Network service stops during recording: Panasonic PWT550GZ: Netflix invalid during recording

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frednz

1467 posts

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#180864 24-Sep-2015 11:43

Hi, can anyone tell me please why the Panasonic PWT550 doesn't allow you to go on internet and access items such as Netflix when the unit is recording a Freeview TV programme?

When you push the Netflix button on the PWT550's remote when a recording is in progress you get the message "Invalid during recording"!

Because we do most of our Netflix viewing in the evenings, it would have been good if the PWT550 could have recorded TV programmes as well as allowing access to internet!

Are there any "workarounds" for this?

Regards
Fred

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

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#1393674 24-Sep-2015 15:41

It's probably due to lack of computer processing power. My BWT720 won't allow a lot of functions while recording from external equipment. e.g. Can't play a Blu Ray disc while recording from AV. If a Blu Ray disc is playing it will stop playing when any scheduled recording from AV input starts. Only DVD will continue play. Blu Ray will continue if recording via the 2 tuners though. I haven't tried Internet Access while recording to see what happens but I suspect it's not possible.

P.S. Check the manual to see what it can and can't do. If it's like mine it'll be in there somewhere but hard to find in the fine print notes somewhere.

frednz

1467 posts

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#1393783 24-Sep-2015 19:34

B1GGLZ: It's probably due to lack of computer processing power. My BWT720 won't allow a lot of functions while recording from external equipment. e.g. Can't play a Blu Ray disc while recording from AV. If a Blu Ray disc is playing it will stop playing when any scheduled recording from AV input starts. Only DVD will continue play. Blu Ray will continue if recording via the 2 tuners though. I haven't tried Internet Access while recording to see what happens but I suspect it's not possible.

P.S. Check the manual to see what it can and can't do. If it's like mine it'll be in there somewhere but hard to find in the fine print notes somewhere.

Hi, thanks for your post, yes on page 65 of the manual under the heading of "Enjoying Network Service", right at the bottom of the page in tiny print it says: "If timer recording starts, Network Service will stop." Actually, network service stops whenever the unit is recording a TV programme, whether or not it was activated by a timer recording.

Oh well, when I get a new TV that also has a Netflix App etc, I guess I can then use the PWT550 just for recording TV. Perhaps "multitasking" isn't a strong point of some set-top boxes? However, watching Netflix using the PWT550 is certainly excellent and much better than just connecting a laptop to the TV via HDMI.

I would have thought that these days, it would be reasonable for consumers to expect that the computer processor in the PWT550 should be able to simultaneously record live TV and also access the internet, I wonder if future units will be able to do this?

Regards
Fred

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#1394450 25-Sep-2015 15:58

I have the BWT840GZ model and its the same. I use Apple TV for network content - I've found the internet side of things on the Panasonic to be pretty poor.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

frednz

1467 posts

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#1394717 26-Sep-2015 09:18

littleheaven: I have the BWT840GZ model and its the same. I use Apple TV for network content - I've found the internet side of things on the Panasonic to be pretty poor.

That's interesting, what improvements would you like to see on Panasonic's "internet side of things"? Some recent Sony TVs are Android / Google based and have a huge number of apps you can download, but perhaps a few good "selected" apps are better than masses of "not so good" apps?

These days, the use of internet for video streaming is catching on fast, so my main suggestion to Panasonic is that users should be able to simultaneously record Freeview TV and watch internet content. I guess this must be technically feasible, do other set-top boxes allow this?

Regards
Fred

bazzer

3438 posts

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#1395670 28-Sep-2015 12:12

B1GGLZ: It's probably due to lack of computer processing power. My BWT720 won't allow a lot of functions while recording from external equipment. e.g. Can't play a Blu Ray disc while recording from AV. If a Blu Ray disc is playing it will stop playing when any scheduled recording from AV input starts. Only DVD will continue play. Blu Ray will continue if recording via the 2 tuners though. I haven't tried Internet Access while recording to see what happens but I suspect it's not possible.

P.S. Check the manual to see what it can and can't do. If it's like mine it'll be in there somewhere but hard to find in the fine print notes somewhere.

I would have thought it's not so much processing power as hardware. Probably, it uses the same hardware to decode Blu Ray as it uses to encode AV recordings.

JimmyH

2886 posts

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#1396006 28-Sep-2015 19:04

frednz:
littleheaven: I have the BWT840GZ model and its the same. I use Apple TV for network content - I've found the internet side of things on the Panasonic to be pretty poor.

That's interesting, what improvements would you like to see on Panasonic's "internet side of things"? Some recent Sony TVs are Android / Google based and have a huge number of apps you can download, but perhaps a few good "selected" apps are better than masses of "not so good" apps?

These days, the use of internet for video streaming is catching on fast, so my main suggestion to Panasonic is that users should be able to simultaneously record Freeview TV and watch internet content. I guess this must be technically feasible, do other set-top boxes allow this?

Regards
Fred

Personally, I don't need to see any improvements to Panasonics "internet side of things". I'm not a big fan of all in one devices that try to do everything, and do it all poorly as a consequence, as well as quickly going obsolete in some regard or another.

My Panny is used for one task only - to record content and make it available (either by pressing play, burning to a disk, or over the network). That's all I care about, and I want to see them stick to that core function and focus on doing it well. I have a separate unit for media serving and accessing internet streams, and a de-regioned (bluray and DVD) player for disks. If I want more, I can plug my laptop into the telly with a wireless keyboard.

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

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#1396196 28-Sep-2015 22:38

JimmyH:

Personally, I don't need to see any improvements to Panasonics "internet side of things". I'm not a big fan of all in one devices that try to do everything, and do it all poorly as a consequence, as well as quickly going obsolete in some regard or another.

My Panny is used for one task only - to record content and make it available (either by pressing play, burning to a disk, or over the network). That's all I care about, and I want to see them stick to that core function and focus on doing it well. I have a separate unit for media serving and accessing internet streams, and a de-regioned (bluray and DVD) player for disks. If I want more, I can plug my laptop into the telly with a wireless keyboard.

Absolutely agree with you. They are a Recorder/Player, not an Internet Interface. Mine is used solely for it's designed purpose - Recording TV (and Sky) and playing Blu Ray and DVD. For other "Smart" functions I have a PC, Laptop, Media Player and Raspberry Pi. Likewise my non-smart Sony TV is used solely for it's designed purpose - watching TV and Video from my Panny, Sky, Media Player and Raspberry Pi.

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frednz

1467 posts

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#1396597 29-Sep-2015 13:34

B1GGLZ:
JimmyH:

Personally, I don't need to see any improvements to Panasonics "internet side of things". I'm not a big fan of all in one devices that try to do everything, and do it all poorly as a consequence, as well as quickly going obsolete in some regard or another.

My Panny is used for one task only - to record content and make it available (either by pressing play, burning to a disk, or over the network). That's all I care about, and I want to see them stick to that core function and focus on doing it well. I have a separate unit for media serving and accessing internet streams, and a de-regioned (bluray and DVD) player for disks. If I want more, I can plug my laptop into the telly with a wireless keyboard.

Absolutely agree with you. They are a Recorder/Player, not an Internet Interface. Mine is used solely for it's designed purpose - Recording TV (and Sky) and playing Blu Ray and DVD. For other "Smart" functions I have a PC, Laptop, Media Player and Raspberry Pi. Likewise my non-smart Sony TV is used solely for it's designed purpose - watching TV and Video from my Panny, Sky, Media Player and Raspberry Pi.

Nevertheless, there seems to be a strong move amongst manufacturers to integrate TV and internet functions into one unit all controlled by one remote control. Before I bought the PWT550, I used my laptop to watch Netflix and connected it by HDMI to the TV. However, the PWT550 has a remote control that has separate buttons for both "internet" and "Netflix" and this makes access quick and easy without the need for using additional pieces of equipment.

The internet access by the PWT550 also has a web browser and it includes apps for "Quickflix", "Youtube" etc, and we find that being able to use the 550's remote control to pause and fast forward video etc on these apps is much easier than using a mouse on a connected computer. I realise that you can also stream video content to your TV from various sources, such as mobile phones and computers, but smart TVs are increasingly geared towards having smart hubs that allow you to easily switch between internet streaming video and "aerial-based" TV sources.

The fact that Freeview Plus is now being built into new smart TVs (and that the PWT550 is also designed to be Freeview Plus compatible) is further recognition of the fact that many consumers like the idea of being able to use one remote control to access on demand internet TV and "traditional" TV.

If the PWT550 could be modified so that it would allow recording of Freeview TV at the same time as you are accessing internet programs such as "Netflix", this would be ideal for our needs!

Cheers
Fred

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#1396861 29-Sep-2015 21:19

frednz:
littleheaven: I have the BWT840GZ model and its the same. I use Apple TV for network content - I've found the internet side of things on the Panasonic to be pretty poor.

That's interesting, what improvements would you like to see on Panasonic's "internet side of things"? Some recent Sony TVs are Android / Google based and have a huge number of apps you can download, but perhaps a few good "selected" apps are better than masses of "not so good" apps?

These days, the use of internet for video streaming is catching on fast, so my main suggestion to Panasonic is that users should be able to simultaneously record Freeview TV and watch internet content. I guess this must be technically feasible, do other set-top boxes allow this?

Regards
Fred

A decent App Store would be a start, and some speed of operation of the interface. But really there are so many much better devices for Internet content, I think they'd be better concentrating on the PVR and leaving the apps to dedicated devices.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.