HDR-FOX T2 tuners failed?

Thomas Costick

New Member
I upgraded from a PVR9200T (which had died) to a HDR-FOX-T2 in October. I don't watch TV much, but my family do. It was only recently they informed me the new PVR isn't 100% reliable. Sometimes it misses recordings, or stops halfway through. Also, recently the signal strength/quality had become very intermittent (it was perfectly OK when we got it), down to ZERO sometimes.

Since the HDR-FOX T2 seemed OK when I set it up, I suspected a problem in the cable from the aerial (all that damp weather, maybe). We have another TV in the house (without a PVR) and it never has signal problems. So I replaced the relevant cabling to the HDR-FOX T2 but, annoyingly, there was no improvement. It still showed ZERO signal strength/quality.

In desperation, I swapped in my old PVR9200T (I had repaired it, new hard drive) and it reported a good signal: 60% strength, 100% quality. Swapped back to the HDR-FOX T2 and signal was back to ZERO.

As a last resort, I tried auto retune and it found ZERO stations.

Question: Has anyone experienced this kind of thing? I'm guessing it's a case of return for repair, but I wonder how common this is and if there's anything else I can do to fix it. I believe it has the latest software, which I upgraded via USB pen drive in October.
 
Try a factory reset first, Menu >> Settings >> Installation >> Factory Default. You will lose your tuning and recording schedule (but not actual recordings). When you retune, abort the automatic tuning and use the manual procedure as documented HERE (click).
 
@Black Hole, Thanks. I tried the factory reset and manual tune, but no joy.

My local transmitter is Heathfield, 26 km distance. Of the six channels listed, the HDR finds all but one having ZERO strength/quality; one channel (52) has strength 45%, quality 10%, but no stations were detected by a manual tune.

I did a check before and after the HDR tests, using the PVR9200T, and signal strength/quality is reliably around 60/100. Strength is slightly variable, but quality is solid 100%.

Looks like the HDR's tuners are at fault, or a dodgy connection in related hardware. Frustrating to have this happen when there's so much on the telly :( but at least I have the PVR9200T (assuming it holds out).

I'd appreciate any other suggestions or general advice on warranty claims. (Amazon UK purchase)
 
I'd appreciate any other suggestions or general advice on warranty claims. (Amazon UK purchase)
I think it sounds like a hardware fault. I would return it to Amazon. I found their service extremely good when I had a problem with a non Humax product earlier in the year. Amazon shipped a replacement straight away and I then had a few weeks to return the original at their expense which involved taking it to a local grocery store who act as an agent for the logistics company. You could also return it via Humax but what you receive back is likely to be a repaired box rather than a new one.
 
@MartinLiddle, thanks for that. I've now contacted Amazon by email and they replied to let me know the replacement will be dispatched as soon as possible, with a "one-day delivery" (I assume that means it only takes a day, rather than "eventually"). I have 30 days to return the faulty HDR, using their collection service.
 
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