Aura UHD android TV recorder November launch

The laptop I am using to write this has one SSD drive using NVMe M.2 which is significantly faster than SATA.
Now we're in the realm of what is literally an SSD ["SSD drive"? That's tautology], and what is internal bus-connected Flash being used as if it were an SSD.
 
GLT,

I note your statement about requiring using the USB port as a Deep Standby Indicator

At first I used an indicator light on my BT Broadband Ethernet extender to indicate a deep standby condition. That is connected to a 'port' as far as I am concerned.

At this point, I carried out another experiment which involved powering off the Aura at the Mains:

1. I put the Aura into Deep Standby mode;
2. I waited until the HDD stopped spinning and my BT Ethernet Extender LED switched off;
3. I switched off the mains power at the mains socket;
4. I left the power off for 15 minutes, assuming that any energy-storage devices within the Aura would discharge after that duration.
5. I switched on the mains power at the same time as starting the stopwatch.

6. My results are:

a. Time to HUMAX splash screen: 9.0s (it was earlier but I was expecting it to be later so did not react immediately)
Notes: The Aura LED changed to Blue.

b. Time to Active Standby: 1m 14.8s as indicated by the Aura LED turning Red.
Notes: I then pressed the Power Button on the Remote.

c. Time to Live TV: 1m 20.28s.

As this was the first time I carried out the experiment it may be that the times are bigger than in reality because I did not know what was going to happen.

However, these times are commensurate with those I previously reported.

I will seek an indicator of USB power to pursue your mode of indicating Deep Standby.
 
GLT,

I used an 8Gb USB stick with a red LED plugged into the Aura standard speed (black) USB port to indicate a powered-up port. It remained lit until after the HDD stopped spinning and when it went off so did the Ethernet LED on my BT Broadband Extender.

My results with this USB stick attached were:

To Humax splash screen: 08.32s
To Android Animation: 27.50s
To Buffering: 1m 05.07s
To Live TV: 1m 11.73s

After shutting down the Aura (with a long Remote Button Push) - indicated by the USB and Ethernet LEDs going out - I removed the USB stick and collected a new set of timings:

To Humax splash screen: 08.61s
To Android Animation: 28.70s
To Buffering: 55.90s
To Live TV: 1m 04.65s

I repeated the timings with and without the USB stick a number of times and found that with the USB stick the times to Humax Splash screen and Android Animation were the same but those to Buffering and Live TV were approximately 10s longer.

Unless there are more standby states than Active and Deep, it is confusing that your Aura's individual boot timings are different to mine, in particular the time to the Humax animation and the time between the Android Animation and the Live TV. I compare them below from your #518:

Power on button to Humax animation 01:14:55 versus ~8s

Power on button to Android loading animation a further 00.30.99 versus ~20s

Time to live TV a further 00.11.15 versus ~36s (No USB) and ~44s (USB)

My 1TB Aura set-up is simple with the HDMI output going to a non-smart TV Panasonic TV that only has two HDMI sockets and the Ethernet connected to a BT Broadband extender. Perhaps your Aura's set-up has some bearing on your timings.

In your #514 you state 'Barry tested this on MyHumax. He found boot times varied widely.' Were they as variable as above and how many Auras did he test them on? The times from my Aura can be considered consistent.
 
These figures are much more reasonable. At least there's something on the screen within seconds!
 
GLT,

In the absence of a reply to my questions I have trawled the 'My Humax' Forum for an answer and I found:

1. Barry reported on 16/11/20 (Page 33 #327) that his timings were from '53s to 72s' [assumed Deep Standby to fully operational based on the context.]

2. You reported 'Time to live TV 01:15.21' in your post of 17/11/20 (page 34 #339).

[This was as far as I searched.]

I apologise but I failed to notice your post #507 where you state a 'Time to Live TV of 1m 09.19s'. You attributed this reduction from around 2 minutes to the new software but the causality is not proven given the' MyHumax' Forum information above.

Unfortunately, I was focused on your #518 where you posted a time of ~1m 57s to Live TV.

What duration do you believe is representative of the 'Time to Boot from Deep Standby' that those looking to buy the Aura can consider in their determination as to whether or not to buy it.
 
Another fault. Tomorrow's Death in Paradise does not show as on series link in the guide, but does show in the app.
 
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Am I right in thinking that the Aura can only stream iplayer in HD / 4k and that all other channels are streamed as SD along with broadcast which is only HD?
It seems weird that chromecast can stream other channels (All4, UKTVPlay, Quest etc.) in better than SD (not exactly sure what quality) if the aura can't also.
This box seems to be being sold as 4k and yet as best I can see the only thing about it which is 4k is iplayer - may as well just buy chromecast and stick with a 4000/5000 unless I'm missing something?
 
10:20pm, box rebooted for no reason as my wife was watching ITV in real time.
 
Personal Aura Review

I have had my Aura since November last year and can report no significant problems, probably because I only use it to record TV with an occasional use of catch-up services and it is directly connected to a 15-year old non-smart HD Panasonic TV.

I loaded VLC on the Aura to access recordings from my HDR-Fox which only gives access to its SD recordings.

VLC on my Win10 computer and Android phone and my HD-Fox and HDR-Fox can access all the successful recordings on the Aura whether recorded in HD or SD. There is some hesitation at playback-start on the Foxes but otherwise all play ok.

The Aura does appear to have a problem telling the other units the contents of its library. Only by selecting the 'All' folder within the 'Recordings' folder can all the recorded programmes be seen. Within the 'Recordings' folder, recordings are missing or folders do not contain all the recordings that they should. (The number after the folder correctly lists the number of recordings that should be there but the actual recordings available is 1 fewer.) See attached images. Some same series recordings are not put into a folder and some recordings are not listed at all. The same is true when sing File/Windows Explorer on my Laptop; all recordings have the same file time of '01:00' but with the correct recording dates.

Within VLC on my Android I can view the Aura Live Channel (as long as I know the channel to which it is tuned); the Aura can be playing a recording at the time. I can do the same on my Laptop in a more complicated way. Both Foxes have problems complaining about unsupported formats and connection problems.

Given the number of tuners and software functionality, I am surprised that the Aura doesn't continue to record the current channel for timeslip purposes whilst playback is in operation, as my TVonics does.

I do not like the latest home page - it does not tempt me to subscribe to Disney - so wasted money there.

The Aura Search function for programmes within the guide is not good - it is much easier to search on one of my other PVRs.

It is convoluted to access the Timer list - too many button presses. It is easier on the Foxes and even better with the single button on my TVonics.

I allow the standard overnight Deep Standby times and the Aura has not failed to operate those correctly.

I do not have the Aura App on my phone.

I bought the Aura to provide more simultaneous HD and SD recording capability and to provide catch-up services. It has its quirks and annoyances as well as DLNA bonuses but, overall, it has satisfied my expectations and is a good PVR for my purposes.

Martin

Aura File List 1.jpgAura File List 2.jpg
 
The Aura does appear to have a problem telling the other units the contents of its library. Only by selecting the 'All' folder within the 'Recordings' folder can all the recorded programmes be seen. Within the 'Recordings' folder, recordings are missing or folders do not contain all the recordings that they should. (The number after the folder correctly lists the number of recordings that should be there but the actual recordings available is 1 fewer.) See attached images. Some same series recordings are not put into a folder and some recordings are not listed at all. The same is true when sing File/Windows Explorer on my Laptop; all recordings have the same file time of '01:00' but with the correct recording dates.
Have you reported this problem to Humax?
 
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