USB Recording: your experiences

[it2tv]

At the moment IP-EPG is not available. The TV says that the servers are down. So recording is not possible

Well that is so so stupid. DVB-T EPG is the only way to made the recording useable so please made it possible now!!!!!

[Mattias]

I live in sweden, and my parents bought a 40" Philips 6000-series recently.
When visiting them, i helped to update firmware and also helped them out to get digital (DVB-C) channels installed etc.
I also thought i could help them make scheduled recording possible... This function was highly anticipated by my parents!

Well, i think this function as of today is really poorly implemented.

It was my understanding that scheduled recording would be possible by just getting a HDD, hook it up and format.
During the weekend however, i found out that this was far from true...

You also need internet connection to get EPG-IP, and for this you need too buy, hook up and install a router... You also need to buy and install an USB-hub to get 2 USB ports to make it work. Furthermore, according to some posters on this forum and other places, the EPG-IP is not always working smoothly in certain countries, and the program guide working flawlessly is essential to my parents.

I can´t understand why Philips wants to make this simple function so complicated? Why not allow such a simple recording function with use of ordinary DVB EPG? I have it on my digital DVB-C box at home, and i can´t see why Philips would have a problem implementing it on their TV:s?

As for now, i think the "smart" function and scheduled recording is merely a selling trick to make people purchase Philips own solution for WIFI connection (PAT01) and NetTV (totally unnecessary for my parents).

So, the "USB Recording Functionality" in current implementation is a total disappointment imho, and a let down from Philips in regards to my parents as customers.

I had to leave my parents (living a 6hrs drive away from me) without being able to schedule a recording on their shiny new Philips TV, even though it was supposed to be smart. For the money they spent on the HDD, they can now pause a program...

Please, make it work as it should... Simple and sensible. Or was it "make things better"?

TV is 40PFL6606H, latest firmware as of today.

Regards

[gianfri]

Hi

Recordings are only available from internal Tuners. If you use an external Receiver you can not record with the TV.

Regards
Thomas

2 questions:

Why? Is there a technical limitation or what?

Would it be technically possible to record from DVB-T and watch from HDMI?

Thanks

[pip]

Same here. I like to record, but in the mean time look at a bluray movie.

[P3t3r]

Which USB stick(s) can be used for recording?

I have a bought a new Sandisk Cruzer 32GB. No problem with formatting but TV says writing speed is too low?!

Please help


rgds Peter


ps: TV is a 37PFL9606

[Perpetual Beta]

Philips has implemented USB recording with high hardware requirements, specified in the user manuals:
Capacity of 32 GB and above and a write speed of 30 MB / second.
The capacity of most "32 GB USB - Sticks" is less than 32 GB.
And most USB 2.0 Sticks are too slow ...

Briefly tested here: Sharkoon Flexi-Drive Ultimate 64GB (USB 3.0) with LogiLink USB 3.0 Hub, 4-port, USB 3.0. The hub is needed for powering the USB stick. Philips TVs are delivering 0,5A max. over USB 2.0 ports, most USB 3.0 Sticks are requiring above 0,5A during write operations. As many USB powered external HDDs do during spinning up.

But i am recording with a PC, DVB Twin Tuner and DVBviewer Pro. No restrictions for FTA recordings, good UI, web interface (programming over LAN), no access to proprietary server required (internet connection), no encryption of recordings so i can back up, watch and edit them on any PC.

BTW.:
FTA - "Free To Air" (unencrypted channels)
UI - User Interface

[P3t3r]

The capacity of most "32 GB USB - Sticks" is less than 32 GB.
And most USB 2.0 Sticks are too slow ...

Thanks for your response!

You wrote that most sticks are too slow..... Which ones are fast enough then? I just want to use an USB stick

Don't want connect extra hubs, cables and stuff because of the "clean wall install" which I prefer


rgds Peter

[Perpetual Beta]

IMHO the USB recording feature wasn't implemented according to the technical specifications of real USB sticks and harddisks which are sold e.g. by Amazon. IMHO noteworthing buffering memory is lacking so device latencies can't be brigded reliably (e.g. some 1 second for USB sticks, some 10 seconds for harddisk spin up, some ? seconds for the latencies of the TVs non-real-time-OS). The power requirements of real USB mass storage devices were underestimated, too. Or ignored.

An USB mass storage compatibility list provided by Philips would be some kind of progress, though you can't rely on such lists if e.g. a manufacturer changes the flash memory built into an USB stick or the harddisk model built into an external housing.
See RAM compatibility lists which are provided by respectable mainboard and RAM module manufacturers.

[Philips - Thomas]

Hi

well such lists would be indeed helpful but on the other Hand, what if at some point changes on the Sticks happens on the manufacturing Site?

We can not control external Parties, thats why we don't assure anything for external Parties.
We show you the Specs and the rest is up to you.

Also one Point to keep in mind, if we would publish a List this has also Marketing Impact.
If we say for Example Sandisk works and Transcend is not mentioned, that would end up in a Marketing mess and in massive Shitstorm by other brands. So we don't go that way.

Regards
Thomas

[bo1e]

You could specify which hw revision is supported. And specify that future hw revisions may not work. Not giving any unit info really makes it hard for a regular consumer. Tech specs are not understandable for a regular consumer. If you take those specs to a store looking for a suitable usb unit, you probably won't even get any help there.

Could someone list the requirements or link to them? And maybe compile a community list of sticks/drives known to work?

[Tommy]

Could you Philips - Thomas please comment on post #62 by Mattias... Thanks.
So that we know what we can or cannot expect from Philips...

Hi

well such lists would be indeed helpful but on the other Hand, what if at some point changes on the Sticks happens on the manufacturing Site?

We can not control external Parties, thats why we don't assure anything for external Parties.
We show you the Specs and the rest is up to you.

Also one Point to keep in mind, if we would publish a List this has also Marketing Impact.
If we say for Example Sandisk works and Transcend is not mentioned, that would end up in a Marketing mess and in massive Shitstorm by other brands. So we don't go that way.

Regards
Thomas

[glin]

Hi

I own a 7656 model and USB recording was one of the reasons why I bought the TV. While it works ok, there are two major nuisances that I'd love to see fixed for massively improved usability:

1) Watch input from a different source while recording (i.e. say you are recording from DVB-S but want to watch a show on DVB-T or a DVD via HDMI)
2) Use VPS times instead of actual times when programing a recording

Even my – by now ancient – VHS recorder provided such functionality.

/Glin

[banjeep]

Hello, I have a 2TB external HD from the PC I created 2 partition with the intention that a ntfs formatted for use with the PC and the other formatted with the format of television 9606 to make recordings from TV.
I connected the HD to the TV, I tried to do a recording and TV asked me to format the hard drive, but did not ask me which partition and then I formatted the entire HD,
does anyone know how do I have a hard drive with 2 partitions, one ntfs for PC and the other in the format of the TV?
thanks

Google translate

[Toengel]

Hi,

as far as I know, this is not possible.

Toengel@Alex

[banjeep]

Hi,

as far as I know, this is not possible.

Toengel@Alex

Thanks Toengel

I managed to read that file type are the HD is formatted in Linux ext,
the typescript file has the extension .TSL,
maybe you can format the HD in 2 partitions, one ntfs and one linux ext?