UPC DVR Reviews / Questions / Help

d8player

A nice trick was posted elsewhere whereby you can hit the green button to set bookmarks. Would be nice if we had a sticky with tips and tricks.

THEWHELO

I've read through most of you posts and they're very helpful but I'm looking for answers to a few more questions.

1. Is the UPC DVR better than the Sky one? I'm going to be recording many different shows (I work in TV) and need to contantly record certain programmes every week?

2. Can you record off the DVR to a DVD recorder. I'd need to get the footage off the box and obviously getting them onto DVD would be really handy?

3. If you can't record on to a DVD recorder can you hook up a computer to stick the recorded programmes on to a hard drive?

Any expertise on this would be really handy.

Many thanks...

gerryo

THEWHELO wrote: »

I've read through most of you posts and they're very helpful but I'm looking for answers to a few more questions.

1. Is the UPC DVR better than the Sky one? I'm going to be recording many different shows (I work in TV) and need to contantly record certain programmes every week?

This somewhat a matter of opinion, IMHO SKY is probably better for series recording (= regular repeated recording of the same show).

THEWHELO wrote: »

2. Can you record off the DVR to a DVD recorder. I'd need to get the footage off the box and obviously getting them onto DVD would be really handy?

Yes, you can to use composite video or SCART (RGB).
Not many recorders do RGB so expect to lose quite a bit of picture quality.

THEWHELO wrote: »

3. If you can't record on to a DVD recorder can you hook up a computer to stick the recorded programmes on to a hard drive?

Computer hookup not possible. You'll probably need a hard disk recorder.

Remember, NTL PVR can only record one show at a time. You can watch another (different) show, you could record that with the DVD recorder, but scheduling gets very hard to do.

dunworth1

THEWHELO wrote: »

2.Can you record off the DVR to a DVD recorder. I'd need to get the footage off the box and obviously getting them onto DVD would be really handy?

yes with the upc one you can but with the sky one you cant (sky use marcovision to stop you from doing this)

Pat Gleeson

dunworth1 wrote: »

yes with the upc one you can but with the sky one you cant (sky use marcovision to stop you from doing this)

Sky / Sky+ only use Macrovision for Box Office Movies / PPV.

Any other channel can be recorded. If you have Sky+ HD, you can only record onto a DVD Recorder via scart, not in Hi-Def via HDMI.

You can record one channel whilst watching another, or record two simultaneously whilst watching a previously stored recording.

IrlJidel

gerryo wrote: »

This somewhat a matter of opinion, IMHO SKY is probably better for series recording (= regular repeated recording of the same show).

Remember, NTL PVR can only record one show at a time. You can watch another (different) show, you could record that with the DVD recorder, but scheduling gets very hard to do.

Apparently series link and dual recording are coming soon, see my post here

abclei

i have one upe box. I am not sure it has this function, which can add new channel. Does anyone knows that? or the position of the satlliate upc antenna faces? Thanks

paulm17781

It's not possible to add channels on cable. What you receive is what you get. UPC is a closed system unlike satellite where you can tune in additional channels.

malachy47

Hello All,

I got the Thomson UPC PVR today and all is going well but for one issue. The selection of radio channels is fewer than when I had my Sagem decoder. I'm talking about 1/2 hour before the install I was listening to Newstalk (ch 132) and now on the PVR there is no ch 132! 5 Live and 5 Live extra have disappeared also.

A call to UPC tech support was as pointless as p*ssing off the bow of a boat at 40 knots, and the installer had skidaddled before I noticed the missing channels.

I mean they are on the cable, it's just that the PVR config doesn't find them :-( An automatic search didn't help either.

Before (Sagem) fine, after (Thomson) gone. Any takers on how to get my missing radio channels back? I really do listen to them and what should have been an upgrade has turned out to be a downgrade.

The tax man

Not trying to be smart here but are you looking in the digital radio section or just going by your old channel numbers from your Sagem stb?

malachy47

Hello Mr. Tax Man,

I urge you to please *do* be as smart as possible, as it seems I'm not smart enough to retrieve my channels.

If looking in the digital radio section means clicking Menu ->Radio ->All Radio Channels, on the remote and finding some radio stations, but not corresponding to those I had on my Sagem, then the answer is yes.

There I find a listing beginning with channel 901, Rte Radio 1 and ending in 935 -Phanton 105, with several large gaps between the numbers, where in the past I had 5 Live, Newstalk and others in this range.

Thanks for the reply.

patrickmooney

Do a rescan from settings (automatic is fine). There are currently 35 Audio only channels on the UPC Digital Dublin network.

icdg

patrickmooney wrote: »

There are currently 35 Audio only channels on the UPC Digital Dublin network.

However the OP is not on the NTL Dublin network - the mention of a Sagem STB almost certainly indicates they are on a Chorus network. Channels may vary on Chorus cable networks and there is a completely different line-up on Chorus MMDS networks.

Anyway, on UPC STBs, the audio channels are no longer listed as part of the main EPG - as pointed out above you have to go into "Digital Radio".

Goolay

Does anyone happen to know what the code is for the UPC DVR for OneforAll remote controls? I've tried all the Thompson ones and can't turn up anything online

Thanks a million

malachy47

Hello ICDG,

Your observations are correct. I am a Chorus Digital cable subscriber in Athlone. Not MMDS, nor analogue although I know both exist in this area too.

Just as a backgrounder, I decided to get the (Chorus, now UPC) cable internet offering. The CSR I spoke to managed to cross-sell me on the PVR as I already had digital cable TV and it was only a fiver a month extra.

The Sagem box was swapped out accordingly and replaced by the UPC Thomson PVR and that's when the radio channels disappeared.

Rescanning shows 26 radio channels but I must have had the same (or similar) 35 audio channels mentioned by Patrick Mooney, off the top of my head I can say 5 Live, 5 Live Extra, BBC6, BBC7, Newstalk, and Galway Bay FM are certainly gone.

I was watching the installer setup the box, and it appeared to me like he had a choice of selecting one of several IP addresses as my "control server". By that I mean that by selecting an IP a certain amount of localization perhaps occurs? Is this possible? I admit I could be way off base here, and my terminology is hardly "cable jargon" so apologies if that's only confounding the issue.

What I can say with absolute 1000% certainty is that these audio channels were present minutes before the install, I was listening to Moncrieff as I always do, all via the Sagem. So they ARE present on the cable!

Now if I could only get the Thomson to recognise them!!! I suspect the PVR will only select what that server thingy tells it to.

It's a pity really and all for the sake of €5. I was better off had I held on to the Sagem and kept my radio channels. I miss them now, I had them on most days. :-(

icdg

If the channels were available in your area before, I would imagine they still are. When I was switched from an NTL box to a UPC one my channel line-up stayed the same (although it did take me a few minutes to see where the audio channels had disappeared to). Certainly it wouldn't be a localisation thing - Galway Bay FM is available in Dublin...

The old Full Reboot (plug box out, leave for a minute or so, then plug back in) trick is your first port of call.

malachy47

icdg wrote: »

If the channels were available in your area before, I would imagine they still are. When I was switched from an NTL box to a UPC one my channel line-up stayed the same (although it did take me a few minutes to see where the audio channels had disappeared to). Certainly it wouldn't be a localisation thing - Galway Bay FM is available in Dublin...

The old Full Reboot (plug box out, leave for a minute or so, then plug back in) trick is your first port of call.

I'm afraid that was to no avail, I did persuade UPC to dispatch a technician, hopefully that'll throw some light on the situation. I'll update on here if anyone is interested...?

Swimming Nut

Hi,
can anyone help me out please? I have an NTL DVR and accidentally pressed two buttons together the other day (unfortunately I dont know which two buttons) - the result was that the guide went from standard size font to about 3 times as large, hence I can only see 3 stations at a time and max 1 - 2 hours of programmes in the guide.
HAs anyone done this and found a way out of it? I called NTL (UPC) and they had never heard of it!

Thanks

d8player

Swimming Nut wrote: »

Hi,
can anyone help me out please? I have an NTL DVR and accidentally pressed two buttons together the other day (unfortunately I dont know which two buttons) - the result was that the guide went from standard size font to about 3 times as large, hence I can only see 3 stations at a time and max 1 - 2 hours of programmes in the guide.
HAs anyone done this and found a way out of it? I called NTL (UPC) and they had never heard of it!

Thanks

There's a zoom function. Try pressing the coloured buttons (one at a time as I can't remember which one does it) to turn zoom off.

paulm17781

d8player wrote: »

There's a zoom function. Try pressing the coloured buttons (one at a time as I can't remember which one does it) to turn zoom off.

I think it's the green one.

Swimming Nut

Thanks - i'll try that this evening and see if it works.

Cheers!:)

KeyserSöze

Dublin579 wrote: »

Does anyone happen to know what the code is for the UPC DVR for OneforAll remote controls? I've tried all the Thompson ones and can't turn up anything online

Thanks a million

@Dublin579: I managed to get mine to work using the code 1582 - I have a OneForAll 7940.

To turn the UPC box ON: Ch+ Button
To turn the UPC box OFF: Power Button

This may also interest you: http://www.fixya.com/support/t616200-urc_ntl_upc_in_ireland -- fixing the UPC Thomson remote so the volume & mute buttons work for the stb (when in UPC mode).

My manual: http://www.oneforall-int.com/download/manual/Manual_URC-7940_ENG_DEU_FRA_ESP_POR_ITA_NED_HUN_POL_CZE.pdf

LoveIt

Hi Guys
I have two problems with my UPC at the moment. Apologies if these are answered elsewhere but there is alot of info on here!

Firstly, my UPC DVR remote has stopped working. I have changed the batteries but it didn't help. The buttons still light up red when i press the TV or DVD-R buttons but nothing else is working. Does anybody know a good easy to use replacement remote. I looked on Argos online but they have sky ones and I don't know if these can be tuned to work with UPC DVR? Anyone any suggestions?

Also I set the box to record for one hour everyday when I show I was following was on. I don;t have a clue how to cancel the repeat recrding now though and have to delete 5 hours of recording every week. Anybody know how to stop it?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Rosser

Get on to UPC for a replacement you shouldn't to pay for faulty equipment.

To clear the repeat recording; select it then press the stop button and finally press the blue button

Chambers12

Hi

This may have been answered a hundred times before, just spent last 40 mins searching so dont give out

I am wondering is it possible to transfer recorded movies from my DVR to a external harddrive. Do i need a lap top or different software to do this

Thanks

paulm17781

Chambers12 wrote: »

Hi

This may have been answered a hundred times before, just spent last 40 mins searching so dont give out

I am wondering is it possible to transfer recorded movies from my DVR to a external harddrive. Do i need a lap top or different software to do this

Thanks

It will only work with a digital capture card or connected to a VCR / DVD-R. It can be connected to a hard disk or laptop (unless you have capturing facilities)

Chambers12

My telly is a video/dvd. Can i record straight to them??

Batman182

Hi all,

If I turn my box off or put it on stand by, it wipes all the programming that I have recorded and stored, so at presant I'm leaving it on 24/7. Does anyone know why this happens or what can be done to fix it?

Thanks

paulm17781

Chambers12 wrote: »

My telly is a video/dvd. Can i record straight to them??

Can it record on to DVD?

paulm17781

Batman182 wrote: »

If I turn my box off or put it on stand by, it wipes all the programming that I have recorded and stored, so at presant I'm leaving it on 24/7. Does anyone know why this happens or what can be done to fix it?

That doesn't happen on mine. Sounds like a faulty box.