[Gormless]

Thing is i think i would rather have had a much more reliable SD PVR for £149 than a HD one that constantly disappoints. Yesterday i thought i would give it a random power cycle, then later on when i used it within 10 minutes QI XL was skipping (watching on Dave)

My top signal bar is just past the E in excellent which sits above the bottom bar, and the bottom bar is full.

[Bestbear]

Send it back! Get a reliable SD box if you would prefer it. For myself, I think the picture quality is really good on SD and even better on HD, so I will tolerate the odd stutter. It doesn't happen very often for me, but it sounds as if you are having real problems.

These boxes do seem to vary a lot. Some people report no problems at all, while others have endless trouble.

[Gormless]

piiiicture quaaaality isssss faaaaantastic, cant fault it when iiiiiiiiit is'nt stuttttttering.

[Bestbear]

Originally Posted by gormless

piiiicture quaaaality isssss faaaaantastic, cant fault it when iiiiiiiiit is'nt stuttttttering.

lol!

[Gormless]

what i dont understand is why some days they seem to work flawless and others like something alba knocked up in 20 minutes. I pulled the plug for 10 minutes the other day and it still stuttered after about an hours use so i am not convinced all ills are fixed with a power cycle. You do get the feeling that Pace are just one more firmware away from nailing it, trouble is you also get the feeling they cant be arsed to do it.

If they have abandoned it then it should be pulled off the shelves cos people are still being asked to pay well over £200 for it at lots of places, its not fit for purpose as it comes off the shelf.

[Bestbear]

I put it down to all the little demons inside the box working to rule because of "the cuts".

Could be wrong, I suppose ......

[jocal]

Does any one get issues with Channel 4 related recordings? e.g. E4 More4 Film4. I assume they are all on the same multiplex. Crashed when I was using the guide when recording on C4 an just happened to move selection past the channel. Have had corrupted programs as well.

[rachelkgr]

My player seems to be fine, but it will have the occasional day where it goes nuts and reboots and misses a recording. Can`t get HD broadcasts yet in my area, so can not comment on the HD errors.

I was an early adopter of the box, paid £270 for it, I have been through the highs and lows with this box. Still like it.

Philips would do well not to do this again to their loyal Philips consumers, I am techy, and buy a lot of technical crap, but as a result of buying this box, probably won`t buy Philips again. That will add up in cost for them, especially if others do the same.

They really need to pop one more update out as a good will gesture, however I am sure the code is wired up like a christmas tree, so they won`t wish to un pick it!!! Also the software engineers have probably gone back to school!!

Still mustn't grumble!!

[NiceButDim62]

Just got this box from John Lewis today. I find the EPG is diabolically slow to navigate around. When I say slow I mean it is almost as though it hangs. If I wait long enough between remote navigate key presses it does change and if I press guide again it will eventually return to the channel.

Although it is brand new I did try a full reset and then the latest 7.21 firmware, but it is still the same.

My other PVR which is a Topfield is lightening fast compared to this.
I find it hard to believe this is normal behaviour because it is so attrocious but it would be nice to get that confirmed?

[rachelkgr]

The EPG is pretty quick on mine, no lag. Sometimes causes a reboot if you click through too quickley.

[NiceButDim62]

rachlekgr, thanks for that. I read about quite a lot of problems but very slow epg wasn't one of them. I can't for the life of me imagine what could cause it. I have a good signal here and my old Topfield is lightning fast compared to this Philips box.

Just tried formatting the hard disk and it didn't make any difference so I guess I'll ring John Lewis and ask for a replacement or refund.

[damiank]

Originally Posted by NiceButDim62

rachlekgr, thanks for that. I read about quite a lot of problems but very slow epg wasn't one of them. I can't for the life of me imagine what could cause it. I have a good signal here and my old Topfield is lightning fast compared to this Philips box.

Just tried formatting the hard disk and it didn't make any difference so I guess I'll ring John Lewis and ask for a replacement or refund.

Did you do a factory reset after upgrading to 7.21?

The slow menu/epg, slow population of thumbnails in library etc. is usually associated with previous software versions or it's an indication that it's about to fall over and a timely soft reset (holding the standby button down for a few seconds directly on the box) is advised before it resets itself or spoils a recording.

It sounds like you did a factory reset before upgrading and not yet after. My advice would be the factory reset, you won't lose any recordings just your schedule, personal settings and retune.
If it doesn't help then I think everybody here would advise a refund as I don't think a replacement would be any better.

The history as I see it, philips/pace needed to completely re-write the software from scratch more than a year ago with a proper operating system and file system similar to other box manufacturers. Had they of done this they could have had a premium product. Instead they stuck with an awful middle layer software which was tinkered and tinkered with until they got a barely usable version. A combination of extremely poor management and probably locked into external contracts to supply the software.

I cannot imagine another software update unless freeview change something drastic (which they won't) or maybe a simple patch if we ever decide not to put the clocks back.

Mine still works fine for a few weeks, picture quality is excellent, imho better than the humax and it works properly with my monitor which the humax doesn't as it has problems with hdmi handshaking. I don't regret buying my hdt8520, I am just really annoyed with philips/pace for letting themselves down, they can do and should have done so much better.

[voyagersprit]

Thats the reason I have stayed loyal to this Box, The HD Picture Quality is 110% and the Box has settled right down, does everything is supposed to do. Been a long journey though.

[Jimjimjeroo]

Hey guys, anyway of backing up th HD content on these yet?

[Bestbear]

Not as far as I know ....

[desk lamp]

seems as though this thread is all but dead now but thought i'd give an update for anyone who might be interested...

well, i'm happy to say everything's working fine for me. the box never misses a recording and it's ultra-reliable in that regard. i just set up a list of stuff to record each week and it just does it -as it should do of course.

the only issues remaining (for me) are:

-that it crashes/reboots when browsing the EPG. it seems to do this now about once every 3 weeks and there doesn't seem to be any logical pattern as to when it does it. i can have 2 recordings going and the box will be working hard and it won't crash, and then i can bring up the EPG with the box doing nothing else and it will crash...

-rewind/FF are 'sticky'. they work just fine when you're used to it but it's not as smooth as it should be and the other box that i tried, (humax), was perfect in this regard.

-not an issue for me and i don't think this is the fault of the box but i've had 1/2 dupe recordings -this is out of 100s of recordings though. on both occasions they were channel 4 -which leads me to think this might be the fault of the broadcaster? EPG info?

-i've had 1 'unplayable recording'. again not the fault of the box. it was scheduled to record Hardtalk on BBC news and i think the programme was canceled due to a breaking news event.

the only thing that has disappointed me is the sound output via optical to a DAC. if i connect the PC up the sound using spotify is fantastic. if i connect the box up the sound is quiet and not very impressive. having said that if i connect my TV up via optical it's exactly the same -quiet and unimpressive.

i noticed the other day that within the EPG on BBC1/2 SD if you schedule a recording and it's available in HD it will now bring up a box to ensure you select the HD version. this seems to have appeared from nowhere?

it's a shame that it seems there won't be one final update for the box. if they could just tidy up the loose ends, it would be perfect!

[Bestbear]

I have had the "watch in HD?" pop up since I first got HD. I wonder where yours was all that time?

I do miss recordings sometimes, and have spontaneous reboots from the EPG. The box has lately taken to turning itself on - and off again - for no discernable reason. SPOOKY!

What mystifies me about this machine is the total inconsistency. One user has no problems, another has legions. Yet they all have the same software and hardware.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by Bestbear

What mystifies me about this machine is the total inconsistency. One user has no problems, another has legions. Yet they all have the same software and hardware.

Circumstances are never the same for any two users.
There are countless variables:

They receive on their own aerial systems, from different transmitters, on different frequencies from others, subject to different co-channel interference, operating in different electric fields, possibly subject to local impusle interference and fed from different power supplies which may be noisy.

Any of these can cause problems.

Once corruption can find its way into any digital system, any number of strange faults can arise.

[lauraeva]

So is the HDT-8250 now worth a punt at £129 from e-bay sellers (I realise that these will be re-cycled stock from those who returned their machines out of sheer fustration !) ?

Does the 7.21 update "fix" even the earliest hardware versions of the machine ?

I'm just looking for a basic HD PVR for occasional time shift recording, but with best possible picture quality, and would rather not pay almost double the price for a Humax.

I do like the neat unobtrusive design of the Philips and the prospect of near silent operation.

[Phildick]

Originally Posted by lauraeva

So is the HDT-8250 now worth a punt at £129 from e-bay sellers (I realise that these will be re-cycled stock from those who returned their machines out of sheer fustration !) ?

Does the 7.21 update "fix" even the earliest hardware versions of the machine ?

I'm just looking for a basic HD PVR for occasional time shift recording, but with best possible picture quality, and would rather not pay almost double the price for a Humax.

I do like the neat unobtrusive design of the Philips and the prospect of near silent operation.

At that price I would say it's a bargain.

There is no evidence of any hardware revisions that I'm aware of.

[Gormless]

the design is the best thing about it, when mine is recording though i dare not breath near it, use the EPG or change channel to fast. I also go out of my way to make sure it doesnt do 2 recordings at the same time and if i shut my eyes when it is stuttering then its fine.

[lauraeva]

Thanks for the conflicting opinions !

Just bought the Humax Foxsat 500GB HDR for £225 (I have a satellite dish and a Freesat Sony TV) ... ...

Too scared to go for the Pace / Philips, and wanted the possibility of archiving, transportability, & HDD back-up which I hope Humax Linux formatting will make possible.

More cash / safe choice ?

[Damian1978]

I owned the HDT8520, Foxsat HDR and now only the FOX HDR T2.

You've made a good choice. Found the Foxsat very reliable in the 16 months I used it but moving to a new build housing estate where dishes are frowned upon I sold the Foxsat HDR on here and gave my Philips to my folks who are enjoying it.

Gotta say that the T2 is fabolous but then nearly twice the cost of the Philips!

[beachland]

Anyone still got one of these boxes? I can't see them for sale any more at Comet or John Lewis or Currys or Argos etc.
Mine will be going back to Comet in January when the sales are on so I can get the £200 refund and hopefully buy something good reduced on sale.

Obviously box is still faulty.

[MReed]

Still got one, still using it. Generally all ok. Not perfect but then what box is?

[beachland]

My SD argos purchased Digifusion was pretty much perfect. Quick menu functions and search through recording forwards and backwards without going mental. Also image quality was better in SD. But eventually it did break terminally. the Philips is a nightmare out of the box new.

[Phildick]

I had one of those Digifusions. Yes it was a good box, perfect no. It used to crash every now and again did not do series link or accurate record.

In fact the Philips crashes about as often and is far more complex as it has all of these features plus HD.

I've read all of your posts and it's clear that most of your problems are down to your local environment and not the box.

[beachland]

I disagree.
My 3 main issues are the poor picture quality when paused. Which my old PVR never used to do, same environment.
And the terrible slow remote commands for searching on playback, which my old PVR could do fine at. (same environment)

There are also too many reboots from using the EPG.
I will keep sending boxes back to the shop if they have faults like this, even if they are from other brands and I find a lot have the same faults. It's not acceptable.

[damiank]

Originally Posted by beachland

I disagree.
My 3 main issues are the poor picture quality when paused. Which my old PVR never used to do, same environment.
And the terrible slow remote commands for searching on playback, which my old PVR could do fine at. (same environment)

There are also too many reboots from using the EPG.
I will keep sending boxes back to the shop if they have faults like this, even if they are from other brands and I find a lot have the same faults. It's not acceptable.

I need to balance this up a bit as they will be on offer in January sales.

The hdt8520 has excellent picture quality, imho better than the humax freeview or freesat HD boxes. What beachland is referring to is the image from a SD interlaced source when paused and in particular the characters rolling in the bottom news banner from right to left on 24hr news channels. For people with a TV that can pause the picture it's possible to see the difference between the SD interlaced paused news channel picture and the TV's own non-interlaced and processed capture. This is not a problem on HD and only affects a paused SD picture. If anybody wants to use the hdt8520 to pause SD news channels and inspect the rolling news banners for image problems with a magnifying glass then the hdt8520 isn't for you.

I only experienced slow remote control responses with previous versions of software. Some people have upgraded their software version only to have it revert back at a later date. Beachland describes problems that were evident with previous software versions. It is important to factory reset and power cycle after a software upgrade and if the box is new to you then formatting the hard-drive is advisable as the previous software version and or file format could have been 5.15 or earlier.

The reboots are a problem. Mine will reboot every few weeks. I can force this to happen by leaving it switched on overnight and pressing pause the next day with a full replay buffer. Changing channel will clear the replay buffer so it's not a problem on a day to day basis, however the box will reboot itself eventually every few weeks. I reboot my box during a quiet period when I notice scrolling through the epg takes a little longer, this prevents failed recordings and leaves me in control.

I cannot imagine any new software releases so the box we have will stay the same. Swapping the box over will not make any difference unless there's an actual fault such as hard-drive failure etc, In fact swapping the box over will require updating the software, resetting, formatting etc, etc. so it's pointless swapping the box over due to software issues.
Shops will refund the purchase price, but they do this as a gesture of goodwill or by being bullied. At the end of the day it's a piece of consumer electronics that performs adequately well as far as the sale of goods act goes. People may choose to have problems with the box, but I don't have any problem big enough to win a case at small claims.

Can I recommend it? Not really, it will never reach its full potential, however it has excellent picture qualty and software issues, if you're after a bargain in the sales and can live with it rebooting itself every few weeks and never being any better than that then it's worthwhile. If you're a picky person or get flustered easily with technology then I'd look elsewhere.

[maggotdrowner]

I would agree entirely with damiank.

Additionally, I recently enquired of Philips whether the box would be updated to meet the new D-Book 7 specification and they copped out and said all technical queries should be directed to Pace. Pace replied as follows

The DTR5520 and HDT 8520 are certified and compliant to the Freeview HD standard applicable before March 2011 (as per D-Book 6.1) , consequently the current services available via IP delivery are not supported.



There is no plan to upgrade those receivers to make them compliant with the services delivered via IP and with further evolution of the Freeview HD standard.



Best Regards

Craig Charlwood

Customer Support

Pace plc

So barring a change of mind (probably no chance) or some other software issue making the box virtually unusable (unlikely as 7.21 is reasonably stable after 6 months), the firmware is not going to be updated and we will never get the IP service or subsequent developments.