No picture or sound - need to power cycle. Hummy dying?

[Black Hole]

from the tinkering I've done with a USB stick, anything copied to USB just appears as a file, i.e. you don't have the media menu and synopsis etc.

Not so. As long as you use the Humax OPT+ menu to do the copying, the copy (to USB) decrypts the .ts and includes the .hmt file which contains the recording details. Copying just the .ts using FTP (or whatever) will not decrypt it and divorces it from the synopsis details etc. The .nts (resume point, bookmarks) and .thm (thumbnail image) are also copied completing the set.

The programme information is only available if played back through the Humax (which knows how to interpret the .hmt).

 

[parish]

Not so. As long as you use the Humax OPT+ menu to do the copying, the copy (to USB) decrypts the .ts and includes the .hmt file which contains the recording details. Copying just the .ts using FTP (or whatever) will not decrypt it and divorces it from the synopsis details etc. The .nts (resume point, bookmarks) and .thm (thumbnail image) are also copied completing the set.

The programme information is only available if played back through the Humax (which knows how to interpret the .hmt).

Hmmm, I've done that and found that a SD programme is copied to the USB without the .hmt file, whereas a HD programme (with the edited .hmt file) includes the .hmt so, when I browse the USB from the Media screen I see the HD programme display properly (as it is for recordings on the HDD) but the SD programme is just a .ts filename.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[Black Hole]

I don't know. This has been reported to happen in some cases, but it is not the norm and another recording may well work correctly.

Update: it has been noted that, because of the way the OPT+ copy works (silly implementation), double the free space is required on the UPD than you would expect - otherwise the sidecar files get left behind.

This can happen when the amount of free space on the USB drive is less than twice the size of the TS file you are trying to copy. The Humax verifies that there is sufficient free disk space before starting the copy operation. It also checks before each file is copied, but it doesn't seem to update the space requirement to take into account of the files that have been copied. Even though the HMT file is typically only a few KB big, the Humax will not copy it unless there is enough space for the TS file again (the HMT file is always the last one to be copied)! This bug has always been there even since I bought the Humax 1.5 years ago.

 

[parish]

I don't know. This has been reported to happen in some cases, but it is not the norm and another recording may well work correctly.

Ah, OK, thanks. BTW, I e-mailed Humax Support about the original problem and got a reply suggesting a Factory Reset. I thought that's what a software update did (or effectively the same thing) so I'll try this over the weekend.

While searching for an answer to the USB issue I can across this thread Am I reading that correctly that if I were to get a new Hummy I could use this one over the LAN to view the saved programmes - even HD ones - on the new one?

 

[af123]

BTW, I e-mailed Humax Support about the original problem and got a reply suggesting a Factory Reset. I thought that's what a software update did (or effectively the same thing) so I'll try this over the weekend.

No, a factory reset isn't the same as a software update.

A software update overwrites everything in flash memory apart from your settings (preferences, channel list, recording schedule etc.) - recordings aren't affected. Doing an update would fix any corruption in flash (which would be rare);
A factory reset deletes all of your settings but preserves recordings;
A disk reformat deletes your recordings but preserves settings.

 

[Black Hole]

(af123 beat me to it)

I e-mailed Humax Support about the original problem and got a reply suggesting a Factory Reset. I thought that's what a software update did (or effectively the same thing) so I'll try this over the weekend.

No, a "restore factory setup" involves clearing all user settings and starting fresh (but not deleting existing recordings). This is not the same as updating the firmware. It will mean retuning and setting up all your preferences again, but could help.

Menu >> Settings >> Installation >> Factory Default

Am I reading that correctly that if I were to get a new Hummy I could use this one over the LAN to view the saved programmes - even HD ones - on the new one?

Yes, it is what many of us already do. Without custom firmware you can simply use the DLNA capability to share content:

Menu >> Settings >> System >> Internet Setting >> Content Share = On

Then to view from the other box:

Media >> Storage (blue) >> Network

However, with custom firmware we auto-decrypt everything and then share the drive contents across the network like using a NAS, and access the remote contents as if they were on a USB drive connected locally (complete with info, resume, bookmarks, trick play...).

 

[parish]

(af123 beat me to it)


No, a "restore factory setup" involves clearing all user settings and starting fresh (but not deleting existing recordings). This is not the same as updating the firmware. It will mean retuning and setting up all your preferences again, but could help.

Menu >> Settings >> Installation >> Factory Default


Yes, it is what many of us already do. Without custom firmware you can simply use the DLNA capability to share content:

Menu >> Settings >> System >> Internet Setting >> Content Share = On

Then to view from the other box:

Media >> Storage (blue) >> Network

However, with custom firmware we auto-decrypt everything and then share the drive contents across the network like using a NAS, and access the remote contents as if they were on a USB drive connected locally (complete with info, resume, bookmarks, trick play...).

Thanks!

If I don't fix the original problem and get a new Hummy I will probably install the custom firmware on this one then (and maybe the new one too).

Thanks for all your help


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[parish]

I did a Factory Reset and it solved the problem - or so I thought, but it hasn't.

I have, however, figured out the circumstances under which the problem occurs. It only occurs when the Hummy is recording. When it isn't, it starts up as normal. Since we hardly ever watch live TV it tends to be recording a lot of the time.

I have repeatedly tested this and can consistently reproduce it.

Any suggestions? Is the custom firmware likely to make any difference?

 

[Ezra Pound]

It has been reported by several other users that HDMI handshaking fails if the Humax is switched on from standby while recording, but they do seem to have reduced over the months, I think it was presumed that Humax had fixed this in a later release of firmware. If the Humax is recording most of the time, it is effectively on most of the time, so you could conciser leaving the Humax out of standby during this period

 

[parish]

Hmm, interesting that mine has only just started showing the problem then

Maybe it's electronic components going out of tolerance with age, e.g. capacitors losing capacitance

I'll try your tip of leaving it on, although if I leave it on (when it's working) and switch the A/V amp to another input, then back to the Humax I get the problem, but turning it off for a couple of minutes, then back on, resolves the issue (if it's not recording).

 

[Ezra Pound]

As your problem has only started recently (and if it isn't a Humax component change), I can only suggest you look for something that has recently changed in your set-up, e.g. HDMI cable gone faulty or has bad connection, a change in the AV amp set-up / options, a change in the TV set-up / options, a change in the Humax options, even how the of HDMI / power / Aerial cables are positions in relation to each other

 

[parish]

As your problem has only started recently (and if it isn't a Humax component change), I can only suggest you look for something that has recently changed in your set-up, e.g. HDMI cable gone faulty or has bad connection, a change in the AV amp set-up / options, a change in the TV set-up / options, a change in the Humax options, even how the of HDMI / power / Aerial cables are positions in relation to each other

Well, I think I've covered all of those. I've done the following:

Tried a different HDMI input on the amp.
Tried a new HDMI cable
Tried connecting the Hummy directly to the TV thus by-passing the amp
Upgrading the s/w from .29 to .32
Done a Factory Reset (which should cover any settings changes I may inadvertently made)

Also, all the kit is on shelves with the cables routed through trunking so no chance of them moving.

If you can think of anything else, I'll try it.

Humax Support have asked that I try re-installing .32 (as I've done the Factory Reset since the last install) and said that if that doesn't work "we may need to exchange the box".

 

[parish]

Just to close this thread/saga off...

I re-installed .32 as recommended by Humax Support but, as I expected, it's made no difference. Although the box is way out of warranty they will do a warranty exchange at £110 for the 500GB version (which mine is) or £130 for the 1TB version. Can't say fairer than that and I'm going to take the opportunity to u/g to 1TB.

Got to say Humax Support have been first class

 

[parish]

Got to say Humax Support have been first class

Well, they were first class.

The replacement box arrived today. Got home, connected it up, switched it on and...nothing, nada, dead as the proverbial Dodo. The fan doesn't run, the HDD doesn't spin up, the button light and display don't come on. I cannot believe that this box was tested.

To make matters worse, I won't get a replacement now before Monday unless they'll stump up for a Saturday delivery (which I think they should do). Have fired off an e-mail and will probably ring them too tomorrow.

Not a happy bunny