TiVo Community Forums Archives - TIVO IR blaster function loses it.

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TIVO IR blaster function loses it.
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Posted by: arjay

It used to work perfectly and reliably. Something has happened in last few weeks. Now it generally drops the first digit, and sometimes more. Could this be related to the 2.0.1 upgrade in anyway?

I called SONY, and went through the codes, and proceedures, with their customer service. After nothing worked SONY said call TIVO.

Called TIVO, went through the same proceedures as with SONY. TIVO escalated call to higher level, but so far nothing appears to work.

Practically speaking, TIVO will not change Dishplayer 7200 channels with or without a "fort". Usually drops the first digit, but is very prone to dropping two digits, and sometimes all three. Two codes in list show same partial responses. Placing both emitters adjacent to IR window made no difference. Removing all other IR emitters from other sources made no difference.

The Dishplayer responds flawlessly to its own remote; to an IR emitter from a pyramid extender; and to an IR emitter from ReplayTV.

TIVO tech support has escalated this again, and say they will be getting back to me. I have no complaints with either SONY or TIVO tech support. They both spent time on this, didn't require unduly long hold times, and TIVO escalated when it appeared problem wasn't respoonding to usual solutions.

Posted by: stevel

2.0.1 did change the IR control somewhat, and you may find that a different selection for remote code and/or speed helps. I have had no problems with either a Dish 2800 or a 5000.

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Steve (Sony SVR-2000, 103+ hours, TiVoNET!)

Posted by: arjay

I wish it was just a matter of changing the speed or codes.

The same code that used to work perfectly at medium speed now barely gets a digit across at any speed. Another code (which I never checked out earlier) gives exactly the same results.

I did searches at the Help & Ug. Forum which didn't turn up any specific things to try. (I was hoping for something like a timing change enabled by "backdoors" or something like that.)

For now the ball is in tech support's court. And TIVO can do its thing on the OTA stuff.

Posted by: arjay

I just got a call from TIVO's Engineering Support person with regard to my IR blaster problem. Got nothing but praise for the way TIVO is supporting its product!

Oh man, this is great! My IR problem is unusual so TIVO Eng. Support is sending me a FedEx return authorization so they can check out specifically what is happening. Talk about Customer Service!

After they troubleshoot it, they'll send me the same box back. This is doubly unusual 'cause I have the SONY brand TIVO. They even offered to arrange a loaner for me, but I can do without to keep things simple, and that's fine.

GREAT SERVICE!!!!!!!

Posted by: arjay

I'm getting special treatment for this problem.

Briefly, here's why:

Right now they're not sure what the cause of the problem is, or even whether it is hardware or software related.

TIVO engineers want to look at my TIVO specifically to isolate the cause, and determine whether it is based on the 2.0.1 upgrade, or anything else which could potentially affect other customers. They haven't had reports of a problem which manifested itself in precisely the same way.

The special treatment thus is so they can use whatever info is learned to deal with all future potential problems of this nature.

That says a lot about the way TIVO looks out for all customers. I'm impressed.

(If, by any chance, the problem is being caused by some stupid oversight of mine [the possibility of which I've already discussed with the TIVO Eng. rep.] I'll p/u the shipping costs both ways. They don't know that yet, but it's the only decent thing to do.)

I'll post here when there's an update.

Posted by: arjay

I won't have to ship the unit to TIVO.

Don't know why, but here's what happened:

Pulled the box out of the stack to ship it.

Decided to test it again in different location with unused Dish receiver I have.

I didn't want to cost TIVO unnecessarily, AND (most of all) didn't want to look like a total idiot if it worked fine when TIVO got it.

At first TIVO exhibited the same problem in new location, and continued to do so for maybe 15 minutes. I verified that the IR blaster was working fine, and interestingly, the TIVO box is NOT SENDING ANY IR SIGNALS WHATSOEVER from the IR window in the front of it.

I had heard here on these Forums that it does but that does NOT appear to be the case. I placed the TIVO nose to nose (window to window) with the Dish receiver, and disconnected the IR blaster from the TIVO, and got absolutely ZILCH.

Using the plug in emitter (IR blaster) I was getting the first digit, and sometimes two, dropped consistently.
I noticed though that there was a slight improvement in performance if the first 3 digit channel # was a 2 rather than a 1.

I went into TIVO's "Preferences" and activated all the satellite channels up to 300. (I had deactivated them, except 101, when I set up TIVO to record OTA only, and kept 101 just to access the line jacks.)

I then repeatedly hit the channel up button. At first there was no change, but after I got to the 200's, GRADUALLY there seemed to be fewer and fewer dropped digits. After awhile it started working perfectly. I skipped around in the channels, and it still worked.

I went back into "Preferences" and deleted all the satellite channels except 101. It still kept working perfectly afterward.

So, at present, TIVO's back in its place in the stack, and is changing channels reliably. It likes the medium speed best but will change channels at all three speeds of two different codes.

I don't have a clue what the problem was or what "fixed" it.
But the TIVO gods have powerful ju-ju, and can do miraculous things when they're either pleased or not pleased.

I left a message with the TIVO Eng. Support person working my case, and will be able to cancel the return.

Me'n TIVO are happy about that!

For the record, TIVO provided excellent support for its product, and I thank them very much!