Magnavox MDR515H/F7 DVR (Lock-Up/Freezing Issue) RESOLVED!

Jan. 2012 Update: I am currently testing a beta firmware release from Funai that fixes this issue and it's been working very well. No more lockups/freezing while booting in Analog mode!

This is an experiment with my third new Magnavox MDR515H/F7 DVR. I had this same Lock-Up/Freezing issue with ALL 3 units in the last 2 months. This may be an issue with my CableTV co.'s analog signal. (Time Warner)

1. RF input is from TW Cable in So. Cal and output is HDMI direct to my Panasonic TC-P42U2 - 42" Widescreen 1080p Plasma HDTV. I have also connected Only composite from the unit to my TV with the same results. (HDMI disconnected)

2. AutoClock is OFF, DST is OFF, Screensaver is OFF, HDMI FunLink is OFF as well as Panasonic Viera Link on my TV, though I've tried turning
both of these(HDMI FunLink and Viera link)ON with the same results. I have also tried turning AutoClock ON Manual and set it to the CBS analog
channel with the same results.

3. Notice how the DVR tuner acts when powering up on an "Analog" channel? By simply switching to a "Digital" channel then back to "Analog"
seems to correct the issue.

4. I disconnected the RF input from TW Cable and then powered up the DVR while on an "Analog" channel.
This is when it Locked-Up and completely Froze. At this point the unit must be Unplugged for over 2 1/2 hours forcing a "Hard Reset."

Note: The channels (both Analog & Digital) come in perfect on my Panasonic Plasma without being connected to the MDR515H/F7 unit.

On the MDR515H/F7 I receive:
69 Analog channels
93 Digital channels
Grand Total: 162 channels

So far, this has been a pretty good unit as long as it's powered up in Digital mode first. The picture quality of recorded events from Digital channels is quite impressive, but the Analog picture quality is not very good (grainy/snowy). My Panasonic HDTV's tuner does a much nicer job of tuning Analog channels than this unit. (nice and sharp) I suppose when CableCos. completely switch all channels to Digital then this wouldn't matter. :)

June 2011 Update: The unit lost all of my DTV channels a few times over the months. Analog channels are still there. Doing a channel rescan does NOT bring them back. I have to do a "Skip 1, 2, 3" (hard reset) then do a Full Analog/DTV scan to get them all back and reprogram EVERYTHING again.

Have you had similar Lock-Up issues or do you have any questions or suggestions?

Huge amounts of info on these and other DVRs from avsforum.com site below...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12244086&postcount=1

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• MDR515
• MDR515H
• MDR515H/F7
• Magnavox DVR
• DVR HDD
• DVR Frozen
• DVR lockup
• DVR unresponsive
• DVR hung
• Funai DVR
• 515H
• Time Warner Cable
• AVSForum
• MDR513H
• Digital Video Recorder

[purseonal2010]

I have a question regarding this DVR which i am going to buy this coming friday. Can i remove the 500GB hard drive from the unit, and replace it with a 1TB hard drive? Is it fairly easy to do? Will the unit then recognize the 1TB hard drive?

[jerrymc777]

@purseonal2010 According to the AVSForum.com, NO. The FirmWare will only recognize a 500GB drive. I've heard that some have modified the internal connectors to use an external eSATA connection, but you'd be better asking in the AVSForum.

More on hardware replacements here:

***.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpo­st.php?p=12355769&postcount=39

[jerrymc777]

@hailherrosner From the things I've read on AVSForum.com it appears that the entertainment execs fear that everyone will burn BluRays from TV, satellite,etc.. An industry full of GREED. Also, TIVO has sued Echostar(Dishnet) for their DVRs because of copyright infringement. Bundle this BS with cable and satellite forcing users to additional monthly fees to use THEIR equipment. I wish congress would pass laws to open the market for us to own our own equipment,but until then,we're screwed!

[hailherrosner]

@jerrymc777 In Australia and Europe and Japan everybody already has Blu-Ray recorders with 500GB-2 TB hard drives, and they record and save in 1080i or 1080P, I don't know what the hell is going on in North America, how come there are no Blu-Ray recorders here? My cousin in Australia has a Panasonic Blu-ray recorder with a 500 GB Hard Drive and he thinks that were pathetic that we don't have it here yet, is there some kind of conspiracy going on to keep them out of North America or what?

[jerrymc777]

@hailherrosner Rumors are flying that Magnavox/Funai is creating a DVR that will record in HD and have a BluRay recorder for archiving. I do like this MDR515 model because I can edit parts of shows out (commercials) and save back to the HDD or DVD. Magnavox already sells them in Japan, but the problem is with cable tv cos. The built-in tuner of this unit will only get clear/unencrypted digital and analog stations. (C-QAM) And I don't want to pay a monthly fee to use my own equipment! TIVO, Moxi

[hailherrosner]

@jerrymc777 Since this unit does not record in HD, and has some reliability problems, I would recommend you get a Pioneer DVR-650H HDD/dvd recorder with 250 GB or Sony RDR-HX780 HDD/DVD recorder with 160 GB, I own both and from my HD box I go S-Video out along with right/left audio to S-Video into the recorder, and I leave the recorder channel input to Line 1 in, image quality is amazing in HQ or SP,you can find one second hand on Craigslist or Kijjiji, I highly recommend you get Pioneer or Sony

[jerrymc777]

@hailherrosner No, this unit will Not record in HighDef (HD). It does receive HD digital stations, but only records in SD format on the HDD and DVD. On the HQ or SP setting the picture quality is still very impressive. With the new firmware it no longer cuts out and freezes/locks up. I've been running the new firmware since Jan 2012 with NO issues.

[hailherrosner]

@jerrymc777 Dude, does this record in HD on the hard drive? and can it record from hard drive to dvd in hd 1080p? and is it reliable or still clicking in and out?

[jerrymc777]

@pumpkinitis I am not familiar with that unit, but you can get tons of info on those on AVSForum.com

The MDR515H/F7 are supposedly out of production now. You can get a good refurb unit from Amazon or J&R.

[pumpkinitis]

I have a magnavox zv450mw8 dual vcr/dvd player. It is practically fried so I am taking it apart to salvage anything in it if even possible. What part of this component is the actual tuner that was built in to it? Thanks for any help.