Tivo recording without audio

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bj99

169 posts

Master Geek

#180805 22-Sep-2015 14:29

I've recently cancelled Sky and after reading many favorable comments on this site decided to try a Tivo box at least until FreeviewPlus moves beyond version 1.0.

I've had the Tivo about a week and until last night was really impressed with it's simplicity and similarity to MySky.

Last night I tried to watch a recorded program and was presented with a great picture but no audio. The issue was isolated to only one recording.

Again, much reading suggests this was/is a fairly common problem. Theories abound, but the most common appears to be that the tuners don't handle overlapping recordings very well.

My questions to any long time Tivo users is; Is the missing audio issue a known bug which just needs to be worked around or do I have a faulty machine?

Thanks

Groucho

524 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1391950 22-Sep-2015 14:40

Welcome to TiVo. I've set up three TiVo's and I've never had issues with audio not playing for an entire recording. Are there any other similarities with other recordings e.g. have you recorded anything else from the SAME channel (i.e. same channel number not counting if one was on the live channel and other on a +1 channel) as the recording with no audio? Trying to isolate a problem with that channel config.

If you're having issues with overlapping recordings have you tried swapping the coax cable that connects to your aerial? Sometimes if the signal is really low weird things like that can happen. I had issues on one of the units when recordings overlapped but the signal strength was ~90%. Swapped the cable and was perfect and never skipped a beat again. With analogue it's all about the signal strength but with digital defects in the cable can also cause havoc.

tardtasticx

3075 posts

Uber Geek

#1391955 22-Sep-2015 14:45

I've had this happen a few times in the past. We've got 2 TiVos, both running on different aerials etc, and at completely random times and channels it'll just not record audio.

it hasn't happened for like 6 months now, so I put it down to some sort of software issue.

Behodar

10517 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1391956 22-Sep-2015 14:45

To add another data point: My parents have had a Tivo for years and I've never heard a complaint about this.

edge

423 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1391959 22-Sep-2015 14:49

Behodar: To add another data point: My parents have had a Tivo for years and I've never heard a complaint about this.

And another. I've had one TiVo for a number of years now and have randomly had this happen no more than a couple of times over that whole period. For me, it has happened so rarely that I have never even looked for a solution!

"It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of what he was never reasoned into."
— most commonly attributed to Jonathan Swift, author/theologian

andyb

236 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

Spark NZ

#1391961 22-Sep-2015 14:51

I have 2 and havent experienced this at all, I do occasionally have quality issues but only during really bad storms.

andyb

bj99

169 posts

Master Geek

#1391965 22-Sep-2015 14:57

Thanks for the replies.

It appears that I'm not the first to have this problem:-

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=114&topicid=105452

There are similar threads in forums in Aus and US. All without a solution that I can find.

I have now turned off 'suggestions' which should almost eliminate program overlaps as I don't record much.
Hopefully it was a one off event.

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#1391978 22-Sep-2015 15:14

Like others I've had this happen a few times but not enough to bother me into putting any effort into trying to find the problem.

Sharesies

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GregV

928 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1391980 22-Sep-2015 15:16

Not exactly what the OP described, but I've noticed recently that the audio output from Tivo to the TV will stop (video is fine), until I reconnect the HDMI cable at the back of the Tivo.
I've never had the issue of audio not being recorded.

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#1391984 22-Sep-2015 15:22

GregV: Not exactly what the OP described, but I've noticed recently that the audio output from Tivo to the TV will stop (video is fine), until I reconnect the HDMI cable at the back of the Tivo.
I've never had the issue of audio not being recorded.

When this happens to us I just "rewind" the picture 30 seconds or so and then start watching. The sound seems to come back when I do this. I get the Tivo sound effects while I do this so I assume it is a bug with passing through the live TV audio.

scuwp

3888 posts

Uber Geek

#1391985 22-Sep-2015 15:22

Welcome to TiVo. Wonderful device, which unfortunately is nearing the end of it's life in NZ.

We occasionally lose sound, but find either a quick channel change and back again or a re-start of the recorded program kicks it back into action again. I can't say I have ever had a recording that failed to retain or playback the sound, just needs a kick in the pants now and again to get everything going. The other trick is to unplug and re-insert the HDMI cable, we have to do that occasionally too. It seems the TiVo and TV don't like playing together sometimes.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Groucho

524 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1392000 22-Sep-2015 15:29

graemeh:
GregV: Not exactly what the OP described, but I've noticed recently that the audio output from Tivo to the TV will stop (video is fine), until I reconnect the HDMI cable at the back of the Tivo.
I've never had the issue of audio not being recorded.

When this happens to us I just "rewind" the picture 30 seconds or so and then start watching. The sound seems to come back when I do this. I get the Tivo sound effects while I do this so I assume it is a bug with passing through the live TV audio.

If you have glitches in the audio while watching a recording try swapping your HDMI cable out. I had this problem but happened pretty randomly but got worse to multiple times during one recording. I swapped out the HDMI cable and the audio dropouts have never happened again.

mattwnz

20180 posts

Uber Geek

#1392017 22-Sep-2015 15:55

I have this problem occasionally on one TiVo, and it happens when recording two channels, where the second recording very occasionally doesn't have sound.

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#1392019 22-Sep-2015 15:58

Groucho:
graemeh:
GregV: Not exactly what the OP described, but I've noticed recently that the audio output from Tivo to the TV will stop (video is fine), until I reconnect the HDMI cable at the back of the Tivo.
I've never had the issue of audio not being recorded.

When this happens to us I just "rewind" the picture 30 seconds or so and then start watching. The sound seems to come back when I do this. I get the Tivo sound effects while I do this so I assume it is a bug with passing through the live TV audio.

If you have glitches in the audio while watching a recording try swapping your HDMI cable out. I had this problem but happened pretty randomly but got worse to multiple times during one recording. I swapped out the HDMI cable and the audio dropouts have never happened again.

Thanks, I'll try that next time it happens. I have a few spare HDMI cables.

mattwnz

20180 posts

Uber Geek

#1392020 22-Sep-2015 15:58

scuwp: Welcome to TiVo. Wonderful device, which unfortunately is nearing the end of it's life in NZ.

We occasionally lose sound, but find either a quick channel change and back again or a re-start of the recorded program kicks it back into action again. I can't say I have ever had a recording that failed to retain or playback the sound, just needs a kick in the pants now and again to get everything going. The other trick is to unplug and re-insert the HDMI cable, we have to do that occasionally too. It seems the TiVo and TV don't like playing together sometimes.

It depends on how long the device lasts for though. There is no real indication that TiVo will stop being supported, and if it does it doesn't mean another company won't take it over, or it won't be open sourced. The only real thing that can wear out appears on the TiVo, is the harddrive or fans, which I believe can be replaced.

scuwp

3888 posts

Uber Geek

#1392080 22-Sep-2015 17:08

mattwnz:
scuwp: Welcome to TiVo. Wonderful device, which unfortunately is nearing the end of it's life in NZ.

We occasionally lose sound, but find either a quick channel change and back again or a re-start of the recorded program kicks it back into action again. I can't say I have ever had a recording that failed to retain or playback the sound, just needs a kick in the pants now and again to get everything going. The other trick is to unplug and re-insert the HDMI cable, we have to do that occasionally too. It seems the TiVo and TV don't like playing together sometimes.

It depends on how long the device lasts for though. There is no real indication that TiVo will stop being supported, and if it does it doesn't mean another company won't take it over, or it won't be open sourced. The only real thing that can wear out appears on the TiVo, is the harddrive or fans, which I believe can be replaced.

IMO the devices have been around long enough that the CGA can't reasonably apply any longer. It is on life support for the devices still in operation, but for all intents and purposes The Sun is setting on TiVo in NZ. Shame.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation