Channel hopping

[Swallowdale]

Last weekend when I switched on I got a screen saying the hard drive required reformatting.
I called Humax and following a brief conversation was advised to do a factory reset (losing all my grandkid's recordings), and that " the HD was probably faulty, sorry." with no other solution offered.

After I followed the advice to do the reset, when I switched on again the machine started up but continually hopped between channels, not allowing me to select a channel, record, or anything.

What has happened, what can be done to recover the situation,? I'm frustrated and floundering!
HDR100S/GB/500

 

[Ezra Pound]

One possible cause could be something in the room acting like the unit's remote control, to check this temporarily cover the front of the unit with a towel, this will prevent the unit from 'seeing' any stray infra-red signals that may have been recently introduced to the room

Also chech for any buttons on the unit itself that may be 'stuck down'

 

[Swallowdale]

One possible cause could be something in the room acting like the unit's remote control, to check this temporarily cover the front of the unit with a towel, this will prevent the unit from 'seeing' any stray infra-red signals that may have been recently introduced to the room

Also chech for any buttons on the unit itself that may be 'stuck down'

Thanks Ezra, the unit sits inside a cabinet and is served by a “magic eye” . I’ve eliminated any potential spurious sources to no avail.
I have subsequently done four further “factory resets”, and eventually seem to have got back to normal operating. Pity I’ve lost all my recordings, but it for now looks like I won’t have to raid the bank to replace the humax ....yet.