I've had a 505 for a little over a year now. It's hooked up to a Sony Bravia 40 inch lcd. I've never had an audio dropout problem. My only issue is the call display quits working and I have to reset the receiver. I originally wanted to buy a 530 but my local Star Choice dealer refused to sell me one. When I asked why he sent me to this forum. Hopefully the next version of software will fix all these problems. I really want a 530.

Mike P. if you want a 530 by all means buy one. I’ve had one 530 since they were first offered, every problem has been solved by a soft reset every now and again. Not all units are as problematic as those reported here. Complains are usually louder than kudos.
Of all those who have a 530, who would give it up? Watching commercials again, I would go mad!! Not being able to record HD would be a crime.;)

After reading this forum for over a year things are definetly getting better for the 530. I'm just waiting to see what the results are from the next code release before I buy one. If most of the issues are dealt with I'll be happy.

I've had a 505 for a little over a year now. It's hooked up to a Sony Bravia 40 inch lcd. I've never had an audio dropout problem.
What are the audio connections to your TV?
RCA's or digital?

I wonder if the audio dropouts many experience are limited to the digital outs or something associated with the Dolby processor.

IMHO, nice 5.1+ audio just goes hand in hand with HDTV, so I would never think to use TV audio.

I started with component and now I'm using DVI to HDMI. I'm using TV speakers only as my 5.1 system is in my home theater room downstairs.

I am using DVI to HDMI cables so I have to have an RCA connection from the receiver to my surround sound system (Pioneer). However, when I wish to put a show on a disc I have to go to another input which is all compsite and I get sound dropouts (with accompanied slight Video pixillation) on both settings. I have tried every possible audio setting on the SC receivers and the problem seems to be slightly less using the stereo setting rather than the surround sound setting.
Lester

I called for my in-laws yesterday to activate a 505 replacement for a 500. The first CSR knew nothing... infact the HD channels didnt even activate and she couldnt figure it out, so she transferred me to a tsr, and he sent a 'hit' which fixed it up fine...however....more to the point...I asked both reps if they knew when the new code was coming, and neither knew anything about any new code! The tsr said he thinks he read an email about 'airdrie', but has no clue when its coming.....

so... it is true that the csr'/tsr's are kept in the dark?

I wonder if the audio dropouts many experience are limited to the digital outs or something associated with the Dolby processor.

I doubt it ARR. I've watched programs in my HT with digital audio and, at the same time, recorded from another 505 to a Media Center PC using composite connections. I have checked for matching dropouts on the recording vs live from two 505's and they do match!

Then that would suggest a problem either inside the boxes themselves are a problem in the source/transmission.

You would almost need a direct line to their broadcast centre in Mississauga to have them verify the dropouts there.
I believe they can do a comparison of the source signal against the received signal in case there is an uplink problem.
That wouldn't indicate if the problem was coming from the studio as the drop would appear in both the UP and the DOWN signals and the compare would eb the same.
It WOULD show a problem in their equipment.

All I can suggest is following the airdrie code if it isn't resolved, that everyone mount a MAJOR telephone campaign into *C so the agents gets so flustered they escalate it to the top.

I do know that the last time I was able to push the issue internally, some work was finally done to improve the studio to transmitter links that were known to be causing some of the problems.
Chances are more of that is needed as well as a good look at the box it self.

While there IS a fan, it doesn't run until the disk temperature hits a critical mark.
The noise is simply the hard drive running.

The units are never off except when unplugged.
In standby, they just turn off the panel lights and black the video.
They need to be listening for guide and software updates.
When I got my 530 18 months ago I asked tech support about the constant sound and was told it was the fan, not the hard drive. They said a future code fix may shut it off except when needed, but has never changed. Is ARR right or was tech support right?

ARR was right, as usual.

Still Undefeated, Denny Crane!

When I got my 530 18 months ago I asked tech support about the constant sound and was told it was the fan, not the hard drive. They said a future code fix may shut it off except when needed, but has never changed. Is ARR right or was tech support right?
Well i don't think you were aware of this but... you can take anything ARR says & cash it at any bank in Canada.

OK, Any-one besides me with version CE firmware?

CE is pretty much the same code as CC -- it just means yours has newer flash memory.

CE might be the same code as CC, but my new (replacement) 530 with CE is a lot more stable. Channel changes are a lot quicker. Maybe the newer flash memory has better response time...

July 18th: DSR530 Code CC Fixes, Features & Bugs
Check your target version tonight/tommorow.

As was posted here earlier and a C&P from another site that references a VP's response to a subscriber regarding the upcoming code:

Quote:
The new feature set, if all passes, includes the following:

- Far improved operational stability for channel tuning (far few lock-ups during channel change -- in fact, so far we have seen none from that cause)
- Far improved timer performance for DVR recording, and for PPV recordings (again, so far no failures)
- Far improved performance for playback of DVR recordings (again, so far no failures)
- New sorting criteria for recordings
- A way to jump to identified times of recordings (i.e. 1 hour in)
For the majority of us that were on A8, this is great news as we'll finaly get the long sought after features that BC delivered to a selected few hundred.

For those of us on BC just waiting for the box to die after too many reboots, this should be a life saver.

Do check out all the new features in the beginning of the BC thread.

Enjoy the improved stability that CC brings.
Have faith that while not 100%, it's the closest the box has ever been and that new and exciting stuff is in the pipe.

From my experience in the past several weeks, what was quoted appears true for the most part.

Unfortunatly my source of information that gave me a closer view than most is no longer available.

Good luck and enjoy the efforts of many.

I'll still be around to help out as best I can.


Well, this is the 1st post in this thread! ARR got the 67 pages started just under one year ago! Do you think it is time to have a new thread for a new code?

I'll second that!

WHEN we start to receive the new code for each model, 505 & 530, I'm certain that a new sticky thread will be created.
Until then, we are all at CC/CE, but others threads suggest it shouldn't be long now.

My post was to basically say...Okay , let's have the new code so we can start a new thread. It would be great if it was before this thread's 1 year anniversary