Samsung TV recording: Allowing for EPG inaccuracy

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mdooher

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#175856 14-Jul-2015 08:51

I record to a hard drive attached to my Samsung TV by choosing the program from the EPG. The problem is the EPG can be out by as much as 5 minutes on some shows. There is nothing more annoying than the recording stopping 2 minutes before the end of the show.

Does anyone know of a way to tell a Samsung TV to record from say 5 minutes before to 5 minutes after a show. I can do this on my magic TV and expected to be able to do the same on my TV.

Matthew

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MikeB4
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#1342759 14-Jul-2015 09:18

Have you actually managed to get a HDD to work on a TV? my Panasonic has the record to HDD facility but none of the HDD's I have connected has been accepted as compatible.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

mdooher

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#1342766 14-Jul-2015 09:25

MikeB4: Have you actually managed to get a HDD to work on a TV? my Panasonic has the record to HDD facility but none of the HDD's I have connected has been accepted as compatible.

Yep seems to be working well (apart from the above mentioned problem) I bought a USB3 housing and put an old 1TB SATA drive I had in it.

The software seems a little buggy though. You are supposed to be able to view by list and delete recordings etc. But all I can view by is a tiled view. The whole TV seems to be dumbed down when you set it to NZ instead of AUS

Matthew

Hiamie

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#1342772 14-Jul-2015 09:37

You are not alone!

I have exactly the same problem with my Samsung TV! The PVR often missed the end of TV shows.

Gave up using it in the end, I never found a solution. Chose MYSKY as an alternative - and SKY TV isn't without it's issues (excessive adverts, lack of HD, repeats etc), but the MYSKY recorder itself works well.

Effectively this makes the PVR side of the Samsung TV useless.
(The smart hub side of the TV is just as useless, as you can't use a normal keyboard - have to us the remote to enter anything)

I seriously suspect that Samsung often don't actually test their products in the real world before putting them on the market?? (I remember having an old style basic CDMA Samsung cellphone many years ago.... where after typing a long TXT message you didn't have the option to select the recipient - you had to discard the TXT message, select the recipient then type it all out again - amazing incompetence - clearly never tested in the real world).

On the plus side, the TV picture quality is superb.

mdooher

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#1342776 14-Jul-2015 09:47

Hiamie: You are not alone!

(The smart hub side of the TV is just as useless, as you can't use a normal keyboard - have to us the remote to enter anything)

I seriously suspect that Samsung often don't actually test their products in the real world before putting them on the market?? (I remember having an old style basic CDMA Samsung cellphone many years ago.... where after typing a long TXT message you didn't have the option to select the recipient - you had to discard the TXT message, select the recipient then type it all out again - amazing incompetence - clearly never tested in the real world).

Well I will say the keyboard works on mine, it took me a while to figure out that you can only use the keys that are displaying in the onscreen keyboard.

I think you might be right about the software. It is very buggy. It crashes applications, it is very slow (sometimes), buttons that should work on the remote randomly stop working in some apps etc. Honestly it is like a beta release. I've only had it a couple of weeks I'm tempted to return it.

Matthew

Apsattv

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#1343435 15-Jul-2015 06:42

It might help if you actually said which model Samsung it is that you are referring to?

mdooher

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#1343455 15-Jul-2015 08:34

Apsattv: It might help if you actually said which model Samsung it is that you are referring to?

2015 JU6400. I just got a reply from Samsung. "not possible"

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mdooher

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#1343458 15-Jul-2015 08:46

So I guess the only option is to get TVNZ to make their EPG data more accurate.

I wonder how Samsung managed to get their TV "freeview approved" with such a glaring issue.

Matthew

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#1344490 15-Jul-2015 10:19

mdooher:
Apsattv: It might help if you actually said which model Samsung it is that you are referring to?

2015 JU6400. I just got a reply from Samsung. "not possible"

It would be interesting to see if the TV could be returned under the CGA. As Samsung are advertising it has a recording feature I'm sure anyone could successfully argue that it is faulty if there is no way to reliably record TV programs.

mdooher

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#1344493 15-Jul-2015 10:28

graemeh:
mdooher:
Apsattv: It might help if you actually said which model Samsung it is that you are referring to?

2015 JU6400. I just got a reply from Samsung. "not possible"

It would be interesting to see if the TV could be returned under the CGA. As Samsung are advertising it has a recording feature I'm sure anyone could successfully argue that it is faulty if there is no way to reliably record TV programs.

There are so many bugs in the firmware I'm wondering if they add up to a substantial failure. If so, I could argue for a full refund. I would really like to know if part of the freeview standard for recorders requires the ability to account for EPG inaccuracies.

Matthew

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#1344517 15-Jul-2015 11:15

mdooher:
graemeh:
mdooher:
Apsattv: It might help if you actually said which model Samsung it is that you are referring to?

2015 JU6400. I just got a reply from Samsung. "not possible"

It would be interesting to see if the TV could be returned under the CGA. As Samsung are advertising it has a recording feature I'm sure anyone could successfully argue that it is faulty if there is no way to reliably record TV programs.

There are so many bugs in the firmware I'm wondering if they add up to a substantial failure. If so, I could argue for a full refund. I would really like to know if part of the freeview standard for recorders requires the ability to account for EPG inaccuracies.

It doesn't even need to be a substantial failure, I'd need to check the exact wording but the law requires the product to be free from defects.

B1GGLZ

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#1344535 15-Jul-2015 11:47

graemeh:

It would be interesting to see if the TV could be returned under the CGA. As Samsung are advertising it has a recording feature I'm sure anyone could successfully argue that it is faulty if there is no way to reliably record TV programs.

I doubt it could be considered as a reasonable claim under the CGA. The TV fulfills all it's claims by the manufacturer. It's not their fault that programs consistently run past their advertised and EPG times. It's happened ever since TV started in NZ and is the fault of the Broadcasters, not the manufacturer. It always used to happen in the old VCR days when using G-Code and other methods of setting recorders. The only surefire way to record anything is to use Timer Record and that function is not available on a TV. The only way it can be resolved is to force broadcasters to stick to their advertised/EPG timeslots by cutting out some ads. Basically A TV is designed to receive TV transmissions and display the program. If you want to record TV and not miss some of your recordings then get a Recorder/PVR and use Timer Record or add time to start and finish times. That's what they are designed to do.

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Dunnersfella

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#1344536 15-Jul-2015 11:47

The retailer could just supply you with a $80 Freeview box that allows recording via USB...
Then you're covered, they're happy and the CGA would no doubt be fine that a remedy has been offered.

As a side note, recording via a TV is a horrible, horrible result on almost every TV I've experienced.
It's a TV, not a PVR, obviously it won't compare to something that's designed as a dedicated recording device.

graemeh

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#1344543 15-Jul-2015 12:02

B1GGLZ:
graemeh:

It would be interesting to see if the TV could be returned under the CGA. As Samsung are advertising it has a recording feature I'm sure anyone could successfully argue that it is faulty if there is no way to reliably record TV programs.

I doubt it could be considered as a reasonable claim under the CGA. The TV fulfills all it's claims by the manufacturer. It's not their fault that programs consistently run past their advertised and EPG times. It's happened ever since TV started in NZ and is the fault of the Broadcasters, not the manufacturer. It always used to happen in the old VCR days when using G-Code and other methods of setting recorders. The only surefire way to record anything is to use Timer Record and that function is not available on a TV. The only way it can be resolved is to force broadcasters to stick to their advertised/EPG timeslots by cutting out some ads. Basically A TV is designed to receive TV transmissions and display the program. If you want to record TV and not miss some of your recordings then get a Recorder/PVR and use Timer Record or add time to start and finish times. That's what they are designed to do.

The TV is designed to also record TV transmissions using the EPG info. This feature does not work because the program does not record correctly. It doesn't really matter who is at fault it just doesn't work. Yes you can argue the fault is minor and has been a problem with VCRs and other technology but ultimately that does not matter, the TV is not capable of performing as advertised so it fails to be of acceptable quality.

The manufacturer promotes that you can record TV but the reality is you can't so the TV is not of "acceptable quality". End of story.

You could probably also claim that the TV is not fit for its normal purpose as the normal purpose includes recording TV to watch later.

More info here: http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/for-consumers/law/consumer-guarantees-act/guarantees-for-goods

dunnersfella: The retailer could just supply you with a $80 Freeview box that allows recording via USB...
Then you're covered, they're happy and the CGA would no doubt be fine that a remedy has been offered.

As a side note, recording via a TV is a horrible, horrible result on almost every TV I've experienced.
It's a TV, not a PVR, obviously it won't compare to something that's designed as a dedicated recording device.

No they can't just replace it with a freeview box. You bought a TV with a built in recording facility, providing a separate device is not "replacing the goods with goods of identical type".

B1GGLZ

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#1344556 15-Jul-2015 12:18

graemeh:

The TV is designed to also record TV transmissions using the EPG info. This feature does not work because the program does not record correctly. It doesn't really matter who is at fault it just doesn't work. Yes you can argue the fault is minor and has been a problem with VCRs and other technology but ultimately that does not matter, the TV is not capable of performing as advertised so it fails to be of acceptable quality.

The manufacturer promotes that you can record TV but the reality is you can't so the TV is not of "acceptable quality". End of story.

I'm sorry but I disagree. The TV does record using the EPG as advertised. Samsung doesn't specify the recording has to stick to the EPG times. The manufacturer can't be held responsible for inaccuracies in the EPG and broadcasters overruning their timeslots as it's beyond their control. The EPG is ONLY a Guide and not to be relied upon. If the EPG fails and/or goes off air for any reason for any length of time are you going to blame Samsung? I've tried recording to an SD card on a TV and as others have said, the picture quality is rubbish.

Dunnersfella

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#1344557 15-Jul-2015 12:19

It's not replacing it with a Freeview box - it would be offering a solution, the adjudicator at the CGA would see that a remedy has been offered and may very well side with the retailer.
The '5 minutes short of recording a copyrighted TV show' would probably not be enough of a claim to get the OP a brand new TV... especially if a remedy is offered.
Now if the other 'bugs' referred to by the OP do end up mounting to a substantial claim, then... maybe, just maybe?
But if the OP mentions that have a Magic TV already, it wouldn't be a significant hardship to endure, surely?

As far as 'expecting' the TV to work in the same manner as a designated PVR (the OP's Magic TV box)... Where does that expectation to come from?
The retailer? Samsung? A friends recommendation? Internet research?

If someone had asked questions about the recording capability of smart TV's on Geekzone's Home Theatre or Freeview threads, I'd have replied with 'don't bother, it's painful'.
But that's my opinion eh?

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