HXD870 not showing digital channels

[rassilon]

I've got two HXD870 recorders, one upstairs and one in the living room. Had them for a few years with no trouble.

They were working fine this morning (19th July 2013) and then this afternoon whilst watching a DVD on the living room player, the screen went black but the sound carried on. I stopped the playback and then resumed it and it seemed ok.

This evening I tried to watch tv though it and all channels are black. The EPG guide will flash up for a second or two and then the screen will go black. It looks like some update has broken the recorders. The EPG shows several different colours (green etc and graphics) whereas it was mostly blue and while previously.

The upstairs recorder has the same problems. They are on different ariels. They both will playback recorded programs ok or DVDs. It tired doing a rescan and it found all the usual channels ok. The firmware was 1.65. I've updated it to 1.70 and did Easy Setup again including another channel scan but that hasn't fixed the problem,

I think its a software update problem because both recorders have stopped working at the same time.

[topcattim]

I have just this minute posted an almost identical post. But you are slightly ahead of me by managing to update the firmware. Was there anything in particular that you did that made this work?

[rassilon]

I've just seen your topic too. It does seem like we've both been affected by a software update today.

To update the firmware I burned a disc and followed the instructions on the sony site. It got stuck saying DOWNLOAD-5 on the front panel with the disk tray sticking out. After a few hours I ended up turning the power off, left it off for a few minutes and switched it back on again.

But it hasn't fixed the problems of no channels showing.

After updating the firmware I also tried a software update via the menu, but that just caused the screen to go black too 😞

[pewrigh38]

similar problems tonight on the 870 and 890 models, was working ok last night but no picture or sound tonight even though the 870 is on v1.70 firmware and a factory reset doesnt fix it either. I have emailed sony about it using the support online facility so lets hope they or pioneer can quickly come up with a firmware fix otherwise there will be thousands of useless recorders here in the uk. my sony tv,s are unaffected by whatever this change was so I believe its a firmware fix needed same as the 1.70 was needed back in 2010

[Egometto]

I've got the same problem, but my machine is a HXD995.  Anyone got any answers?

[topcattim]

Well, I guess there is some reassurance to hear that others have had the same problems - it suggests that it isn't just my machine breaking, but a problem with their software which they have to deal with.

I'm still having trouble getting the firmware to update though - I had thought it might have been a problem with me not burning in ISO 9660 but for my third attempt, I've downloaded imgburn to specify ISO 9660 and it still isn't working. Getting cross now. 

[rassilon]

Yes, its reassuring to know its more widespread. I googled for the problem but only saw old messages about problems that weren't quite the same. Definitely seems like its an update released on 19th July 2013 as we all started to have these same problems tonight.

[darknido]

I am getting the same problem when I switch the unit on after work about 10:30pm the there was no sound or video and was on channel was on bbc1. I check to see if the unit recored anything and the time list showed three things with no broadcast at 7 8 and 9 pm. If you change the channel say to bbc2 and then check the signal the signal menu show for a second and then the screen flashes and the channel goes back to bbc1. I have tried to do a manual software update the menu shows for a second then disapears but the fron display shows update and the unit freezes. I have done factory reset I have got the lastest firmware ver 1.70 and Have replaced the digital channels. The dvd and hdd playback are ok. the unit was fine when I left for work at 4pm.

[Fconway70]

Just posted over on the other discussion with exactly the same problem. Also got stuck at download 5 whilst trying to update the firmware.

[stuartsalt]

I have the same problem with my HXD970 - just started tonight, and I also tried the usual fixes, ending with a firmware update to 1.70 which has got as far as download 5 and been stuck for over an hour. Sounds like it wouldn't be making any difference even if it updated, though. There are other threads starting tonight as well. I guess it has to be a regular automatic update that's gone wrong and hopefully with enough people contacting Sony they will fix it very soon...