ILO DVDRO4, $150 may be good deal.

[belder]

NightWing- When I flash it, the HD04 has to re-learn all of the channels, etc. I was also wondering about defragging. I would think that iLo would tell us to do so if it made a difference. I'm going to try it anyway. What do I have to lose? <g>
---
Now it's scanning the channels. I'll Defrag next.
---
Ok. I've reset it and the hard drive is defragged. I'll tape something tonight and see if that helps.

[djmiller]

I have been following this forum for the last week, as I am on my second DVDRH04. 1st one would constantly lock-up. This second one that I have had for 5 days now has not locked up but I do have the audio glitch. I have sent email and called support. I do not know where they get these guys, but whoever I spoke with was not aware of any audio problems.... maybe they just don't communicate with each other.

I have updated this unit with the last two updates including the latest 1185 update. IT DID NOT CORRECT THE AUDIO PROBLEM.

I will wait a few days before deciding to return the unit. Hopefully it can be fixed with a future update. Mine also manufactured in July of 04.

When I did speak with a tech yesterday he told me he was going to escalate my issue to a higher tech but I have not heard anything today.

On another note, neither unit fast forwarded corretlly on my VCD's SVCD,s or DVD's that I have made with Pinnacle. These will reverse fine though?

[NightWing]

NightWing- When I flash it, the HD04 has to re-learn all of the channels, etc. I was also wondering about defragging. I would think that iLo would tell us to do so if it made a difference. I'm going to try it anyway. What do I have to lose? <g>
---
Now it's scanning the channels. I'll Defrag next.
---
Ok. I've reset it and the hard drive is defragged. I'll tape something tonight and see if that helps.

Sounds like they already took that fact into the flashing process. Sounds all except for the defrage is forced on a flashing which is good!

I wont lay money on it but wondering if its a design flaw in the chip or a bigger problem with the firmware. I would guess the HD is fast enough. The DVDR04 and the DVDHDR04 have the same family based chip but are different chips. The Burnner and Harddrive are on seperatl ports.

Odds are they know about the problem and that is the reason why these are few and far between.

Waite a minute! Some one hooked the HD up to a computer and found it to be formatted fat32. Has anyone "borrowed" the HD and see if they can play the files? The test would be see if it plays without a glitch. If glitch then move to a computer then play that copy. Basically trying to reduce it to HD/Firmware/Chipset.

[belder]

NightWing,

Great thoughts. I recorded Letterman. No change in the drop outs. Still as bad as ever if not worse. Especially at :55 minutes in. It seems especially traumatized by fast forward or reverse. The frames aren't smooth (as has already been pointed out) but sometimes jerky as if it's loosing it's little mind.

[NightWing]

Maybe this may shed some light on thing. Could be something or could be nothing.

I have notest when playing a video from the 04 using PowerDVD the slider to skip forward and back does not work. Only skip chapter will work. A video from the 220 works as it should.

Also I think Lordsmurf stated when the graphs were being "brought up", a few pages back, that there were some problems shown.

IE: Could be the chipset has a bug.

[djmiller]

I beleieve I remember someone stating that when the video is copied from the harddrive to the DVD that the problem with audio was not there. This would indicate the HD is not the issue which I doubt would be the case as I can record video on my PC via USB 1.1 120G WD drive with no issues.

Need to run now now but if no-one has tried that that would I think rule out the HD. Will check back later and run the test myself if no one has actally done this. The indication that it happens at least for me every 60 seconds to the mark and that if I rewind and fast forward I can sometimes get it to disappear in that particular time mark indicates no issue with the HD but maybe an issue in firmware hopefully --- Maybe what ever is being used for a processor is not quick enough to process?

They should know something from the fact that at least it happens to me every 60 sec.

[djmiller]

Just got of the phone with tech support. They still say they have not heard of this problem. They also stated they only can help with hook-up issues and if my problem was elevated to second level support I will hear from them directly. When I asked when I would hear from them they told me they do not know, once it is passed to a higher level they have no knowledge. Has anyone heard from second level enginnering support?

[TwistedLincoln]

I upgraded the firmware last night, and made a 2 hour recording at HQ mode. The audio problem is still present, though it doesn't seem as bad as with the previous firmware revision.

An interesting note, however: after the one hour mark, the audio skipping seems to totally disappear-- until about 25 minutes later, at which point it reappears at increasing intervals. It was almost as if the cycle of audio skipping started over-- like the second hour was a whole new recording.

I'm going to email ilo tech support again, and see what happens. I may try calling as well, but from what I've read here, that may be a waste of time...

[JasonK]

It's not the hard drive. Any modern hard drive's performance far exceeds the bitrate this uses, also remember that the problem exists in the lower quality mode also. Dont waste your time moving your hard drive.

It's not a defrag issue. Erasing the drive would leave it defragged to start, which is what I mentioned earlier... which didnt help.

It's not a restore issue. Been down that route with ilo before also.

It's not an audio setting issue. Ilo has me try that stuff too.

It's not random points in a graph causing an issue. In my tests, it's been every 30 seconds on various 1 hour recordings I tested.

The audio glitches aren't improve at all, but depending on the lenght of your recording and such, it appears to affect when/where they will occur. To keep things consistant, I always test with a one hour recording in HQ mode.

For anyone looking to buy the HD unit and can't find one, I say you are very lucky. There was a stack of them when I returned mine. Poor unsuspecting people will be purchasing them.

Due to the nature of the problem, it appears to be something which could be repaired by firmware upgrade. But I have no confidence in ilo/Lite-on.

[NightWing]

I wondering from all of the info if its a chip set problem.

Are there any other machine using this same chip set doing the same thing?

Or is iLO using the same chip set in both????? 8602 is in the base unit and I would asume the 8652 for the harddrive version. Is the HD hanging off of the same cable as the DVD burnner drive?

[belder]

Does anyone know if the iLo HD04 can record a DVD in PAL. I've noticed that it will take a PAL signal and convert it to NTSC. But can it take an NTSC signal and make a PAL DVD+R? Is there a code like for the Region Free?

And, the only two countrues listed under Tuner were America and Canada. What's different about Canada as far as the iLO and the tuner section?

I understand that UK and Region 2 are more open to multiple formats and that many DVD players will actually play NTSC. So is this an issue? I have some friends there that I'd like to share home D8 movies via the DVD+R.

Thanks!

[jmh31]

I'm on my second HD04. I upgraded to the latest firmware, still the same old audio problems (every 30 sec in HD, every 60 sec in SP). However, I can confirm that when I copy from the HDD to a DVD, the DVD doesn't have the audio dropouts. So it really seems to be a HDD playback issue rather than a recording issue.

[FKrueger]

Just got a DVDR04 cause my 2 philips DVDR75's are in the shop for warrenty repair, newest one going on 2mo's now, no digital board in the US... I am satisfied with the 4hr mode, the RF input does result in a audio "hum", which may be powersupply hum as I had a cheap vcr that did that. I worked around it by running the RF cable into a vcr, the vcr into AV1, no hum. For $150 and a 3yr warrenty on Walmarts website for $15, I will probably keep it.

[onlinefun]

I fell for the "Just Fit" feature in Ilo HD Model (DVDRHD04) in timer recordings to DVD...it is recording/adjusting quality to the nearest 15 min...When I set the recording length to 2:05 min it recorded at 2:16 quality (No Name was given in the produced DVD menu) and shows remaining space calculated with the default quality (SP on my machine). Same with 2:25 min (recorded 2:31 quality and named it SPx). And with 2:39 mins it recorded 2:46 quality (no name again). For 2:55, it recorded 3:01 quality (yes it is LP mode). I have noticed that even for 2:46 quality, it it 720x480 - not sure how much that matters in quality - and of 3.3Mbps bitrate.

Looks like this is a nice feature...get the best quality you want for the a particular recording length. I am trying to record mostly Indian Movies from dish DVR, most of which are between 2-3 hr length. What I am doing is record to DVR when it is live and then calculate approx. length if I remove the ads (using 30sec skips - multiple of 30 sec.). Then, set the recorder timer with my best time guess and play the DVR program when recording started - when I see the ad (usally at every 25/30 mins in a broadcast), i am using the 30 sec..skip button on my DVR. By doing this I am recording only the footage I wanted at the best available quality on 4.7 GB. Later I put chapters for the time where I pressed 30 min skips for ads and hide it....

The above methods seems to avoid the hassle of re-encoding for best quality by taking SP mode disks to computer(which I thought of doing but never did)

I have Lite-on 5005 and ilo DVDR04 models but this model has what I want...even though I might not use the HD feature of it...even for higher price looks like a worth buy.
I am thinking why don't they put this nice feature in to the DVD models and also have with normal recordings (not only timer recordings) - as simple as putting a scroller which increments 15 mins instead of hardcoded (HQ,SP etc., modes) on the mode select screen.

Hope this feature is a kicker!!!

[belder]

I got this e-mail from iLO. I do like how they do answer their e-mail. They said, "Try formatting the hard drive and recording something new to it. You
shouldnt get the problem any more."

I did try it. Where it seems to break down is when you skip or fast forward or reverse. That's when I seem to notice it the most. I should be able to 16X forward, 8X rewind and move all over the drive without worrying about audio drops.

I'm going to let it rest for a while. There are others here that are having problems and I know they are in touch with the folks at iLO too. I have a feeling that those that answer the e-mails aren't on the front line of developing the firmware. Maybe we'll see something Thursday or Friday. Fingers crossed. I do appreciate the company's efforts to communicate and to fix.

[djmiller]

belder,

I got the same exact email to the letter sent to me today. These I have a feeling these are the same support staff I have spoken to many times on the phone.

My last phone call made me wonder if who I was speaking to has ever even seen a unit, as he kept telling me to go to menus that are not in the system.
After putting me on hold he came back and told me he escallated the issue to enginneering. If this email today came from engineering we're all in trouble.

Wonder if this unit is really a Liteon unit as their new product the 5045's instruction manual is almost word for word the same. Only specs that I see different are the 160Gig drive. Seems to be being sold in Europe now. Wish I could find a flash download for it. It might actually work.

[belder]

Thanks djmiller for the post!
I have wondered the same thing. Wonder if you could flash the iLO with the 5045 firmware and slap in a 160GB Seagate? LOL How much is the 5045 going to be here in the US? I also think the iLO should be able to record in PAL since it will convert from PAL to NTSC on the fly. How about + and- compatable? I was hoping this for the iLO. Stereo tuner in the 5045?

[jmh31]

If you're curious about the origins of the HD04, burn a dvd and use a text editor to look at the .IFO files, that it creates (there are 2 directories don't look in VIDEO_TS, look in the other directory).

The .IFO files contain several references to Liteon and to a model # LVW-5020. This was a Liteon HD DVR, that as far as I can tell was supposed to come out here, but never did. The specs are exactly the same as the DVDRHD04 as well, check it out here:

http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/liteon-lvw5020-set-top-dvd-recorder-and-pvr-017523.php

Liteon's own website now only references the 5045 model. I think this leaves little doubt what unit this really is. I asked the tech support guy if this was a liteon and that I'd seen the references to it in the file and he wouldn't say it was a liteon, but that only ilo makes these machines.

[belder]

jmh31, How cool. I had always suspected that this was that model but never had it confirmed. Thanks very much!

So, from your srticle, it looks like they added a stereo tuner and upped the hard drive for another $100. I remember reading about this model and how it was late for its October release.

[Mizio]

From the horses' mouth:

Our LVW5020 has a delay schedule because we will release a 160GB hard
drive instead of 80GB. It is a better news to our customers. Tentative release date will be in Nov '04.

A lot more funtions have been added to the new model. Please check the attached specs for the detail. Note that the spec for the LVW5020 is not final and the new model number will be LVW5045. The price for LVW5045 (160 GB ) will be $499.99.

Liteon

(See attached file: LVW-5020-spec.pdf)(See attached file: 5005-spec.pdf)

[belder]

I wonder if $499 is MSRP?

[jmh31]

I wonder if the firmware's will be compatible?

[djmiller]

I did get another email from Ilo support concerning the audio drop out. They requested the SN of the unit. Just have to wait to see what happens.
Other than the audio drop-out, I am pretty well satisfied. Recording in Stereo is not really that important to me as I do not pay much attention to recorded TV shows. I do use the digital fiber optic audio out to my surround system and that is fine. Only other issue is that my DVD's I have authored with Pinnacle do not fast forward correctly. Again that is really not a big deal for me as I use a modified X-Box for DVD payback most of the time.

I'll stay tuned....

[JasonK]

Wonder if this unit is really a Liteon unit

I'm not sure why there a comments coming up late in this thread wondering if the iLo is a Liteon. Read back in this thread a ways to see where I copied and pasted my emails from iLO and Lite-On. I originally emailed iLO, and after a couple emails, they referred some of my emails on to others which were getting returned from Lite-on. There is no "wonder" or "maybe" about it. It's definitely a Lite-on product. Doesn't matter to me, it's still junk, and they aren't fixing it, and they obviously aren't listening to what they are being told (read my earlier posts for details.) I told them I erased my hard drive multiple times over a week ago, and then they respond back that anything new I transfer to DVD should play back fine. Ridiculous, that was never the problem! Only HD was the problem. This happened email after email that they didnt understand basic clear laid out details about the problem and responded with irrelevant information and saying that the firmware fixes it - which is doesn't.

By the way, the audio dropout is very easy to reproduce. It will do it when simply playing a 1 hour recording using HQ mode, really bad near the end. And no need to fast forward or reverse to reproduce that.

To me the DVDHDR04 is worthless as an HD PVR. There's no way I would record all my HD recordings to DVD just to workaround the problem. That makes no sense and is unacceptable. Anything but HQ mode is not acceptable, so the timeshift is trash because it doesn't use HQ mode and locks up if you rev-fastfwrd much.

I highly recommend against the ILO HD unit. I'm building my own PC based PVR based on SageTV & a WinTV-PVR250 now. More hassle and more costs, but great features.

[pjcwu256]

I have HQ mode available on timeshift and I recorded the Apprentice a couple of times at HQ and it is excellent quality.

[belder]

pjcwy256, I like the Apprentice too. HQ makes Trump's hair look so lifelike, doesn't it? <g> I wish Timeshift would let you save the program if you wanted. I'd love to see "time slip" where you could record and watch at the same time somewhere in there.

[pjcwu256]

"I wish Timeshift would let you save the program if you wanted"

Not sure what you mean by that. Of course my HQ files are in the HD, and I copy them to DVDRW to edit out the commercials on the computer before burning them.

Yes, Trump's hair is something else. Even helicopter gust doesn't seem to get it out of place.

[belder]

Of course my HQ files are in the HD, and I copy them to DVDRW to edit out the commercials on the computer before burning them.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I meant the Timeshift file. If you just record on the hard drive you can save and copy to a DVD. When you use the Timeshift button it freezes the frame when you hit the button and then you can use your forward and reverse and pause while it's still taping. Then you press timeshift the scrond time the video file goes away. At least, that's been my experience. I could very well be wrong, but I haven't figured out how to do it.

I hear Trump has "stunt hair". <g>

[pjcwu256]

Seems like you were messing with the recording file while the recording process was still going on. Suggest you try the backward and forward and pause after it finishes recording.

[pjcwu256]

Apologies to belder! The above HQ recording was achieved under Timer Record, not Timeshift.