Scheduling a Recording with Pioneer DVR-531H-s

[christopheramos]

Hello,

I have a Pioneer DVR-531H-s and satalite TV (Dish Network).

When I want to schedule the recorder to record a tv program, it brings up it's TV Guide feature. Problem is, the TV Guide feature works only with cable, and not satalite tv. Thus, I am not able to schedule a recording.

Does anyone know how to solve this problem?

Thanks!

[FulciLives]

I have the exact same unit.

In the bottom towards the right of the remote is a button called, "TIMER REC"

Press that and you can set up a manual timer recording.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[christopheramos]

Thanks Fulcilives!!!!!

[christopheramos]

FulciLives,

I tried this, but it still require setting up the TV Guide feature. So, when my Pioneer unit is turned off, I get that constant EPG display on my unit's display.

Previously, I never bothered setting up the TV Guide feature, to avoid the headache of having to deal with it. It appears to be updating itself.

Is this avoidable at all? What's the draw back to having this TV Guide feature set and running, when it can't be used anyway?

Thanks!
Chris

[FulciLives]

Well you have to set up the TV GUIDE thing and yeah it will update itself etc. but you don't have to actually use it. Using it can be a real pain-in-the-ass because it is known to be wrong or just plain record wrong.

When this unit was still somewhat new on the market there were threads that explained how you could set up the TV GUIDE in such a way that it wouldn't do the constant update ... had something to do with picking a certain ZIP CODE that didn't really exist or something. I never bothered with it myself.

My point is once you set it up you never have to use it and can easily by-pass it in order to program recordings. That's good enough for me.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[christopheramos]

Okay, thanks. As long as it's not hard on my unit (my Pioneer recorder I mean!) by its updating process, I guess I can live with it. It just sounds like the unit is running, making a little bit of noise while the EPG is updating. And the EPG seems to update all the time and for long periods of time.

[FulciLives]

Okay, thanks. As long as it's not hard on my unit (my Pioneer recorder I mean!) by its updating process, I guess I can live with it. It just sounds like the unit is running, making a little bit of noise while the EPG is updating. And the EPG seems to update all the time and for long periods of time.

Well the newer DVR-640H-s does not have that problem. In fact the whole TV GUIDE/EPG thing was eliminated. However that aside I don't really think the DVR-640H-s is worth an "upgrade" if your 531 is otherwise working A-OK.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[christopheramos]

Hi FulciLives,

One last thing. My EPG indicator seems to stay on ALL the time. Not just on and off at times. Is this normal for our Panasonic unit? I can live with it, but didn't know if that display is supposed to stay on all the time. If so, is that hard on the unit? Because it sounds like the unit is constantly running.

Thanks,
Chris

[FulciLives]

Hi FulciLives,

One last thing. My EPG indicator seems to stay on ALL the time. Not just on and off at times. Is this normal for our Panasonic unit? I can live with it, but didn't know if that display is supposed to stay on all the time. If so, is that hard on the unit? Because it sounds like the unit is constantly running.

Thanks,
Chris

First of all how dare you say Panasonic :P

Also when you first do the set-up it will run often ... at first ... eventually it will update less often. Give it a week or so.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[christopheramos]

Oops!!!! My bad, I meant Pioneer!!!!!

Thanks again, FulciLives!!!!