PROBLEM WITH A HUMAX DTR-T1000 YOUVIEW TV RECORDER

RWCurry1

I have a DTR-T1000  which is about 8 years old. Over the past few days there has been a problem which I have not seen before. When I switch on the box and the TV, startup takes me straight to the Maintenance Mode screen. The option for Software Reset (Recommended) is highlighted so I have chosen that one. However, by the time the software has updated, the box has tuned to the available TV channels and then the “finishing touches” have been completed, it is about 15 minutes before I can use the box. This happened again yesterday and then again today. I have approached Humax to ask if they have been issuing software updates on successive days or if there is likely to be a fault with my box. They have advised that they have not been issuing software updates, but they believe YouView has been doing so for this model. Can you advise how I can overcome this problem? I am hoping I do not need to use one of the options which will delete my recordings.

John L

@RWCurry1 welcome to the Youview forum.

Unfortunately you own an older model that has developed so many problems since Youview have revamped their software back in 2017 onwards. To be honest, you would be better looking for a newer model say from cex online bt2100 or the bt4000 models with 24month warranty for around £40 to £60.

You could attempt to fix unit, but my guess it will go wrong again. The 1000 is underpowered and components inside may near replacing. Have you tried maintenance factory mode option that keeps your recordings? Worth a try, but as mentioned, you maybe wasting time. Could also be worn hard drive. If you have a spare drive, might be worth testing further, but again not guaranteed will fix problem if main board is faulty. Please let forum know if this has helped/if you need more help.
John L

Stephen

That model hasn't had software updates for ages (and the last maintenance release was August last year), it's an old first-generation box that's out of support. It sounds like there's a hardware problem coming from its age. You can always try the more severe options lower down the maintenance mode screen, but I would expect that it's coming to the end of its silicon-based life. You can also see if when it automatically goes into maintenance mode, if turning it off at the wall and on again maybe makes the bootup self-diagnostic pass, depending on what it thinks is wrong with itself, but it may have decided it needs maintenance mode and can't be convinced otherwise until you go through with it, and again it's a sign of some underlying issue I would wager.

"Fixing" the hardware problem may "just" be a matter of replacing/re-soldering some components on the internal power supply or mainboard, but for the amount a professional would charge to do that, you'd be better off getting a second hand T2xxx or T4000 series model and watching the recordings you have on your T1000 ASAP before the problem potentially gets worse.

Edit: oops, wrote pretty much the same response as @John L at the same time he was writing his!

jonesh

Hi @RWCurry1

I have got a T1000 of similar age to yours, and as @Stephen says, it hasn't had any updates since August last year.

It runs the 2017 NextGen software without any problems, but a few years ago the capacitors on the mainboard were upgraded from the originals, which had drifted off specification.

Capacitors drift off spec with use (heat) and age, and the Sam Young type that were used in T1000s were notoriously unreliable. Their failure leads to the malfunction and eventual failure of other components, including the HDD. If the caps are going to be replaced, the job needs to be done before the box starts playing up.

If you are not a dab-hand with a soldering iron, you would be better off looking for a replacement box rather than persevering with your T1000.