Walker Saorview series link/recording problems

The Cush

For a number of weeks now the series link feature of the only Saorview approved PVR hasn't been available even though the option is available when you select a programme to record - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=87370353#post87370353.

Prior to this we've had problems with the now&next info causing scheduled programmes not to be recorded

Another recording problem with the Walker PVR tonight - failed to record Downton Abbey on TV3 tonight.

It's really going from bad to worse, series link not working for a few weeks now and now single scheduled programmes failing to record.

Not a great advert for the sole Saorview PVR on the market considering that they have just launched a new Saorview promotion - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057080929. Wouldn't be rushing out to buy one now until they get this sorted.

fat-tony

I had a real quick look at the EIT info today and checked that the programme and series CRIDs were in place for repeating programmes (e.g. Neighbours on RTE1). Seemed to be ok, but I'll have a more in-depth look at them on Friday (will be otherwise occupied tomorrow!). I wonder if it anything to do with the fact that there are two sets of EIT data - one for the current mux and one for the second? Just a thought. Wonder if they tested this?

Souriau

fat-tony wrote: »

I wonder if it anything to do with the fact that there are two sets of EIT data - one for the current mux and one for the second? Just a thought. Wonder if they tested this?

I don't think so as UK Freeview have full list of EIT data for other channels on other muliplexes.

Had a look and seen this on UK Freeview EIT. PSB1 mux
EIT PID0x0012<126>
EIT contains 126 channel(s) and 19532 event(s)

while on Eire Saorview EIT. 2RN Mux 1
EIT PID0x0012<20>
EIT contains 20 channel(s) and 2916 event(s)

fat-tony

What I meant was whether Walker/Saorview had tested with two sets of data. I would have assumed(!) that they would have a full suite of test data but you never know.
I'll have a look tomorrow when I get more time and I'll dig up some older EIT data for comparison. There have been changes in the EIT data before. I know my Sony Freesat/Freeview TV (pre-Saorview certification model) which worked perfectly with the EIT data up to before Saorview launch continues to show the full EPG schedule but not detailed info on programme content other than now and next. It also has an odd anomaly whereby the MHEG data is fine for every page except 162 (shipping weather forecast), which shows as four blank pages.
@Cush - I think you have the same KDL model Sony as I have - have a look at page 162 Aertel.

The Cush

fat-tony wrote: »

I know my Sony Freesat/Freeview TV (pre-Saorview certification model) which worked perfectly with the EIT data up to before Saorview launch continues to show the full EPG schedule but not detailed info on programme content other than now and next. It also has an odd anomaly whereby the MHEG data is fine for every page except 162 (shipping weather forecast), which shows as four blank pages.
@Cush - I think you have the same KDL model Sony as I have - have a look at page 162 Aertel.

4 blank pages on the Sony, a Walker PVR displays them correctly.

I have 2 non-Saorview Sonys, the other is from early 2008 and neither of them has ever displayed detailed programme information beyond now & next. I think they made a software update available for certain models IIRC.

Souriau

Serial recording failed to record a program on RTE2 last night "Under The Dome" as it was set a while back and had successfully recorded each week til lastnight,
Humax PVR

fat-tony

I'm stumped on the cause of this problem
I have looked through the EIT data from RTE1 and checked the programme and series CRIDs for Neighbours from today 15/11 every day through to 22/11. The data is consistent - programme CRID changes every episode, series CRID remains the same. The info is consistent across both multiplexes and the now/next data matches the schedule data.

I looked at the EIT entry for Nationwide and compared it to the data I extracted in April 2012. Looks exactly the same! Nationwide is repeated at all hours of the day and the repeats all carry the same programme CRID (as they should) and have differing series CRIDs.

If the CRID info is not what's causing this, then there must be some other subtle change in the data stream. I can't test the issue as I don't have any official Saorview TV or PVR. I use a media PC running openelec/xbmc for my main Saorview feed. Series recording is done on that by hts-tvheadend which parses out the programme name and doesn't look at series link.

The Cush

fat-tony wrote: »

I'm stumped on the cause of this problem

Thanks for the info Tony.

Since I opened this thread my brother has done a factory reset on his Saorview PVR and series linking appears to be sorted (for now?). Done the same with my own, series linking working now for any programmes I've scheduled.

2RN keeping an eye on boards??? Annoying that they don't acknowledge these problems.

I assume whatever CRID problem was there for the last few weeks is sorted now and maybe that's why you're not seeing it the data.

fat-tony

No bother - just an hour of my life I'll never get back;)

The Cush

fat-tony wrote: »

No bother - just an hour of my life I'll never get back;)

I've another update on this,

Went back in to test it again, tried to series link next Fri night's Late, Late Show and tomorrow night's Winning Streak as both offer the series link option but again refused to set the timers as in my first post.

Did a first time installation thinking that it would sort the problem, it didn't.

The same 2 show would not save to the timer via the series link even though it was available.

2 programmes I had set to record successfully via series link after the last factory reset - Sun night's Room to Improve and Thur night's Ear to the Ground were removed during this reset. Tried to set them up via series link again - Room to Improve would not save to the timer via series link but Ear to the Ground did.

Very hit and miss and very disappointing.

The Cush

The Cush wrote: »

Very hit and miss and very disappointing.

Tried to series link the Nine O'Clock News for tomorrow night, again no go but it did automatically series link and save the Nine O'Clock News for next Tue, Wed and Thur nights but not Sat, Sun, Mon or Fri nights

Souriau

I have set serial recording for Winning Streak and RTE News, 2 options avaiilable to me, serial or just once, accepted serial recording so wait and see tomorrow if it will record and then set for next recording automatically,
Humax PVR
I have save EIT data for RTE1 so I took a look for each RTE News at 9pm and saw there is CRID for each.

RTÉ News Nine O'Clock. CRID is 1951.2
see attached and I had checked CRID for RTÉ News Nine O'Clock is the same all week coming for the next 7 days and also I checked past EIT data and same CRID.

fat-tony

The Cush wrote: »

Tried to series link the Nine O'Clock News for tomorrow night, again no go but it did automatically series link and save the Nine O'Clock News for next Tue, Wed and Thur nights but not Sat, Sun, Mon or Fri nights

Have you been in contact with RTENL/RedBee about the issue? On the surface, everything looks ok with the data in the EIT but the PVR is choking on something obviously. Any support from Walker?

The Cush

fat-tony wrote: »

Have you been in contact with RTENL/RedBee about the issue? On the surface, everything looks ok with the data in the EIT but the PVR is choking on something obviously. Any support from Walker?

No.

Rechecked it again today and series link working as normal.

Souriau

Winning Streak and RTE News recorded successfully and automatically set for tomorrow night as per CRID for News and next week for Winning Streak.

The Cush

Failed recording again on this tonight - "Hair, the Long and Short of it: Reality Bites" on RTÉ2.

The timer was set via the epg last week, the series link option was not available when the timer was set - single programme only.

The programme repeats on Sat night so I tried to set the timer for it but wouldn't save either single or series link programme options.

Did 2 tests on this
- Put the box into standby, disconnected the aerial. Switched on/off the box without the aerial. Reconnected the aerial to reload the epg. Made no difference still unable to save the timer.
- Next I completely powered down the box at the wall socket for approx 1 min, powered it back up. Went back in to set the timer and success, timer and series link saved without a problem.

Not sure what's happening here?

Souriau

It could be Walker STB issue as the Humax had recorded the programs I set last week including Ear to the Ground.

fat-tony

Firmware issue perhaps, Cush? Time to get Walker on the case!

The Cush

Souriau wrote: »

It could be Walker STB issue as the Humax had recorded the programs I set last week including Ear to the Ground.

Didn't have a problem with any of the other timers since last week.

Souriau

Update on my recording that I set up last week, see post #12.
RTÉ News Nine O'Clock had been recordijng every night til last night when it did not update recording CRID for tonight
Also Ear to the Ground had not renew the CRID for next Thursday.
Both Serial recordings had ended last night

The Cush

Ear to the Ground did not record for me last night, when I went to the epg to check if it was series-link highlighted it and the nine o'clock news and Primetime were also series-linked in the epg even though I had not selected them to record.

Also had the Reality Bites episode on RTÉ2 series-linked but again it did not start recording. I selected RTÉ2 on the PVR and waited to see what would happen and at about 20 mins into the programme it started recording.

Last Sunday it failed to auto record Generation War on RTÉ2 but wouldn't let me manual record until I cancelled the series link timer. On RTÉ1 it did auto record Room to Improve.

Saorview series link on the Walker is a total mess.

Souriau

Ear to the Ground was successfully recorded last night on my Humax PVR but like I said earlier, it failed to put in a new recording slot for next week.
The same for RTE News.

I wonder if some information was missing for your Walker PVR to kick in to start recording while my Humax PVR had recorded successfully but fail to update the CRID, maybe missing info in Transport Stream.

Cagier

Same problem here for months. Was using the series link to record last 3 episodes of rte news and constantly failed to record. Checking series links all the time and it still breaks regularly. This was my Beta "wife test" Proof Of Concept for FTA but has not been successful so far. Keep waiting for a walker firmware update that might fix the problem but no sign on last check.

Souriau

Here is how Humax does recording from EPG