AR Effectiveness Survey

[Black Hole]

As regular readers will know, I have had a poor experience with AR (Accurate Recording), others have reported it as the best thing since sliced bread, and some have difficulties which have been ascribed to multi-region reception. (Anybody who doesn't know what I'm talking about SEE HERE - click.)

We know that some channels are suspect re AR, so anyone with AR set as default would presumably have to limit themselves to not recording from those channels - and conversely if you might want to record from suspect channels, then you need to have auto-padding set as default. This situation is considerably alleviated by the new developments in the custom software and remote scheduler web site, where whole channels or individual programmes can be selected for AR or padding. However, my personal experience remains tricky.

The question is: how widespread is this problem, or is it just me? There are suspicions that some transmitter regions are worse than others. There is also a suggestion that somebody recording the same programme from the same transmitter succeeded on AR while I failed to track.

What I propose is a survey: first stage get a gauge of the general experience with a questionnaire, then research the details in the responses. I'll be particularly interested in pairing up my experiences with somebody else on the same transmitter.

So, if you are willing to take part, post answers to the following questions in the manner of my own response below. The questions apply to specifically the HDR-FOX T2 or HD-FOX T2 with a hard drive connected. To save having to flick back to see the questions when replying: rather than use the quick reply box at the bottom of the page, click "reply" in this post, enter your answer list, then delete the quoted text before posting.

Results analysis HERE (click)

1. What transmitter do you receive from?
2. Are you sure you do not receive any other transmitters (Yes/No)?
3. Could you receive from other transmitters if they were tuned in (Yes/No)?
4. Did you perform a manual tune to ensure other transmitters were not tuned in (Yes/No)?
5. Do you have any TV channels at 800+ on your handset (Yes/No)?
6. Do you have AR set by default (Yes/No)?
7. Have you tried setting AR selectively (Yes/No)?
8. Do you record channels other than HiDef or BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4 StDef (Yes/No)?
9. Do you record only HiDef (Yes/No)?
10. When you have recorded on AR, have you routinely had "failed to track" errors on the channels mentioned above (Yes/No/NA)?

 

[Black Hole]

1. Mendip
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. No
6. No
7. Yes
8. Yes
9. No
10. Yes

 

[af123]

1. Emley Moor
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. No
6. Yes
7. No (I do selectively pad 5*)
8. Yes
9. No
10. No (other than on programmes which weren't broadcast as expected)

 

[Brian]

01. Winter Hill
02. Yes
03. Yes
04. Yes
05. No
06. Yes
07. No
08. No
09. Yes
10. No

 

[Wallace]

01. WinterHill
02. Yes
03. Yes
04. No
05. No
06. Yes
07. No
08. Yes
09. No
10. No

 

[xyz321]

1. Crystal Palace
2. Yes
3. No
4. Yes
5. No
6. Yes
7. No
8. Yes
9. No
10. No

 

[MartinLiddle]

1. Chesterfield
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. No
6. Yes
7. No
8. Yes
9. No
10. No (Over a 12 month period we have had a total of perhaps 6 recording failures)

 

[sceptic]

1. Winter Hill
2. Yes
3. No
4. No
5. No
6. Yes
7. No
8. Yes
9. No
10. No

 

[Black Hole]

Brian & Wallace's responses are interesting, they appear to be contrary experiences. It would be informative for them to compare notes for specific programmes recorded in common. Now Sceptic seems to fall into Wallace's camp. Brian, you have reponded that you only record HiDef and yet have had failed-to-track errors. Correct? Many?

I watched the Higgs programme last night, and this reminds me of the search for a new fundamental particle: all we see are hints of an effect, and it takes correlating large amounts of data to refine the hints into a confirmed observation.

 

[oijonesey]

1. Sandy Heath
2. Yes
3. No
4. No
5. No
6. Yes
7. No
8. Yes
9. No (but it is almost all HD if I get the choice)
10. No

[Edited #10 to better answer the question]

 

[fenlander]

1. Sandy Heath
2. Yes
3. No
4. No
5. No
6. Yes
7. No
8. No
9. No
10. No

 

[BMAX]

1. Winter Hill
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. No
6. Yes
7. Yes
8. Yes
9. No
10. No

 

[Brian]

Brian & Wallace's responses are interesting, they appear to be contrary experiences. It would be informative for them to compare notes for specific programmes recorded in common. Now Sceptic seems to fall into Wallace's camp. Brian, you have reponded that you only record HiDef and yet have had failed-to-track errors. Correct? Many?

Yes, I only have the four HD channels tuned into my HD boxes, and Yes, I have had a few failed to track errors but I can't remember when the last one was though, probably well over 6 months ago.

 

[Black Hole]

I watched the Higgs programme last night, and this reminds me of the search for a new fundamental particle: all we see are hints of an effect, and it takes correlating large amounts of data to refine the hints into a confirmed observation.

I think what I'm ultimately trying not to find (but searching for because you can't find what you're not looking for) is a confirmed instance of a programme recorded with AR on two machines from the same channel on the same transmitter which recorded properly on one but failed to track on the other, where all other possible causes have been eliminated except a vagary within the Humax itself.

 

[Black Hole]

Interim Results

For confirmed single-region reception only. "AR reliable" is interpreted as no routine "failed to track" errors on the major channels. "Routine" is taken to mean sufficient that the user has auto-padding by choice.

Chesterfield

AR reliable: MartinLiddle​

AR unreliable:​

Crystal Palace

AR reliable: xyz321​

AR unreliable:​

Durris

AR reliable: Climber (provisional)​

AR unreliable:​

Emley Moor

AR reliable: af123​

AR unreliable:​

Lark Stoke

AR reliable: grahamlthompson​

AR unreliable:​

Mendip

AR reliable: Crucial​

AR unreliable: Black Hole​

Rowridge

AR reliable: Steppy​

AR unreliable:​

Sandy Heath

AR reliable: oijonesey, fenlander​

AR unreliable:​

Sutton Coldfield

AR reliable: Ezra pound​

AR unreliable:​

Winter Hill

AR reliable: brian, Wallace, sceptic, BMAX​

AR unreliable:​

(last entry #46)

I am lacking responses from people using padding by routine, particularly padding with selective AR, and I could use more input from Mendip!

 

[grahamlthompson]

1 Lark Stoke
2 Yes
3 Yes
4 Yes
5 No
6 Yes
7 No
8 N0
9 Yes (I have a Toppy 5800 for SD)
10 N/A

 

[Wallace]

I do primarily record HiDef programs, after all, that's what I got the HDR for. However, on many occasions I record SDef and not necessary from the main 5 channels. I exclusively use AR, always have. Never once have I had the 'failed to track' problem. I guess I am lucky.

I, like you BH, don't like entrusting my recording schedule to the broadcasters, but to date, I have not had a reason not to use AR.

I had one program on ITV1 +1 that cut short by about a minute just before the end credits. Not really a problem for me.

 

[Black Hole]

Everyone please note: I have modified question 10. This I think changes Brian's and Oijonsey's answers from Yes to No.

 

[Brian]

Everyone please note: I have modified question 10. This I think changes Brian's and Oijonsey's answers from Yes to No.

I have changed my answer to reflect the modified question 10.

 

[grahamlthompson]

A tad confused. If you only record HD should the answer to 10 be N/A ?.