2 problems with my unit.HDR-FOX T2

David Riley

New Member
Purchased unit March last year,had ongoing problems.1. at the start of "boot up time"15 minutes prior to a recording.the screen would go black whilst watching a tv programme.
flick channels and it goes ok. 2.when in recording mode the recorder locks up and you cannot do anything with it,cannot change channels etc.Had discussions with Humax who agreed to replace the unit.Replacement arrived set it up and lo and behold same problems are there.where do I go from here,advice please from someone out there.
 
Purchased unit March last year,had ongoing problems.1. at the start of "boot up time"15 minutes prior to a recording.the screen would go black whilst watching a tv programme.
flick channels and it goes ok. 2.when in recording mode the recorder locks up and you cannot do anything with it,cannot change channels etc.Had discussions with Humax who agreed to replace the unit.Replacement arrived set it up and lo and behold same problems are there.where do I go from here,advice please from someone out there.


Hi David. The first problem might be an HDMI handshake one between your box and TV. Not sure about the second one, though it seems strange you have had it on two units. If it's an isolated problem, what are the chances of that?

Have you tried a different HDMI socket on your TV, or a different TV? (Just to narrow things down.) You might also disconnect HDMI completely to test the second problem, and see if you still get a lock-up.
 
Purchased unit March last year, had ongoing problems.1. At the start of "boot up time" 15 minutes prior to a recording, the screen would go black whilst watching a TV programme.
This sounds very similar to problems I had with a brand new HDR-FOX when they were fresh out of the factory, in August 2010. There was a firmware update within a day and everything settled down. Always make sure you have the latest firmware update installed when there are weird problems.

2. When in recording mode the recorder locks up and you cannot do anything with it, cannot change channels etc. Had discussions with Humax who agreed to replace the unit. Replacement arrived set it up and lo and behold same problems are there. Where do I go from here, advice please from someone out there.
Again check the status of the firmware (Menu >> Settings >> System >> System Information >> Software Version) and report back. Perform a factory reset (Menu >> Settings >> Installation >> Factory Default). If nothing improves I am inclined to suspect the disk, but in your case it should be poking Humax again.

You say you have had this since March - has it always been like this?
 
Coincidences do happen - although I prefer not to postulate one if I can help it. Can't think of anything else.
 
I see something very similar to 1 when I have a SCART setup connected to my TV, which links old equipment that doesn't have HDMI. I always use HDMI between the Humax and TV, but if the SCART connection to the TV is also made then I get the blank screen effect. Changing the source input on the TV cures this, but I normally don't have the SCART connection made to the TV which prevents the problem in the first place.
This has no connection with problem 2 as far as my experience goes.
 
In my experience, connecting both HDMI and SCART but viewing the SCART source results in the Humax thinking the HDMI is active, but the TV not handshaking the HDCP so the Humax gets upset and puts up a message on the SCART output.
 
In my experience, connecting both HDMI and SCART but viewing the SCART source results in the Humax thinking the HDMI is active, but the TV not handshaking the HDCP so the Humax gets upset and puts up a message on the SCART output.

Ah, but don't forget the Humax is still in standby - its just waking up internally 15 mins prior to a scheduled recording. Neither source was being viewed on the TV although both were connected (in my particular configuration). There should be no video output signal on either HDMI or SCART from the Humax, but there must be a change in one of the control pins on the Humax SCART output to trigger the TV to change input. This may or may not be what the OP is seeing, and unless he comes back and informs of of his particular configuration we may be barking up the wrong tree. However, I did witness this particular effect last night with the screen going blank when the Humax was getting ready to record something. I have now disconnected the SCART from the TV until I need it next to prevent this.
 
This has been reported in the past when the TV is connected to the Humax via SCART, it looks like the Humax either toggles pin 8 on the SCART cable or the TV detects some video that shouldn't be present when the Humax switches on to record in standby, it was never fixed as fas as I know
 
This has been reported in the past when the TV is connected to the Humax via SCART, it looks like the Humax either toggles pin 8 on the SCART cable or the TV detects some video that shouldn't be present when the Humax switches on to record in standby, it was never fixed as fas as I know
What your saying makes sense,in my discussions with Humax they did suggest there was a pin problem in the scart cable and perhaps modify to suit,to which I refused to do,It did not seem right to create a special lead to solve a problem.
What I have done now is rather than have the recorder in standby mode,all the time, when we are watching tv,we watch it through the recorder and when we want to record a programme we do so,and I have found that there is no loss of picture at the start of "boot up time".so problem solved,although I do feel Humax should get their act together.Thanks again for your assistance.
 
Watching live TV from the Humax rather than the tuner in your TV does have it's advantages, it is possible to pause live TV and re-wind live TV for up to 2 Hours. This does of course mean you tying up one of your two tuners but as it is possible to record two programmes and watch a third (depending on which group of channels are in use), this is usually not a problem
 
Nowadays we have got so PVRd that we watch live TV about twice a year I think (discounting when we finish watching something and are just vegetating) and only if we just can't find a way to record everything. I feel that if it's worth watching it's better to get it on disc and then watch it at a convenient time, be that 5 mins later in chase play or the next day, or week. So like Wallace our TV is really just a monitor.
 
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