TV Guide problem

[Soccernut]

My Pioneer DVR 531 does not setup the TV Guide function on the DVR from my cable service.

How can I program the DVR to record programs to the Hard drive?

[TBoneit]

I have the same Recorder. I use guide data from another source and set the timers manually. Every once in a while the TV guide kicks in on my service but mostly not. I'm think it is a cablevision thing.

I get my guide data for OTA to set my timers from Dishnetwork DVR and/or My Tivo guide.

My guess is that if I wasn't afraid of heights I could go up on the roof and put up an antenna and that the guide would then work.

I figure having cablevision for a cable provider I'm lucky the auto time set works even.

[DeepOne]

How can I program the DVR to record programs to the Hard drive?

Use the TIMER REC button on the remote. That takes you directly to the window where you enter manual timer settings. This is much easier than trying to navigate to the same place via the menu system.

[handyguy]

How long did you wait for it to setup your Guide? They can be tricky sometimes, taking a few days or weeks, sometimes they do it the same day.

[TBoneit]

Well I bought my 531h last year when it was a pretty new model. The guide has probably worked a total of 2 weeks spread out over all that time. OTOH I didn't really buy it to use for OTA or cable recordings. Although I do it now and then primarily during PBS fund raisers. Mostly it gets used for VHS and Dishnetwork captures.

I still suspect it is more than anything else a Cablevision thing.

[handyguy]

It usually gets listings late at night & so your machine has to be off.

[TBoneit]

531h is off by day and after midnight... IOW midnight to 9Pm it is off.

I seem to recall reading that the guide data is streamed 3 times a day and if it misses a day you should just end up with a hole in the guide data for the missed day of data. Mine has the rebuilding the guide data 24 hour message all the time.

[handyguy]

Another thing that keeps you from getting data is if you changed your clock setting manually. My panasonic says that when I tried to change my clock manually.