Sometimes live TV can be fine, while recordings can be "bad" due to a poor signal. You mention that it was checked, however, what is the signal strength and S/N ratio? See:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17719

The issue could certainly be with the HDD, however, often people who have HDD issues get error messages about the HDD itself. Have you seen any of those? Are certain channels or programmes affected more than others or are all equally affected?

See also the following post, useful for those new to the forum - FAQs, Search Tips, Optimization, etc:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=57741

Thanks for the info.

This morning, after reading your reply, I check for the s/n ratio wich turns around 35-36 dB. The level varies between -2 to 0 dBmV. I've checked on numerous channels, and it turns around those values on each of them.

I have never had any hdd errors messages. From what I've experienced, it happens on whatever channel I happen to try to record.

My tought on the problem was that it was the hdd, since it's being used a lot, and always spinning for long period of time most days.

As I see it, I have about 3 options:

1- buy a new pvr, possibly a HD one since I want to go that way in 18-24 months.

2- find a place wich repares pvr ( found one possible place in laval, Qc);

3- try the hdd upgrade, wich could give some more life from my SA8300, until I'm ready to move to HD.

If anybody ever had the same kind of problem with the pvr (as mentioned in post #440), did the hdd upgrade fix the problem? And would the Western Digital OE-HDIP-160W be a good choice for a replacement hdd?

Thanks for any input and help, it's greatly appreciated.

Steve

I have upgrade my 8300 without a glitch. Quick question though, how to you get to the diagnostic page to verify Hard Drive info. ?

Found the info. regarding diagnostic pages.....hold select until mail icon flashes and then select info.

Hope you found that using the links in post 441. ;)

(edit: issue resolved see post 452 for answer)

Gaunts and others from Videotron,

I see you guys have been having problems with Videotron since early August.

Back from holidays and I also have major issues with my 500gb that has been in the system for almost a year and a half.

Reading old recordings seems ok, recording since early August are full of freezing, dropout, complete freezing.

It gets worst as you read later recordings, some of them won't even start.

I called Videotron, they were to send me a tech the next day.

I noted that the sara global config was changed on July 21, 2009 probably when they changed to the 7 days guide. I noted these numbers:

os 6.14.91.1
sara 1.89.25.100

the next morning, these numbers were
rom image 1.7.0.301
os 6.26.9.1
sara 1.91.17.2

When the tech came, of course he found nothing with my qams or other numbers, they were baffled and wanted to format the hdd, told them to forget it and I would come back to my previous 160gb.

One more item of interest, my brother in law, which we switched hdd at almost the same time experienced the same problems I described and did a format which helped the freezing and dropout issue but did not resolve it. He is still under sara 1.89.25.100

So, here we have 2 different systems, 2 hdd, which bought the farm at the same time, I figure that their updated the os and sara had something to do with it.

Here is what I am trying, I put the 160gb in, after tests, there is no problem.

I am in the process of doing an Acronis Drive Cleanser on the 500gb to make sure there is nothing remaining in there and will put it back in the 8300hd and report back.

In the meantime, I would appreciate if somebody from Rogers post the os and sara numbers.

Ruby

Here are my numbers:

ROM Image 1.5.2.1503
OS 6.14.87.1
SARA v1.89.22.2

(edit: issue resolved see post 452 for answer)

Thanks for the numbers Les,

Could be the SARA update but not sure, my in law which is an update behind has less problems, so, I hope Rogers does like to update too often, you guys might have a problem down the line.

Update to my situation for the others at Videotron.

Nothing I noted above changed a thing. After the format, I programmed 2 hd shows, right after that, 2 more while I tried watching the first series. As soon as I hit play, the image froze and stayed there, second recording first pass did the same.

So now, the only other thing to try was to change the acoustics back to DISABLE in case that would be the issue.

I even reformated after the acoustic and now in the process of doing 2 recordings.

Ruby

PS, there is still another change to try later if what I presently tried does not work. I just had problems using the Hitachi tool when the drive was either master or slave but by removing the shunt, it worked, so I am going to 1. dip it as master, then no shunt at all, will keep you posted.

(edit: issue resolved see post 452 for answer)

Changing acoustics did not help.

Taken the shunt (plastic dip) off, so none on the disk, can still see and play recordings, same problem though, reformat without the dip and started 2 recordings, next try will be with dip on master, after that, I'm done.

Please note the following in regards to SARA. With 1.89.25.100, I could see specs of my hard disk on pages 33 and 34, with SARA 1.91.17.2, nothing noted on both of these pages and that goes for the 160gig disk also.

So, I figure although not sure that Videotron did not put on purpose a max of 320gig in the software, it's probably not my box or my hard disk being faulty but a major issue with the new SARA update.

Then again, why is it that my 160gig works.......

Will give you an update of my last ditch attempt with the shunt off and as master.

Ruby

PS, anybody else has an idea of something I haven't tried???????

(edit: issue resolved see post 452 for answer)

Nope, nothing doing, can't get it to work.

Dipped as master, reformated, same issue.

No dip, reformated, same issue.

With this SARA, after about 1 minute into reading a recording, it will freeze and stay freezed at least 5 minutes, sometimes restarting, then stopping again.

I have exhausted everything I could try. The 160gig in the box works well so I assume it's not the box, it could be the hard disk but I don't think so, there is something very wrong with the SARA, remember, the system cannot read and display info from page 33 and 34 nor 35.

I will argue with Videotron but, the 8300hd is not under warranty, the 500gb is not within their listing, the reception numbers are all fine, so, hope they wake up and I really really really hope that people with a 320gb disk has the same problem when the new SARA hits them.

Ruby

This is quite disturbing if true. Not only disturbing for customers but also Videotron. I know we have a few regulars here who are Videotron agents. I hope they can alert the techs at Videotron to at least investigate the issue.

I will need Jake's help to see how best to handle what I posted in the above mentioned posts.

To make a long story short, it is not Videotron nor the SARA, it was the hard disk.

A friend of mine has a 500gb pata disk in his computer that he was about to reformat. I picked it up and tried it in my 8300HD, works fine, same as a 160gb.

Therefore, I took a bit of everybody's problems, the other 2 posters from Videotron, my brother in law, my problem and though that it was impossible that we started to experience about the same problems, although, mine was more pronounced AND I was running with the NEW sara which at this point I am the only one that I know that has that version.

I am sorry if I scared the people at Roger's running 500gb or greater :)

I am also relieved because my aim is to eventually put a 2TB in mine and with the problems I assumed was due to Videotron and the sara or os version, it would have been impossible for me to proceed.

Also, another note, I analysed the WD5000AAKB Western Digital hard disk with several computer software which do not detect anything wrong with the drive, and that lead me to disregard that it could be the hard drive that was at fault. I will RMA the disk.

Again, I am sorry for the disruption although, we all learned that many things can go wrong and we need to evaluate all solutions.

Ruby

PS, Jake, edit as you seem fit......

Ruby, I made a few comments in the posts you mentioned. I guess the rest of us can expect ROM and SARA updates this month. I still have these versions as of yesterday.

SARA 1.89.25.100
ROM 1.5.2.1702
OS 6.14.91.1

I assume you still have the new versions and have not been rolled-back.

Jake,

Thank you.

I had not realized before now that you were on Videotron, so I guess Ottawa and Gatineau is more Gatineau than Ottawa :).

I must have scared you with their update and your getting ready to drop a 1TB drive in there, boy my timing was bad.

In regards to the rollback, no, I am still on their new SARA which means you are safe when they update your area.

Mind you, there are minor glitches with the new update, along with a few new features. One of the feature is if you started to watch a recording and not finish it, it will remember, even the day after, where you were and offer to continue from where you stopped.

The downside is, if you start watching a recording, switch to another, and then try to come back to read the first, eventhough it shows that you are about to watch the first, it is going to give you the second. Don't remember if you have to do it a few times to get that bug but the only way around is to power down and then power back up, then you will be able to get what you wanted. They will eventually correct that bug.

Thanks again

Ruby

I upgraded my 8300HD PVR from a WD 160G to a WD5000AAKB last night and the cloning went flawlessly. Keep in mind that it may take up to 45-60 minutes for the PVR to prepare the new hard drive by doing multiples count up from H001 to H8XX and then begin the Hex count down. Everything is working perfectly and I still have my TV shows.

This past weekend I switched the original 160gb WD with a 300gb Seagate 7200 rpm IDE that I have had for several years.

Initially it worked but then it locked up and wouldn't start, then I noticed a crimp in the IDE cable. So I replaced it with a brand new cable and it went through the testing and worked well after that.

Tried all kinds of tests, such as recording two HD shows simultaneously and while watch one of them from the begining. No problem there.

However, I noticed last night that the drive was still spinning. The PVR hadn't been used for a couple of hours (or done any recording), but still the top of the unit felt quite warm. So I shut it off and put the old 160gb WD back. Just thought I would mention this to save someone the same hassle.

My next step will be to try a SATA drive, I have already ordered the IDE to SATA adapter on ebay.

However, I noticed last night that the drive was still spinning. The PVR hadn't been used for a couple of hours (or done any recording), but still the top of the unit felt quite warmFYI, see:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=77514

BTW, the SA8300HD always feels warm since it's in standby consuming about 20 Watts, even when "off", although with a drive in use, it'll feel warmer since there's probably an extra 10 Watts or so. Make sure the unit is well ventillated and there's nothing on top to preclude proper cooling.

Thanks guys for all the info. I successfully upgraded my Rogers 8300HD today using a Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 (ST3750640A) 750GB IDE drive. So far all seems to be running great! The PVR rebooted twice after I powered it on, and after the second reboot everything was working. Total time was only about 10 minutes.

The diagnostic screens on the PVR shows I have a 698GB drive installed now, and in case you are curious I'm running SARA v1.89.22.2.

I am looking to change my internal drive to a bigger one but after reading all this thread I am not sure if I can upgrade to anything bigger than 500gb. I would like 1TB or even more, which model should I buy? Is there any 2TB working for this?

Post 458 listed a 750GB drive. As far as I know that is the largest they make and PATA technology is nearing its end of life.