Sony RDR-HX900 DVD recorder

[Rick]

Looks like this unit is now available in Canada. (Previously I only saw it in Europe.) It has a 160GB hard drive, and will record on either DVD+R or DVD-R. (I want +R since that's what my computer DVD recorder uses.)

Does anyone know anything about this unit? Any problems I should watch out for?

[Rick]

I have had this unit now for some time and it has some things that drive me nuts. One I recently discovered is the "picture size" setting. This is in the "record settings" and you can set it to either 9:16 or 3:4. I usually use 3:4 but I did record one program from my SA8000HD in the vertically "stretched" mode so used 9:16 which flags the DVD so that it gets letterboxed properly by a DVD player attached to a 4:3 TV. However, I forgot to change it and recorded another program from the 8000HD which was not stretched. Now I cannot change it!! However I try to dub it to a DVD, it comes out stretched when it should not be. Unfortunately I deleted the program on the 8000 already. Very irritating!!

[Caliope]

So here I am with my new RDR-HX900 DVD recorder. Watched the OTA for a couple months before getting a Starchoice dish. In that time I fell in love with the "TV Guide" on screen programming. The recorder pulls in and updates the programming a couple times a day for two weeks in advance. Slices and dices the programs into categories and serves up movies, series, sports, whatever. Record what you want and never watch live TV again.

Then I bought the dish. The "TV guide" software will not download from the DSR500. The best I can do is hook up the DSR 500 as a slave to the Recorder with the external IR changer, similar to how a cable box is treated. Then manually program the recorder with the start time, finish time and channel. Hope that the times are correct and the station does not run the movie 5 minutes over the finish time. I was doing that 25 years ago with my VCR.

On the bright side, 25 years of technology means that I don't have to change a tape.

[Q]

all of the recorders are geared towards cable.

i wish they would recognize the huge amount of people on satellite and make accomdations for that.

[DVDguy]

Help,

Friend has a new RDR-HX900 dvd recorder.. and he would like to use it with Rogers Digital Cable.

Has anyone had success using the Rogers Box and the Sony TV Guide?

[brainer]

I just bought one of these a week ago too.

While I don't have it downloading TVGOS data from digital cable yet,
you may want to PM me about this later. I have calls in with a second level
support tech. at Sony, a supervisor, and someone at CTV, (who allegedly
are the TVGOS data host station on digital cable.) Basically, I've done a lot of
research on this issue.

In my case, what's really bizarre is that one of the menu items in the TVGOS
setup menu isn't there on my machine. It may require a firmware upgrade, or
some kind of other update to work.

Brainer

[Q]

where did you buy it? They haven't been selling that model for awhile.

How much did you pay if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks

Joe

[Rick]

I do not use this unit for recording off-air, so I cannot comment on the TVGuide settings (other than to say I think the guide is terrible!!).

However, I have been having a problem for quite a while now. If I don't use it for a while (say a day) when I turn it on, nothing works -- no buttons on the remote or on the unit. I have to unplug it and plug it back in again (ie reboot) and then it's fine until next time! I really should take it in to be fixed, but I can live with this so I'm afraid to have anyone touch it!!

[brainer]

DVDGuy:

Okay, in spite of Sony's extremely ignorant 1st level support, I culled a lot of
information from 2nd level support, and various websites, and got the TVGOS
guide data downloading through Rogers Digital Cable for a week now. The
problem is a bit complicated, but try to hang in there-it's worth it! BTW, this
will work with many brands of DVD recorders / PVRs. Your mileage may vary,
but I hope with some work and cooperation we can get everyone's TVGOS
devices working properly.

My recorder: Sony RDR-HX900
Also reported to work on:
Sony RDR-GX300
Pioneer DVR-533H
Panasonic EH50

My Rogers digital box: Scientific Atlanta 3250HD


Here's what you need to know:

1. You need to use coaxial cable from the cable box to any DVDR / PVR in
order to get the guide data. I'm not sure about TVGOS-equipped TV sets.
You don't need coaxial to get picture or sound, of course; that you can do
with any compatible connection. But to get guide data, you MUST connect
the digital box using coax to the DVDR / PVR. Optionally, you can add a
second connection for video, but you will only get the guide data through the
coax.

2. Know that TVGOS data is put into the VBI (vertical blanking interrupt), of
your local TVGOS host channel. The VBI is a scan line that you don't see on
your screen which includes all kinds of non-visual technical data. It was
designed to be used on analog cable. If, for example, analog channel 12 is
broadcasting TVGOS data, and you're connected via analog cable, the DVDR / PVR /TV
will typically download guide data just fine, and after 24 hours, start populating
your guide grid. However....

3. Rogers strips off the TVGOS guide data on the equivalent digital channel
(even though it's still the same station, CBLFT). Therefore, for example, on
Rogers Digital 12, you would not get TVGOS data. The workaround is as
follows: Rogers provides the analog equivalents of digital channels (when
using a digital box) above channel 800. So, for example, in my neighbourhood
(Toronto) I tuned my digital cable box and my DVDR to channel 812. It is from
there that my DVDR gets the guide data.

Note: These channels apply to me, in my neighbourhood. Please verify which
is the TVGOS host channel in your area/cable company. In my case, I read
several posts on www.avsforum.com in which posters reported getting
good TVGOS guide data from CTV (in Toronto, analog 9, cable 8, digital 808).
One man tuned his cable box and his DVDR to 808, and consistently got guide
data. I tried this, and failed. However, in a later post, someone suggested
that the host station had perhaps changed to (or at least that he was
getting data from) analog cable 12 (digital 812). I then switched to 812,
and Bingo! I got TVGOS guide data. However...

4. If you've connected the infrared cable that the DVDR / PVR /TV uses to
change channels on your digital box, your DVDR / PVR / TV will keep scanning
channels. In the process, it will keep changing channels on the digital box,
but usually only up to channel 125. So how will your DVDR / PVR "see"
channel 812 {substitute your host channel # here} to get guide data? Enter
the TVGuide setup on your DVDR / PVR, Select "Change Channel Lineup",
enter "No match", and then punch 812 {substitute your host channel # here}.
Add the host channel to your Channel lineup, and exit TVGuide setup.
Now, your DVDR / PVR should recognize {Your host channel #) as a legitimate
channel. You can test that this is working by pressing {Your channel # here}
on the DVDR / PVR remote while the TV and cable box are on. This should
change the channel to {Your host channel #} on your TV, assuming the right
inputs are chosen on the TV.
Now... (Oh God, there's more!!? Hang in there, we're just finishing.)

5. One last problem to overcome: The DVDR / PVR will keep changing the channel
from {Your TVGOS host channel #} to other channels. How can you
make it stay on your host channel? You set a VCR timer on the cable box
to force the digital box to stay on your host channel for most of the early
morning hours. It is from about 2 AM to 6 AM (EST?) that the majority of the
TVGOS download happens. So, in my case, I set a VCR timer to keep my
digital cable box set to channel 812 between 2 AM to 6 AM, and from then
on, after 24 hours, I received guide data consistently.

Oh yeah, one last thing: if your DVDR / PVR/ TV does manage to find the
TVGOS host channel, you should probably record what it is. To do this, go to:

TVGuide-->Setup-->Change system settings

In that dialog box, it should display any host channel and VBI information
your machine detected.

I hope this helps many of you. If it does, perhaps we can change it into a
sticky of some sort.



Brainer

[brainer]

Originally Posted by Rick

I do not use this unit for recording off-air, so I cannot comment on the TVGuide settings (other than to say I think the guide is terrible!!).

However, I have been having a problem for quite a while now. If I don't use it for a while (say a day) when I turn it on, nothing works -- no buttons on the remote or on the unit. I have to unplug it and plug it back in again (ie reboot) and then it's fine until next time! I really should take it in to be fixed, but I can live with this so I'm afraid to have anyone touch it!!

Rick:

Dumb question, I know, but I have to ask. You do have the right input
selected on your TV and output select on your DVD when you do this, right?
Sorry, had to ask, just in case. Have you tried doing a system reset?
There are several kinds of resets that you can perform on the machine which
do seem to fix a number of bizarre problems. Some of these resets can be
performed by going to this set of menus:

Setup-->Options-->Factory setup

NOTE: Some resets can erase your guide data, schedules, etc. so please-
be careful. I take no responsibility for what you erase/reset.

Other, more powerful resets can be performed by going into the (service)
diagnostic mode of the recorders. I don't recommend doing that unless you're
pretty technically savvy.

Originally Posted by Q

where did you buy it? They haven't been selling that model for awhile.

How much did you pay if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks

Joe

Yeah, tell me about it. But I researched the subject, and I decided that it
was the model I wanted. So I called a bunch of Sony stores, and found one
in North Toronto that had it. Talked them down to $469.00.

Now that the TVGOS guide is working, I'm thrilled with the unit.


Brainer

[Rick]

Originally Posted by brainer

Rick:

Dumb question, I know, but I have to ask. You do have the right input
selected on your TV and output select on your DVD when you do this, right?
Sorry, had to ask, just in case. Have you tried doing a system reset?
There are several kinds of resets that you can perform on the machine which
do seem to fix a number of bizarre problems. Some of these resets can be
performed by going to this set of menus:

Setup-->Options-->Factory setup

Brainer

There are no dumb questions -- only dumb answers!!!

But yes, I am sure everything is right. Anyhow, the thing is NO buttons work (except for power) -- I can't even switch between DVD and HDD which would change the lights on the unit. I can't use the setup because I would have to use "system menu" which I can't. btw, the buttons on the unit itself also do not work (except for power). When I unplug it and plug it back in, it gives me the "welcome" message (on the unit) then finally goes to power off. When I power on, the first thing is the TV guide comes up on the TV, and then I can do all the usual stuff.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by brainer

Talked them down to $469.00..

Brainer

Ohhhh, you really know how to hurt a guy don't you!!! I think I paid about $1100 when it first came out!

btw, totally unrelated comment. You can add manual chapter marks on the HDD but it says "When dubbing, any chapter marks you enter will be erased." I find this very, very irritating since there are many times I would like to add chapter marks on a DVD. Is there some good technical reason for this, or are they just being really shitty??? Do other DVD recorders do this also?

[brainer]

Rick:

Did you try the various reset methods?

You might try this one:
From Troubleshooting Section of Manual:
Method 1:
Others
The recorder does not operate properly.
Restart the recorder. Press down Power button
on the recorder for more than ten seconds until
“WELCOME” appears in the front panel display.


-When static electricity, etc., causes the recorder to operate abnormally,
turn off the recorder and wait until the clock appears in the front panel
display. Then, unplug the recorder and after leaving it off for a while,
plug it in again.

(I mention the latter knowing you've tried it, but wonder whether you might
be having a problem with static electricity. Anything near your unit that
might be causing it? IS everything well-grounded?



Brainer

[Rick]

Originally Posted by brainer

Rick:

Did you try the various reset methods?

You might try this one:
From Troubleshooting Section of Manual:
Method 1:
Others
The recorder does not operate properly.
Restart the recorder. Press down Power button
on the recorder for more than ten seconds until
“WELCOME” appears in the front panel display.
Brainer

Gee, reading the manual -- what a quaint idea!! :-) Yes, holding down the power button seems to reset it. At least that's easier than reaching around behind to unplug it. Thanks!!

[brainer]

Don't be hard on yourself. That was from the service manual, not the user
manual. :-)