Coincidental with the TV aerial amplifier fault, I have a tuner problem
with my PVR.

All the internal supply voltages are close to spec. (the capacitors were
replaced some years back) but it won't tune and initially displayed no
signal at tuner 1).

Last time this happened ISTR replacing a switching transistor on the
main board. (Q14). I have some de-soldering braid and a few transistors
on order but would welcome any further advice.
--
Tim Lamb

On 25/07/2020 21:28, Tim Lamb wrote:
Coincidental with the TV aerial amplifier fault, I have a tuner problem
with my PVR.

All the internal supply voltages are close to spec. (the capacitors were
replaced some years back) but it won't tune and initially displayed no
signal at tuner 1).

Last time this happened ISTR replacing a switching transistor on the
main board. (Q14). I have some de-soldering braid and a few transistors
on order but would welcome any further advice.

The person to ask is Andy Fraser. He used to post on the toppy forum. I
possibly know his email address if that would help.


--
Michael Chare

On 25/07/2020 21:28, Tim Lamb wrote:
Coincidental with the TV aerial amplifier fault, I have a tuner problem
with my PVR.

All the internal supply voltages are close to spec. (the capacitors were
replaced some years back) but it won't tune and initially displayed no
signal at tuner 1).

Last time this happened ISTR replacing a switching transistor on the
main board. (Q14). I have some de-soldering braid and a few transistors
on order but would welcome any further advice.

First, turn off the Toppy at the mains, wait 60 seconds for any internal
voltage to discharge and switch back on again. This will give your Toppy
a cold boot and reset any crashed software which doesn't happen if you
just put te box into standby.

Q14 usually went when one of the main supply voltages got too high but
as you say that they are all in spec it possibly isn't the same fault.

Try any Andy Frazier (username andfras) who still posts on the Toppy
forums. Find one of his posts and PM (personal message) him.

https://sites.google.com/site/andyfr...eld-pvr-faults





--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

In message , alan_m
writes
On 25/07/2020 21:28, Tim Lamb wrote:
Coincidental with the TV aerial amplifier fault, I have a tuner
problem with my PVR.
All the internal supply voltages are close to spec. (the capacitors
were replaced some years back) but it won't tune and initially
displayed no signal at tuner 1).
Last time this happened ISTR replacing a switching transistor on the
main board. (Q14). I have some de-soldering braid and a few
transistors on order but would welcome any further advice.

First, turn off the Toppy at the mains, wait 60 seconds for any
internal voltage to discharge and switch back on again. This will give
your Toppy a cold boot and reset any crashed software which doesn't
happen if you just put te box into standby.

Q14 usually went when one of the main supply voltages got too high but
as you say that they are all in spec it possibly isn't the same fault.

Try any Andy Frazier (username andfras) who still posts on the Toppy
forums. Find one of his posts and PM (personal message) him.

https://sites.google.com/site/andyfr...ew-and-satelli
te-recorder-repair/topfield-pvr-faults

Yes. I found that.

I am now trepidating about 76 year old shaky hands waving a conventional
30Watt soldering iron around legless transistor mounts!

I was much younger last time:-(

As an aside, is there a PVR with comparable performance on the market?
--
Tim Lamb

In message , Michael Chare
writes
On 25/07/2020 21:28, Tim Lamb wrote:
Coincidental with the TV aerial amplifier fault, I have a tuner
problem with my PVR.
All the internal supply voltages are close to spec. (the capacitors
were replaced some years back) but it won't tune and initially
displayed no signal at tuner 1).
Last time this happened ISTR replacing a switching transistor on the
main board. (Q14). I have some de-soldering braid and a few
transistors on order but would welcome any further advice.

The person to ask is Andy Fraser. He used to post on the toppy forum. I
possibly know his email address if that would help.

I haven't spoken directly but read his advice and looked through the
Topfield forum.

--
Tim Lamb

On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 10:28:54 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:



As an aside, is there a PVR with comparable performance on the market?

The best I found was the Panasonic DMR-BWT850. Not as versatile as
having MyStuff though but it does have HD and a Blu-ray
player/recorder. And still quite pricey for a design that's five years
old - which tells you a lot about the market for such stuff.
I had a brief fling with one of these:
https://www.silicondust.com/product/...onnect-quatro/
which has four tuners but it can't cope with programes that aren't
broadcast as advertised.

In message , Peter Johnson
writes
On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 10:28:54 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:



As an aside, is there a PVR with comparable performance on the market?

The best I found was the Panasonic DMR-BWT850. Not as versatile as
having MyStuff though but it does have HD and a Blu-ray
player/recorder. And still quite pricey for a design that's five years
old - which tells you a lot about the market for such stuff.
I had a brief fling with one of these:
https://www.silicondust.com/product/...onnect-quatro/
which has four tuners but it can't cope with programes that aren't
broadcast as advertised.

Thanks. I'll have a look. Not hugely impressed with my wife's Humax.

--
Tim Lamb

On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 18:08:21 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:

In message , Peter Johnson
writes
On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 10:28:54 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:



As an aside, is there a PVR with comparable performance on the market?

The best I found was the Panasonic DMR-BWT850. Not as versatile as
having MyStuff though but it does have HD and a Blu-ray
player/recorder. And still quite pricey for a design that's five years
old - which tells you a lot about the market for such stuff.
I had a brief fling with one of these:
https://www.silicondust.com/product/...onnect-quatro/
which has four tuners but it can't cope with programes that aren't
broadcast as advertised.

Thanks. I'll have a look. Not hugely impressed with my wife's Humax.

Nor were we, including the replacement we got under warranty (and
about the first bit of new kit I've bought that needed replacing).

She's got a Topfield now and will be going over to Kodi and the
TVHeadend 8 tuner rig as I finalise it. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

In message , T i m
writes
On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 18:08:21 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:

In message , Peter Johnson
writes
On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 10:28:54 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:



As an aside, is there a PVR with comparable performance on the market?

The best I found was the Panasonic DMR-BWT850. Not as versatile as
having MyStuff though but it does have HD and a Blu-ray
player/recorder. And still quite pricey for a design that's five years
old - which tells you a lot about the market for such stuff.
I had a brief fling with one of these:
https://www.silicondust.com/product/...onnect-quatro/
which has four tuners but it can't cope with programes that aren't
broadcast as advertised.

Thanks. I'll have a look. Not hugely impressed with my wife's Humax.

Nor were we, including the replacement we got under warranty (and
about the first bit of new kit I've bought that needed replacing).

She's got a Topfield now and will be going over to Kodi and the
TVHeadend 8 tuner rig as I finalise it. ;-)

I hope this isn't depriving the BBC of licence fees!

I never got involved in the Toppy *my stuff* as I found the 5810 did all
I needed and it was mostly beyond my competence level anyway. I do love
scrolling through adverts at x16:-)

--
Tim Lamb

On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 22:03:32 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:

snip

https://www.silicondust.com/product/...onnect-quatro/
which has four tuners but it can't cope with programes that aren't
broadcast as advertised.

Thanks. I'll have a look. Not hugely impressed with my wife's Humax.

Nor were we, including the replacement we got under warranty (and
about the first bit of new kit I've bought that needed replacing).

She's got a Topfield now and will be going over to Kodi and the
TVHeadend 8 tuner rig as I finalise it. ;-)

I hope this isn't depriving the BBC of licence fees!

No, why would it? It's just a DIY 'Topfield'? Stuff still comes over
the air and you can watch it live or record stuff and watch it later.
You can also pause live TV and (then) skip the live adverts (just like
a commercial PVR).

You run Kodi (free software) on whatever (PC, Raspberry Pi, Android
Box etc) and from that you can access your TV tuners (locally or
remote), and also access the likes of BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Youtube
and Amazon Prime video etc. Just gives you everything in one place,
like a decent Smart TV.

I never got involved in the Toppy *my stuff* as I found the 5810 did all
I needed and it was mostly beyond my competence level anyway.

Ah, I think you have missed out on a lot as the Toppy really isn't the
beast it can be without MyStuff. ;-(

In fact, I think that was most of the point of the Topfields and their
TAPS, the 'tekkies' PVR.

That said, whilst is was slightly technical to install stuff on the
Topfields at the beginning, the app managers evolved to a point where
it was nearly point and go. ;-)

I do love
scrolling through adverts at x16:-)

That is quite rewarding (but did you know you were potentially
depriving the companies of sales revenue). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

p.s. Happy to do any fine soldering etc.

On 26/07/2020 22:03, Tim Lamb wrote:


I hope this isn't depriving the BBC of licence fees!

I never got involved in the Toppy *my stuff* as I found the 5810 did all
I needed and it was mostly beyond my competence level anyway. I do love
scrolling through adverts at x16:-)


Unfortunately if Mystuff was "beyond your competence level" then
possibly some of the better alternatives may require a bit more
technical knowledge.

I went from a Toppy to the the Enigma 2 boxes running OpenVix.. The more
modern boxes are more suited to Free to Air UK satellite rather than
terrestrial via an aerial. I run both satellite and terrestrial on the
same box (4 tuners). If buying again I would only go satellite.

https://www.openvix.co.uk/index.php/openvix-features-2/

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk...ital-receivers

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

In message , alan_m
writes
On 26/07/2020 22:03, Tim Lamb wrote:

I hope this isn't depriving the BBC of licence fees!
I never got involved in the Toppy *my stuff* as I found the 5810 did
all I needed and it was mostly beyond my competence level anyway. I
do love scrolling through adverts at x16:-)


Unfortunately if Mystuff was "beyond your competence level" then
possibly some of the better alternatives may require a bit more
technical knowledge.

I am afraid you are correct:-(

With advancing years, I seem to have lazily withdrawn from technological
progress. Happily accepting the convenience of a mobile phone but
resisting the dependency of GPS and totally opposed to gizmos like Alexa
and hive technology (yes it is convenient but totally dependent on
remote services with no back-up alternatives). 5g is frightening.
My current bete noir is having to tidy my hair before talking to my
grandchildren on a i-pad!

I went from a Toppy to the the Enigma 2 boxes running OpenVix.. The
more modern boxes are more suited to Free to Air UK satellite rather
than terrestrial via an aerial. I run both satellite and terrestrial
on the same box (4 tuners). If buying again I would only go satellite.

https://www.openvix.co.uk/index.php/openvix-features-2/

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk...rial/digital-r
eceivers

Umm.. I think our next generation TV system will be free to air
satellite but someone else can do the installation.


--
Tim Lamb

On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 22:03:32 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:

In message , T i m
writes
On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 18:08:21 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:

In message , Peter Johnson
writes
On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 10:28:54 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:



As an aside, is there a PVR with comparable performance on the market?

The best I found was the Panasonic DMR-BWT850. Not as versatile as
having MyStuff though but it does have HD and a Blu-ray
player/recorder. And still quite pricey for a design that's five years
old - which tells you a lot about the market for such stuff.
I had a brief fling with one of these:
https://www.silicondust.com/product/...onnect-quatro/
which has four tuners but it can't cope with programes that aren't
broadcast as advertised.

Thanks. I'll have a look. Not hugely impressed with my wife's Humax.

Nor were we, including the replacement we got under warranty (and
about the first bit of new kit I've bought that needed replacing).

She's got a Topfield now and will be going over to Kodi and the
TVHeadend 8 tuner rig as I finalise it. ;-)

I hope this isn't depriving the BBC of licence fees!

I never got involved in the Toppy *my stuff* as I found the 5810 did all
I needed and it was mostly beyond my competence level anyway. I do love
scrolling through adverts at x16:-)


You've missed out massively, and with some of the other TAPS
available. One of the best UI's of anything I've ever encountered,
not just PVRs.


--
AnthonyL

Why do scientists need to BELIEVE in anything?

On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:07:14 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:

snip

Unfortunately if Mystuff was "beyond your competence level" then
possibly some of the better alternatives may require a bit more
technical knowledge.

I am afraid you are correct:-(

With advancing years, I seem to have lazily withdrawn from technological
progress.

I gave my Dad a modem and email account and guided him though it's
basic use. A couple of weeks later it came back in a carrier back with
a 'Thanks but no thanks'. Two years later the BSI went 'paperless' and
he paid someone £200 to install the very same thing I installed
previously. Of course he was then even further behind with the
technology and it took him even longer to get going.

'You can lead a horse to water ...' ;-)

Happily accepting the convenience of a mobile phone but
resisting the dependency of GPS

I'm not sure many need to *depend* on a GPS, they just find it more
convenient to, when the need arises?

A biker mate spent ~£15,000 on a new motorbike and was questioning
spending another £500 (then) on a GPS 'for the bike'. I highlighted
the point that the bike had no use for it, it was for him. ;-)

and totally opposed to gizmos like Alexa
and hive technology (yes it is convenient but totally dependent on
remote services with no back-up alternatives).

What couldn't you still do manually, even if you had the options? It's
like saying you don't want a TV remote when the TV still has the
manual buttons? ;-)

5g is frightening.

Coronavirus? ducks ;-)

My current bete noir is having to tidy my hair before talking to my
grandchildren on a i-pad!

;-)


I went from a Toppy to the the Enigma 2 boxes running OpenVix.. The
more modern boxes are more suited to Free to Air UK satellite rather
than terrestrial via an aerial. I run both satellite and terrestrial
on the same box (4 tuners). If buying again I would only go satellite.

https://www.openvix.co.uk/index.php/openvix-features-2/

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk...rial/digital-r
eceivers

Umm.. I think our next generation TV system will be free to air
satellite but someone else can do the installation.

The irony is that as this kit evolves, it often assists you more re
setup and installation.

I installed my first satellite system many many years ago and the dish
sate on an old projector screen stand at the bottom of the garden.

The only time there were any issues with the pictures were when I
walked in front of the dish and so wasn't watching the TV. ;-)

When I wanted built a 6' rowing dinghy at woodwork at school, the
woodwork teacher asked me if I knew if I *could* build one? I replied
that I didn't know as I'd never tried before but I didn't know I
*couldn't* build one. ;-)

The reason I might still bother to do stuff myself is convenience and
the opportunity to doing it the way I wanted (as you did with much of
your LAN wiring, doing a better job with good advice from here than
the 'electrician did for you)? Same with your covered walkway roof?

Did the replacement distribution amp sort the problem?

Cheers, T i m

On 27/07/2020 12:28, AnthonyL wrote:


You've missed out massively, and with some of the other TAPS
available. One of the best UI's of anything I've ever encountered,
not just PVRs.


+1

What people do tend to forget is that even though Mystuff was/is the
best interface I've encountered it was written and extensively tested by
user hobbyists it did take many years to reach its final state by which
time people started abandoning the Toppy platform because it couldn't
support HD or SD carried on HD MUXs. The manufacturer abandoned any
after service a decade ago leaving the box with many bugs and if it
wasn't for other users fixing these bugs and and some of the limited
facilities all the boxes would have be in landfill very many years ago.


--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 11:28:59 GMT, lid (AnthonyL)
wrote:

snip

I never got involved in the Toppy *my stuff* as I found the 5810 did all
I needed and it was mostly beyond my competence level anyway. I do love
scrolling through adverts at x16:-)


You've missed out massively,

+ a few here it seems. ;-)

and with some of the other TAPS
available.

Agreed.

One of the best UI's of anything I've ever encountered,
not just PVRs.

This is my issue when trying to create a Toppy replacement. I think I
can cover all the fancy features but it seems more difficult to get
the raw basic efficiency, speed and simplicity.

I think that's why many who have had Toppys and the likes of MyStuff
find it very difficult to replace them, even after trying the 'modern'
replacements.

I recently picked up a s/h 40" Panasonic TV and the delay after
hitting the 'Guide' button and seeing it on screen, whilst probably
only a second, seems like a lifetime against the near instant response
of everything on the Topfield.

Cheers, T i m

In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
Thanks. I'll have a look. Not hugely impressed with my wife's Humax.

I've got two - one with the BT software. The BT software is nicer to use.

But still not as nice as the old Toppy. Wonder why they gave up making
them?

--
*If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 27/07/2020 13:25, T i m wrote:
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:07:14 +0100, Tim Lamb



5g is frightening.

Coronavirus? ducks ;-)

Big Clive on the 5G death beams bull****.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du8yQeQdMBk


--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

In message , alan_m
writes
On 27/07/2020 13:25, T i m wrote:
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:07:14 +0100, Tim Lamb



5g is frightening.
Coronavirus? ducks ;-)

Big Clive on the 5G death beams bull****.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du8yQeQdMBk

:-) I did 5 years worth of engineering physics as an apprentice so I
have no fear of radiation.

I am concerned that the opportunity to do very clever things relatively
cheaply will lead to a dependency on technology totally beyond the
understanding of the average human.

--
Tim Lamb

In message , T i m
writes
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:07:14 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:
Snip
The reason I might still bother to do stuff myself is convenience and
the opportunity to doing it the way I wanted (as you did with much of
your LAN wiring, doing a better job with good advice from here than
the 'electrician did for you)? Same with your covered walkway roof?

Did the replacement distribution amp sort the problem?

Yes.
Still don't know the cause. The Topfield tuning failure may be
implicated or coincident. I'll replace the transistor before trying
again.

At least I now know where the aerial installer put the cables and which
feed connects to which outlet.

I still have that left over glass fibre kit if you are out this way.

--
Tim Lamb

On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:33:38 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:



But still not as nice as the old Toppy. Wonder why they gave up making
them?

The UK market wasn't big enough to justify the effort.

On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 16:48:55 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:

In message , T i m
writes
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:07:14 +0100, Tim Lamb
wrote:
Snip
The reason I might still bother to do stuff myself is convenience and
the opportunity to doing it the way I wanted (as you did with much of
your LAN wiring, doing a better job with good advice from here than
the 'electrician did for you)? Same with your covered walkway roof?

Did the replacement distribution amp sort the problem?

Yes.

That's good.

Still don't know the cause.

It may have just been 'one of those things' or a bigger picture may
emerge in time.

The Topfield tuning failure may be
implicated or coincident.

If that was on one of the outputs of the distribution amp I think you
have the option of turning remote power feed on or off in the
settings. We don't have the same as you so they may be different in
that respect in any case.

I'll replace the transistor before trying
again.

Ok.

At least I now know where the aerial installer put the cables and which
feed connects to which outlet.

;-)

I still have that left over glass fibre kit if you are out this way.

Noted. Not really been anywhere in the car since lockdown but will
make a point of coming your way when I do. ;-)

You still open for fisherpersons as there seem to be plenty on the
lakes round here?

Cheers, T i m

In article ,
Peter Johnson wrote:
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:33:38 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:



But still not as nice as the old Toppy. Wonder why they gave up making
them?

The UK market wasn't big enough to justify the effort.

What changed? Obviously worth making them once. And what it the major
difference with the UK market over others world wide?

--
*A day without sunshine is like... night.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 28/07/2020 11:25, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Peter Johnson wrote:
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:33:38 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:



But still not as nice as the old Toppy. Wonder why they gave up making
them?

The UK market wasn't big enough to justify the effort.

What changed? Obviously worth making them once.

But if sales don't match expectation cut your losses and run


--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On Tue, 28 Jul 2020 11:25:47 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Peter Johnson wrote:
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:33:38 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:



But still not as nice as the old Toppy. Wonder why they gave up making
them?

The UK market wasn't big enough to justify the effort.

What changed? Obviously worth making them once. And what it the major
difference with the UK market over others world wide?

From memory they did two or three Freeview models and packed up. Don't
know about satellite models.
Can't help thinking that the interaction that Topfield had with the
very active user group made them realise that the users, those users
anyway, had expectations that they (T) weren't prepared/able to meet.

In article ,
alan_m wrote:
On 28/07/2020 11:25, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Peter Johnson wrote:
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:33:38 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:



But still not as nice as the old Toppy. Wonder why they gave up making
them?

The UK market wasn't big enough to justify the effort.

What changed? Obviously worth making them once.

But if sales don't match expectation cut your losses and run

How do you know what sales would be like without having a suitable
product? Can hardly have been rocket science to redesign for HD. Everyone
else managed it.

--
*I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can't put it down.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 28/07/2020 17:00, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

How do you know what sales would be like without having a suitable
product? Can hardly have been rocket science to redesign for HD. Everyone
else managed it.

Topfield abandoned the UK market and support for their boxes long before
people were buying HD boxes. The boxes referenced in this thread were
maybe designed 15+ years ago. Topfield SD products would have gone to
landfill very many years ago if it hadn't been customer supplied
hacks/fixes, and not just one or two fixes.

The out-of-the-box product itself wasn't that spectacular. What made the
difference was the many third party software applications it could run
and possibly Mystuff software which completely changed the GUI and added
very many features that few "commercial" boxes of today can match.

Some other companies making SD boxes are no longer around and many of
their products went to landfill because the technology was wrong when
the broadcasters adopted different parts of the digital standards.

Anyone still using a Setpal box?



--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

In message , T i m
writes
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020 16:48:55 +0100, Tim Lamb

I still have that left over glass fibre kit if you are out this way.

Noted. Not really been anywhere in the car since lockdown but will
make a point of coming your way when I do. ;-)

You still open for fisherpersons as there seem to be plenty on the
lakes round here?

Coarse fishing season operating as normal. Not likely to be a high risk
activity although they have only one toilet!

--
Tim Lamb

In article ,
alan_m wrote:
Topfield abandoned the UK market and support for their boxes long before
people were buying HD boxes. The boxes referenced in this thread were
maybe designed 15+ years ago. Topfield SD products would have gone to
landfill very many years ago if it hadn't been customer supplied
hacks/fixes, and not just one or two fixes.

They may have done, but it was HD becoming common that made me look for a
replacement.

But no reason why they couldn't sell the same user tweakable idea in HD?

--
*Stable Relationships Are For Horses.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.