[the porter]

Hi all,
>
> We've received the following information from the TVDrive team. Please
> have a read through this post before posting about a TVDrive issue.
>
>> Some recordings just don't happen!
>> This has been the development team's key focus and we have been working
>> hard to rectify recording issues. The good news is that we believe we
>> have
>> solved a couple of problems which may have caused you to either have a
>> recording completely fail, or find yourself with a big piece of
>> 'recovered
>> content'
>>
>> These fixes are currently being tested and you should see the first
>> improvements in our mid-April code download. Additional fixes will also
>> be
>> included in the mid-May release.
>>
>> In the meantime, you should see an improvement in recording stability if
>> you delete any recordings you do not wish to keep. If you continue to
>> have
>> a significant number of problems with failed recordings please contact us
>> for free on 151 from a Telewest phone (or local rate 0845 142 0000 from
>> other providers) and we will organise having the hard disk reformatted
>> for you, once you have watched or archived any programmes you wish to
>> see.
>>
>> I don't always get the interactive 'red button' prompts on my TVDrive
>> We are aware of this and we believe we have solved the problem. You
>> should
>> see significant improvements in our mid-May code release. Until then, a
>> reset of your TVDrive should solve the problem.
>>
>> I sometimes can't enter my pin on Sky Movies 9 and 10
>> We are aware of this and we believe we have solved the problem. You
>> should
>> see significant improvements in our mid-May code release. Until then, a
>> reset of your TVDrive should solve the problem.
>>
>> I can't record films from Sky Movies 9 and 10.
>> Due to the content of these channels we have to offer pin protection on
>> these services. We are working on a solution that will allow you to
>> record
>> content from these channels.
>>
>> The VCR SCART Output is fixed to 4x3 Letterbox
>> This again is a known issue. We are investigating the option of setting
>> the VCR format to that of the TV output. I.e. if the TV SCART is set to
>> 4x3 letterbox, the VCR SCART will output 4x3 letterbox. If the TV SCART
>> is
>> set to widescreen or HD, the VCR SCART would be set to widescreen. We
>> currently do not have a release date for this fix.
>>
>> The HDMI Output has a black bar down the right hand side
>> This is a known issue and is fixed in the next code release, due for
>> release mid April.
>>
>> I cannot stretch or zoom a 4:3 programme on my HD screen when my TVDrive
>> is set to HDMI or Component.
>> Many standard definition TV channels do not broadcast in widescreen but
>> you may not have noticed this before because your widescreen HDTV will
>> allow you to alter the picture format when connected via SCART. Typically
>> you can set the picture to 4:3 (and see black bars on the left and right
>> of the picture), zoom the picture (meaning that you will lose the top and
>> bottom of the image) or stretch the picture sideways to fill the screen
>> (and in the process make everyone look a little fat!)
>>
>> Unlike standard definition television, HDTV has a native widescreen
>> format, and your HD television expects to see a widescreen picture. To
>> compensate for this, the TVDrive team chose to add black bars to the left
>> and right of a 4:3 SD channel. We did this for two reasons: (1) our
>> research showed that the majority of people prefer to watch 4x3
>> programmes
>> without the image being stretched and (2) it is necessary to keep the
>> video and the graphics plane in tight alignment so that interactive
>> applications such as the multi-screen sports coverage from the BBC looks
>> correct.
>>
>> We understand that many users would like us to offer the ability to zoom
>> or stretch a 4:3 picture (especially for widescreen programmes shown in
>> 14x9 format) and we're looking into how best to do this. As stated above,
>> because of the complexity of keeping overlaid graphics in alignment with
>> video this will take us some time to implement.
>>
>> I want my 5.1
>> TVDrive is fully capable of receiving Dolby Digital 5.1 broadcasts.
>> However, we need to make a change to the software for this to work with
>> Teleport HD movies. This is included in the mid-April code release. From
>> then on, we will be able to offer 5.1 sound on Teleport HD Movies.
>>
>> I want to watch HDTV but the engineer told me that TVDrive doesn't
>> support
>> Component or DVI video
>> To be allowed to bring you HD Movies, the studios insist that we add
>> 'Copy
>> Protection' to the High Definition output of TVDrive. Whilst we will
>> endeavour to show as much content as possible on all outputs, some
>> programmes and films will be restricted to the HDMI output only.
>>
>> Because of this Telewest engineers will not install TVDrive using the
>> Component (YPbPr) sockets. However, they are enabled and you can, with
>> the
>> correct leads, connect it this way yourself.
>>
>> DVI is a difficult problem. Some screens with DVI sockets do support copy
>> protection (otherwise known as HDCP) and some don't. If your screen has a
>> DVI socket, and a 'HD Ready' logo or it states in the manual that it
>> supports HDCP copy protection then it will work fine with the TVDrive HD
>> service. Again because of the problems surrounding DVI, Telewest
>> installers will not install using DVI, you can, of course, connect this
>> yourself using either a HDMI to DVI cable, or a HDMI to DVI converter.
>>
>> Remember: both component and DVI do not carry sound, so you'll also have
>> to connect the box up to the audio sockets on your screen or amplifier
>> using the audio phono or optical sockets.
>>
>> Some early component screens only support 720p at 60Hz. This is the
>> American standard. TVDrive outputs 720p and 1080i at 50Hz only. Most
>> screens will support 1080I at 50Hz.
>>
>> My HD screen states that it is HD ready, but I cannot get TVDrive to
>> work.
>> I get no output or I can see the TVDrive graphics but not the video.
>> This is most likely due to problems with HDCP copy protection mentioned
>> above. Some screens get upset when they are connected by HDMI/DVI for the
>> first time; others don't like it if you swap between two HDMI/DVI sources
>> (you may have a HDMI DVD player as well as a TVDrive). If you are having
>> this problem you should switch your TV off at the mains, leave it for a
>> couple of seconds, and then switch it back on.
>>
>> If you are looking to buy a HDTV screen, Telewest recommends that you buy
>> one with the 'HD Ready' mark and AT LEAST one HDMI socket
>
>
> --
> Kind Regards
> blueyonder Technical Support
> http://status.blueyonder.co.uk/

MOD EDIT: name removed

[KableMan]

Bugger me! - I've experienced lock ups, failed recordings and been unable to access interactive services all since yesterday!! Even the ability to pause live TV stopped working!!

It's showing "failed" recordings for Green Wing and My Name is Earl and some of the snooker from last night - and I can't delete them.

And tonight I had planned recordings for Dr Who and Dr Who Confidential but neither even started!! It did manage to record some more snooker though while I watch Dr Who with the kids. But luckily I still have my Topfield PVR hooked up and its managed to record everything (as the kids like to watch and re-watch it!).

But it is so frustrating as everything was working perfectly up til last night. The trouble is I'd rather watch stuff on the TVDrive as the picture is so much better.

When I found this post I was relieved to see that Telewest have acknowledged these items and are working to fix them. They have offered to format my drive for me but trouble is I still have shows I want to watch on there. For a brief moment last night I couldn't even recover them but after Resetting the box they are now fine.

If they can't fix these issues then I'll cancel as there's no point in having a PVR that can't be flippin trusted to record anything!! How annoying

Its mid april already so where's the first batch of fixes!?

[mojoicus]

(1) our
>> research showed that the majority of people prefer to watch 4x3
>> programmes
>> without the image being stretched
Well i want it stretched it looks dire on a large screen tv with massive black bars down each side
Well this and the left shift issue are the most annoying for me

[True Romance]

no wonder so many people are willing to pay sky £300 for HD, TW just sucks!

Neil.

[Mike_CA]

I'm extremely suprised that they say the studios require copy protection to be implemented on the TVDrive. In the US where there are many cable/SAT companies, not one of them currently has copy protection enabled in the box. All of them allow component, HDMI, or DVI at full resolution.

I don't know if Telewest has misinterpeted their contract or are going to be the only company in the world that has to enable copy protection.

[witters]

[QUOTE=mojoicus
Well i want it stretched it looks dire on a large screen tv with massive black bars down each side
Well this and the left shift issue are the most annoying for me[/QUOTE]

I'd rather have it in it's correct ratio than watch people with 5 foot wide shoulders

Originally Posted by nwestwood

no wonder so many people are willing to pay sky £300 for HD, TW just sucks!

Neil.

TW definatly does not suck.

Firstly the box is free instead of a rip off £300 (The TW box allows for 2 recordings and 1 being watched too). Also there is not enough content for HD stations yet to having content on demand like TW offer will be better for now.

The picture through HDMI looks great even on SD content as it seems to upscale the content. So far the only bad program on TW with TVDrive is football where the grass can sometimes looks poor but it does the same on Sky SD on a HD screen so its not just TW.

I have recodred 20 programs so far all perfect and the box has worked fine since day 1. Currently watching Match Of The Day and there is NO black bars on the screen, the picture fits perfect and closeup views of players look really clear.

I cannot wait until the World Cup so i can view it in HD via my TW box. Sky said i can have HD installed end of June (26th June) which is AGES away. Contated TW and it was installed within 3 days of the phone call and its was free instalation and free box.

Ok Sky have the HD content like Movies and Sky but sooner or later (sooner) it will come over to TW also so it will be even better.

Yes Sky have an edge because of football and films in HD but £300 for a box is a joke. TW may not be perfect but it definatly does NOT suck.

[shocket]

I think personal taste should be respected so whether you like it stretched or with bars we should get the option , glad they are trying to do this and i hope it comes soon.

[mojoicus]

here here

[KableMan]

Well I can confirm (its already been reported elsewhere) that my left shift problem has been fixed

I've also reformatted my drive to remove my failed recordings - you can do it yourself using a few key presses (although I wouldn't recommend it as it wipes all recordings). I had quite a lengthly chat with the Technical person over the phone and she said they'd had this firmware update in testing for the past three weeks and she'd personally had it on her TVDrive at home and it had resolved all known recording issues including a problem with series recording and was much more stable as a result.

So this sounds good. The 4:3 issue isn't resolved yet however and it sounds like this'll be a while yet but she did confirm that there would be another update at the end of May - so call that mid-June allowing for internal testing.

Well a planned recording just kicked in so... so far so good

Cheers
KableMan

[An-D]

Is the 5.1 output for movies only?

Unless I've done something wrong I don't get any sound at all after disconnecting the RCA cables and using the optical out (while watching normal TV).

For some reason I expected the optical out to function in the same way as the PS2 and output an audio signal regardless of what source was playing. (ie stereo for games, 5.1 for DVD)

[Cadire]

That sounds very odd An-D. The optical output has always worked for me, even before this update.

What are you connecting the optical out to... and is that device set to use the optical in?

Regards

[choddo2006]

that's what the Sky+ optical out does so seems a reasonable assumption, surprised that doesn't work (although there are games e.g. Fantavision which don't output digital stereo on the PS2 for some reason)

[Clatter]

Originally Posted by nwestwood

no wonder so many people are willing to pay sky £300 for HD, TW just sucks!

Neil.

You don't know how much SkyHD may suck yet. As they have still to sort all the problems on Sky+ you would be foolish to think HD will be bug free.

[meltonboy]

Originally Posted by An-D

Is the 5.1 output for movies only?

Unless I've done something wrong I don't get any sound at all after disconnecting the RCA cables and using the optical out (while watching normal TV).

For some reason I expected the optical out to function in the same way as the PS2 and output an audio signal regardless of what source was playing. (ie stereo for games, 5.1 for DVD)

It certainly does output a signal - its my only source of audio.

There's now an "optical out" item in the settings menu, have you tried that ??

[KevinPedrick]

The optical out menu item doesn't seem to do anything. I was using the optical out before the update and I'm still using the optical out after the update. Changing the menu item doesn't seem to change anything!

[An-D]

Hmmm, there might be something amiss then.

My Amp is an old Yamaha HTR-5630 and has one coax and one optical input.

All I did to check if it was working (after I spotted I'd been updated) was to unplug the optical cable from the back of the PS2 and plug it into the TV drive but got nothing out.

I've just noticed something odd though. Heres my setup:

32PF9830 with the following connections:

HDMI : TV Drive
DVI : DVD HD-950 with coax audio fed from DVD player to 'Audio in 1' on telly and through audio out to amp.
PS2 : Component

If I change input to DVD and switch the DVD player on and select DVD as the audio source on the amp. When I change source to the TV drive and turn the DVD player off, I get the audio from the TV drive coming through the DVD channel on the amp.

Very odd. Any ideas?

[PhlangePhace]

Originally Posted by An-D

Hmmm, there might be something amiss then.

My Amp is an old Yamaha HTR-5630 and has one coax and one optical input.

All I did to check if it was working (after I spotted I'd been updated) was to unplug the optical cable from the back of the PS2 and plug it into the TV drive but got nothing out.

I've just noticed something odd though. Heres my setup:

32PF9830 with the following connections:

HDMI : TV Drive
DVI : DVD HD-950 with coax audio fed from DVD player to 'Audio in 1' on telly and through audio out to amp.
PS2 : Component

If I change input to DVD and switch the DVD player on and select DVD as the audio source on the amp. When I change source to the TV drive and turn the DVD player off, I get the audio from the TV drive coming through the DVD channel on the amp.

Very odd. Any ideas?

it has something to do with how the optical input / dig-co-ax input on your amp is 'assigned'. As you say the TVDrive sound is coming thru the 'DVD channel' on the amp I am presuming that the 'DVD channel' on the amp is either taking the TVDrive sound thru the optical or maybe via HDMI thru TV out thru dig co-ax to amp.

On my amp, for example, there are a number of standard stereo phono inputs for all sources. But for the 'digital' related sources...eg DVD & CD you can assign either the co-ax digital input or the optical-digital input.

[An-D]

I've checked and the optical input is assigned to V-Aux (my PS2)

Does anyone know if the 32PF9830 ouputs digital audio that it receives via HDMI?

EDIT:

I just answered my own question. I unplugged the RCA audio cables from the TV Drive and just had it connected via HDMI with a coax cable running from the TV's digital audio out to the input of the amp and I had sound.

I think there must be a conflict between the HDMI cable and the optical output

[An-D]

I'm starting to think it might be the TV drive.

Just unplugged everything and connected the TV Drive via DVI.

Switched my PS2 on to make sure the optical cable and chennel were correct on the amp, them unpluged it from the PS2 and plugged it into the TV Drive - Nothing.

[ph7]

They have also updated the menu that is presented after you have watched a recorded program. It now gives you the option to delete which is a thankful addition.

The above issue had been spotted by Tivo users on another forum that I read comparing the 2 units and had been wished for.

Looks like telewest may be reading some of our suggestions! As they didn't request feeback from the TVDrive trial users.

Also they have added in another key press when you are changing resolution...you now have to press the text button to confirm.

Oh, and maybe it is my eyes but I'm sure they have slightly improved the menus in 1080i mode....it's still not perfect which is why i'm not totally sure.

That's as much as I have found so far

[the porter]

Hi All

The code drop the other day was for:

EPG issues, guide going blank when moving quickly, and background colour
issues.

Copy protection and archiving, VOD should now be recordable via scart, copy
to VCR can only list the recording once now, Copy to VCR buttons should not
display once copying has started.

Audio, Dolby digital should be available.

Hi Def, the left shift on HDMI should now be removed, confirmation is
requested when switching to HD, switching from widescreen to 4:3 will invoke
the test settings routine

Live delay TV, mini guide no longer disables the Home page, the I key brings
up info for the channel displayed in the mini guide

Playback, a small black bar was left on screen after Viewing ended popup,
this has been removed.

Performance/Stability, reboots, a number of fixes to reduce this have been
incorporated, 70 min scan of drive no longer used, error 2004 handled
differently, reducing the numbers seen

Recording:
Cannot schedule a planned series twice.
Some changes to prevent failed recordings, however there are further
significant fixes planned for the next code drop.
Status of recordings should be more accurate.
Recordings should continue after a reboot
TV guide updates correctly when a series is cancelled


These are the main points from the list of fixes given to us


--
Kind Regards
Dave Lowings
blueyonder Technical Support
http://status.blueyonder.co.uk/

[ph7]

please please please tell someone that the reminders function is annoying!
(hopefully a TW person will see this)

I'm referring to the fact that after you set one the only way you can cancel one is through services and settings. Seeing as you can cancel a recording by pressing record again on something selected it would be great if reminders worked the same way.


Thanks for the update though...I'd forgotten about the black bar that happened to me once.

[kamaran]

I called Telewest to complain my series link failed (for the first time) on the day of the update.

A young girl called me back today to say they are working a 'Number 1 priority fix which should be with us before the weekend'. She really did seem to be reading a script, but the question is where did she get the info from and if they are telling people to say it to customers, then it must be true?

Part of me says I will eat my hat if another update happens this week.

[KableMan]

Hi porter - is there any chance you can add bookmarks into Teleport TV so it remembers where you last got to OR allow the same number of forward speeds as normal playback. It's excruiating having to "fast" forward to the last place you remember viewing. Alternatively allow us to jump to a specified time like you can when viewing a partially viewed recording. (BTW it would be nice to be able to do this anytime and not just when starting to view a recorded programme).

Also on series record - is there any chance we can narrow its search criteria to monday to friday or a particular day, channel or time slot. It's a real pain that it tends to record the same programme everytime its repeated on every channel during the course of a week!

Thanks for the update - my box has been much more stable since the last update

Cheers
KableMan

PS. Any chance you can leak some info about upcoming HD content?

[the porter]

jeez you dont want much do you maybe if you like i could send a butler round to press your buttons save you the hassle ,mind you i only have swedish blond rather busty nannys left would that do??

[ArtfulOwl]

Day two of life with TVDrive, and so far THEY CAN HAVE IT BACK

TVDrive so far has not run for more than 2 hours without freezing, tonight while watching and recording House, it froze after 34 minutes.

That was after 5 freezes and resets to even be able to get a picture!

I have given up for now trying to get the HDMI to work, and would like to be able to use the standard functions.

It was Up-dated over night, but that seems to have done nothing for the good of the machine.

One other point can you turn off or dim the front panel lights when the unit is in standby mode?

[KableMan]

Originally Posted by the porter

jeez you dont want much do you maybe if you like i could send a butler round to press your buttons save you the hassle ,mind you i only have swedish blond rather busty nannys left would that do??

Dude I can do all this on my Topfield Freeview PVR so why not this swanky new TVDrive? Users hey - they want the moon on a stick!

I could live with blonde and busty

[bboy-mass]

Shifted back to hdmi this morning, and bingo the screen shift problem has been fixed.

Took a while, buy hey, its fixed.



Mass

[An-D]

Got a Telewest engineer coming to look at my optical out problem tomorrow (Bank holiday Monday)

Quite impressed that they do call outs on bank holidays. Saved me booking a day off or the guilt of ringing in sick