PVR and Hard Disk Recorder problems and solutions for the LG DRT389H Digital TV DVD Recorder

Problem: Picture keeps stuttering and is blocky and pixellated.

Solution 1: Check for loose cables and check your signal strength.
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Problem: Went to re-tune recorder using auto setup and now auto set up freezes on 100% and won't finish

Solution 1: First find the numbers of Channels that cover your area. Don't use Auto Programming, use Program Edit instead. Select Add Channel, don't press any more buttons and the machine will start to scan. Select the OK button and Please Wait will appear and save those programmes transmitted from that Channel. Work your way through each of the Channels transmitted in your area and at the end all the available programmes should have been saved.
1 out of 1 person found this solution helpful. Solution 2: First find the numbers of Channels that cover your area. Don't use Auto Programming, use Program Edit instead. Select Add Channel, don't press any more buttons and the machine will start to scan. Select the OK button and Please Wait will appear and save those programmes transmitted from that Channel. Work your way through each of the Channels transmitted in your area and at the end all the available programmes should have been saved.
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Problem: The unit has just frozen up. It keeps freezing and then shutting itself down.

Solution 1: It can be extremely frustrating when this happens. Most of the time, there isn't much you can do other than turn it off and then on again, at the mains if the power button isn't responding.

However, there are a few things you can check to help prevent it in the future. Number one is check how hot it is. Freezing can happen when the unit isn't properly ventilated or is in a hot place. Make sure all the vents are uncovered and there is nothing on top of it.
You might also want to check for system updates.
Finally, you might consider turning the unit off and then on again regularly to reboot it. Freezing often occurs when it has been running for a long time, so once a week or so you could try to reboot it by switching it off and on. If you don't want to do this yourself, you might consider buying a timer switch to do this for you at a time you know you won't be using the machine, e.g. 4AM.
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Problem: always starts up ok, but periodically will not respond to remote control instructions. turning it off when not in immediate use seems to reduce the frequency of this but does not eliminate it. Any ideas ?

Solution 1: Over the last couple of years I have experienced all of the issues, bar none, which have been posted about the LG DRT389H Digital TV DVD Recorder on this site.

With limited success I have tried various suggested solutions I found on the web to try & fix problems such as the unit not responding to any of the remote buttons, the DVD drawer refusing to open or close, OTA (over the air) software updates (both manual & scheduled) hanging interminably & never completing, timer recordings never starting or not completing, frezzing after start-up for 10 or 15 minutes before returning an Error message, and many more.

Resetting the unit by holding the power button down for 5 seconds & then removing the power cord after it restarts before plugging it back in again also didn't achieve anything.

Over the last month the recorder had become unusable so, as a last resort, & with nothing to lose, I went onto LG's website & located the latest firmware upgrade available to download (from 2012 - this may well be the last version they put out since almost certainly this model will no longer be supported & I guess now falls into the "legacy" category).

Having installed the new software, my LG DRT389H is now (so far, anyway) performing once again like it did when I first bought it 7 or 8 years ago, with all of the longstanding issues solved. If you'd like to try this solution, here is a step-by-step guide:

a) Download the firmware from the LG site using this link:

http://www.lg.com/uk/support/support-product/lg-DRT389H

The file you want to download is called LG_DR3T_UPDATE_MHEG.zip & is 6379K in size.
Save it ("save as") somewhere convenient where you easily find it, for example in Documents. Ignore any installation instructions underneath from LG - I doubt even they could make sense of them.

b) It downloads in zip folder format (called LG_DR3T_UPDATE_MHEG) so double click on it to open & then select "Extract All". It extracts to a folder also named LG_DR3T_UPDATE_MHEG. Open this to see the firmware/software file it contains called LG_DR3T_UPDATE_MHEG.ROM

c) You now need to burn this file to disc (you can use Window's own disc burning facility to do this - I assume Mac, Linux etc will also have their own on-board burning software). I successfully used a CD-RW disc (I couldn't get any sort of DVD to install the software even after it was burned to it) though I guess a CD-R would also be OK, but the advantage of the -RW is that it can be erased after use & re-recorded to. I think a CD+RW/+R probably wouldn't work as it's not a format listed as compatible by LG in the User's manual.

d) Now insert the newly burned CD into the DVD drive tray (assuming it will open for you - it usually would not for me prior to the software upgrade). A window should come up straight away requesting you to press Play on the remote to install the software & also showing the version already installed (mine had an older version number so the new software was definitely more recent).

e) So press Play & wait for the firmware/software to finish installing with the status bar slowly progressing to 100%. The TV picture is not interrupted & no reset/restart was needed - all stored channels are left intact.

f) Enjoy having a fully functional & responsive DVD recorder once again!

PS: I would disable the standby & operation software upgrade modes in the unit's Settings (Home, Setup, scroll down to last item on the left menu & then choose S/W Upgrade on the right) - it's highly unlikely that there will be any more OTA upgrades for this model & it will stop the recorder from checking for them. Even so, it might be an idea to check LG's website periodically to see if they have released a newer software version, though I doubt they ever will now.

1 out of 1 person found this solution helpful. Solution 2: Over the last couple of years I have experienced all of the issues, bar none, which have been posted about the LG DRT389H Digital TV DVD Recorder on this site.

With limited success I have tried various suggested solutions I found on the web to try & fix problems such as the unit not responding to any of the remote buttons, the DVD drawer refusing to open or close, OTA (over the air) software updates (both manual & scheduled) hanging interminably & never completing, timer recordings never starting or not completing, frezzing after start-up for 10 or 15 minutes before returning an Error message, and many more.

Resetting the unit by holding the power button down for 5 seconds & then removing the power cord after it restarts before plugging it back in again also didn't achieve anything.

Over the last month the recorder had become unusable so, as a last resort, & with nothing to lose, I went onto LG's website & located the latest firmware upgrade available to download (from 2012 - this may well be the last version they put out since almost certainly this model will no longer be supported & I guess now falls into the "legacy" category).

Having installed the new software, my LG DRT389H is now (so far, anyway) performing once again like it did when I first bought it 7 or 8 years ago, with all of the longstanding issues solved. If you'd like to try this solution, here is a step-by-step guide:

a) Download the firmware from the LG site using this link:

http://www.lg.com/uk/support/support-product/lg-DRT389H

The file you want to download is called LG_DR3T_UPDATE_MHEG.zip & is 6379K in size.
Save it ("save as") somewhere convenient where you easily find it, for example in Documents. Ignore any installation instructions underneath from LG - I doubt even they could make sense of them.

b) It downloads in zip folder format (called LG_DR3T_UPDATE_MHEG) so double click on it to open & then select "Extract All". It extracts to a folder also named LG_DR3T_UPDATE_MHEG. Open this to see the firmware/software file it contains called LG_DR3T_UPDATE_MHEG.ROM

c) You now need to burn this file to disc (you can use Window's own disc burning facility to do this - I assume Mac, Linux etc will also have their own on-board burning software). I successfully used a CD-RW disc (I couldn't get any sort of DVD to install the software even after it was burned to it) though I guess a CD-R would also be OK, but the advantage of the -RW is that it can be erased after use & re-recorded to. I think a CD+RW/+R probably wouldn't work as it's not a format listed as compatible by LG in the User's manual.

d) Now insert the newly burned CD into the DVD drive tray (assuming it will open for you - it usually would not for me prior to the software upgrade). A window should come up straight away requesting you to press Play on the remote to install the software & also showing the version already installed (mine had an older version number so the new software was definitely more recent).

e) So press Play & wait for the firmware/software to finish installing with the status bar slowly progressing to 100%. The TV picture is not interrupted & no reset/restart was needed - all stored channels are left intact.

f) Enjoy having a fully functional & responsive DVD recorder once again!

PS: I would disable the standby & operation software upgrade modes in the unit's Settings (Home, Setup, scroll down to last item on the left menu & then choose S/W Upgrade on the right) - it's highly unlikely that there will be any more OTA upgrades for this model & it will stop the recorder from checking for them. Even so, it might be an idea to check LG's website periodically to see if they have released a newer software version, though I doubt they ever will now.

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Problem: Recordings keep failing. Sometimes when I record a programme, I get an error message and I lose the recording.

Solution 1: Recordings fail for a number of reasons. If you schedule the recording and it records - but records the wrong thing - the box might be tuned to two different regions. Reset the channels and manually tune them if you suspect this to be the case.
If the unit is on a series record but has missed the programme, check the programme guide to see if future episodes are being recorded. It may have identified the programme as a different series for some reason, so set a series link on any future episodes that are not being recorded.

Other failed recordings can show a problem with the unit. One or two failed recordings do not necessarily mean that your unit has a fault - it could be due to a power cut or your box could have (unluckily!) frozen or crashed prior to the start of the programme.

However, if there are numerous failed recordings and it continues to occur even though you can watch TV OK, it sounds like a problem with the hard disk and this will need to be either repaired or replaced.
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Problem: Firmware/software disc supplied by LG, when inserted only brings up the Home bar at the top and nothing else happens, on pressing info on remote, displays data disc, needs the update as I am unable to get setup or recording set up screen, once in about 15 goes it brings up the set up screen, anybody has come across this? very frustrating!

Solution 1: The supplied disc was faulty, and the software update from lg site, downloaded in January, upon making the disc did not work, I am not sure if the glitch was the software or the internet, after several goes, I decided to download a fresh one to-day, after making the disc, the software up dated, very nicely, so this fault is now solved,
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Problem: Firmware/software disc supplied by LG, when inserted only brings up the Home bar at the top and nothing else happens, on pressing info on remote, displays data disc, needs the update as I am unable to get setup or recording set up screen, once in about 15 goes it brings up the set up screen, anybody has come across this? very frustrating!

Solution 1: possible faulty disc supplied by LG, recent update downloaded from LG site, and preparing the disc worked fine,
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Problem: Firmware/software disc supplied by LG, when inserted only brings up the Home bar at the top and nothing else happens, on pressing info on remote, displays data disc, needs the update as I am unable to get setup or recording set up screen, once in about 15 goes it brings up the set up screen, anybody has come across this? very frustrating!

Solution 1: possible faulty disc supplied by LG, recent update downloaded from LG site, and preparing the disc worked fine,
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Problem: When I turn on my LG DVD recorder it will only show "hello" and doesn't go any further > I cannot access the hard disc or load anything, but is receiving power, what can I do?

Solution 1: looks like capaitor on power supply, remove back and look to see if any capacitor has blown, usually domed top
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