Record two channels and watch third!

[bknewhaven]

Warning to you all. If you try to record three programmes at the same time, the box will tell you there is a clash. Don't do what I did recently. I had set the box to record a series and then set it to record another programme at the same time, forgetting about the series I had set days before. I only found out when the Humax gave me a warning screen over the last vital minutes of Hunter BBC1. By the time I sorted what was going on, we missed the end. Thankfully there is iplayer! Next time I will set anything I want to see up as WATCH, rather than record, so it will remind me of the clash. You have been warned!

BK

 

[D-Zyne]

How much TV do you watch, dude....?

 

[bknewhaven]

Not that much, but as the box said it would warn of any clash of programs I forgot that it wouldn't warn you if you watch a third channel unless you register you are going to watch a particular programme. I just wanted others to know about this so they didn't end up watching something else as the box switches over to one of the channel you've asked it to record.

Just a bit of helpful info.

BK

 

[grahamlthompson]

Warning to you all. If you try to record three programmes at the same time, the box will tell you there is a clash. Don't do what I did recently. I had set the box to record a series and then set it to record another programme at the same time, forgetting about the series I had set days before. I only found out when the Humax gave me a warning screen over the last vital minutes of Hunter BBC1. By the time I sorted what was going on, we missed the end. Thankfully there is iplayer! Next time I will set anything I want to see up as WATCH, rather than record, so it will remind me of the clash. You have been warned!

BK

You can watch any channel that's on the same transponder as either tuner is recording. If the two channels you are recording happen to be on the same transponder then you have a spare tuner that not only let's you watch any other channel but will allow you to time shift it as well (needs a tuner writing to the HHD to pull this off - wierd but even though it's writing to the HDD you cany record it). The German cousin to Foxsat can record 4 at the same time using this - two on one transponder and two on another, and there's no reason with a firmware upgrade why the Foxsat-hdr can't do the same.

 

[bknewhaven]

Graham,
I had read that somewhere, but to be honest I don't fully understand the transponder business. Also how do you know what channels are on what transponder?

BK

 

[Peridot]

I only found out when the Humax gave me a warning screen over the last vital minutes of Hunter BBC1. By the time I sorted what was going on, we missed the end.
BK

I'm confused over what the issue is

I assume it relates to the priority of selections. I would hope that series recordings would have top priority, followed by single episode recordings, followed by 'Watch' settings.

Are you saying that this is not the case?

 

[grahamlthompson]

Graham,
I had read that somewhere, but to be honest I don't fully understand the transponder business. Also how do you know what channels are on what transponder?

BK

You are not alone. First of all for technical reasons the lnb (that's the equivalent of a terrestrial aerial) can't handle all the frequencies used by satellite so the frequency band has to be split into 2 (high band and low band) and each band has transmissions that can be horizontally or vertically polarised thus giving 4 bands

Low Band Horizontal, Low Band Vertical, High Band Horizontal, High Band Vertical.

A lnb can only get one band at a time and the reciever tells the lnb which band it wants by sending signals to the lnb (22Khz AC and 12 or 18V DC). That's why you need a lnb per tuner (2 for the foxsat)

Each satellite has a number of transmitters using a specific frequency and polarisation, these are known as transponders and each transponder has a number of digital TV and radio mutiplexed (mixed) onto the carrier frequency. The satellite tuner demultiplexes (seperates out) the individual radio and TV channels so you can watch/record them. (this is the same as freeview but the uhf carrier with multiple channels is known as a MUX). The satellite tuners in the foxsat can output two channels from the same transponder at the same time. (Freeview pvr tuners can do the same trick).

How do you know what channels are on each transponder, simple you consult my list here

Digital Spy Forums - View Single Post - Humax-HDR Bonus Feature

The number at the end is the transponder frequency

 

[grahamlthompson]

I'm confused over what the issue is

I assume it relates to the priority of selections. I would hope that series recordings would have top priority, followed by single episode recordings, followed by 'Watch' settings.

Are you saying that this is not the case?

The OP is simply stating that with 2 recordings set that the box may steal the channel you are watching with little warning. If you reserve the channel you want to watch after setting the recording reservations it will warn you that you can't watch this channel as there won't be a tuner available

 

[mccg]

I am confused about the list of channels you can watch while recording 2 others.

The other night, I was recording Channel 4 & Channel 5.
Both are LH (Low, Horiz)

I thought this would allow me to watch other channels on the same LNB setting.
(or even maybe anything, since both recordings could use the same LNB).
But all I could watch was Ch4, 5, 4+1, Film4, and the alternative BBC regions in the high 900s.
I can see no pattern to the list of available channels.
Why couldn't I watch BBC2,3,4, etc? Surely they are also on LH.

most odd....

 

[grahamlthompson]

I am confused about the list of channels you can watch while recording 2 others.

The other night, I was recording Channel 4 & Channel 5.
Both are LH (Low, Horiz)

I thought this would allow me to watch other channels on the same LNB setting.
(or even maybe anything, since both recordings could use the same LNB).
But all I could watch was Ch4, 5, 4+1, Film4, and the alternative BBC regions in the high 900s.
I can see no pattern to the list of available channels.
Why couldn't I watch BBC2,3,4, etc? Surely they are also on LH.

most odd....

It's not the band that's significant (assuming you have 2 cables) it's the transponder.

The rules are

Recording two channels on different transponders - you can watch (but not time shift) any channel on the same transponder as either tuner is recording.

Recording two channels on the same transponder - you can watch and time shift any other channel

In your example CH4 is on 10714H and CH5 is on 10773H

The other channels you could watch are

125 More4 +1............................ 10714
300 Film4............................... 10714
301 Film4 +1............................ 10714
974 Channel 4........................... 10714

102 BBC Two............................. 10773
106 BBC Three........................... 10773
107 BBC Four............................ 10773
600 CBBC................................ 10773
601 CBeebies............................ 10773
950 BBC 1 London........................ 10773
957 BBC 1 NI............................ 10773

 

[mccg]

Aha - thanks.

I didn't think transponders were important.. thinking about it, it is obvious though.. doh!