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Panasonic DMR-E85H error U99
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kossello
Junior Member
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21. October 2005 @ 09:35 |
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acmetoyz
This is sorta off topic but requires mentioning.
I want to make it very clear for everyone that old TV's and their picture tubes can hold a charge for days and in some cases enough of a charge to cause harm for a week or longer.
The rule for technicians was to de-gause all picture tubes before doing any service work.
Granted, this was twenty years ago but the safe procedure still holds true today is to handle all electrical equipment with capacitors as being charged and possibly fatal.
Keith
Insight Cable
South Central KY Zip 42101
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wiersbr
Newbie
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21. October 2005 @ 09:51 |
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I have A Tosihiba RD-XS34SU (my Panasonic stopped writing DVD's). Anyways, having the same problem with not getting the TVOG feeds..was getting them 3 weeks ago but they stopped..
I am also in Alabama...knology say's they do not and never have supported, they say the feewd is not available unless you have digital service and have one of the DVRs that they sell...
Does anyone know if this is true? If so, why was I getting it before?
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daughn
Junior Member
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21. October 2005 @ 10:11 |
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WIERSBR: I live in Alabama and have Knology digital cable. I have had my Panasonic DMRE85H almost 11 months, and have used the TVGOS a lot, except when these U99 problems occur, which have been most common recently since mid to late September. Also, I had some problems back in March. I do not have one of Knology's DVRs.
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wiersbr
Newbie
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21. October 2005 @ 10:17 |
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daughn: Thanks....
Ya, the woman I talked to at Knology said it is not supplied for analog digital and that it must have been a mistake that I was getting it. Someone figured it out and shut me off..
ASked her to let me talk to someone who knew more about it..she offered to transfer me to someone who could cancel my service...lol
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BudinMA
Junior Member
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21. October 2005 @ 11:37 |
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Well, Cheryl told me to do a factory reset a couple of days ago. Mind you, I was getting ads and channel lineup but no program listings. She said the reset would clear the memory and I would start getting listings.
Fast forward to today, since Tuesday night I have had NUMEROUS U99's. Additionally, every time I reset the E85, put in the zip, cable box, etc.... it goes to U99. Now, I am not even getting a choice of channel lineups, it doesn't even get that far. After I turn it on after the U99 and then turn it off it goes to either channel 98, 99 or 194.
So now I have no channel lineup, no program listings and, frankly I really don't care, no ads.
Cheryl also said she is going on vacation until Nov. 3
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Newbie
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21. October 2005 @ 11:54 |
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COYOTE24:
You asked, "Has anyone else tried turning off all "potential download" channels EXCEPT the "main" ones listed on the first diagnostics page and STILL had a U99?"
I had stopped getting U99's about a week back. I then turned on MSNBC (previously off) and a second PBS channel (also previously off).
I started getting U99 error codes every day at mid-morning.
I turned off the 2 channels I had turned on and haven't had a U99 since (4 days ago).
I agree with you that the problem lies in a conflict between downloaded lineups.
Hope this helps,
Tim
DMR-E85HS
Comcast Digital Cable
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moonboy
Newbie
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21. October 2005 @ 15:07 |
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"The rule for technicians was to de-gause all picture tubes before doing any service work."
Wrong term. Rather than degause you meant to say discharge. Degausing is done to remove residual magnetic fields that effect the image on the CRT. But you knew that already I'm sure. CRT's can hold a charge for a long time and at 25KV or so for a color TV it hurts like heck if you get across it! Most should have a bleeder resistor to remove the charge when the set is off but resistors can fail. Best bet is to discharge it before working on the set.
Terry
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Coyote24
Junior Member
1 product review
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21. October 2005 @ 16:44 |
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Re: "two-channel ONLY download" (one HOST, one LISTINGS): timothyg, thanks. Seems like this MAY work for you as well. Keep us updated on your U99 status. I'm hoping your seeing U99s/not having them is related to your turning off MSNBC and the other PBS channel, and not just coincidence. RX7Fan: Right, VideoBob had already established that turning "off" a download channel does not prevent the download from that channel. However, perhaps it changes the "search" for a d/l on that channel to a "last resort" if it is turned off? Perhaps, as VideoBob suggested, the ORDERING of the d/l channels (and "potential" d/l channels) is also a large factor. RX7Fan, can you confirm beyond a doubt that you ONLY have a maximum of TWO download channels (one data, one lineup) with your service?
Keep in mind that a "potential" download channel can also be MSNBC, which Skatter21 (page 26) reported Cheryl as telling him is NOT a host channel, but just DIRECTS "older versions" of the guide to the "correct" d/l channel for the area. MAYBE MSNBC (and/or multiple PBS/network d/l stations) ARE THE PROBLEMS, as if it misdirects the unit to the "wrong" PBS station for the area at times, or takes too long to do so, it may cause a U99. I'm wondering about the over-the-air reception people that had the U99, it seems unlikely they would have more than ONE PBS or network station providing a download. This leads me to believe MSNBC is NOT needed at all for us, since antenna people presumably don't have it, and we certainly don't have "older versions" of the guide that Cheryl said it's needed for. Don't think many are recording MSNBC either, so this is definitely one to set to "OFF," along with any extaneous PBS channels. Thanks, just checking for ALL possibilites here.
By the way, it seems in at least some markets, the HOST d/l channel is NOT PBS, but a network broadcast channel. Bonus2 seems to have CBS as the host, I have the local WB network channel. My VBI is the Fox News Channel, and the "lineup" channel is hard to determine from the hexadecimal value, might be CNBC and Animal Planet. Bonus2 also previously reported the "too many d/l stations" thing, with the unit switching between CBS, MSNBC, and "2 or 3" PBS channels before changing his ZIP to one with "only two" d/l stations.
There are two possibilites: either this is significant, or something magically fixed the problem in my area two weeks ago (expiration/fix of a "bad ad"?) and timothyg's experience is just a coincidence. Anyone else have any thoughts on it?
Btw, RX7Fan, thanks for reminding everyone that it WILL take about FIVE nights to get complete listings for ALL days after they are cleared.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 21. October 2005 @ 18:38
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compprog
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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21. October 2005 @ 19:35 |
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New member here.
Although all the writers on this thread have U99 in common, it's clear that we have units with varying degrees of dysfunction. I have a DMR-E85H. After ten months of use, I had to bring my unit in for service (I had U99 error which refused to go away no matter what I did.) Two months later (in September), I got the unit back with a replaced control board and hard drive.
For about a month, the unit worked terrifically. (I have to agree with those writers who say that this unit is terrific when it works.)
Now, every morning the unit shows U99. I press the power button once on the remote which causes the unit to show the time. I press the power button again, and the unit then cycles through "please wait," "self test," etc.
After it completes this cycling, I press the TV Guide button on the remote and it comes up with the listing page full of "no listings." I navigate all the way up to the top line and over to the left to select "schedule." The schedule page shows programs listed, but for each program it displays "no information." Nevertheless, I scroll down through a couple of the scheduled programs and then navigate back to "listings." Son of a gun, but all the program listings are filled in. (I swear!)
From then on, throughout the day, the unit works perfectly: records programs as scheduled and absolutely no U99s. However, the next morning, I have U99 displayed again and I go through the same routine.
Details:
Unit: DMR-E85H
Cable: Time Warner Cable
ZIP: 92037 (La Jolla, CA)
I am trying to find out which version of the firmware I have. When I find out, I'll edit this posting.
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acmetoyz
Newbie
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21. October 2005 @ 19:48 |
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Update from OKC (73034).
As of Friday evening (10/21), have fully populated TV Guide for the next week. No U99s on my E85H since the "OKC fix" a week ago. I have promo ads, but I think they are always there (don?t come and go). I resumed use of one-click TV Guide several days ago and power down the unit when not in use.
I saw the same loading pattern as RX7Fan (takes several days to fill in all the gaps). I have noticed that some nights don?t add very much. I think (not for sure) that I have gotten some more loads during the daytime on weekdays when powered down.
Regarding ZIP codes, I think some people may benefit from trying a neighboring zip code. My actual home address zip code (73013) has NEVER worked in the past, so I use one that is very close and also served by Cox Cable.
To compprog : You are seeing the pattern that I saw (and probably others saw it as well) when the Gemstar problem first showed up. I would see ?no listings? at first after a U99, but if I did something as simple as pressing ?return? followed by the TV Guide button a time or two, the listings would reappear. The problem was that no new listings could be populated and so eventually everything went away; I just didn?t notice it at first because it was the listings a week ahead that were not being repopulated. What do you see 7 or 8 days ahead in your listings?
And thanks to kossello and moonboy for correcting my statement about high voltage circuits needing to be discharged prior to servicing ? I absolutely agree that they can hold a charge even a week or more after being turned off. Wouldn?t want anyone to get hurt due to my misstatement.
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compprog
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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21. October 2005 @ 20:46 |
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>>>>To compprog : You are seeing the pattern that I saw (and probably others saw it as well) when the Gemstar problem first showed up. I would see ?no listings? at first after a U99, but if I did something as simple as pressing ?return? followed by the TV Guide button a time or two, the listings would reappear. The problem was that no new listings could be populated and so eventually everything went away; I just didn?t notice it at first because it was the listings a week ahead that were not being repopulated. What do you see 7 or 8 days ahead in your listings? >>>
Thanks for your reply, acmetoyz. Lately, I haven't been programming ahead -- just programming for that day's listings. As you suggested, I checked my listings for +24 hrs and found that it had all "no listings." If I read you correctly, I should be running out of listings by tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
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Bonus2
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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22. October 2005 @ 03:01 |
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Coyote24
It is 3 days and 1 hour since I reset by Ch-up Ch-dn then 30 sec unplug. As you stated it goes to only 2 channels for data now Ch 4 (local CBS Boston) and MSNBC. I now have 9 ads and listings for Channels 1-99, 201-299, 310-382 and 802 - 882 (802-882 are HD channels). That is a lot of channels. And they are fully populated with data for Sat, Sun, Mon, Thu and Fri, yet both Tue and Wed have no listings?
When in Standby my E85H spends a lot of time on CH CBS and MSNBC. Is it possible that it gets ch 1-99 data from CBS and Ch 200 thru 882 from MSNBC?
Also when I was getting daily U99s I actually watched at it switched to CH 11 (WENH PBS channel) and within a couple of minutes BAAM a U99. I would think that living in Boston if I am to download from PBS it would get PBS data from Ch 2 a Boston PBS and not ch 11 a New Hampshire PBS?
Or maybe all PBS channels are an issue as far as correct data because now none of my data comes from PBS (exclusively get data from only 2 channels CBS and MSNBC).
Thanks
Bonus2
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Bonus2
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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22. October 2005 @ 04:10 |
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Just another thought. Is it possible that the E85H recorders that are having issues are because their memory chips may be faulty? Over 200 channels and ads is a whole lot of data so memory chips could be an issue?
Also I wonder if PBS download of data is only necessary for those who do not have cable? I have comcast cable with over 200 channells and now that it is working correctly I get no data from PBS. I got at least one U99 when my E85H downloaded some data from WENH a New Hampshire PBS channel?
Thanks
Bonus2
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Coyote24
Junior Member
1 product review
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22. October 2005 @ 05:34 |
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Bonus2: Faulty memory chips? Maybe, but not here, as I only have Expanded Basic cable, well under 100 stations, and have set a good part of those to "off."
I'm not sure what role PBS plays in the downloads in different areas. I'd like to collect data on what channels people around the country have on the first TVGOS diagnostics page (HOST channel, VBI channel, and LINEUP), converted from hexadecimal to what that channel is for that area (WB, CBS, MSNBC, etc.). I still think everyone who has not tried turning "other" download channels to "off" and/or sending them to the bottom of the listings (see posts by VideoBob) should; it seems to have worked for me, timothyg, and Bonus2 (via ZIP code change, though).
Bonus2, when I last reset, I had a gap in the middle like you did, usually this will populate a night or two before the blank day. As RX7Fan stated, the download "series" is NOT linear; it populates days 1, 2, 3, and 8 for each day. After my last reset, it took FIVE nights to get lisitngs with no "holes." You will probably get Tuesday's listings on Sunday or Monday, and Wednesday's on Monday or Tuesday. Then, if you don't have any more problems (U99 or otherwise), you'll only be updating the "last" day (8) all the time, and don't have to worry about it anymore. As far as MSNBC goes, Cheryl stated that it just directs the TVGOS to the download channel, but doesn't directly transmit listings. My question is, if TVGOS already "knows" the host channel after the first download, WHY does it go back to MSNBC at all? I'm trying to reverse-fuzzy-logic the TVGOS algorythm out, as VideoBob suggested.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 22. October 2005 @ 05:50
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Coyote24
Junior Member
1 product review
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22. October 2005 @ 05:56 |
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To re-state what Cheryl said from Skatter21's post on page 26:Quote:
MSNBC does pass our data. It is not a host station, but it does pass data. It is used mostly for older versions of the Guide that didn't have an option to pick a lineup if multiple lineups were available in the area. MSNBC sends a signal out stating what channel it is received on.
Ummmm...OK. I have a Guide+ on an RCA TV made in 1999, and it asks me to pick from multiple lineups. So HOW OLD ARE these "older versions"?! Doesn't make sense to me. I don't think MSNBC is passing data as much as passing gas. Heh.
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Junior Member
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22. October 2005 @ 07:00 |
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Here's something interesting. Yesterday when I came home my unit had only the two basic TV Guide promos (listings were already well on their way to filling in since my last reset on Thursday). I returned the machine to standby and went about my business.
Starting at 8PM I noticed that the cable box kept resetting to MSNBC every few minutes, then it stopped a few minutes before 9. When I turned it on and checked it again, the listings were still the same - no surprise - but now there were 12 promos. It looks to me like MSNBC is used for populating the promotions (maybe other things, too).
Suburban Maryland - 20723
DMR-E500HS (mfg 8/2004)
Comcast Digital
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Coyote24
Junior Member
1 product review
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22. October 2005 @ 07:51 |
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Skatter, you're probably right...that's what the generalized, non-specific and non-host (i.e., non-listings) "data" that Cheryl told you it was passing...ADS! *laughs*
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Mossler
Junior Member
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22. October 2005 @ 09:26 |
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Bonus2 wrote:
Quote:
Just another thought. Is it possible that the E85H recorders that are having issues are because their memory chips may be faulty? Over 200 channels and ads is a whole lot of data so memory chips could be an issue?
In the AVS forum ChurchAVGuy has a theory similar to this about what is causing this problem. Pretty interesting!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=592205
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 22. October 2005 @ 16:52
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compprog
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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22. October 2005 @ 13:38 |
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Bonus2 wrote:
Quote:
Just another thought. Is it possible that the E85H recorders that are having issues are because their memory chips may be faulty? Over 200 channels and ads is a whole lot of data so memory chips could be an issue?
IMO, it is extremely improbable that a slew of E85H owners would encounter the U99 problem at or about the same time and it be a result of faulty memory chips. Furthermore, the data for the 200 channels and ads is, unquestionably, written to the hard drive as it is being downloaded. Thus, there is really no need to store large amounts of data in memory chips (RAM).
I believe, as do many others, that the problem is not hardware-related, but is due to a download problem from the stations providing the TV Guide data.
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Coyote24
Junior Member
1 product review
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22. October 2005 @ 16:13 |
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compprog: Yes, given that it happened at around the same time for everyone seeing it, after the units worked OK for months.
I guess I'm back at square one...not a U99, but a loss of scheduled recordings and ads, and the guide not populating beyond the day it had the error (Thursday, approximately). When I turned on the unit, none of the remote or unit buttons worked, so I did a power button hold reset, after which I had nothing but previously downloaded listings, no ads, and schedule was now blank. I went 12 days of using the guide normally before this happened. So now some of us are getting the same TVGOS error end results, just no U99 to alert us that it has happened. Cheryl can bet on another caller when she gets back from vacation.
Has anyone else had this "lockup" (no buttons, remote OR unit functional, except for the unit power button) before? I'm using the 970 firmware, both downloaded from the Panasonic website and intstalled on 10/6.
BTW, I did NOT go into service mode or do anything unusual on my part to cause this to happen other than the power button hold-down to reset, since the unit was locked up. Strange that now TVGOS is having problems WITHOUT showing a U99.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 22. October 2005 @ 16:54
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TForce1
Junior Member
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22. October 2005 @ 19:04 |
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Oh man, I hope they aren't just masking it. Hi look! The user won't see U99 anymore! Problem solved! It's been 21 days since I've seen a U99. Why? I dunno. I havn't seen anything screwy going on either (missing listings, no ads, etc.) In case anyone from TVG is reading, figure out why for 21 days the U99 has dissapeared for Time Warner Cable, 78154 for this long of a period. (Still think it was an ad that was giving me the U99s, at least for my area)
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Bonus2
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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23. October 2005 @ 03:30 |
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Skatter21
I think you are correct about MSNBC being used to populate Ads. Last night my wife was trying to watch a movie but the E85H kept switching to channel 53 Comcast Boston (MSNBC). She kept switching back to the movie but there where periods where MSNBC downloaded partial data. After about an hour of this I switched the E85H on so that it would stop switching to MSNBC. This morning when I checked, I have no ads.
The Program listings which yesterday were Fully populated Sat, sun, mon, thur, Fri with Tue and Wed no listing
Today Program listings are fully populated Sun, Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat and with Wed and Sun (next Sunday) no listings.
So it looks like you are correct that MSNBC is used for Ads and Promotions; and for my zip code Ch 4 Comcast Boston (Local CBS) is used for downloading the Program listings.
I just hope the no ads does not mean I am due a U99?
Thanks
Bonus2
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daughn
Junior Member
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23. October 2005 @ 08:20 |
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Just to add to the discussion: I last did a reset early Wednesday, and, as of today, have fully populated listings, and ads. However, yesterday afternoon, I lost power on my E85H for a few seconds. When power was restored, the listings were still there as before, with some missing data for a few days from now, but all the ads were gone. The E85H, on standby, proceeded to scan through channels 02 to 99 over the next 90 minutes to 2 hours, then later started switching to MSNBC every minute or so for quite some time. At bedtime, however, there were still no ads. This morning, presumeably after a download during the night, the ads were back, and the listings were now fully populated. I live in Alabama 36066 and have Knology cable, and a cable box.
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sfstan
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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23. October 2005 @ 10:45 |
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E85H. comcast cable. san francisco. after the service mode check last week i was getting
u99s even more than before. every hour or more. last thursday i did a reset (ch up/ch dn,
unplug power). since then, have all listing populated for a week except next tuesday and
wedensday. on those days only channels that have info are the pbs stateions. have all ads.
no u99s since the reset. i would have thought that tuesday and wednesday would have
been populated by now. can't find a reason since the machine has been off a lot in the
past few days and should have gotten all the download info. don't know why, but no u99s
for a few days has been very nice. also have never experienced any lockups.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 23. October 2005 @ 11:00
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Coyote24
Junior Member
1 product review
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23. October 2005 @ 11:04 |
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sfstan: Sometimes it's slow to populate, you should have at least Tuesday (if not both Tues and Weds) listings by tomorrow (Monday) morning, and Wednesday listings by Tuesday morning. In my experience, it seems that listings are usually ONLY populated during the overnight download (1:15AM EDT, would be 10:15PM for you, but I think it repeats 3 or 4 hours later).
Bonus2: Uh-oh. Sounds like you MIGHT be having the problem others experienced: the loss of ads can put the unit in an "unstable" condition, preventing future downloads. Hopefully not, as daughn recovered from no ads after the power outage. Keep us updated and look and see if you get listings for next Sunday/Monday tomorrow. If not, it might be what acmetoyz and compprog just posted. Keep an eye on the "last" days of listings you have after being in standby tonight (Sunday), and let us know.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 23. October 2005 @ 11:14
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