Shaw DCT6412 Information / Questions / Problems

[Roverdog]

Thanks for everyone's input ... here's an update to my issues.

I went to Soundsaround today and ran my analog/digital poor PQ questions by one of their guys. As expected, he suggested I buy an s-video cable to enable me to switch between s-video for analog/digital channels and component for HD channels. However, in order to get sound from both component and s-video outputs from the 6412, I also had to purchase two Y adaptors (one for red, one for white). Total cost $100+.

After putting it all together:
1) The analog picture is still worse using s-video versus going straight into the tv. I get a pretty nice picture when I bypass the box competely.
2) Digital seems to be slightly better through s-video as compared to component. But even so, this picture is far worse than the analog picture when I bypass the box. Also, I cannot set my override to 480i ... the signal gets all scrambled so I am using 480p as the override. Maybe this is a tv issue with my Samsung HLN DLP?
3) I am unable to get an onscreen menu when I am using the s-video connection. And reading the user manual "If the DCT is set to 1080i, 720p, or 480p output format, graphics are only available on the HD video outputs (DVI and component video)." So, while I am now able to use the remote when in s-video mode, I cannot get the onscreen menu.
4) Best HD signal is through component video (I don't have DVI yet). So I can really only use the box effectively when I watch 6 channels. I don't know if I will get $700 worth of use this way.
5) I can't seem to get HD channel 303 ... when scrolling from 302 to 304 or when hitting 303 on the remote, the picture freezes on the last channel.

Any feedback is appreciated!

[Sith]

Re: the Abc HD 303 it is out right now for several areas.

Here is the thread :

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/for...ad.php?t=20762

[Felgar]

Originally Posted by Roverdog

I went to Soundsaround today and ran my analog/digital poor PQ questions by one of their guys.

Sigh... I couldda told you that would happen (and did). Unfortunately the salesmen don't know what the heck they're talking about.

Looks like you got most of it figured already. On point 4, understand that the box is as good as any for all digital, including SD. Furthermore, of those 6 channels, you have the main US networks (hopefully Fox is coming soon) and also our main premium service in Canada. That covers most of the bases, and nearly all the HD material that is available in Canada.

For 480i override it's definately a TV issue - look in your user manual about 480i signal through component and about changing signal formats on the fly. You're taking a pretty big hit with PQ having 480p set as the override.

[ianseph]

Neila, I had a similar problem - no sound OR picture.
Phoned Shaw and they reset the STB. Is OK now.

[technut]

Thought I'd add my most recent experiences. Three new issues...

1) I suffered two lockups of the I-Guide yesterday, both while modifying series recordings. Had to pull the power plug after each one. The first time I just did a quick off/on, but the second time I left it off for 5 minutes. I didn't lose any of my settings or recordings but it took a couple of hours to re-populate the guide each time.

2) Today I caught my 6412 recording from a channel that I don't subscribe to. It was for a Series recording that I told it to record from any channel, but I assumed it would be smart enough not to record from a channel that it can't tune in.

3) I've had two recordings that would not let me FF or Rew through them, they would just jump right to the end or beginning. Both were long shows (1.5 and 2 hours) and both were from the STAR channel. I did discover I could use the 30-second Skip and the 15-second Replay functions still, but the picture came back very blocky immediately after using them and then cleaned up in a second.

Since I don't see that blockiness with other shows, I wonder if these were encoded differently. And that may also be the reason the FF and Rew doesn't work properly on them? I'll have to experiment some more.

[Sith]

I noticed something interesting with the recording ie if you have it set up in the guide to say record a show from 7-9.

I ordered a ppv movie that I was watching at the same time and set up in the guide to record it. Now the movie ended before the guide said it would but I couldn't figure out how to stop it from recording that Shaw screen saying thank you for your order. It kept recording till the time specified in the guide.

I thought it might have been stop etc but just couldn't figure it out. Now maybe if you set the recording through the guides time frame for the show it can't be stopped. Perhaps if I had manually hit record on the remote when it started I would have been able to stop it manually?. Will have to fiddle and experiment.

Not really an annoyance but I guess still lots to learn with this box.

[Felgar]

Originally Posted by technut

Since I don't see that blockiness with other shows, I wonder if these were encoded differently. And that may also be the reason the FF and Rew doesn't work properly on them? I'll have to experiment some more.

Check out the format in the diagnostic menu next time it happens. I've only ever seen QAM 64 for SD digital and QAM 256 for HD. I don't really know what these are or mean; I've been meaning to look into it.

Originally Posted by Sith

I thought it might have been stop etc but just couldn't figure it out. Now maybe if you set the recording through the guides time frame for the show it can't be stopped. Perhaps if I had manually hit record on the remote when it started I would have been able to stop it manually?. Will have to fiddle and experiment.

You can select the program in the guide, select the record icon which brings up options and the confirm, and then say 'don't record'. It will leave what's already recorded up to that point in your recordings list. Of course you have to be present to do it.

[Sith]

Thanks Felgar.

Beats watching a Thank you for ordering screen for 30 minutes hahah.

[wolfman]

Originally Posted by neila

...if I power it off and then back on, the audio is there, the guide and menu is there but no picture. The only way to get a picture is to go to a recording, ounce that has started I can get the Picture back on either tuner....

I have the same symptom except in addition to "no picture" there is also "no audio". Remedy is the same... play a recording. Sounds like it might be a good idea always to have at least one recording on the harddrive.

[technut]

Originally Posted by technut

1) I suffered two lockups of the I-Guide yesterday, both while modifying series recordings.

I'm just now recovering from a 3rd lockup, again while modifying the options for a series recording. I think this one was a show that appears both on a channel I subscribe to and a channel that I lost when the free preview ended.

After I got the menus back following the reboot I tried changing the recording another way instead of locating the next recording in the guide. This time I went into Series Recordings, which I had previously only used for setting priority. Hit Select or Info and then I modified the series from there (didn't know I could do that until just now).

I don't know if this is a workaround for the issue or if I just got lucky, but maybe someone else could try it if they run into the same issue.

[technut]

With HD content, the first FF speed is no faster than normal play speed, it is just chunkier. The second FF speed is flying along. Hopefully in the next release there will be a usable FF1 speed for HD.

[neila]

Just a follow up on the problem that I was having with the pic being absent on power on. I saw Wolfman had the same problem. As a last resort I unplugged the power, left it for a minute and than powered it back on. This cured the problem somehow, obviously a software issue. The guide took an hour to download and now it is back to normal.

[meshmellow]

I vaguely recall seeing this somewhere, but using the search feature hasn't helped.

I believe there is a code to program an unnecessary or unused button on the remote of the DCT6412 to advance one day when searching in the guide.

Does anyone have this information or know where it can be found?

Thanks,
meshmellow

[Felgar]

You're in luck mesh.

http://www.hifi-remote.com/cgi-bin2/ueic.cgi?cbl_0476

I had to dig it up when I accidently copied over the day+/- that I had in my learning remote while transfering new PVR functionality over to it.

[JesseJ]

How can I program out the DVR functions out of the 'circle of buttons' on the top of the remote. I hate hitting select to bring up the mini guide, when I used to be able to just press one of the buttons (up, down, left, right). Also, how can I reprogram a button for the day +/-? The above info doesn't really help me...