[Dave I]

The other day I did a rescan to pick up new channels (specifically Dave+1) and now the guide is missing program info for some channels, including the new ones it picked up, but also some that were OK before (e.g. Film4 is missing and I'm sure it used to be OK.) Any ideas?

[oldnewbie]

I know with my 9200 I have to put it on a bbc channel for about 10mins for it to pick up all the channel guide info. Hope this is of help

[jj107]

I've got a 9300T and lost loads of channels last night and today that were always there. ITV is breaking up and Sky News has gone as has Film 4 and loads of others. I'm baffled.

[Dave I]

I've had the humax on all evening, and still the missing guide data has not loaded. No program info for UKTV History, Fiml4,4Music, Virgin1, Ideal World,Dave+1, ITV2+1; other main channels are OK.

[Paul Shirley]

Check all 6 multiplexes are tuned to the correct transmitter, the Humax boxes are a bit careless about picking the strongest signal. Enter your postcode here and compare the UHF channels with your box. If they aren't all from the best transmitter you'll need to clear existing tuninings and manually tune each multiplex.

[Dave I]

Originally Posted by Paul Shirley

Check all 6 multiplexes ...
you'll need to clear existing tuninings and manually tune each multiplex.

Errm -- what's a multiplex? Will my manual tell me how to do this (if I can find it)?

[Gavtech]

See Post No 9 in THIS thread for an explanation of muxes.

Some of the information is slightly out of date now but will give you a broad idea.

[Dave I]

OK -- thanks for replies so far. Very interesting stuff.
I think it probably is that the channels at fault are tuned to the wrong transmitter but I'm not clear how to fix this. The manual is a bit sparse in this area. More instruction would be appreciated.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by Dave I

OK -- thanks for replies so far. Very interesting stuff.
I think it probably is that the channels at fault are tuned to the wrong transmitter but I'm not clear how to fix this. The manual is a bit sparse in this area. More instruction would be appreciated.

The standard method involves a double scan.

The first scan is done with the aerial disconnected.
This is done to clear out all the existing channel place-holders.
The only guaranteed method of doing so.

Then reconnect the aerial and scan again.
Hopefully things will sort themselves out.

Good luck

[skk3]

Originally Posted by Gavtech

The standard method involves a double scan.

The first scan is done with the aerial disconnected.
This is done to clear out all the existing channel place-holders.
The only guaranteed method of doing so.

Then reconnect the aerial and scan again.
Hopefully things will sort themselves out.

Good luck

Do you have to save the results after the first scan with the aerial disconnected?

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by Syk

Do you have to save the results after the first scan with the aerial disconnected?

Yes.

[skk3]

Originally Posted by Gavtech

Yes.

Cheers Gavtech - will try fix later today.

[creddish]

Originally Posted by Gavtech

The standard method involves a double scan.

The first scan is done with the aerial disconnected.
This is done to clear out all the existing channel place-holders.
The only guaranteed method of doing so.

Then reconnect the aerial and scan again.
Hopefully things will sort themselves out.

Good luck

I think this method would still have the risk that signals would be received from more than one transmitter. If this occurs it would be better to use the somewhat more complex method of Manually tuning to specific UHF Channels appropriate to the PVRs location.

Colin

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by creddish

I think this method would still have the risk that signals would be received from more than one transmitter. If this occurs it would be better to use the somewhat more complex method of Manually tuning to specific UHF Channels appropriate to the PVRs location.

Colin

Yes indeed it could... but the clearance is an important part of the process.

Once the rescan is done there is the opportunity to delete unwanted channels.

[nvingo]

Once the channel list is cleared (defaults setting or aerial-disconnected scan), the way to ensure local channels occupy the correct LCNs is via Manual Tuning, supplying the PVR with the parameters (works with UHF No. or frequency) of the Muxes.

[bytesize]

Sorry to hijack thread, but i've just bought a PVR-9200T from one of the forum members on here, hopefully it may arrive tomorrow, one thing I wanted to know is, is it possible to update firmware over air so that the box will then do series link recordings ???

[creddish]

Originally Posted by Gavtech

Yes indeed it could... but the clearance is an important part of the process.

Once the rescan is done there is the opportunity to delete unwanted channels.

Do you mean deleting individual Freeview Channels i.e. those listed on the EPG? If so I don't believe this will necessarily cure the problem. As I understand it the problem is caused by receiving signals from different transmitters so that can only be cured by ensuring that all MUX's are from the same transmitter.

I agree it necessary to clear existing MUX's before Manual scanning.

Colin

[creddish]

Originally Posted by bytesize

Sorry to hijack thread, but i've just bought a PVR-9200T from one of the forum members on here, hopefully it may arrive tomorrow, one thing I wanted to know is, is it possible to update firmware over air so that the box will then do series link recordings ???

Yes if the updates are transmitted but I don't believe they are transmitted very often for the 9200 now. Alternatively this can be done by downloading the software from the Humax website and installing it via the Serial port on the PVR.

Incidentally, if you are buying it from a forum member I would expect it to have the latest software which has been in existence for over a year now and Series Link capable versions for longer than that. Do you know otherwise?

Colin

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by creddish

Do you mean deleting individual Freeview Channels i.e. those listed on the EPG? If so I don't believe this will necessarily cure the problem. As I understand it the problem is caused by receiving signals from different transmitters so that can only be cured by ensuring that all MUX's are from the same transmitter.

I agree it necessary to clear existing MUX's before Manual scanning.

Colin

Hi Colin

I don't actually know what I mean ... because I've not looked up the specifics of this particular machine, or how it handles tuning issues .. also I'm not sure whose, [or what ] problem is being addressed here.

If going back to the OP... then loss of a mux [ or its data ] is not likely to be cured by a rescan as the loss is more likely due to an aerial issue or transmitter on reduced power... in which case, a rescan can thereafter just make it impossible to receive that channel, because the channel placeholder will be lost.. so scanning under those circumstances is the wrong thing to do.

But so far I don't know what Dave I may or may not have done.
I gather it is not the channels that are missing - just a guide not populating .. so really it cannot be a mux issue ... unless the station he happened to be tuned to was 'iffy'.

It would probably be cured by either tuning to a BBC channel or one of the channels he was wishing to populate.

[bytesize]

Originally Posted by creddish

Yes if the updates are transmitted but I don't believe they are transmitted very often for the 9200 now. Alternatively this can be done by downloading the software from the Humax website and installing it via the Serial port on the PVR.

Incidentally, if you are buying it from a forum member I would expect it to have the latest software which has been in existence for over a year now and Series Link capable versions for longer than that. Do you know otherwise?

Colin

I did ask the question, and the forum member said it couldn't, mind you he did go on to say that the box hadn't been on since November, no problem ii'll download the latest firmware so I have it ready and dig out my serial cable so its all ready. Thanks for your advice.

Regards
Bytesize

[nvingo]

Humax PVR automatic channel scan;
Scans the UHF band 21 to 68 in order. As each digital transmission (Mux) is found, the services in it are allocated LCNs (the "channel" numbers you type to select the channels to view). If a second transmission of the same Mux is found (from a neighbouring transmitter), the LCNs are already occupied, and some channels (from the second duplicate Mux) are then assigned the next available LCNs from 800.

Whilst the PVR is tuned to channels from one transmitter, it will not see the EPG data for channels from the other. This is what stops those channels' EPG from "populating" and also stops Freeview+ accurate recordings from taking place on those channels. This is why it is imperative that channels from only one transmitter are stored at the main LCNs. You can store alternate region channels at 800+ (by manual tuning) but appreciate that timer recordings on these must be adjusted to fixed-time events.

[nvingo]

Originally Posted by bytesize

the box hadn't been on since November

The latest version was broadcast OAD almost monthly from Jan 2008 about half a dozen times. It is likely that any PVR9200 used in that period has the current V1.00.21 installed.
Should you need to do the update yourself, it is a "null modem" serial cable which is required.

[creddish]

Originally Posted by nvingo

Humax PVR automatic channel scan;
Scans the UHF band 21 to 68 in order. As each digital transmission (Mux) is found, the services in it are allocated LCNs (the "channel" numbers you type to select the channels to view). If a second transmission of the same Mux is found (from a neighbouring transmitter), the LCNs are already occupied, and some channels (from the second duplicate Mux) are then assigned the next available LCNs from 800.

Whilst the PVR is tuned to channels from one transmitter, it will not see the EPG data for channels from the other. This is what stops those channels' EPG from "populating" and also stops Freeview+ accurate recordings from taking place on those channels. This is why it is imperative that channels from only one transmitter are stored at the main LCNs. You can store alternate region channels at 800+ (by manual tuning) but appreciate that timer recordings on these must be adjusted to fixed-time events.

Thanks for the explanation. I was aware from postings on the forums that the Humax gets "confused" when it receives signals from more than one transmitter but had not previously seen an explanation why. However, there is one point that is not convincing me. You said "Whilst the PVR is tuned to channels from one transmitter, it will not see the EPG data for channels from the other" I don't see why the PVR is not effectively tuned to all the channels from both transmitters and therefore capable of receiving and storing the EPG data for all of them. Say for example MUX 1 is being received from both transmitter A and B and the signal from A was picked up first. So the BBC1 channel from transmitter A would be allocated to LCN No.1 in the EPG and the BBC1 channel from transmitter B would be allocated to an LCN in the 800 range. So why could the PVR not receive both sets of EPG data and store them in their allocated LCNs? Likewise why can't the EITp/f data from both BBC1 transmitters be used to control their respective LCN depending on which LCN the programme recording was scheduled on? I can't see the practical difference between this scenario and two different channels say BBC1 and ITV1 on different MUXs from the same transmitter?

Can you put me out of my dilemma?

Colin

[nvingo]

Originally Posted by creddish

So the BBC1 channel from transmitter A would be allocated to LCN No.1 in the EPG and the BBC1 channel from transmitter B would be allocated to an LCN in the 800 range. So why could the PVR not receive both sets of EPG data and store them in their allocated LCNs? Likewise why can't the EITp/f data from both BBC1 transmitters be used to control their respective LCN depending on which LCN the programme recording was scheduled on? I can't see the practical difference between this scenario and two different channels say BBC1 and ITV1 on different MUXs from the same transmitter?

Can you put me out of my dilemma?

Colin

As I see it, EVERY channel in the UK (including regional variations, and possibly sub-regional variations) now has a different ID.

The EPG carousel on ALL Mux from a single transmitter, carries only the data for ALL channels from that transmitter - regardless of the carousel bias towards channels on the current mux.

So it is the IDs which allocate EPG data to the LCNs the channels were assigned during tuning.

I'm not sure whether PIPping channels from different transmitters, populates both sets of EPG - PIP and EPG display being exclusive.

Of course the converse situation is also true - whilst tuned to channels in the 800s, Accurate Recordings on normal LCNs are adversely affected.

[creddish]

Originally Posted by nvingo

As I see it, EVERY channel in the UK (including regional variations, and possibly sub-regional variations) now has a different ID.

The EPG carousel on ALL Mux from a single transmitter, carries only the data for ALL channels from that transmitter - regardless of the carousel bias towards channels on the current mux.

So it is the IDs which allocate EPG data to the LCNs the channels were assigned during tuning.

I'm not sure whether PIPping channels from different transmitters, populates both sets of EPG - PIP and EPG display being exclusive.

Of course the converse situation is also true - whilst tuned to channels in the 800s, Accurate Recordings on normal LCNs are adversely affected.

Ah! yes I suspected I had missed something. Thanks for that. I had forgotten the issue of different Now/Next data which no doubt accounts for the problems some users are having.

Colin

[Dave I]

Just to ge back to the origin of the thread .... :-)

Well I got it sorted after having a go at manual tuning.

Once I had understood about the muxes and uhf channels, and played around a bit in the System and Installation menus, it was clear that Mux D was on a different and weaker transmitter.

With the help of info from in the thread that Gavtech referred to above (and specifically the data at Digital TV Group | Retailers and Installers | DTT Services) I was able to retune to the transmitter the other muxes were on.

Thanks all.