[Mugbatty]

Hello everyone,

First time posting so please bear with me!

I have a Hitachi digital terrestrial tv receiver and recorder model HDR160 which cannot find any channels since the switchover here in Cumbria.

I have tried searching for new channels and a first time installation. I bought an attenuator after speaking to customer services at Hitachi but still no joy.

I have been reading your forums and think I might need a receiver upgrade which is currently V.4.9(UK) and was installed on 1.9.06. I think vestel is sending an upgrade now for Hitachi but my box can't find it.

I have looked on the stickers on the bottom of the box but can't find T810 written anywhere which I think might be important after reading other posts here.

My aerial is ok as I have a little cheap freeview box which is picking up all the channels ok.

Is it time to buy a new digital recorder or does anyone have any suggestions - remembering I am clueless when it comes to anything technical.

Many thanks,
Mugbatty

[Geofbob]

I'm not sure I can help much, but as no-one else has responded I thought I would offer a few thoughts.

First, as regards a possible upgrade to this Vestel clone PVR - frankly, I doubt if there is any chance, and wonder why you think there is an upgrade in the offing. However, if you have definite info, then make sure your PVR is upgrade-enabled; you should find the tab in the Configuration menu.

But leaving a possible upgrade aside, it's not entirely clear from your post just what happened. I mean - did reception cease suddenly on switch-off day; or did the quality drop, you adjusted the set-up in some way, and now you can't find any channels? I'm a bit puzzled by Hitachi suggesting an attenuator, which indicates they thought your digital signal might be too strong - an odd response if you told them that the signal had disappeared completely.

If there was a picture following switch-off, but you've now lost it, what about other features. Eg can you see the menu, play back recordings; possibly, even see the EPG? Or is the machine completely dead? Are you quite sure that you've connected everything back just the way it was before any adjustment?

Sorry there are more questions above than answers; but hope I've at least provided some food for thought. (And this should bump your post up to the top of this forum, so somebody else might spot it and be more helpful.)

[Houlie]

Hi Mugbatty,

I have the same problem with my Sony Bravia KDL32V4000. When the partial switchover happened we got the BBC channels OK. Then Border/ITV switchover kicked in and we re-tuned OK and got all channels. Then we went away for a week, came back and nothing! I have tried to retune at various points in the house and only get an error message indicating the aerial is not connected. However, when I set up a cheapo Aldi digibox and a portable on the same aerial feeds, everything works fine and dandy. I am not a happy bunny, as the Sony is the most expensive TV I have ever bought and it isn't working. Sony offer a telephone help line, but it's Mon to Fri from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. exactly when I am at work and not at home. If you ask me, it's all a big fizzing con!

Have just read some more stuff. Try this thread - it may help: Pano DMR-EH60D switchover problem

Update: Have switched off at mains and left off for 30 mins. Came back, switched back on & rescanned digital and analogue - result - Nothing, Zero, Zilch. It looks like my dear little Sony is going back for a refund, as it is utterly unfit for purpose

Good luck with yours.

Houlie

[Mugbatty]

Thanks for the replies.

To answer some of your questions Geofbob I think I've got the everything connected properly. The box was working fine until switchover which happened in two stages, the first stage was just BBC1 and BBC2 and I was unable to find these channels at all then but all the other channels were fine.

When the second stage of the switchover happened I lost all the channels although and the EPG but I am still able to play back recordings and see the menu.

I phoned Hitachi and was told there was a problem with the software and they were making an upgrade available to the retailers so I should take the box back to Comet and they would sort it out. I took the box to Comet in Carlisle on Sunday and they knew nothing about any software upgrade so they said they would phone Hitachi on Monday. I've been away for a few days so popped into Comet this morning and they say they have spoken to Hitachi and there is no upgrade available!

I bought the machine in December 2006 so it is well out of it's guarantee but there is a digital logo tick on the box which I still have along with the receipt. The people at comet said I couldn't have bought it from them as they have never sold this model - they had to back down when I produced the receipt.

Houlie I have tried leaving it unplugged and then rescanning but no joy. I hope you get your refund ok.

Thanks for trying to help, I'm going to phone Hitachi again tomorrow and will let you know if I get anywhere with them.

Do you know if I have any rights as the box has the digital logo tick on it?

Many thanks
Mugbatty

[Geofbob]

Hi Mugbatty. You seem to be doing everything you can. I'm not surprised there's no upgrade available for this Vestel "clone", but nevertheless, if the problem is due to the switch from analogue to digital (which seems to be the case), then someone should take responsibility for rectifying a fault which is way outside your control.

I'm interested as I have a similar model to yours (but even older with only an 80GB disc). Luckily, however, analogue switch off isn't due in London until 2012, by which time even I might have coughed up for a new PVR!

Let us know how you get on. Cheers, Geofbob

[ldare2000]

Hi,

I've now got a similar problem with a Philips 32PFL5522D/05 we lost BBC1 and BBC2 and an add new channels wouldn't pick them back up.

We then tried a Reinstall but again they where missing.

Comet said unplug the areail, reinstall to wipe all channels, then reinstall.

I've now got no digital tv channels!!

I saw the software upgrade was disabled. I've now enabled this. Will it get an upgrade via the digital waves? Will an upgrade sort me out?

The signal and areial connection are all perfect.

Thanks
Louis

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by ldare2000

Hi,

I've now got a similar problem with a Philips 32PFL5522D/05 we lost BBC1 and BBC2 and an add new channels wouldn't pick them back up.

We then tried a Reinstall but again they where missing.

Comet said unplug the areail, reinstall to wipe all channels, then reinstall.

I've now got no digital tv channels!!

I saw the software upgrade was disabled. I've now enabled this. Will it get an upgrade via the digital waves? Will an upgrade sort me out?

The signal and areial connection are all perfect.

Thanks
Louis

Daft question, you did put back the aerial for the second re-install ?

[ldare2000]

yes. ;-)

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by ldare2000

yes. ;-)

I only asked . It's not unusual for some older boxes to lose BBC channels at dso because the way the signals are transmitted is changed. That should not affect the others though. What transmitter are you receiving from ?. Is there a manual tune option in the menus rather than auto ?

[ldare2000]

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

I only asked . It's not unusual for some older boxes to lose BBC channels at dso because the way the signals are transmitted is changed. That should not affect the others though. What transmitter are you receiving from ?. Is there a manual tune option in the menus rather than auto ?

Got there in the end now. I had to hold the menu button down for around 10 seconds and then input a code provided by Philips to access the hidden maintance menus. Then the unit could be totally reset.

I guess my TV is future proof and is ready for the Digital Switch Off in 2094 LOL