V2 Observations so far

[Spot]

I'm still seeing the time not displaying about once a week when the V2 is shutdown. Has anyone been able to reproduce and diagnose why the V2 does this?

[MrQuade]

I was actually going to hunt down this thread today, so thanks for the reminder.

I have seen the issue pop up now, but I don't know what triggered it exactly unfortunately.

The unit went to standby, and I had no recordings before or during standby, but no display was shown right after I pressed POWER.

I'll keep hunting, but it seems unrelated to the REC display in any case.

[netmask]

After I did the first one only on-line firmware update (not beta) the time was no longer shown during standby to replaced with a purple coloured LED. Actually suits me as I have enough equipment showing the TOD ! Nothing intermittent.

[adoxa]

I was going to ask if it still occurs with the new drivers (20190808). Here's a patch to test two things: ensure the standby display is on before it goes into standby; change the skin to display a dash for "Nothing". To install: extract it where the V2 can see it (USB, network share), select standby-time within that location (MENU>Sources / Files or ssh/telnet), run setup.sh (repeat to remove). So, if the time remains there would seem to be something wrong with the drivers, I'll submit the workaround; if it changes to a dash, it's a skin converter issue (let me know which side the dash is on); if it still goes blank, no idea.

[Spot]

I was actually going to hunt down this thread today, so thanks for the reminder.

I have seen the issue pop up now, but I don't know what triggered it exactly unfortunately.

The unit went to standby, and I had no recordings before or during standby, but no display was shown right after I pressed POWER.

I'll keep hunting, but it seems unrelated to the REC display in any case.

Well, it's happened a few times this week. Each time was when I pressed the Power button to shut down (not stand-by) the V2 while it was recording, although that isn't 100% reproducible as I did the same another night and the time still displayed.

More annoying than anything I guess.

[Spot]

Well, it's happened a few times this week. Each time was when I pressed the Power button to shut down (not stand-by) the V2 while it was recording, although that isn't 100% reproducible as I did the same another night and the time still displayed.

More annoying than anything I guess.

This is almost 100% reproducible for me now.

Ensure you have a timer recording active, press the shut down (not standby) button.

[Graemek]

I had inserted Chapter markers as the original didn't have any - I deleted them and ran Chapterizer this time creating 5 points. This worked. Attached is the MediaInfo file showing the Dolby TrueHD with Dolby Atmos that I decided to remove. The Popcorn A-500 plays this ok and does atmos as well...test.txt

Hi - Just wondering - how do you insert chapter marks? Can it be done on the Wiz?

Cheers
Graeme

[peteru]

0

[MrQuade]

Hi - Just wondering - how do you insert chapter marks? Can it be done on the Wiz?

0

And as-always, you can press HELP at (almost) any time to see what the remote control buttons can do.

[prl]

I had inserted Chapter markers as the original didn't have any - I deleted them and ran Chapterizer this time creating 5 points. This worked. Attached is the MediaInfo file showing the Dolby TrueHD with Dolby Atmos that I decided to remove. The Popcorn A-500 plays this ok and does atmos as well...test.txt

Hi - Just wondering - how do you insert chapter marks? Can it be done on the Wiz?

From netmask's post, I'd guess he inserts chapter marks with Chapterizer (try a Google search).

There doesn't seem to be a plugin for it for the Beyonwiz.

You can manually insert markers you can skip to on the Beyonwiz (press 0 on the remote during playback).

[Barboots]

A quick remote codeset question:

I just took advantage of the refurb deal on a V2, as my DP-P1 is getting very flakey. Until I iron out the operation of the V2, I will keep my other Wiz, a DP-P2, running in another room (as it currently does). The rooms have an infra-red link which I'd like to maintain, at least for the time being. I'd like to be ready for the V2's arrival and am wondering if I will have IR conflict with the V2 and P2?

I am sure I read of the V2 having the same codeset as either the P1 or P2, but my search for the post was fruitless. Could someone save me some hassle and confirm please?

Cheers, Steve

[MrQuade]

No, all the newer generation T, U, V unit's IR codes don't clash with the DP series codes.

[shanew]

Very impressed with my new V2. (Arrived undamaged thanks).
The V2's more responsive and capable than my old Topfield.
I've installed Plex on Kodi and can stream from my laptop Plex server, and I’m able to record to a 512MB SD card without any issue. Haven't tried auto-timers yet and won't want IceTV.


1. Annoyances and suggested improvements -

I had to cover the display; I used a piece of old photo negative but that's made the clock orange. Might try some blue tape or anti-static bag.

The front panel LED doesn’t adhere to the menu settings. When set to 'always off’ it still activates at times.

The WiFi dongle, when installed on the supplied USB hub, had terrible reception and the remedy was to move it to a port on the back panel. It’s fine now.

Some functions have menus that don’t appear in the main menu (e.g. long press the Guide button). I suggest moving all menus to the main menu.

The red button is used to exit menu items, but to exit the menu you have to press Exit. Why not just use the a single button? Becomes tiring.

Would be nice to have a shortcut to activate Kodi.

I found the button clicking sound of the supplied remote intolerable and have replaced it with a Harmony 350, which is pleasant to use.



2. Questions -

Can I configure the four coloured buttons to skip in recordings (instead of the arrows)?

Can I make the channel icon appear in the single channel view of the guide? Then it’d be obvious when I’ve wrapped around.


I'd recommend the V2.
Cheers.

[adoxa]

The front panel LED doesn’t adhere to the menu settings. When set to 'always off’ it still activates at times.

That's been fixed and will be available in the next update (although it's unknown when that will be).

The red button is used to exit menu items, but to exit the menu you have to press Exit. Why not just use the a single button? Becomes tiring.

EXIT should work to exit menu items, too.

Can I configure the four coloured buttons to skip in recordings (instead of the arrows)?

Not easily, but it is possible with a bit of mucking about.

Can I make the channel icon appear in the single channel view of the guide? Then it’d be obvious when I’ve wrapped around.

Should be able to add the picon, but I'm not sure how that makes it obvious you've wrapped?

[shanew]

Thx.

I think the pic icon would appear more obvious than the name of the channel.

Re skipping, I'll keep using the arrows for now. Maybe what I have is just a hangover from the Topfield.

All small stuff.

[MrQuade]

Re skipping, I'll keep using the arrows for now. Maybe what I have is just a hangover from the Topfield.

Remember that the number buttons can also be configured for skipping as well.

[shanew]

Cheers but I couldn't hack that,

I'm getting used to the arrows and they seem to make sense now.

Interestingly, a better cover for the bright display is the semi-transparent black packaging material off an AppleTV. Works brilliantly - the photo negative I was using made the clock a bit orange.

Should I install the EPGrefresh plugin? (I forget its exact name).

[MrQuade]

Should I install the EPGrefresh plugin? (I forget its exact name).

That's the one. Sure, I use it myself.

All it does is visit each broadcaster once a day to keep the EPG up to date. You can configure it to happen in a particular time window and if you want it to use the main tuner or operate like a fake recording.

[prl]

I'm getting used to the arrows and they seem to make sense now.

The original T/U/V series Beyonwiz firmware only allowed skip on the number buttons and on LEFT/RIGHT, and to skip in timeshift (and perhaps also in recordings, it's been a while), you first had to PAUSE, and then use the skip keys.

Early on, UP/DOWN were added as skip keys, to me more similar to the older Beyonwiz DP series, and the need to use PAUSE before skip was removed.

The coloured buttons are mostly assigned to other functions in contexts where you'd want to skip, so if you hack the firmware to allow them to be used for skip, then you may lose the ability to access those functions, unless you finf other keys to assign them to. In contexts where skip can be use, a pretty large proportion of buttons already have assigned uses.

Should I install the EPGrefresh plugin? (I forget its exact name).

Almost exact: EPGRefresh. In the plugin download screen (PLUGIN, GREEN Download plugins from live TV), it's in the extensions section and labelled "epgrefresh (version information)".

A lot of users who rely on the FTA EPG (rather than IceTV) use EPGRefresh to keey their EPG data updated (otherwise it relise on the user visiting live channels from each of the broadcaster often enough to keep it updated.

EPGRefresh also interacts with the AutoTimers system to run an AutoTimers update just after the EPG has been updated so that timers generated by AutoTimers can be updated with new EPG information (especially start/end times).

[prl]

Some functions have menus that don’t appear in the main menu (e.g. long press the Guide button).

In all screens that have a HELP button hint at the bottom right, pressing the HELP button on the remote will take you to a page that lists (almost) all the functions associated with buttons in that screen. The HELP button is also available in contexts where having the button hint would be inappropriate, like in live TV, when viewing timeshifted or viewing recordings.

If you press HELP in a help screen, you'll get a brief description of how to use the help system.

For the EPG, you can also use long-EPG to set the EPG style that's associated with the short press of EPG. Long-INFO can be used to change the EPG information associated with that button to be any of the same list of options as for the EPG button. The EPG and INFO buttons do the same things: they just have different default actions.

I suggest moving all menus to the main menu.

Have a read through the 5-and-a-bit pages of help entries for live TV, and you'll see the ones that activate screens or popups (usually indicated by the "..." at the end of the description). You may want to think about how many of them you'd really want to have in the main menu, and how the added numbers of entries would impact the usability of the menu. Once any column in the menu has more than 6 entries, it scrolls up and down (the left-hand column in the V2 main menu already has 6 entries).

I almost never use the main menu for a most of the most commonly-used entries in the menu: FAV for MENU>Channels, EPG for MENU>Program Guide, TIMER for MENU>Timers, PLUGIN for MENU>Plugins, long-POWER for MENU>Power.

I don't use the function of MENU>History much, but in live TV, though not in timeshifted TV, PREV, NEXT can be used instead of MENU>History.

On the U4, AUTOTIMER can be used instead of MENU>AutoTimer.

The Beyonwizes have a large and complicated UI. It's certainly a lot more complicated that that of the old Beyonwiz DP series, and also more complicated than the Topfield TF7000HDPVRt (the only Topfield that I've owned).

IMO, the complexity and inconsistency is exacerbated by the fact that the enigma2 firmware that the T/U/V series is based on is Open Source, there's no UI style guide that defines common sorts of uses for buttons (though some patterns have emerged, perhaps dimly), and it's probably far to easy to change the sort of thing that a button does in any given context.

[adoxa]

Can I make the channel icon appear in the single channel view of the guide? Then it’d be obvious when I’ve wrapped around.

Copy the attachment to /etc/enigma2 (put it on USB, MENU > Sources / Files, select the USB and the file, NEXT, select Internal Flash / etc / enigma2, PREV, YELLOW to copy), restart (MENU > Power > Restart GUI) and there you go - picon in the centre of the title. Note this is intended for the default skins, but it will apply to any skin (namely OverlayHD), which is probably not what you want. Might even keep it myself.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

Copy the attachment

Attached with lemon juice

[shanew]

Thanks for your replies MrQuade and Peter - they both helped.

The channel logo looks great adoxa. Thank you very much, it was exactly what I wanted.

[shanew]

Is there a written guide to auto-timers?

More suggestions -
1. an option for a simpler infobox only showing the current channel, show and progress
2. an option to keep the mute symbol displayed when the V2's muted

Cheers.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

Is there a written guide to auto-timers?

Yes, it's in the 'FAQs, Tips & How to Guides T2 / T3 / T4 / U4' section, and is titled 'A quick guide to Beyonwiz T series AutoTimers'.

[shanew]

If a timer starts while using the V2 and I want it to switch off when it's finished recording, do I press the power button but not answer yes or no to the dialog? (and then switch off the TV).

[shanew]

Ahhh I was looking in the V2 section. Thx Geoff.

Is there a written guide to auto-timers?

Yes, it's in the 'FAQs, Tips & How to Guides T2 / T3 / T4 / U4' section, and is titled 'A quick guide to Beyonwiz T series AutoTimers'.

[prl]

1. an option for a simpler infobox only showing the current channel, show and progress

By "infobox" do you mean the infobar displayed in live TV when you press OK? If so, its layout is fixed by the skin used. The infobars for the two pre-installed skins are pretty much the same except for their backgrounds.

IanSav's OverlayHD skin trims the height of the infobar a little, but it still has much the same information. It shows the date/time separately in a box at the top right of the screen. The OverlayHD forum topic is in the T2/T3/T4/U4 section of the forum, but it also works on the V2.

2. an option to keep the mute symbol displayed when the V2's muted

You can check the mute status in live TV, when watching timeshifted TV and when watching recordings and media by pressing OK. If mute is set the mute icon will appear. and then time out in 3 sec.

The mute icon used to never time out, but it was changed to timing out in late 2016.

The last time that someone requested this change, it didn't seem to get any support, but you could try posting in that topic and see whether there's enough support to change it. I don't think it would be hard to do.

[prl]

Ahhh I was looking in the V2 section. Thx Geoff.

The V2 runs pretty much the same firmware as all the other models - they generally are only different due to differences in what their respective hardware supports.

I think I know why the V2 was put into a separate section, but none of the features that would have justified a separate section have been made available.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

If a timer starts while using the V2 and I want it to switch off when it's finished recording, do I press the power button but not answer yes or no to the dialog? (and then switch off the TV).

That shutdown popup you see has 'no' for don't shut down, or 'yes' for immediately stop all active recordings and shut down now (which normally isn't what you want).
If by "switch off" you mean going to deep standby/shutdown mode, then you need to take other actions.

A simple action is to change the currently running timer's 'After event' action to be 'go to deep standby'. You can then put the Wiz to standby, it'll continue recording, and it'll shut down at the conclusion of recording.

Another action is to change one of the default POWER button actions that'll effect the same thing. MENU>>Setup>>System>>Button settings>>Action on (short|long} POWER. Change the (long or short) POWER button action to 'Immediate shutdown'. When pressed and recordings are running, the box will go to standby to complete the recordings, and then shut down to deep standby. It alters the after event action of the "last to finish" timer in the same way as the manual method I described above. If no recordings are active when pressed, the Wiz'll shut down.

I have short-POWER set to 'Standby' and long-POWER to 'Immediate shutdown'. If I need to bring up the power menu, I use the main menu.

[shanew]

Lovely, thanks Geoff and prl.

[prl]

I have short-POWER set to 'Standby' and long-POWER to 'Immediate shutdown'. If I need to bring up the power menu, I use the main menu.

Because we normally shut down our T4 when it's not in use, We have short-POWER set to "Immediate shutdown" and leave long-POWER set to "Show shutdown menu".

The T4 is normally only in standby when it puts itself there: to record from shutdown or to complete recordings when we want to shut it down.

There's enough flexibility there for most ways of using the PVR.

[Agropyron]

I had to cover the display; I used a piece of old photo negative but that's made the clock orange. Might try some blue tape or anti-static bag.

I've used self-adhesive LightDims LED cover strips and customisable sheets on other equipment (digital clocks, power LEDs, etc) and they work a treat and easily peel off if you want to remove them.

The 'original' strength dims LED output by approximately 50-80%, which can make some LEDs a bit too dim in bright light but is fine at night or in low light.

There are a selection of types that dim more or less.

I ordered mine from the USA years ago, but they're now available from Amazon AU.

I can't comment on how they work on the V2 as I've only just ordered mine, but hope that's of some help in reducing headache-inducing LED glare

[MrQuade]

I ordered mine from the USA years ago, but they're now available from Amazon AU.

Nice tip, those look great!