Humax 1000S recording

corblimey

I noticed this evening that my Humax stopped recording stuff sometime over the last week or so. I did some checking around, and it looked like I could only record shows while I was on the channel, and then couldn't change over. So I did a factory reset, and twiddled one of the LNB wires and got good signal on both tuners.

But now something weird is going on. I can record 2 channels at once, and when I switch to a different channel (for example BBC News), it's fine, but if I try to switch again (whatever is one up from BBC News), it gives me the 'can't change channel while recording' message. I'm currently recording a show on BBC 1 HD (Sco) and Channel 4 HD and the BBC News is HD, so is it a case of I can only watch other HD channels while recording off 2 HD channels?

I've never noticed this before, but tbh, I'm usually playing catch up on recorded shows not to be watching live TV anyway, but it struck me as unusual and wonder if it's normal behaviour? If it stopped me watching ANY third channel, I'd be less suspect, and considering the issues I've had for the last week, I'm not sure about my LNBs at all, but don't want to have a call out charge if this all sounds normal.

Thurston?

If both tuners are needed to record the 2 programmes i.e. they are each on different transponders (section of RF bandwidth that carries a multiplex of programmes), then you can only view a 3rd programme that's on 1 of these transponders.

If you have to 'twiddle' connections to get a good signal, the connection is bad & needs redoing.

corblimey

Yeah, I'll see if the second tuner signal drops again, and get someone out if it does. I didn't think I could be using different transponders, could it be down to the postcode I used when I did the factory reset? I used the first manchester-based code I could find online. It's been about 2 years since I first set the box up, so I couldn't remember what code I used back then - I assume it was a London code, though, as I was getting ITV London before my reset. Could the Manchester postcode be resulting in the box using different transponders? Sorry, bit of a clown/newbie with all this.

Thurston?

BBC1 Scotland HD & Channel 4 HD are on different transponders. If you're recording these 2 at once, the only other channels available will be BBC Wales HD, BBC News HD, BBC4/CBeebies HD, & 4Seven SD.

You can check what is carried on each transponder (tp) here. Each tp is marked out by frequency & polarity e.g. 10714 H.

Each tuner can only handle a single tp at a time, so both will be 'tied up' if recordings need to be made from 2 separate tps, meaning the 3rd channel available has to also be on these tps. It would be a different matter if you were recording say Channel 4 & Film 4, both carried on the 10714 H tp, so both programmes can be supplied by a single tuner, & you would then be free to switch to any 3rd channel you like.

corblimey

Great link, tks. And great explanation