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Failed Recording of New BBC Four HD Channel

Just set up to record CBBC and CBeebies on my HD Fox-T2, alternating 2 programmes each to see if the problem exists during the equivalent daytime programmes. The HD Fox was put into standby from BBC1.

Martin
 
Digital UK said I should re-tune, and if problem persists, to contact Humax.

So looks like I will email Humax and see what they say!
 
I tried a retune yesterday, it didn't make any difference. The symptoms are identical to the situation on Freesat following the launch of Channel 4 HD (zero length .nts). This was corrected by Channel 4 just before the channel launched on the Freesat epg.
 
All programmes (73,74,73,74) recorded and play ok.

HD powered up on Ch73 - CBBC HD having been put into standby on BBC1. Interesting as Ch73 was not the last channel recorded; I expected Ch74.

Martin
 
AV2HDR-T2 is designed to create sidecar files for the T2 boxes. Has anyone tried re-creating these from the decrypted recording ?

Yes, Graham, did use AV2HDR, but I forgot it doesn't work on HD recordings. It did create a new .nts file and when it and the .ts file were copied back, the recording did play but had no soundtrack.
 
The following quote is from one of raydon's posts HERE, which probably explains why it did not work properly for Wallace.
Av2HDR-T2 can, and does, correctly remux, then build the sidecar files for any unencrypted SD .ts file exported from the T2. It can do the same for an unencrypted HD .ts file. Unfortunately, because an HD recording contains AAC audio streams (which AV2HDR-T2 cannot handle) you end up with a recording that will play back on the T2 but without any audio. In this case you need to demux the streams, convert AAC to AC3 then remux again.
 
I tried a retune yesterday, it didn't make any difference. The symptoms are identical to the situation on Freesat following the launch of Channel 4 HD (zero length .nts). This was corrected by Channel 4 just before the channel launched on the Freesat epg.

Whatever the problem is on freeview , My humax freesat hdr set 2 recordings on bbc4hd tonight using AR and recorded/played perfectly. So whatever BBC did to freeview, they didn't do the same for freesat. Thought it might help.
 
Another test using my HD Fox-T2 last night, HDR Fox-T2 otherwise occupied. Last tuned TV channel BBC1. Powered-up on BBC1. No consecutive recordings.

BBC3HD: 19:00 Great Movie Mistakes 2013 - Successful
BBC3HD: 00:10 American Dad! - Successful
BBC4HD: 01:00 Battlefield Britain - Failure
BBC3HD: 02:30 The Revolution Will Be Televised - Successful

So, there's an interesting result. On my HD Fox-T2 the BBC3HD programmes have recorded successfully whereas they did not for the one test on my HDR Fox-T2.

Both units are running their 1.02.28 software.

I will set up for parallel recording tonight.

Martin
 
I sort out the audio on Freeview-HD recordings as follows.

Create an ac3 audio file using FLV MP3 converter.

Open the original video file in TSmuxergui (no need to remux as TSmuxer ignores aac audio).

Add the ac3 audio file to TSMuxer and set audio synch to +100

Output the file as a .ts

Top and tail and remove adverts using VideoredoH264. Resulting file works in AV2HDR-T2.
 
Yes, padding v AR appears to be a red herring in this case, but when there are recording failures it is one of the "usual suspects" to be rounded up. At the time I didn't know about the existence of sizeable .ts files not playing because of sidecar file errors.

On the face of the information currently available (I do not have a COM7 feed to play myself - Mendip isn't due until July and I get Wenvoe from a relay which will never carry COM7) this appears to be an incompatibility between the BBC and Humax - who is actually at fault we cannot say at present, but if recorders from other manufacturers are not having the same problem we can hazard a guess. That the original HiDef services have not shown the same problem (ever!) indicates there is something different about the COM7 services, although why not all services on COM7 are affected is another mystery.

It could be that the BBC engineers have decided to trial using some previously unused feature of the broadcast data stream, or stop using something that they think isn't necessary (saving bandwidth), but doubt is cast on this one because of the report that two HDR-FOXes set to record identical programmes achieved different results.

It is all very peculiar, and with my engineering hat on I am watching the reports and trying to form an hypothesis to explain them all - unsuccessfully so far.


Been watching this thread with interest but haven't had a chance to re-tune my one and only T2 yet.
Re the above quote - the info for my transmitter (Blackhill) on ukfree.tv states that BBC4HD is on the new COM7 mux but BBC3HD is alongside the existing HD services on PSB3. I don't know if that's consistent around the country but, if it is, the failed BBC3HD recordings that have been reported would suggest that the problems stem from the individual new channel streams rather than just the new COM7 mux in general.
 
Yes it's consistant. Without COM 7 you only get the BBC Three/CBBC combo. The problem though affects users with or without COM 7. I don't have COM 7 so can't comment on BBC FOUR. It does affect both my HDR FOX T2 and a HD FOX T2. Freesat though is unaffected, though that's 1080i only and Freeview is a mix of 1080p/1080i.

CBBC HD is unaffected which as it uses the same space on the MUX is very odd.
 
Digital UK said I should re-tune, and if problem persists, to contact Humax.

So looks like I will email Humax and see what they say!
I had the same reply from Digital UK, but I haven't emailed Humax because when I have emailed them in the past I have never received a reply. :(

Will try to record two programmes from BBC4 HD tonight; one is the repeat of Byzantium 2 which it failed to record first time round - but last Saturday Frozen Planet and Borgen 1 and 2 were recorded properly...
 
I had the same reply from Digital UK, but I haven't emailed Humax because when I have emailed them in the past I have never received a reply. :(

In the end I didn't email them (for the same reasons as well as, I saw that Barry on myhumax.org has already advised Humax Towers of the issue)

As it appears that only Humax boxes are affected, and I can always record BBC Four in SD for now, and if that fails, there is always the iPlayer as well as the CF option of saving the last iPlayer stream, and that works fine for me!
 
My recording of Patisserie last night failed on BBC4 HD in the same way.
(This was my second attempt, so I recorded in SD as well)
I am using auto padding and am on Crystal Palace.

I did have the same issue previously with some SD recordings and speculated that it might be possible to re-build an nts file on the Humax,
Unfortunately I haven't had any chance to look into this any more.

http://hummy.tv/forum/threads/blank-nts-files.3376
 
Another complete failure recording BBC3HD and BBC4HD on the HDR Fox-T2 last night.

My HD Fox-T2 is recording BBC3HD ok but with BBC4HD failures.

Will try instant recordings tonight.

BH, yes as far as I know. The programmes shows "0 mins" in the media library but deleting releases the right amount of storage for the programme duration.

Martin

PS. Currently recording CBBCHD and CBeebiesHD on the HDR.
 
If you are using the CF, browsing the "duff" recordings in the WebIF media browser will show you the details. Alternatively you can do it by FTP.
 
I think we will have to wait for Humax Towers to respond to all this. There is obviously an issue, whether it lies with Humax, the broadcaster or both. Who know's ?

Fortunately for me I don't record much on BBC Three or Four and until this is sorted I will use the SD variants anyway.
 
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