DishTV 7090

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#483018 20-Jun-2011 08:31

ADKM: Haven't tried the timer yet, and probably won't record from the EPG. What happens if something is running late or early?

You would be silly not to use the MHEG5 EPG to schedule your programs to record. That really is the point of the PVR. The official MHEG5 EPG allows for one click selection for setting up recording, and is also the only way to series link shows, ie record all in a series.

These types of units typically have 2 EPG's. The main freeview only MHEG5 one, and a standard EIT data one which you can use for other stations that provide EIT EPG data, ie SBS etc. For scheduling freeview you'd want to use the MHEG5 one really for the reasons above.

ADKM: Plus 2 dish inputs and I had a separate dish on each

This doesn't quite sound like a standard/basic install?
If you're going to do some clever stuff like run two dishes etc then you'd really need to check how the unit handles this sort of thing. If it's one input per tuner then you'll only be able to record one freeview channel if only one dish is pointing at Optus D1 etc. Depending on your setup a DiSEqC or multi switch might be the way to go.

Sounds like you have tried to install this somewhere else before. I would have expected the first power on to run through the scan check, which automatically tries both common lnb type settings etc. If you have moved this then a factory reset should mean it goes through the procedure again.

If you have any issues then emailing/phoning the supplier is worth a go too.
http://www.dishtv.co.nz/

gwf

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#484713 22-Jun-2011 22:25

Hitting the exit button brings up the recent channel list, scroll through and ok the channel of choice.
Re ordering channels not possible. Although it is possible to program the crappy ones to be skipped when scrolling.
Removing recordings to external drives and splitting the tuners have been reported as features to be added in future firmware updates.
Never used record button as EPG is so good but yes it looks painful. Haven't had the running late problem, maybe the EPG auto updates? Dunno
Don't have the black blob problem on my machine. Can't comment.
At the end of the day mate, the whole family can use it, it's just so simple, u can't beat it for the dollars at the moment.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#484737 22-Jun-2011 23:12

Thanks jwf, that's quite informative. My wife and I have just about got divorced since we had this, neither of us can work it out. It's a miracle we've managaged to record anything! Your 'so simple' comment is.. well, not for some! We spend most of our time pressing buttons that do nothing.

How the heck to you STOP a chased programme? Stop doesn't Stop.
Can you resume at the point you stop, assuming you manage it?, even Pause while you do something on another screen causes it to revert back to the start.
Why does the EPG button so often do nothing? Is it mayve disabled while recording or playing back ?
Can you fast foward 4 mins instead of 10 ?

I did put the required channels into a Group. But can't use or see the group. I was hoping maybe you could re-order a group. Now decided to give in and let it have the order it wants!

The black blob has gone, never to return after day 1. In User settings you can set a before and after delay for the EPG. It works very nicely. The instant record eventually lets you enter minutes up to 480.

Sorry for all the questions. Even though we hate the bloody thing we're hoping it'll grow on us. So we're keeping it!

Cheers - Kirk

injuised

256 posts

Ultimate Geek

#484776 23-Jun-2011 07:35

The epg wont work on non freeview channels, only freeview channels suppoort the MHEG-5

Any other channels this box has tuned in is an inherant bonus with satellite

gwf

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#485148 23-Jun-2011 19:53

As yer man injuised says the EPG button won't do anything if u are on a non freeview channel, however if u hit the menu button and scroll down to the ESG that will give you now and next info for all the channels not just the free views ones. It does not however give you the operability of the red button to record a show direct like u can on the EPG.

EPG on my machine is not locked when recording, I am doing so now and there is no problems accessing EPG.

Back to your earlier question about recording from EPG ~ hit the EPG button (not the red button but the one below the word EPG- that had me foxed for a while!) scroll up down for to look at shows later earlier and left right to scroll channels. Green button for the next week and blue button for next day. Find the show u want red button will record but before it does it will ask do u just want this one show or the whole series I think from there it's yellow button yes and blue button no. Simple. If it doesn't do that, well there is summit wrong with machine lad.

Anything else just ask, am sure there are things you have resolved i havent and vice versa. The owners manual is a joke.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#485209 23-Jun-2011 21:39

gwf: The owners manual is a joke.

And the saddest part it's writen by Kiwis. They must have left school very early.

I understand EPG only works on Freeview, and also you have to wait for an indication it's kicked in, until 'Loading...' shows on screen (if you're lucky).

Tonight was a total disaster, we lost everything! But it's not all the 7090's fault. My wife had turned it off and when the timer came on it started recording without actually switching on, so I didn't see a picture... and didn't realise it was off. Eventually I pulled the mains off/on... which restored everything. (Twice I might add as the first time it told me 'Media Not Alive'). By then TV3 news had finished but the unit insisted on recording TV3+1, even though it wasn't programmed too. Three times I deleted it. Three times it came back. After 2000 I could them re-program TV3 for 1800. I guess it just knew I wanted the news and wasn't giving up...

To actually switch on as well as come on, it looks like Wakeup Timer for the scheduled event. That can be tomorrows test! There's also a User Setting called Auto Time and on/off option. Book doesn't mention it. I changed it from off to on. Who knows what'll result?

I'm prety sure to record a non-Freeeare/non EPG channel, it must on tuned to it and you
press the Record Button on the remont (lower left), cursor right twice, then enter xxx minutes ?

Last question, have you found faster way to get to the record schedule? I 've only found Menu- Media manager and a further choice from there.

PS I also had the same problem with EPG not being the Red button. They should have labelled those four the same as Lib and Play.

Cheers - Kirk

Jaxson

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#485278 24-Jun-2011 03:28

without intending to be rude I'm having a laugh reading your issues. What you are battling/describing is actually the intended behaviour of a freeview pvr. The epg on all freeview units operates exactly the same as described above for example.

Often these units will record in the background without appearing to be on. If you miss the start of something on tv3 then the unit will automatically record tv3 + 1 etc to help you out - so you dont miss any content etc.

From what you are mentioning the bulk of it seems to be functioning correctly, despite your expectations being quite different. If you dont like these provided behaviours then you would probably have been better served by a non freeview approved unit like the Vu+ Duo for example.

Many of us have been hanging out for this type of unit to provide wives / parents / grandparents etc with something with a very simple user interface.

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gwf

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#485582 24-Jun-2011 19:11

Mate, i have to admit last night's events sound pretty funny. However I am very impressed with the machine having the brains to think it's way around missing a recording by going to tv3 plus 1, that's good.

Recording from non freeview channels as u say is by manually goin to the channel and pressing record or by using the wake up timer in a fashion similar to the old school analogue VHS and HDR recorders ie set the time and date and it does the rest.

But this brings me neatly on to one of the biggest cluster f*?ks of this machine, set up a recording for one of the non freeview channels a couple of days down the line. Go about your business and forget all about it, a couple of days later the wife and her best buds are watching desperate housewives or whatever american junk du jour, meanwhile mr 7090 says hang on a minute I've got a recording here, hijacks the lnb switches the polarity to the channel he wants boots the desperate housewives were they belong and I am jolted from my slumber by the screeching of banshees about the idiotic machine I have brought into their lives. And yet when u sit down and think about it's all completely logical but equally completely unsatisfactory for a 500 dollar box of electronics. Truth is this machine will never live up to it's billed "record 2 channels while watching a 3rd" until the dual tuners are split for a dual lnb set up.

I've gone on a bit too long here, but just wanted to vent.

Anyway mate given we are such a small country I think it's testimony to the enterprising nature of the old kiwi that we have a home grown purpose built unit for such a low dollar sum. The fact the manual isn't the most useful is prob down to the fact that it was written by the tech who assembles, programmes and ships these things out of Hamilton. And given that some of the screen shots in the manual from early may and I got my machine around mid may I think it's fair to say this manual hasn't been road tested in anyway shape or form.

ADKM

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Ultimate Geek

#485624 24-Jun-2011 22:14

Thanks for explaing the EPG behaviour Jaxson. But as for very simple user interface, I've never seen anything quite so contrary, annoying or unpredictable. It's latest stunt is to auto record whatever channel we switch to - then show it as both Recording and paused in the Library. You can delete it, but then starts up again as soon as you change channel. Wasn't there yesterday... maybe it'll be gone tomorrow ! I did set something unknown on, so will now try it off. Shame you have to guess how things work or what they do though.

gwf, I'm staying well clear of dual channels. I've 3 dishes and had plans for hooking two of them up after sorting out the general operation. Is it not actually setup for that yet? Not what the salesman said... no, I'm not suprised!

Is it really 'hone grown' ? A number of on screen messages are fairly hairy for NZ English. And surely they can remove that 'enter password' requirement to delete anything. There's so much room for improvement ... but will it happen ?

Cheers - Kirk

Jaxson

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#486442 27-Jun-2011 14:39

ADKM: as for very simple user interface, I've never seen anything quite so contrary, annoying or unpredictable.

Thanks for that feedback. I don't own one of these and I haven't seen / used one. Feedback on the interface etc is real important before I go recommending this to anyone as a freeview approved unit should be solid, clear and simple. Good to know if it doesn't make it.

That has been the one feedback I've seen about dish TV products - Their user interfaces typically haven't been good enough. There have been a few PVR capable units from them and they all seemed quite complicated to use, for the average person.

ADKM: I've 3 dishes and had plans for hooking two of them up after sorting out the general operation. Is it not actually setup for that yet?

gwf: meanwhile mr 7090 says hang on a minute I've got a recording here, hijacks the lnb switches the polarity to the channel he wants boots the desperate housewives were they belong

Re this and SBS etc, wouldn't you need to ensure these were all connected in a way that the unit could use them? I'm not entirely sure what the splitting of the tuners means just yet but you'd need these connected via a multiswitch or a DiSEqC setup etc anyway to allow multiple lnbs. Reason I mention this is you'd need an LNB that could do H and V alignment simultaneously for SBS to record and not interfere with freeview etc. I don't know how much is the units fault or just a simple fact of life given the satellite configuration you are using etc.

ADKM:
Is it really 'hone grown' ? A number of on screen messages are fairly hairy for NZ English. And surely they can remove that 'enter password' requirement to delete anything.

Totally agree. Most of this stuff comes from Asia. That's not necessarily a bad thing but the user interface and printed manual are usually the last things to be addressed. I hate that password prompt thing too!

My Ultraplus 700 unit prompts "Would you stop the recording?" when I go to turn it off whilst it is recording. It could easily say, "A program is currently being recorded, do you really want to turn off the box?" or something. Average example I know, but you get the idea.

ADKM:
There's so much room for improvement ... but will it happen ?

Magic question aye! I hope so given what you guys have written about this. I see they are very happy to advertise that changes are coming but that's pretty easy to do! I'm hoping this will be a good buy by Christmas and any bugs addressed by then.

I can understand the freeview only MHEG5 EPG but I would have thought you'd be given an option of another EIT EPG for freeview plus any non freeview channels tuned in. SBS etc.

And there should be an easy page you can go to that shows all future scheduled recordings, be then freeview or not. It seems to be freeview orientated which is fine but it's a bit silly to add DVB-S2 capabilities etc for non freeview channels if they are not supported very well.

ADKM

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Ultimate Geek

#486485 27-Jun-2011 16:07

Interface aside, the picture and sound are in sync and are good, with just the quick, occasional blip as (I suspect) it's starting or stopping a recording).

However after a fortnight of use, it's still a struggle. Why did it suddenly turn off last night with nothing scheduled happening or anyone near it? Why does the EPG sometimes record TV3 Plus One as well as the scheduled TV3 programme an hour beforehand? Why is it so hard to STOP something i.e. no responce from the STOP button? Why can't you resume a programme at the point you stopped it (assuming you finally did manage to stop it). And finally, why can't you skip forward xx minutes instead of a fixed 10 mins? That's too much to skip ads and the increment xTimes skip is clumsy to use.

This unit feels like it was only partly designed, then thrown togther as is where is for sale. Given more work and some basic improvemnets it could be a winner. As it stands at $500ish is it not value for money, especially with 2TB USB drives now selling for $150.

Cheers - Kirk

Dunnersfella

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#486497 27-Jun-2011 16:46

Units will turn off for a few reasons...
1: HDMI handshakes can let go, forcing the product into 'shutdown'. This may be coming from the TV end, or the Dish TV end... who knows what.
2: The likes of the Panasonic DVD and BluRay recorders have an auto-shutdown 'energy saving' option that will turn the box off after a set period of time.
3: The box may be faulty.

As a side note, I have had the chance to play with the 7090 and found the user interface to be typical of other boxes I've used. The issue for me, was a point dimple on the bottom of the remote that seemed to dig into my hand during normal operation. Apart from that Freeview operation was fine for me. Yes it was a pain accessing the Aussie channels, but I got over that when I figured a short cut (the 'enter' button from memory).

Also, in regards to the ad skip function...
Any Freeview approved product will have disabled this, it's not a fault of the box, it's a restriction enforced by NZ broadcasters to stop people... well... skipping the ads that they derive their revenue from.

I don't own the product, but I would consider it a front runner in the marketplace as the picture is a lot better than many other options, and the EPG is handy. Then again, MySky works a lot better for me... and some people HATE that.

Chuckman

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#487417 29-Jun-2011 14:11

I bought one of these yesterday (well, picked it up yesterday after buying from NL last week on the 20% freeview offer - $440 seemed a good price for 500GB official, dual LNB recorder). I'm hoping as an official MyFreeview box any bugs etc will get some attention.

Setup seemed ok, changing from Auckland to "all free channels" seemed to tune in ok. Shipped with a loop cable to connect LNB1 to LNB2. Picture looks pretty decent.

Just upgraded to the latest firmware from the Dishtv site (mine shipped with 1.1d - latest is 1.1e) and noticed a couple of changes I don't think were there yesterday.
1. Time slip recording is now optional (and defaults to off). Pretty sure as shipped there was no option to change this.
2. I seemed to hit a limit on the old firmware with 15 scheduled recordings. I've now set up 29 without it complaining.

The upgrade wipes all settings, but preserves existing recordings (i.e. recorded TV - not the schedules). So you'll need to retune the channels and recreate all recording schedules.

So very early days for me - owned it less than 24 hrs - so will see how it goes.

GWF (or anyone else) - can you explain that polarity switching problem? (I'm a satellite noob) . I saw the channels detected on both horizontal and vertical polarity (got all normal channels plus a bunch of SBS channels) so think I've got both working. When starting a recording for a non-Freeview channel does it change both LNBs to vertical so this is why other channels get kicked off? Shouldn't it only change polarity on the LNB being used for the recording (or is that even possible?)

Cheers.

ADKM

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#487426 29-Jun-2011 14:29

You've probably discovered, but when recording on one polarity the other polority isn't available.

Your last question is one I'd like to know too, it seems logical if you had two dishes connected each tuner could access it's own polarity.... I was going to try it, but could see no way to assign Tuner 1 to Dish 1 in the setup.

What's 'time slip recording'?

Cheers - Kirk

Jaxson

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#487445 29-Jun-2011 14:59

Chuckman: GWF (or anyone else) - can you explain that polarity switching problem?

Have a read of This Thread

ADKM: it seems logical if you had two dishes connected each tuner could access it's own polarity....

You'd want to be very careful as one tuner can only do one transponder. If you did this, separated the tuners for polarity then only one could do freeview, and then only one transponder of freeview. You'd be essentially turning your dual tuner box into a single tuner unit for freeview purposes, if that makes sense.

If you're really keen on being able to do this all properly then you'd need to buy a bunch of gear quite separate to the 7090 recording unit. ie you'd need a dual polarity output capable lnb and a multiswitch that both tuners could connect to. That way either tuner could see either polarity etc.

It's a consequence of the satellite systems that this sort of thing is required, and it's not really related to the performance of the satellite box itself, short of the tuners being able to work independently.

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