PVR and Hard Disk Recorder problems and solutions for the Digital Stream DHR8203U

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: turn on power and the unit starts up but then gets stuck and flashes loading and will not respond to anything

Solution 1: If you have tried turning the unit off and waiting for at least 30 seconds and then switching on again, you could try loading the Firmware again using the rear USB ports. If that doesn't work then contact DM UK Services for a very reasonable repair service.
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Problem: unit starts up ok and then shows the loading text and thats it no ammount of turning on and off will get it to do anything tried rloading software no use. any advice as i have ben emaling MIT for help but again no reply

Solution 1: MIT London no longer supports. You can get DM UK Services to repair they deal with the Digital Stream units.
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Problem: unit switches on at around 02.59 am each morning

Solution 1: It does this as do other units for house keeping reasons and is quite normal.
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Problem: The soft touch buttons on the front no longer respond and no longer light up / glow.

Solution 1: This ia a Micom problem. If you contact DM UK services they service and repair the Digital Stream for a very fair price which includes pickup and return by courier. £47 all included. highly recommended.
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Problem: went on the mit london website and it says its up for sale can does anyone know where to get fimeware updates from for my dhr8203u from

Solution 1: http://digitalstream-dhr.wikia.com/wiki/Software_Versions
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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: My Digistream is only playing back series that have been previously applied and won't record anything new. I can press to record a programme and it goes through the motions and when I press the final 'apply' nothing happens. It's so annoying, I can't record anything new. Can anybody help please.

Solution 1: I had this problem and have just carried out a repair disk which and can record TV now and have set up a recording for this evening. Menu>others>diagnostics>disk>repair disk - hope this helps
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Problem: Picture keeps stuttering and is blocky and pixellated.

Solution 1: Check for loose cables and check your signal strength.
0 out of 0 people found this solution helpful. Solution 2: sounds like mains interference, i had same issue using a communal Ariel in block of flats, my picture was pixelated and stopped few seconds, unplugged from the shared Ariel set up and used my own indoor Ariels x 2 one to record TV one to watch TV as per set up on the set-top box needs two signals. i don't get any issues now zero.

even if your not in flats you can still get mains interference from any heavy loads like tumble dryers fridges heaters hair dryers all can spkie
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Problem: I have a DHR8203 pvr. When the disk gets to >100GB full and above, the new recordings sometimes run on past the set END timer. These overuns go on to fill the entire disk unless spotted. They also cause the next timer recordings to be missed as the machine is already recording the previous programme. I have both an 8203 and 8205 machine, but the fault is more prevalent on the 8203 machine.

I suspect that some of the minor Freeview Channels (I mainly record from CH37 Quest, CH64 CBS, CH11 ITV3 and CH24 ITV4), may not be consistently sending out the signal to officially end their programmes? So the machine does not end the recording?

I also am suffering the same problem as another post concerning the playback of recordings on the DHR8203 when the fast scrolling through the adverts using the foward jump to the next item key is used. The machine locks-up (it does not respond to any command sent via the remote control) by freezing the recording on the tv screen and this requires a full machine reset (by turning the PVR off and on again at the mains switch for say 10 seconds). This clears the initial problem by returning control of the machine to the user but if you resume the recording the same thing will happen again if the use the jump to next section button on the remote again.

Does this fault indicate that the internal hard disk is beginning to fail? This machine is now about 7 to 8 years old (maybe more?).

Solution 1: I posted these problems about 3-6 months ago. I have solved them all. I believe my solution may solve all the issues posted elsewhere.

I discovered from posts online that the Digital Stream machines were fitted with Western Digital green hard-drives. The person who posted the comments I read went on to suggest that these drives are not very reliable, as the drive parks it's heads onto plastic where the heads get scratched. I have replaced the hard drive in the wayward machine and this has fixed all the problems I posted concerning recordings not stopping and pixillated replays, etc. I also took the opportunity to upgrade the 320GByte drives to 500GByte ones (also by Western Digital). I fitted the hard drive myself as the drives are standard SATA types.
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