Panasonic DMR-HWT260 owners thread.

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6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2176019 10-Feb-2019 17:46

littleheaven:
It does have an app but it's not good. I don't think it turns the unit on and off, and when I tried to use it to change the channel, although it showed all the NZ channels correctly, it just crashed whenever I selected one. In all honesty, I've not used my PVR for a year or two now because the streaming video services here have become so good. Have you considered a Chromecast or an Apple TV for your wife? Both can be driven by a phone or a tablet and can stream both live and on demand content from the major NZ TV channels. Plus you can also get Netflix, Lightbox, Amazon Prime (recently launched in NZ) and many other services which will give her an almost endless amount of content to help her pass the time.

She only watches TV.

We have Netflix and she does not watch it much.

Chromecast would be fine however she does not use the content. Watches on demand on her iMac.

Unit on and off is not a huge problem. What's the app called?

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#2176136 11-Feb-2019 01:14

The app is called DIGA Player. I still think a Chromecast would be worth a try. You can use it to watch TV. 3Now live streams TV3, 3Life and Bravo channels, plus all the catch-up content. TVNZ live streams TV1, TV2 and Duke, plus all the catch-up content and full box sets. You just need the free apps on the phone.

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Paul1977

5039 posts

Uber Geek

#2176166 11-Feb-2019 09:28

@Ultraforce351 another option might be a Harmony Companion which would allow her to use her phone as a remote control for any device you already own.

EDIT: Or the Harmony Elite which would give her the same smartphone control as the basic Companion, but would also provide a far better universal remote control for your use.

EDIT 2: Note that since these are activity based, which ever you chose would replace your existing remote controls (trying to use alongside the existing remotes will mess things up). This is why it would be worth considering the Elite package if you also use the devices for the better physical remote. Either option allows you to install the app on as many smartphones as you like. I.e. for your wife the Harmony Companion should be suitable, for anyone else with enough fine motor control to use a physical remote the Harmony Elite is the better choice (as it also offers everything the Harmony Companion does).

Ultraforce351

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2176170 11-Feb-2019 09:34

littleheaven: The app is called DIGA Player. I still think a Chromecast would be worth a try. You can use it to watch TV. 3Now live streams TV3, 3Life and Bravo channels, plus all the catch-up content. TVNZ live streams TV1, TV2 and Duke, plus all the catch-up content and full box sets. You just need the free apps on the phone.

Yes But she likes her iMac for that stuff.

I have a Chromecast for her. She said she would not use it.

Ultraforce351

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2176171 11-Feb-2019 09:35

I will have a look at the diga software.

Thanks for that.

Bananabob

511 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2212840 8-Apr-2019 14:05

I am having an interesting problem with my DWT-HWT260

This unit is connected to a Yamaha receiver. When I change the input on the receiver, say from CD player to TV the HWT260 starts to play a recording. I would have thought that it would just go to the last TV channel watched. This is really annoying. Does anyone know if this is normal or if there is a setting that I am missing that stops this happening?

clive100

236 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#2213003 8-Apr-2019 15:45

Which remote are you using ? I have had the TV remote ( LG smart TV) activate certain functions of the Panasonic recorder. Sometimes too many smart things going on. Similar potential problems with multi function features on receiver remotes. You can try setting up the HWT260 remote & receiver to the alternate code as per manual.

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Bananabob

511 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2213005 8-Apr-2019 15:47

clive100:

Which remote are you using ? I have had the TV remote ( LG smart TV) activate certain functions of the Panasonic recorder. Sometimes too many smart things going on. Similar potential problems with multi function features on receiver remotes. You can try setting up the HWT260 remote & receiver to the alternate code as per manual.

When I switch inputs I have to use the receivers remote. I do not think that it is an issue with the codes but will look into this.

theoldfarter

233 posts

Master Geek

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#2213047 8-Apr-2019 16:54

Check you do not have CEC turned on, in one or more of your devices.

"Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) is a feature of HDMI designed to allow users to command and control devices connected through HDMI by using only one remote control. For example, by using the remote control of a television set to control a set-top box and/or DVD player."

Bananabob

511 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2215082 11-Apr-2019 15:24

clive100:

Which remote are you using ? I have had the TV remote ( LG smart TV) activate certain functions of the Panasonic recorder. Sometimes too many smart things going on. Similar potential problems with multi function features on receiver remotes. You can try setting up the HWT260 remote & receiver to the alternate code as per manual.

OK I have tried this and now my remote control will not work. I get a message on screen "Remote Control 1" and a message on one front panel "Set 1"

So following the manual page 65 I try to reset the remote and I can not get it to work. Would like to get a fix for this PDQ as I want to use the unit now.

Bananabob

511 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2215096 11-Apr-2019 15:46

Bananabob:

clive100:

Which remote are you using ? I have had the TV remote ( LG smart TV) activate certain functions of the Panasonic recorder. Sometimes too many smart things going on. Similar potential problems with multi function features on receiver remotes. You can try setting up the HWT260 remote & receiver to the alternate code as per manual.

OK I have tried this and now my remote control will not work. I get a message on screen "Remote Control 1" and a message on one front panel "Set 1"

So following the manual page 65 I try to reset the remote and I can not get it to work. Would like to get a fix for this PDQ as I want to use the unit now.

Got it to work by removing the batteries from the remote for 20 minutes or so.

RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2558027 6-Sep-2020 18:54

Thanks to the moderator for unlocking this post.

Getting more than a little annoyed with the negative quirks of my Magic TV 3600, and frustrated that my original Panasonic twin tuner recorder, the DMR-850, has been getting severe pixelation from local WiFi signals (Panasonic service centre have never heard of this or so they claim and thus had no solution for the issue) I decided to splash out on a HWT260. I purchased it from Harvey Normans Moorhouse Avenue Christchurch for $388 after asking for a cash discount. This matched the price Smith City were selling it for. I used it to replace aforementioned Magic TV which I relegated to under the bed until it realise how naughty it’s been and learns its lesson which is probably never. It’s just gonna sulk.

My general impression is this new unit is fantastic, very fast compared to my other units which are sluggish by comparison. Access to the TV Guide is instant and if anyone has dealt with the earlier technology you will know how long it use to take for the TV guide to appear. Playback is great and I don’t mind if I can’t use the skip function since fast forward is both smooth and quick (though, having said that, if someone has a code unlock key, that would be great too😉).

The only slowness I’ve noticed is going through the list of programs I’ve recorded and waiting to bring up the internet. I’m happy to finally have direct access to YouTube without the use of Chromecast though it’s good to be able to Chromecast to the machine as well.

On demand is far superior to my T2100, far less failures, and I only need WiFi whereas with the T2100 best results come with a direct internet access which, in my case, involves using a 10 M cable which I try not to trip over in the hallway when it is plugged in. I've also noticed that if you fast forward a bit just before an ad break starts, you miss the ads completely and it jumps to the next segment of the program.

My main gripe is, while keyword search recording is wonderful in theory, in practice it does not work if there is even one standard recording with a slight overlap; keyword search seems to forget that there are two tuners. For instance, I enjoy 8 Out of 10 cats Does Countdown, however the show comes off and on the schedule almost at random on some nights so I set a “countdown” word search. TVNZ suddenly decided to bring back the show on Friday nights but I have a standard recording for Miranda, so even though search list showed the recording scheduled for that night, it failed to do it. I consider this a bug.

A lesser issue with keyword search is that there is not the ability to override the default time extensions (before and after). I tried the keyword “news” and it record Prime News at 5:30 and TV3 News at 6 but completely ignored TV1 news. The only way I could fix this would be to change the default time extensions to 0 but then that would affect other recordings.

There is also the issue with not being able to play MKV files etc while a recording is in progress. I’m not sure why they couldn’t have worked around this. Years ago on my first Panasonic hard disk recorder, an 80GB analogue, you couldn’t play NTCS DVDs while recording PAL, though in later models that problem was resolved so I don’t see the problem here.

The final issue I have is that there is no other output besides one HDMI. I like having something on while going in and out of the kitchen. My kitchen TV has a signal from an RCA sender in the living room but there is no immediate way to fix this issue without a splitter and HDMI to RCA converter or an HDMI wireless sender; besides the relatively high cost, the best of the HDMI wireless senders are 2.4GHz which would interfere with the WiFi. Does anyone here have another solution for this? BTW, other interferences with my WiFi are one of my wireless headphones and the microwave, which are all on the same frequency!

So, while I would like to have a machine that does just about everything, I will not be ditching some of my other units any time soon. My Philips Blu-ray player, besides playing Blu-ray disks which the new unit doesn’t (though I could’ve chosen the next model up if I wanted), also plays MKV etc so I can use it if the HWT-260 is recording something. I have a Chromecast extension on my browser which allows me to cast such things as videos on Facebook, which the new unit does not recognise so I won’t be dumping the Chromecast dongle just yet. And finally, if I really want to watch on demand in the kitchen as well as the living room, the T2100 will still come in handy.

Spyware

3761 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2558028 6-Sep-2020 19:04

RustyViewer:

My kitchen TV has a signal from an RCA sender from the living room but there is no immediate way to fix this issue without a splitter and HDMI to RCA converter or and HDMI wireless sender;

I'm feeling sick just reading that.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2558030 6-Sep-2020 19:31

Spyware:

RustyViewer:

My kitchen TV has a signal from an RCA sender in the living room but there is no immediate way to fix this issue without a splitter and HDMI to RCA converter or an HDMI wireless sender;

I'm feeling sick just reading that.

Sorry, what's your issue with this?

RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2568216 19-Sep-2020 17:43

Ok, so here's a stupid question. When typing in text for the name of a recording, I cannot find the space key. Does it even exist?

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