Triax TR112: my experience.

satnob

This is a good DTT receiver and some performance issues may not be its own fault.
F/w changed from "pesi_ireland_r5892_18april2011.bin"
to "pesi_ireland_r5892_13jan2012.bin"

No improvement for the the following, so the "work-arounds" and explanations
may be useful :

1. PRE-PROGRAMMED EVENT NOT RECORDED AT ALL.
May be error during HDD spin-up at record start.
Pre-program Event Timer to start 1 min. before next pre-programmed event.
Setting it to 2min/3min ahead may allow HDD to power down to standby.
In Setting\Timer Edit, set "Type" to "On" before setting other entries.
This programs the STB to just turn on (not record), powering up HDD.

No. Program Name Date Time Mode Type
01 ----

---

19/09/2012 14:59 Once On
02 0004 TG4 19/09/2012 15:00~16:30 Once Recorder

2. PRE-PROGRAMMED EVENT ONLY PARTIALLY RECORDED.
Event broadcasted earlier or later than scheduled. Hope for repeat!
Next time, press "Menu", "Setting", "Timers". Press "Enter".
Ensure "Type" is set to "Channel" then CHANGE "Start Time" & "Duration".
No facility to "auto-add" minutes to recordings selected via EPG.

3. FAST-FORWARD/FAST-REVERSE MISSES STOP-POINT.
Play recordings via "Movie" icon rather than "Record Manager" icon; p.37.
When ">>" or "<<" is pressed, push on blue button "Slow" next.
THEN press play button "|| >" (picture break-up is momentary).
If sound and vision aren't synchronised, press blue button, then "|| >".
In Record Manager, play button doesn't work like this.

4. CHANNEL SUDDENLY CHANGES TO ANOTHER CHANNEL.
Recording one channel & watching another; recording ended.
Maybe this happens because all Saorview channels in Ireland are on one mux.
The TR112 can record one TV channel whilst allowing another to be viewed.

5. CONNECTED 256 MB BUSBI USB STICK AND SAW "Not valid enter recorder"
CONNECTED 1 GB ADVENT STICK; SAME ERROR AGAIN WHEN RECORDING.
Both needed to be reformatted to FAT32 from FAT16 . NTFS is better.

6. TIMESHIFT TO RECORD, P.21 OF OPERATING MANUAL
Even if "OFF" is selected, memory storage device must still be connected
to USB connector. See pp. 13 & 14.
Odd, as STB seems to be recording to on-board Flash whilst simultaneously
"OFF" setting disallows recording to USB memory device.

7. "/udsk0" APPEARS WHEN "Media" IS PRESSED (NO HDD ACCESS). RISKY.
Scroll across to "Disk Manager" icon, scroll down to "/udsk0", press
red button (Move/Copy), press green button (Select) & wait 10 sec. approx.
Recorded material can be erased by pressing wrong buttons!
Operating Manual instruction is more labourious: unplug & wait p.46.

8. STB CANNOT READ MOVIES ON 32 GB FLASH MEMORY.
Caused by unticking "Allow Indexing Service ..." in Properties dialog-box
of Flash whilst it was connected to a Computer.
May be best to leave storage device connected to STB: don't connect it to a PC.

9. "Device speed not enough, RECORD anyway?" MESSAGE ON SCREEN.
Select "Yes". Recording via USB connector does work.
But F/Fwd. and F/Rev. at x8 and x16 don't always work (3. above).
Probably limited by USB speed of 200-480 Mbps in connection to HDD.
Internal PVR HDD would have sATA connection of 2-5 Gbps & be faster.
x8 and x16 works with some .avi movies but not others! DVD formatting issues?

Hotblack Desiato

satnob wrote: »

Probably limited by USB speed of 200-480 Mbps in connection to HDD.

I've a Foxsat-HDR and the 112. The Foxsat has no problems playing back from a USB hard disk (I've archived loads of stuff off the box) whereas playback on the 112 is always a bit hit or miss. It jumps to random points in the recording if reverse, or 8x forward play is used.

Although it hasn't missed a single recording since the last firmware update. The user interface is still abysmal though.

Hopefully when certified Saorview PVRs do arrive, they will work well, have a decent UI, allow archiving... and I can retire the 112 to use with a second TV.

satnob

Hopefully when certified Saorview PVRs do arrive, they will work well, have a decent UI, allow archiving... and I can retire the 112 to use with a second TV.

Interesting feedback. I believe one property of HD broadcasting is copy-protect.
HD is designed to carry Digital Rights Management (DRM).
I suspect, once all channels are broadcast in HD, we won't be able to use our PVR's.
I wonder if an STB with SCART will still allow SD recording of HD content?

holidaysong

The TR112 drove me insane with recording failures. Stuck it in the parents house on a second TV and replaced it with the Alba box from Argos which is a joy to use!

Hotblack Desiato

satnob wrote: »

Interesting feedback. I believe one property of HD broadcasting is copy-protect.
HD is designed to carry Digital Rights Management (DRM).
I suspect, once all channels are broadcast in HD, we won't be able to use our PVR's.
I wonder if an STB with SCART will still allow SD recording of HD content?

The Humax Foxsat-HDR implements encryption on all HD recordings* - they can be archived off to USB but only played back on the same box they were recorded on. This is for all HD channels. Given the choice (and given that we're still watching on a rather wonderful 90s 30-inch Trinitron ) I always record in SD anyway to maximise recording time.

The TR112 does not encrypt HD recordings. RTE2HD plays back on my 5 year old laptop for 15-20 seconds, then stutters and fails, but that's because of the laptop. I can re-encode to SD on the laptop, but in less than real time - i.e. to convert a 1 hour HD recording to SD would take well over an hour. But the fact that it is possible indicates that the recordings are not encrypted.



* in Freesat mode. I haven't tried making HD recordings in non-Freesat mode.

Hotblack Desiato

holidaysong wrote: »

The TR112 drove me insane with recording failures. Stuck it in the parents house on a second TV and replaced it with the Alba box from Argos which is a joy to use!

Update to the latest firmware, there were plenty of timer recording issues before this but I've never had a recording fail since. http://www.triax.co.uk/upload/tr112_software_release_web_january_2012_001.zip

satnob

I can re-encode to SD on the laptop, but in less than real time - i.e. to convert a 1 hour HD recording to SD would take well over an hour. But the fact that it is possible indicates that the recordings are not encrypted.

More intersting stuff.
On my TR112, there is a rear SCART connector, through which I can record an SD version of a High Def. channel being received by the STB. I believe the HD channel can be simultaneously recorded in HD on an attached USB memory device.

I wonder will I still be able to do this when & if DRM in included in the HD channel signal. Something to look forward to.

I record HD with ref. to my notes above, best read possibly with a remote in one hand, User Manual in the other and a computer on the knees!

TwoRoads

ninja900 wrote: »

The Humax Foxsat-HDR implements encryption on all HD recordings* - they can be archived off to USB but only played back on the same box they were recorded on. This is for all HD channels. Given the choice (and given that we're still watching on a rather wonderful 90s 30-inch Trinitron ) I always record in SD anyway to maximise recording time.

The TR112 does not encrypt HD recordings. RTE2HD plays back on my 5 year old laptop for 15-20 seconds, then stutters and fails, but that's because of the laptop. I can re-encode to SD on the laptop, but in less than real time - i.e. to convert a 1 hour HD recording to SD would take well over an hour. But the fact that it is possible indicates that the recordings are not encrypted.



* in Freesat mode. I haven't tried making HD recordings in non-Freesat mode.

I am using triax tsc114. I am guessing that your HD recordings are TSV files like with tsc114. What did you use to re-encode the files? Im having no joy with this.

Hotblack Desiato

HandBrake.

barryo33

Before re scanning i was able to record one channel and watch another at same time now i cant do that since re scanning any thing i can do to fix it

Peter Rhea

The TR112 only has 1 tuner so, can only decode 1 DVB-T multiplex (mux) at a time. The rescan was to tune in the recently launched 2nd Saorview mux, currently carrying RTE1, RTE1 +1 & RTE jr.

You should still be able to watch a programme on the same mux as the 1 you are recording: say, record RTE2 & watch TV3.

The Cush

barryo33 wrote: »

Before re scanning i was able to record one channel and watch another at same time now i cant do that since re scanning any thing i can do to fix it

The Triax TR212S twin-tuner STB will allow you to watch one/record one as you do now and cheaper than buying the Walker Saorview PVR.

satnob

As of this message date, RTE1 is broadcasting in SD (as well as Hi-Def) on channel 11.
At least you can record this and watch another program in the same Mux.

The Cush

satnob wrote: »

As of this message date, RTE1 is broadcasting in SD (as well as Hi-Def) on channel 11.
At least you can record this and watch another program in the same Mux.

This has been the case since last Nov, the SD version on LCN 11 ends next Wed (2nd April).