Sony RDR-DC100 - Recording From Digital Satellite Receiver

[sliphorn]

How do I set up my RDR-DC100 recorder to record from an external digiltal satellite receiver. I have made the connections as shown on p45 of the manual. I contacted Sony via email, but the advice they gave me seems to be contradictary.

 

[Gavtech]

How do I set up my RDR-DC100 recorder to record from an external digiltal satellite receiver. I have made the connections as shown on p45 of the manual. I contacted Sony via email, but the advice they gave me seems to be contradictary.

Welcome to the forum.

You have not said in what way you are coming unstuck here so I'm guessing you need to do the following:


Goto the Initial setup menu/ Video Settings/ Line 3 out [Line 1 in]... and check that the setting is not on anything that includes the word 'Decoder'

Probably the best setting to chose is 'RGB [Video/RGB]'

Once that is done you should be able to select L1 as input and record from the sat receiver.


Also Find Recorder settings [System 1] / Standby Mode and change to Mode 2.

This is page 87 in my manual copy but I suspect we are working from different manuals as the page ref you gave for me was not relevant. [ My manual covers all the model range. I suspect yours may be solely your model ]

 

[sliphorn]

Welcome to the forum.

You have not said in what way you are coming unstuck here so I'm guessing you need to do the following:


Goto the Initial setup menu/ Video Settings/ Line 3 out [Line 1 in]... and check that the setting is not on anything that includes the word 'Decoder'

Probably the best setting to chose is 'RGB [Video/RGB]'

Once that is done you should be able to select L1 as input and record from the sat receiver.


Also Find Recorder settings [System 1] / Standby Mode and change to Mode 2.

This is page 87 in my manual copy but I suspect we are working from different manuals as the page ref you gave for me was not relevant. [ My manual covers all the model range. I suspect yours may be solely your model ]

Sorry - must have had a senior moment it should have said p27

 

[sliphorn]

Sorry - must have had a senior moment it should have said p27

I made the settings as you instructed. How do I record - when viewing a programme - using the timer. I pressed the record button but the message 'can't record' appeared in the recorder window.

 

[Gavtech]

I made the settings as you instructed. How do I record - when viewing a programme - using the timer. I pressed the record button but the message 'can't record' appeared in the recorder window.

Try following the manual timer instructions on page 42 and 50... but it is possible it may not work.

Someone else has similar problems in a nearby post.

Frankly these machines are proving to be a disaster.
It is hard to advise in any useful way because the manuals are proving to be inaccurate and the design is very odd indeed.

Can you pass on the 'contradictory' advice you were given by Sony?

 

[sliphorn]

Dear Mr Ward

Thank you for your recent e-mail received on 26/01/2010 12.34 PM.

I am pleased to read that you are the owner of a RDR-DC100.

In response to your enquiry, the method that you use to record from your satellite decoder varies on the connections available on the satellite box. If the box features a SCART output, I suggest that you connect this to the L1 Jack on the back of the recorder and follow the instructions for other equipment listed on page 45 of the manual.

As SCART is an analogue type connection, it is not relevant whether the satellite box is digital as the signal received by the RDR-DC100 is analogue.

I hope this information is of some assistance. Thank you for your enquiry.

Yours sincerely

Elizabeth Woolard
Customer Information Centre
SONY UNITED KINGDOM LTD

 

[Gavtech]

OK - That does tally with what I have said so far.

If you have changed your input/output settings away from 'Decoder' I would expect it to now work... provided you are selecting L1 as the input source.

The only other thing I can think could cause the 'Cannot record' message would be if the Source material was copy protected.

Can you 'see' the source onscreen that you are trying to record?

Dear Mr Ward

Thank you for your recent e-mail received on 26/01/2010 12.34 PM.

I am pleased to read that you are the owner of a RDR-DC100.

In response to your enquiry, the method that you use to record from your satellite decoder varies on the connections available on the satellite box. If the box features a SCART output, I suggest that you connect this to the L1 Jack on the back of the recorder and follow the instructions for other equipment listed on page 45 of the manual.

As SCART is an analogue type connection, it is not relevant whether the satellite box is digital as the signal received by the RDR-DC100 is analogue.

I hope this information is of some assistance. Thank you for your enquiry.

Yours sincerely

Elizabeth Woolard
Customer Information Centre
SONY UNITED KINGDOM LTD

 

[sliphorn]

I have come to the conclusion that Sony UK must rank as one of the worlds wors customer support organisations. I have already answered some of the questions listed below in my earlier emails - i.e. that I am trying to record from an external digital tunere, and that I have to turn off the unit at the wall in order for the remote to function again.

Dear Mr Ward

Thank you for your reply received on 26/01/2010 12.34 PM.

I am sorry to read of the issue you are experiencing recording programs.

To enable me to provide a full answer to your query, please can you provide me with some further information and I will be happy to see what direct help I can offer. Please may you answer the questions below:

1. When this error message occurs, what are you recording?
For example, your Freesat box through SCART or the inbuilt digital tuner.

2. Have you tried any other inputs?
Such as the digital tuner instead of the Freesat box. If you have not, I suggest trying this if possible.

3. Is the DVD Recorder on the correct input?
The input that you are recording will be shown on the front of the recorder. Such as L1 (SCART) or D001 (Digital channel 001).

4. Can you see the correct picture on the television screen?

5. If so, is the television set to the DVD Recorder AV channel?
To test this, please press the System Menu or Title List button. This should appear on the TV screen.

6. Does the error message appear on the TV screen or front panel of the Recorder?

7. How do you get the DVD Recorder responding again?
Such as switch off at the wall.

When I have received this information, I will be happy to see what further assistance I can offer.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely

Elizabeth Woolard
Customer Information Centre
SONY UNITED KINGDOM LTD

 

[sliphorn]

Recording problem now sorted - but I now get sound interference at 30sec intervals - sounds a bit like a tv switched on without the antenna connected, and lasts for 1 second.

 

[Harrumph]

Frankly these machines are proving to be a disaster.

I quite agree. I've had this model for a week now and despite re-programming the channels, as by default for example Ch1 is Nº13, Ch2 Nº12, Ch3 Nº1 (!) etc. and I'm one of these strange people who prefer Ch1 to be Nº1, Ch2 Nº2 for a change and anyway I've done what I have to do (as per the instructions) FIVE times now and it's like the Lotto - sometimes they stay as programmed, sometimes they revert back to the Far Eastern way of understanding logic ...
Another quirk is when taping in English (I live in Spain, where they dub everything), on playback it switches languages - AT WILL! This despite pre-setting all options to English in the buried sub-menus.
Oh, by the way- my software version is, get this: v. 0.79! I would have thought it nice to have a product on the market at v1.0, don't you? Any chance of finding upgrades from Sony?, no way.

Many thanks to Sila1999 on Page 13 of this thread:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/dvd-...dr-dc90-100-205-305-505-digital-tuner-13.html
who pointed us in the right direction.

 

[bonzobanana]

There was an update mentioned on these forums but it was a dead link.

I've asked sony many questions about these recorders and I just keep getting back that as I have failed to respond they have marked the issue 'SOLVED' even though I'm still waiting for a response. Sony are literally destroying their reputation, it will soon be in shreds. I can only assume they are swamped with customers complaining.

Maybe they needs to be a europe wide class action against Sony about these recorders. Its pretty obvious they aren't coming clean and admitting the problems with these recorders.

Where are the commercial reviews too like what hifi and so forth?

 

[Harrumph]

There was an update mentioned on these forums but it was a dead link.

This is what you're looking for:

RDR-DC90 / 100 / 105 / 200 / 205 / 305 / 500 / 505 Firmware Dowload

I've downloaded it and will try installing it this evening when I get home from work - fingers crossed ...

 

[Harrumph]

Followed procedure to the letter.
Says it now has software v 0.89.
Contrary to warnings, all channels are still tuned in and it didn't reset to factory default neither did I have to go through the installation procedure again (?).
Will have to wait until tomorrow (date change) to see if it really fixes the channel swap bug.

 

[Harrumph]

First of all my apologies to Mr. Ward aka "Sliphorn" as his initial message has steered somewhat off topic - I blame Gavtech really , who quite rightly mentioned the disaster word in relation to these Sony contraptions.

Anyway, the channel setup doesn't switch back overnight any more so that's step one dealt with.
Step two of the quirkies is the sudden unilateral decision to change language when checking the guide or timeshifting or recording. Might I suggest that if Ms. Elizabeth Woolard at the Customer Information Centre SONY UNITED KINGDOM LTD reads this, she relay the request back to Japan and maybe in a few years' time we get an upgrade to v. 0.9 that corrects this!

 

[Harrumph]

Still fighting the urge to chuck the thing through the window

Found the latest "upgrade" - now v 1.3; still no mention about self-appointed random language selection every few minutes (no smilie for - Damn Annoying), this will have to do for Sony Corp:

Anyone else have this? Problem shared-problem halved etc. ...

 

[glowpet]

when dubbing from hdd to dvd on sony rdr-dc100 picture and sound keeps pausing. can you help.