No record 4000t

[S.N HENDRY]

Have a 4000t that was acting up. Dis full factory reset, seemingly successfully.
But is showing no recordings. ( I had set it a test of a detective series on ch 46(uk) of 6 consecutive episodes).
What's up with it?

 

[EEPhil]

If the 6 recordings were made before you did a factory reset then you've probably re-formatted the disk and lost the recordings.

If the recordings have vanished or can't be made after the reset then you've real problems. Sometimes the recordings list is blank on boot, but populates a short while later. I did once appear to lose all recordings and a complete power-down cured the problem. (Turn off at remote, wait for disk access to stop [can take a long time], turn power off at mains, leave for a few minutes and then power-up)

I'll assume that you made the recordings before the reset. Has the "acting up" been cured? (How was the Humax acting up?) Can you make and watch recordings now?

 

[S.N HENDRY]

If the 6 recordings were made before you did a factory reset then you've probably re-formatted the disk and lost the recordings.

If the recordings have vanished or can't be made after the reset then you've real problems. Sometimes the recordings list is blank on boot, but populates a short while later. I did once appear to lose all recordings and a complete power-down cured the problem. (Turn off at remote, wait for disk access to stop [can take a long time], turn power off at mains, leave for a few minutes and then power-up)

I'll assume that you made the recordings before the reset. Has the "acting up" been cured? (How was the Humax acting up?) Can you make and watch recordings now?

The acting up was 1) missing recordings. 2) loosing 'lock' on doing selections, the zoomies.
No, I put in the recordings after the full reset, as a test.
Checked today. It's showing no recordings. Hdd empty.

 

[EEPhil]

Have you tried channels other than 5Select (46)? (Don't try HD channels/U&Eden/Legend Xtra/TBN as these are on the same multiplex).
What are the signal strengths/quality on the channels you've tried to record?
Can you watch 5Select live on the Humax? What happens if you press record as you are watching? Does it record or do you get an error?
Do you have duplicates of channels at 800+?

'lock' on doing selections, the zoomies.

No idea what you mean.

 

[S.N HENDRY]

Update. At c13:00 it showed 2 recordings, of the 7, I set it yesterday. At 14:00 3 recordings from yesterday plus one ongoing on bbc1.
So I tried to play them, one by one, all had the same message at top of page, 'cannot playback invalid format '.
I had also tried to initiate a recording from the remote in real time.it wouldn't do it.
It plays so far all channels I have tested from 1 to 84.
I am going shortly to do a power cycle. Then do a test record.
If these measures fail I will redo the full factory reset including hdd format.
Will update as to progress.

 

[EEPhil]

I had also tried to initiate a recording from the remote in real time.it wouldn't do it.

Did it give any error message?
It makes me wonder whether the HDD has gone read-only. Unless reset, format and a power cycle ( including complete disconnect from mains) improves matters you may be looking at disk repair or replacement - which is beyond my knowledge. I'm sure there are others on here who can help with that.

 

[Black Hole]

I'm sure there are others on here who can help with that.

I shouldn't think so, unless the quality of the information improves.

 

[EEPhil]

I shouldn't think so, unless the quality of the information improves.

You might say that, I couldn't possibly comment.

 

[S.N HENDRY]

You might say that, I couldn't possibly comment.

Did the power recycle. Then set it the task of 5 recordings over the day on channels from 1-84.
Just checked, it is again showing 0 recordings.
Have ordered a second hand, but tested, replacement from eBay.
If the old one continues to not respond it will go on eBay for parts/repair.
Is it a hard disk problem?

Have you tried channels other than 5Select (46)? (Don't try HD channels/U&Eden/Legend Xtra/TBN as these are on the same multiplex).
What are the signal strengths/quality on the channels you've tried to record?
Can you watch 5Select live on the Humax? What happens if you press record as you are watching? Does it record or do you get an error?
Do you have duplicates of channels at 800+?

No idea what you mean.

Zoomies is my inadequate description. It is when you are using the buttons on the remote to navigate either the system menus, or the EPG. Instead of 1 click right the cursor keeps going and settles on a random point.
It shows crystal clear pictures of all the channels, some 14, between 1 and 84, that I regularly access.
The reset removed the zoomies problem.
Am going to do a second full reset, hdd and system.
Will update later.

 

[Black Hole]

Zoomies is my inadequate description.

It's no good using your own colloquial terms if you want anyone else to understand WTF you're talking about.

It is when you are using the buttons on the remote to navigate either the system menus, or the EPG. Instead of 1 click right the cursor keeps going and settles on a random point.... The reset removed the zoomies problem.

Sounds to me like the button is stuck on the remote, and the improvement after reset is just coincidence.

 

[S.N HENDRY]

I used 2 remotes. Same problem. Plus there is no need to be rude.
Have done second reset. Given it 6 recording tasks between 09:30 and 13:00. Channels in range 1-84. Will see what it does. Last time the 'on' light came on at the correct times but apparently zero recorded. Even the 4 it had yesterday disappeared.
Again, I ask is this a HDD problem?

 

[Black Hole]

Plus there is no need to be rude.

That wasn't rude (unless you call the occasional swear word rude), it was a voicing of what a lot of us will be thinking. But in any case, as a reaction to you being obtuse? Justified.

Newbies' Guide

Again, I ask is this a HDD problem?

It doesn't sound like it, but the only way to be sure is to take the HDD out and examine it on a real system (running Linux).

 

[S.N HENDRY]

The set attempted 4 recordings, on Ch 1,4,13,36.
Shows up ok , but each has the 'broken' recording symbol to its right.
Tried replay on all 4:to check.
As before says cannot playback as invalid file format!

 

[EEPhil]

Is it a hard disk problem?

It is only a guess on my part.
If you can watch channels but not record then there is some sort of disk access problem. What I don't know is whether before your first reset you could play back any old recordings - assuming you had any. If you could but can't record new ones then, as I said, the likelihood is the disk has gone read-only. This has only happened to me once (not sure which Humax model) and reset/reformat/power-cycle resolved the problem. Might be worth a few attempts increasing the power off time. If that doesn't work or you were unable to play old recordings then the disk is probably faulty (or maybe the connection is loose/corroded). Whether it is recoverable I don't know. Recovery probably requires removing the disk, connecting it to a computer running Linux and using various tools to examine and possibly repair the disk - or you could replace the disk. I don't have the experience of doing that, so can offer no further information.

Again, I ask is this a HDD problem?

It doesn't sound like it,

If it isn't a disk problem - I still suspect it's gone read-only - what else would stop recordings taking place? My initial questioning was to ascertain whether attempts were being made to record from duplicate (low power/quality) channels. That appears not to be the case if the live (watchable) channel can't be recorded.
I'm at a loss to think of anything else.

 

[S.N HENDRY]

It is only a guess on my part.
If you can watch channels but not record then there is some sort of disk access problem. What I don't know is whether before your first reset you could play back any old recordings - assuming you had any. If you could but can't record new ones then, as I said, the likelihood is the disk has gone read-only. This has only happened to me once (not sure which Humax model) and reset/reformat/power-cycle resolved the problem. Might be worth a few attempts increasing the power off time. If that doesn't work or you were unable to play old recordings then the disk is probably faulty (or maybe the connection is loose/corroded). Whether it is recoverable I don't know. Recovery probably requires removing the disk, connecting it to a computer running Linux and using various tools to examine and possibly repair the disk - or you could replace the disk. I don't have the experience of doing that, so can offer no further information.


If it isn't a disk problem - I still suspect it's gone read-only - what else would stop recordings taking place? My initial questioning was to ascertain whether attempts were being made to record from duplicate (low power/quality) channels. That appears not to be the case if the live (watchable) channel can't be recorded.
I'm at a loss to think of anything else.

Just did a couple of checks. Signal strength. On Tuner 2 81% and 96%, tuners 1 and 2, 0% and 0% for both.
There is a storage check option under PVR settings but it is greyed out.
Removed all channels over 112, (there were non in the 800 range).
1 recording coming up at 11:00 on CH4.
There after I will try your long power cycle option, (30 mins).
I think I am running out of options for this box.
Meanwhile thank you for all your suggestions.
Apologies for any misunderstandings, I am not a techie.