Looks like you've covered most of the bases. The only thing Ii can suggest is to check the output of the power supply, 12, 5 and 3volt rails if possible.

Thanks for reminding me about a voltage check, I found that the 3.3V line was 2.4V, had a close look at the capacitors on the power supply board and found one with a slight bulge in the top, 1000uF 10V, labelled on the board as C130. I replaced it and the 3.3V line is now correct and the prior mentioned problems have all been resolved! Thanks again.

I bought a DG-HD 160PVR about a month ago and it's been working fine. Now I'm having problems and can't get through on the helpline number. I'm hoping someone here might be able to help ... but I'm not very technical so simple instructions would be most appreciated!

Last night it seemed to freeze on me and it turned itself off. When I turned it back on, it came up with a message "Read Harddisk Error! Maybe you need: REboot System or Format the Disk". I used the menu selections to reformat the disk - but nothing changed and the same message still comes up when I turn the PVR back on. I can watch tv, but when I go to 'PVR Options' and press okay, I get the message 'function is invalid'.

Does anyone know how to fix this or how to reboot the system? There seems to be nothing in the manual.

Thanks, any help would be appreciated.

This thread is for a different DGTEC PVR. The thread for the DG-HD160PVR is .....

http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=42788

HELP!

I've always had mine connected via s-video as have never been happy with the component outputs. The other day I turned it on and could not get a video signal from s-video or composite outputs. Am having to use component and fiddle with the tv's picture controls every time I switch between tv and dvd. Any ideas?

You are more than correct about Dodgey-tec and poor service. I am in the middle of wording a long letter to the MD and will post the contents in this forum. I am amazed at how a company can get things so wrong over end over again! PUT SIMPLY THOUGH DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CONSIDER DGTEC PRODUCTS UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO DO SO ON THE BASIS OF "AS IS WHERE IS". THE POOR MANUFACTURING PRACTICES ARE ONLY EQUALED BY THEIR POOR SERVICE PRACTICES....

Just for fun:
Decided to add One SD to my dgtecsd350 (well it has a 320 gb hdd added by me instead of original 80) - first attempt at automatic scan didn't add 12
second attempt didn't seem to add it either.

powered off unit via remote and started it again - channel 12 there.

So: if you are trying to add the new SD ONE channel 10 sport channel - power off and back on your unit to make it appear after automatic scan.

And if anyone has a way to fix some of the quirks (like a copy of the firmware source code) I'd be interested in contact.

regards,
dan

Yes. I had this occur on one of my HD160pvr a few times. What you do is:
- return it to dgtec, they keep it for a month, they send it back telling you it's fixed but after a few days you get the same message.
- you call them again, send the player back in, this time it takes 6 weeks, they send you another player they've repaired, after a few days you get the same error
- you then take it to the retailer you bought is from 7-8 months earlier, tell them it does not perform and operate as specified and get a full refund.

Maybe you'll have more luck than I had with dgtec service, but I doubt it.

Return it and buy something else. It's not worth the aggrevation of it not recording shows you want to watch or wrose still, deleteing everything you've recorded because it decided it needs to format the drive...

G'day DGTEC PVR SD200 users if there are any of you left...

My SD200 beast still fires up and gets lots of use everyday. Fan still whirring away after more than 3 years.
One of the tuners is a bit dodgy on ABC in our new house and now I am having trouble getting it to record consistently on channel GO (99). Keeps grabbing the main channel 9 station and recording that.

Other than that, still puts out an excellent picture on the Loewe Xelos.

On the brightside, I recently mastered downloading from the PVR onto the laptop, editing and posting back up in a playable format, with text in menu. I found I had some saved files that I started using more than music dvds for the convenience and it was good to trim out the padding.

Will go HD one day...

cheers, GC Al

I have a near new DG 360 and whenever i have a timer set to record, it records the same channel twice. Very frustrating.
Example: Record channel 9 footy from and 7:30 till 9:40 and from 9:41 till 11:40"
Record channel 10 movie from 8:30 till 1:50am (so you think you can dance after the movie)

End result: Two recordings of channel 9 footy in both time slots. No movie for the wife. So you think you can dance from when the footy finished recording. (it was the final episode and the wife is NOT happy)

What the heck have i done?

Any thoughts please.
Cheers

I have a new HDPVR320 which does the same thing. It seems to occur if I switch from PVR to TV live viewing and back again after having preset the Timer List to record 2 programmes. The switching apears to immedietely activate a recording of one of the preset programmes (or the channel last tuned to on the PVR). When the first of the the presets starts recording at the specified time, or if was already under way when you switch back, the 2 tuners are now engaged and you will miss recording the 2nd preset programme. My solution to the problem is to be aware that there is likely to be an unwanted recording activated if you switch between the PVR and TV live viewing and back. On switching back, check the Recorded List to see what is currently recording, and stop and delete the unwanted recording.
I sent an Email to DGTEC earlier this week regarding this problem and a number of other bugs/problems that I have encounterd and am still waiting for a response.

At the moment, I am not very impressed with the product, but on perusing other forum sites on other brands of PVR's, it seems that most of the alternative brands have their own set of problems and shortcomings. Is there any point in trying to get a refund? What do you replace it with?