Hi,
Has anyone else had (or heard of?) issues with the XMS SDX-250P stb? It's the one Strathfield were selling (possibly still are) earlier in the year for $250, the one with the 250GB hard drive. I'm onto my 2nd one of these, the first one went back within 6 weeks when the hard drive died, it wouldn't even reformat. Six months later the replacement one is acting up as well, where it doesn't seem to realise there's a hard drive there....sometimes if I power it off at the back and leave it for a bit I can get it to recongnise the hard drive, but most of the time it doesn't make any difference. I've a few things on there I still want to try and watch, so I'm reluctant to try formatting at this stage....

Cheers!

there are two issues, firstly there were some with hard drive issues, secondly there is a new firmware available which sorts most of the issues that the box had

Ah, might try the firmware.....where is it available from? I've tried googling it but I can't seem to track it down? Once I get it how is it transferred to the stb and installed?
Thanks for the info

Cheers!

PM me your email address and I'll have someone contact you with the firmware and instructions

I have the same problem. my xms digital tv receiver and recorder sdx-250p will not open hard disk and in menu says hard disk 0 mb used and 0 mb available.
i'd like to try the firmware update
Could you send me the link and the instructions too?
many thanks
Simon

no, as I don't have them, if you PM me your email address though I'll have someone get in touch to help you out

Sounds great.
my email is
simoncohen11@yahoo.co.uk
Many thanks

have just sent your details off, sorry it wasn't sooner but I never got a PM which would have emailed me a notification

Hi im also having the same issue with my sdx-250p.i get this message on my tv screen 'HDD init not finished, pleasetry it later!' My email is balmain2@hotmail.com any help will be greatfully appreciated

Hi all, did you have any luck in solving balmain2's problem? I have just had exactly the same frustrations as he/she. My message on the screen is identical....."HDD init not finished, please try later!" I would very much appreciate help from anyone if you can.
My email is payneless@gmail.com thanks

I have not been able to get any further with this, and just the other day discovered that my problem is the same as "simonac"s.
My XMS sdx - 250p will not open the hard disk and the menu says "hard disk 0mb used omb available".
I too would greatly appreciate any help. My email address is payneless@gmail.com
Thanks a lot.

Giday all

I need to get the firmware for this as well but am unable PM jok11n for some reason, can anyone help?

Any success for the people who have upgraded?

thanks:))

OK PM problem is I have not posted enough yet:((

This threads links appear to be broken, don't want to spam everywhere to get my posts up but may have to! http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=44129

on Topic
I get exactly the same info as Burra, it would appear that the HDD is not booting at all, no power up so firmware maybe a problem but not the only one

Hi, sorry I haven't been keeping an eye on this thread over the last few weeks....
In answer to the questions on whether the firmware upgrade worked, I have to say it didn't work for me, I still had the same 'HDD init not finished, please try again later' message, and with the stb reporting a 0MB HD under settings. I brought my unit back to the store I purchased it from for an exchange of a new one, which is working ok at the moment....it meant of course that I lost all the stuff I had recorded on the broken stb. Hopefully the new one will work without issue, this is my third one I'm onto now (the first failed within 6 weeks, the second within 6 months of replacing the first, both with exactly the same issue with the HD).

I should also point out that through the process of trying the firmware upgrade (and getting it in the first place) jok11n and the person he put me in contact with were both extremely helpful and their assistance was (is!) much appreciated......

Cheers....

hello guys,

We are the manufacturer of this product whick located in China, to be frankly,the PVR may have HDD problem,we now going to return back the defective units to factory repaird. we have sold many PVR to Aus market but only XMS-250P have this problem,it is west digital HDD, we now have changed our HDD supplier to Hitachi. I think it will be better.

anyone that has this same issue will likely be a hard drive issue as they did get a batch of problem drives but the updated firmware may work in some circumstances, there were also some needed fixes in this update, if anyone doesn't have the ability to do the update and have this hard drive issue they can return it to place of purchase for replacement

Im having the same problem is there any chance of getting help on this one as well.

Also anyone got any idea what the pin code is for these machines

Sorry just found out I cant pm either - any info on how to do a firmware as I cant find anything on it please email me mmsmith(at)adam.com.au

Thanks heaps in advance as I have no access to the hdd and cant even reformat as dont know the pin code.

take it back to place of purchase and get them to arrange a replacement, I'd advise you do it ASAP

Does anyone know where these can be sent under warranty now, mine failed the other day and I hear the Strathfield Group has has gone under. Has anyone replaced the HDD in these machines? Are there any restrictions on HDD capacity in the firmware or any other problems? Thanks.

you can still take it back for warranty, I would advise doing it sooner rather than later though

it means you're a spammer

reported

I too have this product however my problem has nothing to do with the HDD. I am constantly frustrated by the timer recording function not working correctly. From what I can work out the STB must be switched on, not in standby mode. It seems that when it goes into standby mode it can interfere with other programs you may have in your timer selection. This is very annoying when you are not home and wish to pre-program something for recording. I thought maybe a firmware update may stop this from happening but I would need this emailed to me along with instructions on how to do the firmware update. If you could please help me with this I would be extremely grateful. My email address is belindarussell55@hotmail.com
Thanking you in advance.

have asked someone to contact you with further details

Thank you. I did receive an email from someone named Daniel Chen however there was nothing contained in the email. Not sure if this is the person you were refering to.

yes, just reply to his email and let him know you didn't get the attachment, at first he thought you had a hard drive issue, but I explained it to him last night, there may be an exe attached to the email which some email programs will block, if this is the case ask him to zip the file up for you, just let me know if you have any problems getting the firmware update

Hey, thanks so much, I really appreciate your assistance. I will email him. Have a nice day.

no problem

Hi there again,
I still haven't received the firmware. Not sure if I'm just being too impatient but you said to let you know if I had problems getting it. I'm thinking that I may just be better off taking it back to Strathfields as it is only 6 months old and still under warranty. But if the firmware update is available I really would like to give that a try first.
Thanks for your assistance with this, I really do appreciate it.

Ok I'll follow up with him for you

Cheers for that Jok11n, you're a legend!

don't know about that, anyway I've asked him to send me a copy also so in case you don't get it I'll have a copy I can send you

I have sent it to you also just now just in case you didn't get it from him

I wish I had read this forum before buying my SDX-250P. Like so many others, after a few months the hard drive on mine also shows as having 0MB available and I cannot use or reset it. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Can it be fixed or is it better to just return it to Strathfield (if they are still operating) under warranty?

return it, if they can't replace it with a new one insist on a refund

Does anyone know if the company that imported the XMS PVR's is still operating? I've been trying to contact them (phone & e-mail) for a few weeks about a warranty issue & they don't respond.

Thanx

you need to go through Strathfield for the warranty

Just had to fill you, pretty ironic actually. After all the hassle of getting the firmware I decided bugger paying $39 for the cable I needed, I would just take it back to Strathfields (plus didn't want the warranty to be voided if I did a firmware update). Anyway a few days before I was going to take it back, the hard drive started giving me issues. So I took it back and low and behold, the HD is stuffed. LOL. Anyway I'm currently waiting to see what stock arrives in this week or next but they have offered me my $$$ back as it is under warranty so I am thinking of putting this towards a TIVO.
Just thought I would give you an update.

they wouldn't be getting any more of this model as there is none available so you will most likely be offered something else, but what, in this case perhaps just getting the refund is the better option as at least you can decide what to put the money towards

Rather than mess around with trying to find a fix for my XMS I just returned it to Strathfield. The trouble is the store I bought it from five months ago has since closed down and two other stores I approached said they were just franchises and had no authority to do anything with it. I finally found a non-franchise Strathfield and they said they did not have that unit in stock nor do they expect to get any more. They said that if I really wanted it replaced they could locate one in an Adelaide store for an extra $150 - as I bought mine on sale apparently. With no replacement available I asked for a refund - which they flatly refused. I subsequently had a chat with the ACCC and they said any refunds depend on the wording of their warranty, however as I had already returned the unit to the store by then I no longer had a warranty to look at. In the end I opted for a Strathfield credit voucher.

As it appears I have to buy some other set-top-box/PVR from Strathfield does anyone have any recomendations on models that might be more reliable. As far as I can tell they also sell Topfield & DigiCrystal - neither of which I am familiar with. While my TV is a CRT and thus unable to benefit from HD, if I get a HD set-top-box would that at least get me two or three additional chanels (while hoping that one day I may get a HD TV)?

were they talking about a different model perhaps?, they can't change you more to replace the unit with the same model, doesn't matter what you paid for it, there's a thread in here somewhere about consumer law, I'd suggest you have a read through it and get yourself familiar with your rights

With Reference to the extra $150..... I purchased my unit from an Adelaide store, Modbury to be exact, back on 22/07/08 and paid a total of $194.95 for mine. I'm not sure what you originally paid for your unit but to ask for an extra $150 seems extremely exuberant. Just thought this might assist you.

Good luck sorting the problem out.

Thanks for the advice. I am going to look at a High Definition PVR (as I am hopefully updating to a LCD TV this year). Would like to spend between $500 & $700 but am getting really confused about what to buy. Have looked at YESS, TOPFIELD, TIVO, HOMECAST & MEDIASTAR but not sure which direction to head in. I have looked at various threads in this forum but now just confused. Any advice from you would be greatly appreciated as you seem to know what you are talking about.
Cheers.

I think any of the models you have listed would be fine, depends on your budget and what features you want I guess as to which would best suit your needs

Thanks for the replys.

The model offered me was the same as I had. When I bought my XMS it was $129, presumably because the Sydney city store was closing down and they wanted to get rid of stock. The old price sticker on the box showed something like $300 and this is presumably what they were talking about when they were telling me about the non-sale unit located in a store in Adelaide.

I'll probably check my local Strathfield store this comming week to see if they have any other set-top box/PVR units that I can use my credit voucher on. When I visited the store a couple of weeks ago they had next to no PVR's. More then likely I'll end up spending a bit more money to get something more reliable, though I don't know what brand/unit to buy. While I would would be happy to have something like a TIVO it just seems like a lot on money to spend so my son can watch his kid shows and fill up the hard drive with Ben-10 & Simpsons cartoons. Digicrystal seems to have a few interesting products on their web site.

One thing that I'm still not clear on. If I buy a HD set-top-box will it work on my CRT TV? Yes I know I won't get a HD picture but will there be anything displayed at all? I thought that by getting a HD decoder unit it would give me a few extra HD channels on top of the SD channels, but then I don't know if the HD unit even picks up the SD channels though I assume so as the HD TV tuner in my computer does. A search of the internet leaves me no wiser and even the people in the store have different conflicting opinions.

Any advice from someone with experience HD set-top-boxes, or with an opinion on Topfield vs Digicrystal would be appreciated.

I assume the old saying 'You get what you pay for' really does come into play here. I have researched this quite a bit as I don't have a lot of money to spend but I want something that will do the job and also last the distance. I thought I had settled on the TIVO but then after researching it a bit more, decided not to go for that. After speaking to the lovely people at my local Strathfield store I am now going to get the DigiCrystal 9750. Firstly because the person I spoke to has one himself and said it hasn't skipped a beat, secondly it has a 250GB HD as compared to 160GB on the TIVO and thirdly he said he would sell it to me for $399 which was the winning factor. Now I just have to wait until more stock arrives, and the wait is killing me!!!!!
So my advice is to shop around if it is price that concerns you or reasearch on forums if it is features you are after. Believe me it is confusing but you just need to decide what is important to you.
Hope this helps.

all of the HD boxes are also capable of sending a signal that can display on a standard definition television such as your CRT

I guess there will be more like me, but I too have purchased the XMS SDX-250P, but from Deals Direct, not Strathfield.

I bought it last October 2008, and it worked fine from then till about 3 weeks ago when it started to do odd things to recordings, like crosslink two programs recorded so they showed the same program, and I lost one.

Now it won't record off standby which renders it useless, as that is why I bought the darned thing, to record while I was away, not home to press a record button :-)

And I also get the dreaded Omb free/used problems too, though at present it IS reformatting.

I have emailed Deals Direct and asked for instruction on how to get the thing seen to or replaced. Haven't yet broached the refund option.

Anyone know who is the importer, or their rep, as I figure I'll probably end up dealing with them at some stage though Deals Direct is pretty good with these things.

Cheerz Wabster.

Get a refund a go for something like this Toppy for only $219

Thanks for the tip on a replacement. Is it getting good reviews? Or few bad ones?

I have to work through the process with Deals Direct.

I think I have to give them the opportunity to repair/replace the machine before I can demand a refund.

But as I've said above, they have been pretty good with these things in the past,

Cheerz Wabster