New Humax 9200t - two problems, any help?

moriartygm

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Hello,

I have just bought a Humax 9200T PVR. I ahve two questions

Question 1
Software: My current software id 1.00.04. I think an update is available.
I have tried a OTA update from the menue, but the system reports that no software was found.

Does the OTA broadcast all the time or will I have to wait for the latest braodcast ? I could use the PC, but I'd rather do it OTA.

Question 2
When viewing via RGB on my Samsung 32" LCD the picture is good but there are problems, when there is a straight line in the picture the line is not smooth, it's all jagged and 'stepped'.
Also, there are artifacts on peoples faces, particulary contours i.e. the nose of prsenters seems to have 'lines' on it !

This is resolved by switching the scart output to non RGB (CVB?) but of course the picture is a bit softer and duller.

Any ideas?
 
If it has a component out from the Hummy use that instead or try a second tv or if you have more than 1 scart connected to the tv can have this effect.

Updates OTA are only broadcast at certain times so if you check the Freeview transmitter info for your area it will tell you when a update is running.
 
Hello all, thanks for the advice. I the end I took the unit back to Comet, and exchanged it.

This did help in some respects as the software on the first box was 10.00.04 and this replacement box the softare is 10.00.08 ! The very latest. so it was worth the trip to Comet.

The picture continues to be a problem, but only when viewed with the TV scart set to RGB.

It is small vertical banding which is particulary visible on outlines and faces.

I know the scarts are OK as I have replaced them twice, all high quality screened cables.

I know the TV is OK because when connected on the same input to my previous freeview box the problem is not present.

When I set the Humax to anyhting but RGB, the problem is removed, but the picture is a lot 'softer'.

Any ideas ?
 
I see exactly the same vertical banding as you are describing (hummy and 40" samsung LCD). I also have a good quality scart and have not been able to improve matters. I am beginning to think that maybe it is a result of such a clean signal from the hummy to the TV that it is showing up the inherent lack of quality in the digital signal.....??? I may be imagining it, but the problem seems less pronounced on good quality source material and better digital channels.
Anyone else?
 
Yes, I think you are right about the variation in the problem, it seems to vary depending on the source. For example, during "Robin Hood" it was less noticeable that during local news.

Perhaps the problem is that the HUMMY is a much better DTT tuner than my last one (a very early Nokia 221T) and this is revealing issues with the source material.

In a way I am relieved that someone out there can relate and has seen the issue (i.e. I am not going mad, and there is no point going back to Comet with the 2nd unit).

I have decided that I would rather live with this small issue and keep the fantastic functionality of the HUMMY. I have only had it one day and yet it is changing the way my wife and I schedule our time and TV viewing. It's as if we are suddenly in control, not the TV people !
The only thing we can't do is dictate what they show, but then that's what DVD is for !
 
Yes, I was also delighted to find someone else describing what I had noticed - I was beginning to wonder if I had a slight fault on the unit.
That aside, they are a truly great piece of kit, oh yes.
 
Software update 1.00.06, broadcast for 1 week from 10am, Mon morning
 
I was thinking of installing a mains devicethat removes static and 'cleans' the power to equipment.

I have heard very good things about these units when used with any AV equipment but was wondering if anyone had any specific experience when using these devices with a Hummy ?

Perhaps the artifacts we see is something to do with the mains power ?
 
Is what you are seeing like a light halo around things - especially noticeable on BBC news around the presenters? This is something that people refer to as edge enhancement - its purely artificial and I don't know why it is particularly noticeable with BBC. The other thing that you may notice is plasterscene (sp?) noses and faces - this is a Freeview compression thing. Don't watch so close!

The jaggies and steps that you mention is likely to be down to the deinterlacer on the Samsung. If you can't get rid of it by adjusting the controls on the TV, then its one that you are going to have to live with. A decent cable will not make any difference as it is being generated internally within the TV by the scaling/deinterlacing process. Alternatively an external scaler should do a better job but these cost £££-££££

Decent cables can make a difference, but I don't think they are the root cause of your problems. Sometimes a defective/poor quality SCART cable can introduce some shadowing - this can often be resolved by cutting one of the pins on the SCART cable (can't remember which one) so there is no signal reflection. Alternative an RGB only cable may help as these only have wires to carry RGB video (no sound or CVBS etc) and there is less chance of crosstalk.

Regarding mains cleaners, best first step is to make sure that you are connected to the same mains socket for display and Humax. Again, I don't think that a mains cleaner will help as it is not the root cause of your problem. They can cause other problems and some may dramatically increase power consumption.
 
Ian,

Ah, yes funny noses ! that's what I am seeing ! I guess we will learn to live with it or chaneg the setting away from RGB on the scart.

Thanks for the advise about the mains power, I think you have just saved me some cash ! I had no idea they increase one's power usage, that's the last thing I want to do !

So it's a mixture of Freeview compression and the Samsung TV. Oh well at least I know the Hummy is OK !

Thanks again to all who answerd my post.:hiya:
 
Well, today I exchanged my expensive SCART cable for the cheap one included in the Hummy box.
Guess what, some of the artifacts are now gone ! there are now different issues but on the whole the picture is better with the cheap supplied scart's than my expensive ones !

Could it be that the SCART & Hummy were so good it was sending more information to the TV than could be accurately upscaled ?! :suicide:
 
I tried swapping my decent scart for the freebie and result was terrible; picture was an absolute mess of noise. True, I couldn't see the aforementioned vertical banding, but that's no surprise.
 

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