Emporium

A few weeks ago I reproduced this issue a few times on my Classic after a recent firmware update. I already reported it and provided logs to @allaboutbuzz and it seems like the logs are showing issues with HDCP. I tried replacing HDMI cable and even moved to another monitor/tv but it didn't make a difference. Hoping they find the source of the issue. For not it is a minor inconvenience. Quick reboot and it works again.

Strange. Did you try programming something starting at :15 and try for an hour ? Like 6:15 to 7:15 ? Just want to exclude possibility that service is changing stream links every 30 minutes.

How big was the recording ? Keep in mind that if you formatted your media on the box, or even possibly on a PC, by default it will format using FAT32. I strongly recommend formatting the USB key on a PC, and forcing the format to exFAT format. FAT32 has a single file size limitation of 4GB. Anything larger will get truncated. exFAT limitations are a lot higher, and obviously preferred. Don't think that is the case here, since 4GB for 30 minutes would be a really HUGE bitrate, but just saying. Also, just as a test, try starting the recording at a 15 minutes mark (not 00 or 30). Reason I ask is because I used to have a service (don't recall which one) who for some bizarre reason the streams would change every 30 minutes (on the half hour 00 and 30), which means the recordings would never be more than 30 minutes. I assume what you tested was a manually scheduled recording ? Did you try with EPG ? Just curious.

When you launch VLC, if you scroll down, you will see your USB device and you can then browse it and play whatever you want. I do it all the time. However that assumes that when you first launched VLC (when you got your box), you gave VLC permission to access files on your device. If not, you may need to play with permissions (or just uninstall and reinstall VLC and then accept the permission request when you asked at first launch).

Since you are turning TV off and leaving box on, I am assuming you have ALL HDMI CEC settings disabled ? Would be nice to post the firmware and software version you are running. Software you can easily find from LiveTV if you press the menu button, it hould be listed at the bottom left (5.0.xxx). Firmware you can tell from the home screen if you go to settings/updates. Should be something like V2022..... or V2023... Have you tried using the EPG to record something further out ?

When you say "Turning off and back on does not work". Are you set to go into suspend mode, or shutdown ? When you turn it on, do you see the buzz logo, or does it go straight to home screen ? Suspend will obviously do nothing for you. I always strongly recommend shutdown, since suspend does over time carry over all sort of little issue (memory leaks, backend driver issues, etc..). Doing a full shutdown, ensures that every boot starts off clean. When this happens again, try to go into other built in apps (like youtube) and see if they work or not. Are you wired or wireless ? If you are wireless, are you sure that before the U5 launches the LiveTV app, that the network is connected ? I have seen the occasional bizarre behaviour if launching liveTV before the network is established. Also, for the LiveTV server channels and favorites, you can do a backup and save them to a USB stick. Can easily be restored. Now for other 3rd party apps, I have no clue if the apps themselves have options to export settings or not. That is a different issue.

Many factory resets here also, with no issues. However I have seen in some rare cases, if using a MAC based sub, that the service will detect it as a new box and therefore requires a MAC reset on the panel. This is not the fault of the box, but rather a small security feature of the service panel. Once of the reasons I typically prefer XC logins, since this is not something you need to worry about.

Force USB has NOTHING to do with getting recording to work. Especially NOT on a Buzz device with the native BuzzTV apps. The option you are talking about is to allow you to use "adopted external storage" which has been formatted as internal storage to be used for installing apps, even if the manifest clearly states not to. Doing so will often break and app, which is why it is not the default option. It is a last resort option to help with devices that are low on internal storage. It's like an Android phone when you are using Google Maps in offline mode, by default it will download to internal storage, but the APP itself provides the option to save any downloaded data to an external storage (microSD) if it detects one. But the Dev option is NOT needed to be enabled. Setting the Dev option for external USB storage would do nothing for the map download option. But when you install apps, instead of being installed on your internal storage (like default), they would install on external). But then when your external storage fails (like most microSD cards do eventually), then you will have ZERO option but to do a hard reset, since nothing will work. Instead of worrying about dev options (which are pointless in fixing anything except for the minor cosmetic stuff I mentioned - which are only really meaningfull on old archaic boxes), you should have started a thread and explained the real issue you are having with your BuzzTV box and BuzzTV 5 app.

IMHO, force allow apps on external was the biggest mistake Android ever introduced. Unless there is very specific testing or SERIOUSLY extreme borderline on internal space availability, then is should remain off. Even on Android phones, it is a disaster waiting to happen when you use it. Nice idea in "theory" but a disaster in real world use. For USB debugging, WHY would you enable it if you have no use for it. If you "needed" it and had a purpose for it, you would know. So why enable it ? The ONLY options I have ever played with on the dev options is the Animation ones (Windows Animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale). By default they are at 1x, and on slower boxes I sometimes change them to .5x to make an android device feel a little quicker. Turning them off completely does get some apps to misbehave. Changing anything else (like process limits, etc..) even though it may seem like a nice feature, it can cause all sorts of other instabilities with apps that do not expect the defaults to be different. There is a reason they are called "developer options". They are primarily for debugging and trying to stimulate certain conditions in order for a dev to correct and address the way their app behaves when something out of the ordinary happens.

Not that I know of. Can you provide more info ? What box ae you using ? You say .796, but that is quite old. Even .799 which is what some boxes are still at, is getting old. BuzzTV 5 is already up to .906 (public release) on many boxes.. Are you using MAC, XC or M3U type connection ? If you are using XC, have you tried switching from XML to Server EPG ? Also if using XC, have you tried switching to M3U to see if it makes a difference ? When you say it "breaks" your EPG, can you provide details ? Does it not work at all ? Is it offset by a certain amount of time ? When you update from .796, what version did your box go to ? I have a number of Buzz boxes and I don't have any issue with any of my services and the EPG, so it is surely something specific to your provider. But provide the info above and we can see. If it is something very specific to the provider, maybe you'll have to PM your service details to allaboutbuzz to see if they can address it in the next release. No point in patching to stay behind in the releases. May as well get it fixed at the source. Let's start by answering the questions above.

ReREAD my post. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with it. It first points out that your are disrespectful by hijacking another thread (which you obviously got the hint, even though I did not use any harsh language). But then I just provides 100% technical advice (which come to think of it, I should NOT have even provided). I even went ahead of checked the options for tomato which I haven't used in ages to try to guide you in the right direction. There is nothing in the technical explanation which is said in any demeaning manner (or downtalk as you put it) !!! It is just pure facts. Now if you are technically incompetent (guess it is the only way to say it after your reply, since you decided to take offence to the way a technical reply was made, I may as well scale it up since you don't want baby talk), then that is for you to deal with. And lastly, this is a forum for Buzz box technical issue. You issue is more of a home networking and service issue. Not related to the Buzz box. Enjoy your google searches and youtube, because this is the last help you are getting from most of us. An NO, I am not a mod on these forums, and don't get paid to provide any help. But if I was, you and your multiple personalities, would have been banned already for the attitude.

First of all, you are hijacking someone else's thread. Secondly, I made a simple recommendation and will not go through everyone's network setup to configure stuff. If you are having connection issues, you should try without VPN first, to see if that is the source of the problem. If it is, then you can try different servers on the vpn server to see if it is possibly just an issue with that servers. I don't know what expressvpn uses and even less on how to configure it on tomato. I haven't used any linksys router and 3rd party firmware since the days of DD-WRT and the original Linksys WRT54G I will make 1 and only 1 recommendation, and will not reply further to configuration issues... tomato vpn config has options for DNS as such (I believe under advanced, and "Accept DNS configuration"): Disabled = DNS servers sent by VPN-provided DNS server are ignored Relaxed = DNS servers sent by VPN-provided DNS server are prepended to the current list of DNS servers, of which any can be used Strict = DNS servers sent by the VPN-provided DNS server are prepended to the current list of DNS servers, which are used in order (existing DNS servers are only used if VPN-provided ones don't respond) Exclusive = only the VPN-provided DNS servers are used I guess you'd have to set that to "disabled" to allow the router to ignore DNS servers from espressvpn. *** However keep in mind, using DNS servers external to your VPN provider is considered a "leak" and therefore not 100% private, since your DNS queries are going to 3rd party servers. I personally don't care, but just saying.

This is often a DNS issue. Most ISP are crap when it comes to their DNS servers. Change your router and set something like 1.1.1.1 (cloudflare) and/or 8.8.8.8 (Google) as your DNS servers. And ensure that your router is supplying that to all DHCP requests downstream (like your boxes). That way, your ISP has no say in what you are resolving or not.

Well, it is like any new electronic device. Even on my Pixel 7, it took maybe 4 or 5 cycles of updates before it was done. And Keep a Windows PC powered off for a month or 2, and let me know how many cycles of checking for updates you will need to do before it comes back and tells you it is done and no more updates available. And with W10 it is not as bad (since they have many rollups). W7 and before was a nightmare. The longest part of a new install was all the updates, since there were all incremental and it often took a whole day, just doing updates, rebooting, new updates, rebooting, rinse and repeat

Lucky it was in that direction (ie: using a 5V when device expected 12V). If you do it the opposite way around, you would not have been so lucky, since the device expecting 5V would "possibly" smoke if you gave it 12V. I usually put a small ptouch label at the end of 12V power supplies, to warn/remind me that it is a 12V and not for use on most other buzz boxes.

The holiday sale has started. It is pretty much the same sale as there was recently during the Black Friday sale. Still nice to see a sale for some great devices. And the details were exposed today: Thanks Buzz, and Happy Holidays to everyone NOTE to Buzz: The sale banner (1st image, which has been up for a few days), it is a little misleading.. Should have said "UP TO 30% off". I have at least half a dozen people who emailed me this morning that the sale is not 30% off sitewide (as it is written and was interpreted), after having seen the banner on the weekend.

We know, and so does Buzz. They already thought they fixed it in the last update, but they are aware that it was not, and they are looking into it. Hopefully it will be addressed in the next update. https://stbtalk.com/index.php?/topic/13848-new-buzz-5-app-update-version-50906-october-19th2023/&do=findComment&comment=31278 However it is mostly cosmetic, since the connection does disconnect. I confirmed while checking my reseller panel, and confirmed by checking the connection log on my firewall.

As a matter of fact, I always recommend using your own router. Makes things simple and transparent when you change ISP. And the junk most ISP provide is truly junk, barely adequate for a tiny apartment, and a single user,

Since you seem to be close with/to your retailer, is it possible that the box is defective ? Have they offered to just swap/replace it to see if the problem persists ? When the issue happens, have you tried simply toggling the WiFi on/off ? Just turn it off for a few seconds and then re-enabling it. Another thing that some people have found that fixes odd issues (and this one is odd), is toggling the "hotspot" option (which is in the same menu).

When you say you did all this with "tech" support, who are you referring to ? ISP, Buzz, or IPTV service provider ? Because later you say "They spoke with Buzztv...". Who is they ? I have never had issues moving my boxes around. Actually I often take my box to my Mom's and the box auto connects between mine and my mom's without an issue. I even sometimes take the box to the office to demo it to colleagues when they are interested in getting a Buzz box. But having issues moving it within your same home ? That is strange. Never seen that problem. When you power up the box, are you waiting any time before you launch the LiveTV app ? Sometimes, depending on your router it can take a few seconds (sometimes up to 30 seconds) depending on your WiFi. I used to use Asus routers (which are great), and that is what I have at Mom's place (older AC86U). And At home and at the office, I use enterprise grade Cisco WiFi Access points and no issues. Does your router give you the option to separate your 2.4 and 5Ghz bands ? If so, try to separate them (you'll then have 2 separate SSID (one for 2.4Ghz and one for 5Ghz). This way you don't leave it up to the router to decide what to force you onto. I am assuming when you change networks, you do go into the WiFi/network section and ensure you select the correct network and put in the correct password (if it is the first time) ?

The box DOES go into suspend mode. It is just the LED that does not change color. So it is not really that bad. "You A/C works, and it does cool you down, but the lights do not reflect it" - ie: just like my Honda is now I'm sure it will eventually get fixed.

One of my 4900 boxes is connected to my Sharp Aquos TV, and my second one is connected to a 24" computer Monitor which I have in my bedroom with a small soundbar. connected to the audio out jack of the monitor. They both used to go red on suspend ages ago when I used to use suspend. Nowadays I just do a full shutdown, since I found that when I used suspend, after a few resumes the network starts to act up, and I'd need to reboot anyhow. So for the extra minute it takes to do a full boot, nowadays all my boxes are set to shutdown.

I rarely use suspend, but I just tested and my 4500 and 4900 with 906 also stays blue on suspend. XRS4500 Firmware V20220919 with 5.0.906 Both of my XRS4900, Firmware V20220923 with 5.0.906 (nbs, as you mentioned in another thread you have slightly newer fw, 2022116, "which was made for some users having standby/shutdown issues with their remote. After powering off") Not sure suspend issues would be s/w related. I'd assume they were firmware related. But then again, it has been a while since we have gotten a f/w update on the 4000 series. Tested on my Classic ( 5 series), and it works as expected. Back on Oct 19 when allaboutbuzz posted about 906 going to all android 9 boxes, he did mention they would look at the light issue again when it was mentioned that the issue was not fixed [at least not for all cases] (even though release notes state it is).

Everyone's needs are different. However Tivimate is not without it's own issues however (no software is). At pone point it took Alex (the dev) so long to fix one issue which would overload many servers, that at one point many servers had actually banned the use of Tivimate on their servers. The primary service I use has pretty much all the channels I want/need anyhow. I've tried many others, and don't see any specific channels other have that I'd want. The other services I have are more for backup purposes (and rarely used anyhow), not for any additional channels. Once or twice that I have wanted something specific, I made a request and they are pretty quick in adding it when their sources have it available.