Failed recordings on BBC3 HD and BBC4 HD

I've got a BBC4HD recording with the Dec flag set (and it won't play) but fixencflags doesn't sort it out. In fact it doesn't see it at all, the utility just reports that it has run without anything found to process.
Help!
(The recording is showing length, it's not a zero.)
 
Well, it's fixed now, but I'm very puzzled.
This morning I turned the box off at the back for a while (ring gone black) and then back on. Pulled it out of standby and then ran fixencflags again. Didn't work.
Then I tried different 'utility' names like fixencflag without success, but soon realised that you can put any garbage in the diagnostic box and it will report that it has run it (is that a feature?), so I then wasn't sure if fixencflags even existed on the box anymore.

So this evening I came on here to report the above (SWMBO was watching something) and just had one last attempt with fixencflags ...
... and it worked! Bleurgh!
 
Depending on the browser you use with Web-If, when you run a diagnostic it might not feedback the status. Run fixencflags, for example, in Telnet and it will tell you which files were processed. The diagnostic names are case sensitive so a capital letter in the name will stop it from running. You are right though, you still get a message in Web-If saying that the diagnostic has ended even if it doesn't exist.

Edit. The diagnostics are listed in the Wiki here. You can cut and paste the diagnostic name into Web-If.
 
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I use Chrome both on W7 PCs and Android devices. If there are files fixed then fixencflags (in Chrome) does report which ones were processed which was how I knew it had succeeded eventually (though I did check the programme worked on the TV as well). Does Telnet report if it hasn't run or doesn't exist?

I've used fixencflags several-many times before with no issues and I checked carefully that I was spelling it correctly, so I don't think that was the problem. It just seems that it was either not running or not detecting the faulty programme for a while.
 
If the diagnostic name is incorrect in Telnet, it still trys to run it but you get the following error message:
Code: 
wget: server returned error: HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
 
Try this.

Guide to fixing Zero-size non-playable recordings, often from BBC3 and BBC4.

You need Customised Firmware and the Web-IF package installed.

On the TV, go into
Humax Setting > Internet > Content Share
Set to "On".

On the PC, use Web-IF to install
  • the auto-unprotect package
  • the auto-decrypt package and
  • the badnts package.

Find the folder containing the non-playable file that the TV UI says is zero-size, but don't click into it.
Instead, click on the folder's grey OPT+ button and choose "Enable Auto-decrypt".

Wait a while, and the file should now be playable, although fast-forward etc. will not be available.
 
Just tried to watch Operation Jericho recorded 17/05/2015 at 18:55

Recording came up with scrambled dialogue, I would expect this if it was the 1st recording on BBC3 or BBC4 HD after a retune but there has been no retune.

fixencflags solved nothing.

Did anyone else record this and have issues?

Currently streaming it on iPlayer.
 
Scrambled dialogue? It's difficult to see how the dialogue could be scrambled without the video also being scrambled.
 
sorry my bad, there was a message on screen saying the recording was scrambled.

Doesn't matter now watched it on iPlayer.
 
Doh! My bad, misinterpretation of "dialogue".

This could be an example of the forgotten keys syndrome, but I guess the evidence has been corrupted.
 
I have two Foxs - one with custom firmware and one with standard. Both up to date 1.03.12. Both on padding.

Last week I set both to record the same program on BBC4 at 7:30pm - one of the "Proms" programs.

Both recordings were scrambled. As it is known WHAT goes wrong and how to fix it, this doesn't actually help. But I don't think there's any knowledge on WHY recording goes wrong. This does prove (or at least strongly suggest) that it is not random, and that it is reproducible. ie all Fox's will fail on a given program.

I did this experiment because a few weeks ago I tried to record a couple of documentary programs about China at around 2am on one machine. they were a week apart, different parts of a series (recorded singly), and they both failed. The common factor here may be the creators or handlers of the program series, ie what they are doing (or NOT doing).
 
Can't add any other identification. There is at least one more Proms program at about 7:30pm in the following week (I've already set it). As for the China documentaries, they were about 2am - suggest search the EPG in case they are repeated. I've lost lots in the past but just assumed it was dodgy corrupt encryption.

Maybe it would be an idea to get everyone to list what they have lost in the past, send it to the beeb and get them to sack someone?
 
OK I apologise.
There isn't any other proms TV program - there's been a lot of them as you know and I've lost track. I do have some successfully recorded.
There is part 2 of Leeds Piano Competition at 7:30 on 25th (tomorrow)- I'm pretty sure I lost part 1, and I've set this next on both PVRs now.
Can't find the China docs, they were definitely on BBC4.
All the stuff lost in the last year - well, I didn't keep any track of that.
 
alexp said:
Both recordings were scrambled. As it is known WHAT goes wrong and how to fix it, this doesn't actually help.
Click to expand...
So why didn't you take note of the standard method to fix such recordings?
But I don't think there's any knowledge on WHY recording goes wrong. This does prove (or at least strongly suggest) that it is not random, and that it is reproducible. ie all Fox's will fail on a given program.
Click to expand...
This must be down to bugs in the Humax code which sets the wrong flags in the .hmt file.
alexp said:
Maybe it would be an idea to get everyone to list what they have lost in the past, send it to the beeb and get them to sack someone?
Click to expand...
Seeing as transmission is handled by external companies (Atos/Ericsson/Arqiva) that would be a bit pointless.
In any case it's almost certain the fault is with Humax, but as Humax don't engage with anybody to actually fix the fault, it's a bit difficult to find out conclusively where it is.
Graham North ought to be ashamed of himself.
 
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