FYI - DishNetwork phasing out the "Disable System Updates" option on ALL STB's

[SHS]

Originally Posted by Chriscic

The timer solution isn't working for me for some reason.

I have automatic update set for 3A.M., and a timer for auto-tune from 3:25-3:27 A.M. Yet I'm still waking up to the screen-saver. If it matters, my VIP211k (I think it's the k model) is using the broadband connection not phone.

Any suggestion? Thanks,
-Chris

Did turn off the screen-saver

[sic0048]

Originally Posted by SHS

Did turn off the screen-saver

Good call! There IS still an option to turn off the screen saver and the must be selected. That will keep the box from going to sleep and entering the screen saver mode. But Dish in their wisdom forces the box into sleep mode after updating the box and they have removed the option to prevent the daily updates. So you need some method of getting the box out of sleep after it updates, and then need the screen saver turned off to prevent it from going back to sleep on its own (at least until the next update).

[Chriscic]

It's already disabled.

[sic0048]

When you find the system with the screen saver on for the first time each day and you hit select, does the STB appear to be tuned to channel 140? Since that is the channel you have set the timer to tune to at 3:25am, that would let us know if the timer is actually working or not.

[Chriscic]

I'm pretty sure it was ESPN (per the auto-tune) this morning, but let me verify tomorrow morning and get back to you. Thanks much for the help.

[Chriscic]

It was auto-tuned to the correct channel (ESPN). So that part is working.

The screen saver (or inactivity or whatever it's called) is definitely disabled as well.

Not getting what is going wrong. Now I just moved the auto-tune time to 3:57 instead of 3:27, although I wouldn't think the auto-update at 3:00 A.M would take longer than 27 minutes (won't get to see if this makes any difference until tomorrow morning). Note that I'm using auto-tune not the VCR function, although I think I tried the VCR function the first time (it lets you set a time range vs. the auto-tune at at one minute apparently) and it didn't work either if I did it right.

Any other suggestions? Maybe I can set the HD-PVR to record form 3-4:00 A.M to see what is going on, although if the receiver drops the signal during the actual update obviously that won't work.

Thanks,
-Chris

[sic0048]

I would suggest that you do manually record the entire process. If you make the recording long enough that it captures the auto-tune, then we can make sure that is happening that way as well or perhaps we'll catch the problem.

I've captured a couple of these myself when a favorite happened to come on at 3am. The box does not immediately update right at 3am. It waits 2-3 minutes and then displays a warning that the box is about to update. During this warning a user can opt out of the updates. The warning is displayed awhile before the update really begins. I'm not sure how long the update actually takes. On the recording, it immediately shows the screen saver. But I am not sure if that is because the update normally only takes a fraction of a second (ie most nights it probably doesn't actually update, but just checks for an update) or if the box does disable the output during the update and therefore the HD-PVR doesn't record anything.

To be honest, I've never thought about watching the last minute or two of the show to see the auto tune portion occur, but it should be there.

[HuMan321]

My findings are if you choose "auto tune" the duration is only for 1 minute and I can't find a way to change that. If you select VCR, then it allows a start and end time to match the 3:57-3:59 example. It sounds like the recommendation is "auto tune" so I will give it a go that way tonight.

[Chriscic]

I changed the auto-tune to 3:57 instead of 3:27 and lo' and behold! No stupid screen saver when I turned on the TV this morning.

I did have something recording at midnight, but no reason to think this had anything to do with it. Maybe the auto-update at 3:00A.M. takes a really long time.

[sic0048]

Well I'm glad you found a solution. I guess that means I will not be lowering my time after all It's been working fine at 3:57am and I had thought about changing it to something earlier.

[HuMan321]

Mine worked too on the auto tune at 3:56. Although i woke up to the dreaded "channel not in sub" popup this morning

[Chriscic]

Originally Posted by HuMan321

Mine worked too on the auto tune at 3:56. Although i woke up to the dreaded "channel not in sub" popup this morning

Why would it do that? Is your channel going in and out?

[Chriscic]

Originally Posted by sic0048

Well I'm glad you found a solution. I guess that means I will not be lowering my time after all It's been working fine at 3:57am and I had thought about changing it to something earlier.

Somehow I thought you'd say that

An hour-long no-record zone overnight... dumb, but I can live with it.

[HuMan321]

Originally Posted by Chriscic

Why would it do that? Is your channel going in and out?

My HDPVR was setup last night. I believe I have missed a few channels to remove from the Sage guide. It brought in a ton and I have had to manually go through them to turn off the ones i don't receive. I think I have them all now...

[Zardoz]

I fought this problem a couple years ago when I first got SageTV and my Dish 322 and didn't like any of the "set a manual recording" solutions. They will work but then you end up with a daily recording you have to delete. My solution is flawed as well and involved modifying the blaster program to precede any of my channel entries with the "SELECT" key code. I am using an old MyBlaster and their driver (modified). Anyway it has it's issues and I don't feel like spending all the time necessary to re-write it. I would like to move to UIRT but ONLY if it can add this functionality. I assume from these posts that at least some of you are using UIRT and it can not be configured as I described. The PPV issues are a valid concern even if it could but I have them disabled anyway so it's a non-issue for me.

It doesn't seem that it would be that hard for Sage TV or USB-UIRT to fix this. They have the source code and adding the "SELECT" or any other prefix / suffix seems like an obvious thing. Now that would be responsive customer support!

[Fuzzy]

Anyone figured out a good way to prevent the screen saver with an R-5000? I've been able to use select with my other two boxes, as they arejust recoded with a PVR-500, and a USB-UIRT. easy to learn the select command for those and use it as a prefix.. my R5000 modded 211, on the other hand, still has a problem every morning.. I've set up the auto-tune, but that is hardly the best solution.. any idea if there is a way to get the r5000 software to send the select command prior to tuning? This seems like it would be the second best option (best being dish either allowing update disabling, or at least returning to what you were watching post update).

[steingra]

Originally Posted by Chriscic

The timer solution isn't working for me for some reason.

I have automatic update set for 3A.M., and a timer for auto-tune from 3:25-3:27 A.M. Yet I'm still waking up to the screen-saver. If it matters, my VIP211k (I think it's the k model) is using the broadband connection not phone.

Any suggestion? Thanks,
-Chris

Did you ever resolve this problem?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Zardoz

It doesn't seem that it would be that hard for Sage TV or USB-UIRT to fix this. They have the source code and adding the "SELECT" or any other prefix / suffix seems like an obvious thing. Now that would be responsive customer support!

I did this a while ago, just learn the Enter (or select or whatever you want to call it) command, then specify that as the Channel Change Prefix Code and Chanel Change Confim Code.

[Flash69]

I just figured this out myself. I searched and searched for an answer but didn't get one.

If you are already changing the channels then you most likey already have the 'Enter' key learned. If not follow the standard learning process.

The steps below work on a USB-UIRT but should be usable for others.

In Sage do the following:
Go to 'Setup' -> 'Setup Video Sources' -> Select your source -> then select 'Tuner Control'.
Select 'Remote Control Options' and select 'Channel Change Prefix Code'.
In the drop down list select 'Enter'.

Done!

[Chriscic]

Yes, I just put the "select" or "enter" or whatever it was as a prefix.

I still occasionally have middle-of-the-night interruptions of my recordings as the system goes into update mode, but I don't have that many middle-of-the-night recordings to begin with so I can live with it.