RDR-HXD870 Freeview Channel Limit Reached?

[jercolem]

Every time I switch on my RDR-HXD870 recorder I am now getting the new channel found message.  Pressing enter clears the message.

When I view the EPG I get a full channel listing, but when I select a channel I get a "No Signal" message for many of the channels.

If I carry out the initial setup the tuner shows 110 channels, but the new set up finds 111 channels.  The recorder can then display and record from the EPG.  However, once turned off or returned to standby the same issue occurs again.

I suspect that I have hit an internal 110 channel limit, due the increase in channels being transmitted from the Sandy Heath transmitter.  Because there is no option to delete unwanted channels (only parental block), the recorder will become scrap unless there is a solution.

Is any one aware of any fixes that can be applied?  I suspect that this problem will become more common, as the number of channels on freeview increases.

I have the current 1.70 firmware release.

Message was edited by: jercolem

Message was edited by: jercolem

[rooobb · Accepted solution]

There is no 110 channel limit in your recorder (I think the real limit is 999, I have more than 400 channel on mine): you just hit a known bug in 1.70 firmware. In order to solve it you have to hard reset your recorder (push stop and power button on the deck - not the remote - without any disk on the tray, unplug from power for 1 minute and than complete the easy setup procedure). It should work for quite long. If it happens again (same effect or the recorder stuck with UPDATE) just do the same procedure. Only problem you'll lose any specific setting (i.e. HDMI connection settings) and any timer set.

[bizilizi]

Hi - I have similar problem - have tried updating firmware from disc supplied by Sony - but problem persists - channels lost everytime DVD is switched off. I will reset as I haven't tried this yet - will this affect any recordings on the hard drive??

Thanks

[rooobb]

no, you'll not lose any content in the HDD. Just settings and timers. You can do it as many times as needed.

[bizilizi]

Thanks I'll give it a go!

[jercolem]

Thank you.  I confirm that that hard reset appears to have resolved the channel limit issue for me.

Given the age of these recorders, I am not sure that Sony will fix this sort of thing.

[rooobb]

I'm sure too, we won't have any new firmware for our good "old" rdr. I was hoping for some good soul who may have access to the source and patch it - some of them are available in the internet (mostly for the Guideplus functionalities), but nothing till now.

This specific problem is annoying but not too much. Once the digital switch over is stable in your area, it may takes more than 6 months before you need to redo the reset procedure...

[boblambert]

This may not be the same problem but is similar. A few times I have recorded blank picture for a series recording on BBC1. This happened after a "new channel found" message. I found that the guide information had two channels for BBC1, London which is correct and East which gave "no signal". Reloading the channels cured the problem but the other BBC1 sometimes comes back and I have to reload the channels again or risk the wrong BBC1 being picked up. The problem doesn't seem to be with the recorder as this only happens with BBC1. Then again the list of future recordings shows programs as being recorded from BBC1 London so that's what should be recorded even if there are other BBC1 channels. I suspect that either my aerial picks up the other BBC1 in certain weather conditions or that it is sometimes broadcast by my local transmitter. I live in the valley near Great Missenden and the aerial is line of site to the transmitter on the other side of the valley. I have no idea who is responsible for running the transmitter or how to investigate this problem. Anybody else had this?

[Anonymous]

Hi Boblambert

It does appear that you are receiving a signal from two transmitters.  I would advise that you contact an aerial technician in regards to this matter, as your aerial may need adjusting slightly or there might be something else.

Cheers

[boblambert]

Thanks Quinnicus. It just happened again! Picking up the extra channel from another transmitter does seem likely. I've got the old analog aerial and it's been fine as the transmitter is only about a quarter of a mile away in clear sight. I would have thought that improving the aerial would make it more likely to pick up extra channels. A local aerial guy might know if this is a local problem and what to do about it. I will follow that up.