Freeview HD PVR - Digital Stream DHR8205U

[professorhat]

Originally it was because the Humax wasn't released when I traded in the Philips and the Digital Stream was the only viable alternative. It had just had the update which improved the EPG speed which was my main complaint previously (I demoed them both before buying the Philips, unaware of all the issues it was going to have).

I did go back a couple of weeks later and have a play with the Humax to see if it was worth swapping again - it's a great box but I saw the PQ was pretty much identical and I personally preferred the user interface of the Digital Stream e.g. I prefer the EPG, the Media and the Schedules list to be full screen with a transparency effect rather than having a small TV screen as this uses up quite a lot of room - when I'm looking at these screens, this is what I want to see, not the TV picture.

Also, I'd heard of horror stories from people about Humax taking 9 months to deliver an update to fix an issue on one of their other boxes and, having just come from a very similar situation with the Philips box and knowing that Digital Stream had already provided two very worthwhile updates for its box in a matter of months, I decided it was the better box and have stuck with it. And very happy I am too!

In case you haven't seen, I've done a little guide (link) on how you can transfer any SD recordings you've made from the Digital Stream to your PC which will hopefully be useful to some people.

 

[Anonymous]

Got my digital stream box today. I am impressed with the way it looks and the way its made but i have to return it. Nothing to do with the box but i live in a flat with a communal aerial getting HD from the Blackhill transmitter in Glasgow which recently changed the way it sends out its HD signal. There is a section regarding this on the freeview site and it states that certain aerials in flats with a communal aerial will filter out the HD signal or reduce it so the filters in the aerial will need to be changed to stop this happening. When i checked after installing it i was getting 16% signal strength and the same for quality which is useless.

The only way i can do it is to write to my property manager and that could take weeks to get sorted so unfortunately it has to go back. I would prefer freeview hd to freesat so i will wait until my property manager has sorted it and then i will buy another one. Hopefully they will still be available. v disappointed.

 

[professorhat]

Sorry to hear that - hopefully it all be sorted soon by your property manger.

 

[bob.g]

Prof, thanks for all this. You've convinced me and I've just ordered one from John Lewis.

 

[professorhat]

Let us know how you get on!

 

[bob.g]

Received and installed the DHR8205U yesterday, and downloaded and installed the updates, and so far very pleased.

I haven't really had time to explore it yet but there is one issue - when watching (CRT) TV with the box as the tuner the screen format shape / size seems to have a mind of it's own and needs to be reset with one or more presses of the 'Wide' button. Any ideas ?

I'll feedback more as I learn how to use it !

 

[professorhat]

bob.g:when watching (CRT) TV with the box as the tuner the screen format shape / size seems to have a mind of it's own and needs to be reset with one or more presses of the 'Wide' button. Any ideas ?

Under Preferences, what do you have the Display Format set as? Try Pillar Box. Also, it could be your TV is set on Auto aspect meaning it's changing the aspect ratio as it incorrectly detects different ratios, so try forcing this on to Widescreen mode.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Hi Professorhat, have you been checking out the fantasy football league table for this month?

Edit, great thread by the way

 

[professorhat]

gel:Hi Professorhat, have you been checking out the fantasy football league table for this month?

I hadn't actually - not been paying this the attention it needs really. 4th for this month though for one team which is good but both still very much mid-table unfortunately

gel:Edit, great thread by the way

Thanks very much!

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Do the prizes go for monthly performance or performances for months 1 and 2?

Because if it is based on monthly it is seriously close.

Cheers.

 

[professorhat]

Monthly, but been this close before last year and then a red card ended my chances, so not taking anything for granted!

 

[Deleted member 2457]

professorhat:

Monthly, but been this close before last year and then a red card ended my chances, so not taking anything for granted!

I think it will come down to something like that this weekend by my calculations.

I am praying for a newcastle win

Cheers mate

 

[bob.g]

Prof, thanks for your help on this. Two further questions, if I may ?

How do you set Repeat Recordings of a specified named programme. I cannot see it explained in the manual nor by exploring the menus. I know it's there because both you and the manual referer to it, but I cannot see how !

Any idea how to control two Digital Stream DHR8205U in the same room. I'm so impressed with this one I want to buy another to replace my OHs bank of VCRs, but the guys at Digital Stream (very impressed with their response, by the way !!) tell me that the remote only has one set of codes so not possible to have two independant identical units in the same room and control them separately. You may know how to do this, but if not then I think this could be another software improvement they could offer.

 

[professorhat]

bob.g:Prof, thanks for your help on this. Two further questions, if I may ?

How do you set Repeat Recordings of a specified named programme. I cannot see it explained in the manual nor by exploring the menus. I know it's there because both you and the manual referer to it, but I cannot see how !

No problem! To set up a series link, highlight the programme you want to record and press OK - you'll get the option to Reserve Single or Reserve Series - choose Reserve Series to set the whole series to record.

bob.g:Any idea how to control two Digital Stream DHR8205U in the same room. I'm so impressed with this one I want to buy another to replace my OHs bank of VCRs, but the guys at Digital Stream (very impressed with their response, by the way !!) tell me that the remote only has one set of codes so not possible to have two independant identical units in the same room and control them separately. You may know how to do this, but if not then I think this could be another software improvement they could offer.

If there's only one set of codes, I don't know of any way you could do this I'm afraid so one to ask for a software upgrade for.

Glad it's working so well for you, also still working very well for me too and another update due out at the end of November so things can only get better!

 

[professorhat]

How to... Update Channels to pickup BBC One HD

Hey guys, quick instructions on how to do this without running a full scan of the channels and potentially losing all of your current schedules (it will be just those on BBC HD obviously which will need setting up again):

1. Switch on the Digital Stream and press Menu on the remote, then choose Installation.

2. Choose Edit Services, then Edit Service List and enter your PIN (default is 0000 if you haven't changed it).

3. Highlight channel 050 BBC HD and press the Red button on the remote to remove it. Click Yes to confirm.

4. Press the Back button on the remote and choose Yes to save changes.

5. Choose Scan Services from the list and choose Update Scan, again entering your PIN.

6. It should scan through and pickup all new channels including the new BBC One HD and BBC HD channels on 050 and 054 respectively.

7. When finished, click Save and OK to save the changes, then Exit on the remote to quit back to live TV.

You should now find channel 50 is BBC One HD and channel 54 is BBC HD. Any schedules you had for BBC HD will need to be setup again. Remember that some programmes that were on BBC HD will now be on BBC One HD so you need to look for them there instead e.g. The Apprentice. Also, you might want to delete any schedules you had for BBC One and re-set them up to record BBC One HD instead (e.g. I'll do this for Match of the Day and Formula 1) - up to you of course!

 

[bob.g]

Another query, if I may ?

I believed that with this unit I would be able to receive a wide range of Freeview channels, for example the Freeview channels listed in the Radio Times. However I only receive 13 SD channels in total, including the gay chat ones, but not including channels such as ITV3. Although this is indeed more than the 5 SD channels we can receive in analogue this is a bit of a disappointment to my wife as she would like to watch some of the programmes on this channel.

Will this improve after DSO ?

 

[professorhat]

Hi Bob,

You should definitely be receiving all the Freeview channels right now, including the likes of ITV3, ITV4, Dave etc. (see here for the full list) If you're not, there must be an issue with your signal so it's worth getting your aerial checked.

 

[bob.g]

Prof, thanks.

I don't think it's my aerial, as I already had a reputed aerial engineer check it out and he replaced the cable with the best double screened, and advised that it wasn't worth spending more on an aerial as the signal was poor (which we already knew) and any amplification wouldn't help. On analogue we barely receive BBC2 and Ch4 but I was hoping that Freeview would solve this problem - obviously not

The real problem (I think) is that the aerial looks straight at the middle of a massive horse chestnut tree, behind which is a row of very high mature conifers. Last night, when it was raining, we completely lost all Freeview signal (but still had a watchable analogue signal) so maybe not surprising really.

Looks like I'll have to go the Freesat route, as the only option is to move the aerial further up the garden which misses the big tree but still looks at the tall conifers but does mean almost another 50 metres of cable run.

 

[professorhat]

Unfortunate, but yes, I agree, it sounds like your circumstances mean you're not going to get a decent Freeview signal through an aerial and Freesat may well be a better bet.

 

[Anonymous]

HI PROF.Hope you may be able to help me.

Purchased the DSDHR8205U,Delivered today.

I have installed it via a HDMI cable.

MY set up is Sony TV,Sony DVD,andSky+ hd box all digital.

Right the problem with the DS ,is not picking up the HD programes bbc itv ch 4 .

Also it is not picking up Channel 5 states no signal.

I can get ch 5 through the dvd of course no hd through ,as its not HD ,thats why I got the DS

 

[daveh75]

donros:
HI PROF.Hope you may be able to help me.

Purchased the DSDHR8205U,Delivered today.

I have installed it via a HDMI cable.

MY set up is Sony TV,Sony DVD,andSky+ hd box all digital.

Right the problem with the DS ,is not picking up the HD programes bbc itv ch 4 .

Also it is not picking up Channel 5 states no signal.

I can get ch 5 through the dvd of course no hd through ,as its not HD ,thats why I got the DS

Maybe obvious, but have you checked to see if Freeview HD is available in your area yet? And Five HD isn't available on Freeview HD.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Daveh27.

Thanks for yor reply.

I can get ch 5 through my sony d v d recorder,seems strange cant get a singal from the DS dhr8205 for 5.

Another point you may help me with I dont seem to be able to get he Dolby sound.

I have checked when Hd is available and it does say 2011(tosser me) is there a vast differece between SKY HD and Freeview HD, because I can get the new HD channels ,launched recently on Sky HD.

Thanks very much Donros

 

[Anonymous]

Just rescanned and lo and behold channel 5 has appeared

donros

 

[Anonymous]

hi prof,is there any way of moving the channels in the edit channels lists,thanks.

 

[professorhat]

vinylboy41:hi prof,is there any way of moving the channels in the edit channels lists,thanks.

Not yet, but it's been confirmed that the EoN (End of November) update as it's being called will implement one of the requested features of being able to set your Favourites list as the list that appears in the EPG. So I'd expect this to come in then by setting up a Favourites list with the channels in whatever order you'd like.

This update is also due to implement a major change in the recording architecture to iron out the small niggles which can still sometimes occur e.g. resume markers being wrong occasionally if you stop a recording and then restart it another time, some recordings taking a long time to delete etc.

Other things that should be implemented are

Instant Recording - Pop-Up with Options.
Direct Number Entry in EPG
Favourites List View - Version of EPG
PIP - Direct Number Entry to change PIP Channel
Transfer of SD and HD recordings better options
Hide the .trp file extension.
Persistent EPG Searches - Keyword List

This list is still subject to change / testing, but it's good to know what's being worked on.