Our Panasonic HDD PVR is possibly about to fall over. It's just hung twice in 10 minutes giving a u61 error code. Google suggests it could be a leaky capacitor in the power supply and it's not worth fixing. Ours has always been a little tetchy although wife's parents have the same box and it's been fine. Hey ho.
Despite much more streaming the wife in particular loves filling a
Huge HDD with TV to rarely watch again so we'll probably get another. One thing that will frustrate though is that we have a number of films that the kids enjoy over and over on the HDD (frozen, and others). If I fished the HDD out and stuck it in a caddy would the files be a standard format/video codec that either the lap top, or maybe the new PVR, could read? Or do Panasonic use some proprietary codec? In which case it's probably not something I'll bother with.
I'd be surprised if they used a completely proprietary format. Only way to tell is to pull it out and plug it into a computer.
Not sure how you'd transfer them to the replacement device as even if they're MP4s or similar they may well have an internal filing system or metadata files that would need to be present/populated to see the files.
I'm sure if you Google it someone will have done it.
Or if I could find the instructions for the unit it might tell me the formats it reads... Present one has a usb slot where I could plug in a stick/HDD/video camera and the unit can read the file to play and transfer them. I function I've never used.... But would now like in the replacement.
The file format is likely to be transport stream format. This is what is on the airwaves and recorders simply record the transport stream which I think is an h.264 format.
When played back the PVR will decode this into HDMI or analog video.
VLC among others will play TS.
Question is is the actual disk readable by windows. It's probably a Linux partition.
Yes, likely to be transport streams. I have a memory that with PVR's HD recordings are encrypted somehow to prevent you playing them elsewhere but SD recordings are not. As always there will be ways around the encryption if you try hard enough.
Before I finally gave in and went to Sky, Humax were always the go to for PVR's, but apparently they went downhill after the venerable HDR-FOX T2. If you can lay you hands on one of those there is all kinds of funky stuff you can do by installing custom firmware (eg. decrypting and moving files around, scheduling recordings via a web interface).
Yes I reckon you're right, I'd guess the unit's operating system sits on the HDD and Linux OS is probably likely. So I'd need something running Linux to read it? Hmmm chrome is Linux based isn't it? I wonder if the Chromebook would read it. I guess it'll be a case of buy a caddy, shove the drive in and see if anything can read it. Worst case I reformat and end up with (yet another) HDD I don't really need
This link seems to cover it - and matches my memory from when I was close to this at the BBC. Transport Streams aren't encrypted (so anything you pull onto a PC with a DTT card is fine) but HD files are encrypted on set top boxes as part of the Freeview/Freesat brand licencing.
Cheers, I'll give the link a read, but sounds like stuff recorded from a hd channel (Frozen in this case!) Would be encrypted.... So the humax FVP-5000T which seems to be the go to box now, won't play it. Ok....Blu-ray needs ordering fast or my 3 year old's melt down will be massive!
This is a crazy idea that may not even work.
You tell your in-laws how upset the children are and how if only you could find the same machine, you might be able to move your hdd into it. They give you theirs.
Hahaha! Nice idea.
It's currently working again for the moment, sheet a third hang up and a different error message. It does feel like it's days are very numbered though.
TBF, it's no disaster, just means I might have to buy a few more DVD/Blu-ray. With 5 and 3 yo girls the 'magic of Disney' is very valuable in this house!
How about a Disney subscription, then you can watch all the film's!
Was going to say our kids are loving our Disney+ subscription. Some interesting documentaries on the National geographic area as well. Plus my guilty pleasure which is Car SOS.
Can't help with transferring the files, but we've just replaced our old humax hdr fox t2 with a humax aura. It's pretty good, would reccomend
If it's the PSU maybe you can just bodge an old PC power supply onto it.
Measure the voltages you've got now - chances are it's a combination of +5V, 3V3 and 12V. Wire up to donor PSU accordingly.
Just watch out not to let the magic smoke out, it's really hard to get back inside.