"Record Whole Series" options missing for HD progs

My Humax Forum » Freeview HD » FVP 4000T, 5000T

"Record Whole Series" options missing for HD progs

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HonestJohn

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I've just bought a 5000T hoping to replace Virgin's Tivo box. But the first few days have already thrown up some concerns.

The first is that the EPG series information seems incomplete for the HD channels. If I want to set series links for BBC on Sunday evening's schedule, the options for the programmes are all available for the SD programmes - but for the corresponding programmes on HD, the "Record Whole Series" option does not appear. These links are missing on myhumax.net, the Live TV app and the 5000T itself. So I can only conclude that it's Humax' EPG series information that's missing or defective. If that's the case, then there's nothing I can do to recover it, is there?

The second is that there seems to be no simple way to search for a programme on the Live TV app other than by going through the guide. I can't simply search by programme name, like I can with Virgin's app. I know I can search by name on the website, but it's the Android app that I would like to use, since using the website on my phone is possible but awkward. Am I missing something?

When searching the forum about this subject, I came across a recent thread suggesting that linked series, even if set, sometimes get deleted. I'm starting to think that I just need to send this back. But am I being unduly pessimistic: is this box reliable once I get these two questions resolved?

Thanks for any advice and help.

| Wed 20 Nov 2019 9:44:05 #1 |
grahamlthompson

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HonestJohn - 2 hours ago »
I've just bought a 5000T hoping to replace Virgin's Tivo box. But the first few days have already thrown up some concerns.
The first is that the EPG series information seems incomplete for the HD channels. If I want to set series links for BBC on Sunday evening's schedule, the options for the programmes are all available for the SD programmes - but for the corresponding programmes on HD, the "Record Whole Series" option does not appear. These links are missing on myhumax.net, the Live TV app and the 5000T itself. So I can only conclude that it's Humax' EPG series information that's missing or defective. If that's the case, then there's nothing I can do to recover it, is there?
The second is that there seems to be no simple way to search for a programme on the Live TV app other than by going through the guide. I can't simply search by programme name, like I can with Virgin's app. I know I can search by name on the website, but it's the Android app that I would like to use, since using the website on my phone is possible but awkward. Am I missing something?
When searching the forum about this subject, I came across a recent thread
suggesting that linked series, even if set, sometimes get deleted. I'm starting to think that I just need to send this back. But am I being unduly pessimistic: is this box reliable once I get these two questions resolved?
Thanks for any advice and help.

If the series recording option isn't offered it's a problem with the broadcaster's epg data. Nothing to do with Humax. Complain to whatever broadcaster has the series crid code missing. My 5000T is very reliable when recording series. Of course if the broadcaster screws up it can never work properly.

If you post an example I can check on mt 5000T, bearing in mind we are unlikely to be on the same transmitter.

| Wed 20 Nov 2019 12:29:30 #2 |
grahamlthompson

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posted in error

| Wed 20 Nov 2019 13:07:58 #3 |
HonestJohn

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Thanks Graham. It's good to hear that you find your 5000T reliable.

I've also been in touch with Humax support, and Ted recommended a reset of the box followed by a manual tuning of the channels. I've done that, and now the "Record Whole Series" option does appear correctly on the box itself. So that's some progress. So the data was there all the time, but some bug in the Humax box meant the automatic channel search stopped it being available. Just as well I didn't try to complain to the broadcaster!

Unfortunately the app and website still do not offer the option I need - and that's clearly also down to Humax. So far I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app, and also trying the TV Guide app, but no success yet.

Any thoughts or comments welcome.

| Wed 20 Nov 2019 16:21:32 #4 |
HonestJohn

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I also cleared all the browser cookies I could find by searching for humax in the name. I've also cleared the browser cache. But that has not improved things for the website either.

| Wed 20 Nov 2019 16:29:08 #5 |
grahamlthompson

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HonestJohn - 8 mins ago »
Thanks Graham. It's good to hear that you find your 5000T reliable.
I've also been in touch with Humax support, and Ted recommended a reset of the box followed by a manual tuning of the channels. I've done that, and now the "Record Whole Series" option does appear correctly on the box itself. So that's some progress. So the data was there all the time, but some bug in the Humax box meant the automatic channel search stopped it being available. Just as well I didn't try to complain to the broadcaster!

Unfortunately the app and website still do not offer the option I need - and that's clearly also down to Humax. So far I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app, and also trying the TV Guide app, but no success yet.
Any thoughts or comments welcome.

Guessing you had stored channels from more than one transmitter. This is well known as causing issues with accurate and series recordings.

| Wed 20 Nov 2019 16:31:49 #6 |
HonestJohn

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grahamlthompson - 42 mins ago »

HonestJohn - 8 mins ago »
... So the data was there all the time, but some bug in the Humax box meant the automatic channel search stopped it being available. Just as well I didn't try to complain to the broadcaster!
...

Guessing you had stored channels from more than one transmitter. This is well known as causing issues with accurate and series recordings.

I suppose I may have, unwittingly. Given that the stored channels were the result of Humax' automatic scan, perhaps they need to address this "well known" problem too. Do you know, Graham, if it's been logged as a bug?

Meanwhile Ted suspects the remaining app and website problems are bugs, and has referred them to the developers. But if anyone has encountered the same problem and overcome it, please let us know.

| Wed 20 Nov 2019 17:21:42 #7 |
grahamlthompson

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HonestJohn - 1 hour ago »

grahamlthompson - 42 mins ago »

HonestJohn - 8 mins ago »
... So the data was there all the time, but some bug in the Humax box meant the automatic channel search stopped it being available. Just as well I didn't try to complain to the broadcaster!
...

Guessing you had stored channels from more than one transmitter. This is well known as causing issues with accurate and series recordings.

I suppose I may have, unwittingly. Given that the stored channels were the result of Humax' automatic scan, perhaps they need to address this "well known" problem too. Do you know, Graham, if it's been logged as a bug?
Meanwhile Ted suspects the remaining app and website problems are bugs, and has referred them to the developers. But if anyone has encountered the same problem and overcome it, please let us know.

It's not a bug. If you happen to live in a location where you can receive from more than 1 transmitter, it's a lottery based on which UHF channels the multiple transmitters use for their MUX. The one with the lowest UHF channel gets the correct lcn, the next duplicate found gets allocated a incrementing channel in the 800's and so on. If you have these channels as a result of where you live you simply need to use manual tune.

Any freeview box will do the same. If the multiple channels happen to come from a relay of the main transmitter there is no way of telling unless every box has a constantly updated database of which transmitters use which frequencies.

The Freeview spec doesn't allow for this. If you happen to get two main power transmitters like say Sutton Coldfield and Emley Moor, you can sort the results by area but this won't work if the duplicates are caused by a relay that simply re-transmits the main service transmitter using different frequencies for it's Mux.

If you happen to scan during high pressure uplift conditions you can often pick up distant channels you would not normally be able to get.

Basically do what I do, simply use manual tune every time for your best transmitter.

| Wed 20 Nov 2019 19:18:43 #8 |
GrahamRHK

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Unfortunately the app and website still do not offer the option I need - and that's clearly also down to Humax. So far I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app, and also trying the TV Guide app, but no success yet.

In my experience, none of those apps work properly. I can use the TV Guide app for remote recording setting but it is far from perfect - schedule listed in the work order, no option to delete, intermittent series link options, appalling UI etc. I have given up bothering. HUMAX tell me its not a priority for them.

| Thu 21 Nov 2019 8:02:43 #9 |
HonestJohn

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For anyone who's interested, here's a quick update now that the schedule has rolled forward by a day.

Links are still all available on the 5000T itself – so no change there. Phew!

And for the app and the website, the series links options appear to be available for the HD channels with the exception of BBC1 and 2. Which is frustrating since they’re the channels I record most frequently!

So where are we after a few days usage?
- Series links are now available on the box itself
- That was only achieved after a reset of the box and a manual retune as the automatic scan process clearly did not work properly
- The email support to help me get to that point was exceptional - very fast, to the point and successfully addressed the point. Thanks Ted!
- The Humax apps are pretty poor in comparison to Virgin's app - no search facility and the series link options for BBC1HD and BBC2HD are still missing
- The Humax website does have a search facility but is also still missing the series link information for those two channels

Now that I can at least set the recordings I want, if not in the manner I'd like via a phone app, I'll see how successfully it works at recording and playing back. I'd hope that should work without hitch, but overall it's been a disappointing start so far.

| Thu 21 Nov 2019 10:48:46 #10 |