why did I get Motorola 1225 DVR STB (set top box) instead of newer models

clin36 · ‎12-01-2011

hi,

just got my ATT u-verse service (TV with HD, internet and voice) and tech installed Motorola 1225

why am I getting a DVR/STB that is 2009 vintage instead of newer models like Motorola 2250, or Cisco 4320?

already has problems with this Motorolla 1225.

1. HDMI connection to TV - if I configure STB digital audio output to "Stereo" then audio is fine. But when I set it to "Surround", then if I am watching HD channels I get no audio, instead I get like machine-gun noise.

2. DVR recording feature sucks. I want to record certain time period, and either wkly (but by day of the week), or record daily. Does not allow me to schedule in such way. Sure, I can program manual recording, and set the time, say from 4 am to 6 am, but then I have to pick a day (out of 30 or 31 days from today). I cannot tell it to record the same 4 am to 6 am every wk, on the same day I've scheduled my original recording. Or same 4 am to 6 am, everyday of the week, indefinitely.

3. viewing ATT menu was kind of slow

4. only had STB for 2 days, and only had TV on for about 3 hours total (mostly just trying to learn about STB remote and features), and already saw freezing and loosing TV signal several times.

5. I feed TV signal from receiver (ATT or Comcast, my previous provider) to a VCR, to record programs. Turns out ATT box goes into standby mode after 6 hours or so, with "Press OK to watch u-verse TV". So my Panasonic DVD/HD player/recorder recorded the TV program but only to end up with all blue screen and shifting "press ok to watch TV"

Does newer or higher model ATT DVR / STB have ability to NOT go into standy mode?

Does newer or higher model box offer better recording programming feature (choices of recording time patterns)?

thanks

aviewer · ‎03-11-2010

1. HDMI connection to TV - if I configure STB digital audio output to "Stereo" then audio is fine. But when I set it to "Surround", then if I am watching HD channels I get no audio, instead I get like machine-gun noise.

Yes, TV does not decode surround. Requires manual setting to match target device capability. Needs an automatic setting.

2. DVR recording feature sucks. I want to record certain time period, and either wkly (but by day of the week), or record daily. Does not allow me to schedule in such way. Sure, I can program manual recording, and set the time, say from 4 am to 6 am, but then I have to pick a day (out of 30 or 31 days from today). I cannot tell it to record the same 4 am to 6 am every wk, on the same day I've scheduled my original recording. Or same 4 am to 6 am, everyday of the week, indefinitely.

Yes, those choices are needed.

3. viewing ATT menu was kind of slow

Yes, came with latest update. Looking for fix. Maybe being rolled out now.

4. only had STB for 2 days, and only had TV on for about 3 hours total (mostly just trying to learn about STB remote and features), and already saw freezing and loosing TV signal several times.

Something wrong in your wiring. Should not do that.

5. I feed TV signal from receiver (ATT or Comcast, my previous provider) to a VCR, to record programs. Turns out ATT box goes into standby mode after 6 hours or so, with "Press OK to watch u-verse TV". So my Panasonic DVD/HD player/recorder recorded the TV program but only to end up with all blue screen and shifting "press ok to watch TV"

Does newer or higher model ATT DVR / STB have ability to NOT go into standy mode?

Does newer or higher model box offer better recording programming feature (choices of recording time patterns)?

No, not a good design for what you want to do. Set up to record on DVR (can record up to 4 shows at once) then play into your secondatry device.

Or use IR blaster to control STB.

STB should have a scheduling feature to turn on to channel at time of recording. Had a cable box once that did that.

thanks

clin36 · ‎12-01-2011

Thanks, Aviewer, for quick response.

For #1 (surround setting with machine gun noise), what do you mean by "Requires manual setting to match target device capability. Needs an automatic setting."?

What was interesting was that after I got my STB and started playing around with it by going into Menu > system options >, I first changed "digital output audio" from stereo to surround (was watching HD channel I think), and immediately I can hear surround effect through my TV speakers. It was only later while I was navigating through other STB menu that suddenly my good audio turned into machine gun noise.

The tech came back 2 days later to swap the box, but still same result. At the same time, if I output digital audio from STB using optical to my Sony A/V Receiver, then I can see from Sony display that I am getting Dolby Digital, optical input, and appears to be multi-channel (only has two front channel hooked up though, didn't bother to put back all the connections yet).

Also, my Panasonic HD TV has a digital optical output. So while the HDMI is giving the machine gun noise, at the same time, if I listen to the TV's optical output to my Sony Receiver, I hear the same machine gun noise. So either the surround digital audio signal that is coming out of the ATT STB box's is bad, or it is good but but somehow my TV does not process it correctly. But as I said, when I first switch to HD surround digital output on STB box, my TV appeared to be playing good surround audio for a while, before breaking.

Regarding #5 - STB goes into standby mode and 'press ok to watch u-verse TV' -- I did a test last night and think it's a viable work around. If there is no DVR recording scheduled and no recording activities, then you get into that standby screen after some hours. Last night, knowing that my Panasonic was starting recording from 4 am, I programmed ATT DVR to start recording from 3:30 to 6 am. This morning I checked my recording in Panasonic DVR recorder, and instead of blue screen it was showing the actual program. So looks like as long as ATT DVR is in action, the actual TV signal is being transmitted in and out of the STB, so good TV signal was getting to my Panasonic recorder. So if I just program everything the same way on both ATT DVR and my Panasonic DVR, then I should be able to get normal TV signal to the Panasonic DVR, without worrying about TV signal switching into the standby screen.

Is this assessment correct?

Finally, can yuou answer the question as to whether newer ATT DVR/STB boxes (either Motorola or Cisco) offers better recording patterns/choices than my Motorola 1225?

gregzoll_1 · ‎06-23-2010

It depends on stock available. Not everyone is going to get a brand new box. Now that a lot of boxes are being sent back, by either those disconnecting their service and going with other providers (in the industry, they call this Churn), or sending back due to not needing said box (downgrading), the boxes are reconditioned and sent out as refurbished for most.

If you got lucky and got new stock, it will be depleted, before anyone may get the newer boxes. Just because the box was made in 2009, does not make it out of date. The software can be updated to bring it up to date.

________________________________________________________________

"Ren: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button? Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!

Stimpy: So what'll happen?

Ren: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?"
________________________________________________________________

clin36 · ‎12-01-2011

I have been on phoen and online with ATT support (tech support, customer support) since last night

Looks like I have a chance to get my Motorola replaced with something newer. Has been offered the ATT wireless STB

To me wireless is not so important, but these are:

1. large recording space (more hours for recording) - the new box definitely should beat out the old one

2. better DVR recording pattern/choices (daily, weekly, for example, of specified time window)

3. does not go into standby mode (no blue screen with 'press ok to watch u-verse TV)

But I am worry about the wireless ATT DVR/STB, being perhaps pretty new, has many bugs. I did quick online search and obviouslyl there are posting of people having problems with ATT wirelsss DVR STB, but same for any other new or old DVR STB (and regardless of whether ATT or Comcast or Dish).

So if I am offered an upgrade, is it safe to go with the wireless STB, or should I just ask for a newer, hard-wired Cisco or Motorola DVR STB?

thanks

texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

The new wireless receiver is an STB only not a DVR. There are no wireless DVR's. Your current Motorola VIP 1225 is a DVR.

clin36 · ‎12-01-2011

wow, ok, I am on phone (but waiting) so need to check with customer support if the 'wireless unit' they are offering me is just the receiver. But if so, then what do I do for DVR? Does it mean I keep the same Motorola 1225?

Rigth now I already have two pieces of equipment - a ATT gateway 3800 HGV-B connecting to the coax from the wall, and a LAN cable from 3800 to ATT motorola 1225.

I thought what I was offered is a combo STB + DVR unit, which means I would return the Motorola 1225, and there will be no LAN cable going from ATT 3800 to the new ATT STB/DVR.

so what am I really getting and how does that fit into my current set up?

thanks

texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

It sounds like you only have one receiver: the Motorola VIP DVR. You cannot replace that with a wireless receiver. The wireless receivers are STB's only not DVR's.

Since you only have a DVR and no regular receivers, you will need to keep the wired box. You can use a wireless receiver if you want to add another TV to your system. You can have up to 2 wireless receivers in your U-verse setup.

spd2demun · ‎07-28-2007

Someone mentioned that the newer boxes have an option to turn off Standby, but I don't see that anyone has confirmed this.

edit to add post link--see that was you that posted

...Person told me my box (1225) does that, but higher model STB can be configure to not go into standby...

clin36 wrote:

I have been on phoen and online with ATT support (tech support, customer support) since last night

Looks like I have a chance to get my Motorola replaced with something newer. Has been offered the ATT wireless STB

To me wireless is not so important, but these are:

1. large recording space (more hours for recording) - the new box definitely should beat out the old one

2. better DVR recording pattern/choices (daily, weekly, for example, of specified time window)

3. does not go into standby mode (no blue screen with 'press ok to watch u-verse TV)

But I am worry about the wireless ATT DVR/STB, being perhaps pretty new, has many bugs. I did quick online search and obviouslyl there are posting of people having problems with ATT wirelsss DVR STB, but same for any other new or old DVR STB (and regardless of whether ATT or Comcast or Dish).

So if I am offered an upgrade, is it safe to go with the wireless STB, or should I just ask for a newer, hard-wired Cisco or Motorola DVR STB?

thanks

aviewer · ‎03-11-2010

clin36 - I did not see this response earlier. I see you have gone in another direction, but I thought I would answer your questions.

Thanks, Aviewer, for quick response.

For #1 (surround setting with machine gun noise), what do you mean by "Requires manual setting to match target device capability. Needs an automatic setting."?

By manual setting I mean the setting you describe below. It is up to the user to specify which type of sound downstream devices can handle. By automatic, I mean HDMI should feedback capablities & the STB should respond,

You describe a connection mess below. It reminds me of sofrware development. Its easy to get the first activity right. But, when you string a few steps in a row each step makes sense but the end result is undesired.

The mfgr allow all these connections, but they do not work together.

What was interesting was that after I got my STB and started playing around with it by going into Menu > system options >, I first changed "digital output audio" from stereo to surround (was watching HD channel I think), and immediately I can hear surround effect through my TV speakers. It was only later while I was navigating through other STB menu that suddenly my good audio turned into machine gun noise.

The tech came back 2 days later to swap the box, but still same result. At the same time, if I output digital audio from STB using optical to my Sony A/V Receiver, then I can see from Sony display that I am getting Dolby Digital, optical input, and appears to be multi-channel (only has two front channel hooked up though, didn't bother to put back all the connections yet).

Also, my Panasonic HD TV has a digital optical output. So while the HDMI is giving the machine gun noise, at the same time, if I listen to the TV's optical output to my Sony Receiver, I hear the same machine gun noise. So either the surround digital audio signal that is coming out of the ATT STB box's is bad, or it is good but but somehow my TV does not process it correctly. But as I said, when I first switch to HD surround digital output on STB box, my TV appeared to be playing good surround audio for a while, before breaking.

Regarding #5 - STB goes into standby mode and 'press ok to watch u-verse TV' -- I did a test last night and think it's a viable work around. If there is no DVR recording scheduled and no recording activities, then you get into that standby screen after some hours. Last night, knowing that my Panasonic was starting recording from 4 am, I programmed ATT DVR to start recording from 3:30 to 6 am. This morning I checked my recording in Panasonic DVR recorder, and instead of blue screen it was showing the actual program. So looks like as long as ATT DVR is in action, the actual TV signal is being transmitted in and out of the STB, so good TV signal was getting to my Panasonic recorder. So if I just program everything the same way on both ATT DVR and my Panasonic DVR, then I should be able to get normal TV signal to the Panasonic DVR, without worrying about TV signal switching into the standby screen.

Is this assessment correct?

I don't know. I only use the DVR. So, I do mot I have a need to know. I believe, the auto sleep is a bad design & with or without auto sleep not having the ablity to schedule a turn on to a specific channel is a major miss of the same magnitude as no slo-mo & probably a couple of other features.

Finally, can yuou answer the question as to whether newer ATT DVR/STB boxes (either Motorola or Cisco) offers better recording patterns/choices than my Motorola 1225?

I believe all the softwareis the same, but, I have no experience with the new boxes.

skeeterintexas · ‎12-09-2007

spd2demun wrote:
Someone mentioned that the newer boxes have an option to turn off Standby, but I don't see that anyone has confirmed this.

edit to add post link--see that was you that posted
...Person told me my box (1225) does that, but higher model STB can be configure to not go into standby...
We're using the VIP2250 and I am not aware of the option to turn off the blue (standby) screen short of the mentioned workarounds. If it's there, I'd love to know how to do that.

spd2demun · ‎07-28-2007

I was hoping...since they mentioned it on one of the e-panel surveys. :smilleysad:

aviewer · ‎03-11-2010

If I recall correctly there was time when the boxes did not go to sleep. The sleep was induced by a software download. So, they could change it if they really wanted to .

Change it universally.
Change it by allowing a user option.
Change it on a case by case basis.
Just change it.

skeeterintexas · ‎12-09-2007

aviewer wrote:
If I recall correctly there was time when the boxes did not go to sleep. The sleep was induced by a software download. So, they could change it if they really wanted to .

Change it universally.
Change it by allowing a user option.
Change it on a case by case basis.
Just change it.

I think it all goes back to the fact that the 2200 series and even the 1200 series, have the Energy Star rating.

spd2demun · ‎07-28-2007

Yes, in the beginning they did not go into standby; and I think it's not really Energy Star (like they claimed), but for stream/bandwith-saving reasons.

skeeterintexas · ‎12-09-2007

spd2demun wrote:
Yes, in the beginning they did not go into standby; and I think it's not really Energy Star (like they claimed), but for stream/bandwith-saving reasons.

Perhaps but I found the (Motorola) book we got with the box and there's all kind of mumbo jumbo about how it meets the "Energy Star and Power management Criteria specified in the Enery Star Program Requirements of Set-top Boxes."

Who knew? They even have requirements for STBs. If you got to motorola.com and search just "vip", there's all kinds of memos and communications about these boxes and what was required on them.

spd2demun · ‎07-28-2007

Someone pointed it out at one time, but can't recall who it was.

aviewer · ‎03-11-2010

Not sure the reason is important. To me the critical thing is they have the ability to decide and change how it works. It is their business decision & they do not need to share the rationale.

The new ip technology should be flexible & user optional. The user should be able to set the timeout time from 1 to 24 hours - with a default of 3 hours.

A low default would protect from people arbitrarily turning it off (setting to 24) - they would not care & not pay attention.

Those that need it can set it to 24 hours.

skeeterintexas · ‎12-09-2007

All this talk reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when maintenance replaced all the regular showerheads in the building with low flow showerheads.

Kramer: I just took a bath, Jerry, a bath!
Jerry: No good?
Kramer: It's disgusting. I'm sitting there in a tepid pool of my own filth. All kinds of microscopic parasites and organisms having s&x all around me.

Kramer buys an elephant washing showerhead from the back of some guys van and it's so powerful it knocks him out of the shower.

SomeJoe7777 · ‎01-30-2008

The boxes do meet Energy Star requirements, but that isn't the reason for the automatic turn-off.

An STB draws 10 watts whether on or off, and a DVR draws 18 watts whether on or off. So the notion that it has to turn off after 8 hours to meet Energy Star compliance is nonsense, since turning the box "off" doesn't actually save any power.

If neither power saving nor Energy Star compliance can be the reason for the automatic turn off, then it has to be something else, and the only other reason that makes sense is bandwidth savings.

spd2demun · ‎07-28-2007

Thanks for that SJ; I thought it was you, but couldn't find the old post.

clin36 · ‎12-01-2011

I totally agree with SomeJoe777 about the Standby mode having nothing to do with power saving.

As someone had proved it by actually measuring the power consumptions in various modes, 'Standby' mode consume as much power as when 'ON'

And it is not hard to rationalize that either. If it was really in standby mode, how could it come up so quick (i.e, display TV programs), when you press the OK key? For anything to come out of a sleep mode into active mode (in a real sleep mode or standby mode sense), there is no way it could be that fast. So apparently AT&T is just trying to conserve bandwidth.

Anyway, last Friday some ATT guy called me, to do customer satisfaction survey. Told him about all my problems and was able to convince him that they should send me a newer STB/DVR box such as the VIP-2250 to see if things will improve. Order was in and I was supposed to receive tomorrow, Dec. 7.

This morning, Dec. 6, turned on TV and see only a red X with two dots under it in the middle of the screen. Soft Reset the STB, didn't help. Unplug power to STB and re-plug in - didn't help. Call Tech Support, and they had me hard reset it (power + OK + down for 10 sec, then when the gear icon appears, release Power and let things settle down), still didn't work. Then they had me power-off my ATT Router-Gateway. Oops, phone got disconnected, since I am using their VoIP service as well. Hmmm, great thinking. Luckily the tech called me back. Unfortunately that didn't help either. At this point the tech declared my VIP-1225 totally dead and that I would have to get a new box.

Hmm, this is only 1 week after I got my ATT U-Verse .... very reassuring. I mention to the tech that I was supposed to receive a new box the next day, and was told to plug it in before midnight Dec.8 so the box can be activated. So perhaps ATT screwed up and deactivated my current box already? Tech told me that that is not the case.

I read in ATT Support Forum exiting customer wanted VIP-2250 and told no stock, and complained that only new customer gets the new box. Well, I can tell you that as new customer, I didn't get new box either - still the old VIP-1225 from 2009.

Well, was expecting VIP-2250 to arrive tomorrow, but to my surprise when I came home today it was already delivered.

Plug it in and everything worked. So either my VIP-1225 really died only 1 week in my house, or ATT screwed up by deactivating my service too early, before the replace box arrived.

First impression of the VIP-2250:

menu navigation was definitely much faster.

seems to run hotter than VIP-1225. With VIP-1225 running for sometime, I put hand near and around it and don't really feel much heat coming out of it (or on the metal), but with VIP-2250, top feels warm after short use, and the metal top cover of my Panasonic DVD/DVR was noticeable warm too. I agree with a posting that the bottom space of VIP-2250 is probably too small. I am going to buy some taller rubber foot to add to the VIP-2250 so as to increase the ventilation space under the unit.

everything else appear to be same as VIP-1225. Somehow 'Recording Space' could not give me a real number of %. I tried hard reset the box but still the same. Maybe I need to first record something onto it ... will try that later.