiting use of trickplay? That is one of the main reasons for a DVR. Also, offloading to the TiVo is OK for now, but I would like to put the TiVo away permanently and use the HR20 as my main DVR. This seems to be nowhere in sight right now, however. At least I don't have to babysit the TiVo, it just does its thing. Having to babysit the ToDo list on the HR20 is getting old, but that's another issue...

 

[tmmoore]

I agree 100% with not liking a limited list. I'm praying they get the defects out as fast as possible. I am using the HR-20 as our primary viewing device now. The Tivo's have become more of a safety net. The first few weeks were rocky, but the last few have been almost ok.

 

[LameLefty]

My box goes about two weeks between GUI lockups - three times in seven-plus weeks and EXACTLY two weeks to the day this time, plus another reset done to cure a rash of unwatchable recordings around Thanksgiving day. We don't restrict the way we use the box but it just seems that after two weeks some things build up in the system and freeze the unit.

Still on 0xFA - come on D*. Go national with an update, please.