anyone having recording problems with ThaiExpat TV

[Pormax]

I had been using the old UKTV-Asia program which was taken over by ThaiExpat.

I have found this program so superior to ThaiExpat TV with many features that the other does not have.

I could name a few but the main one is the recording of programs and then being able to download to disc as an MP4.

 

Anyway here is my problem.

Up to yesterday I had no problem recording programs and when completed dropping into my directory.

Now when I go to record I get up to 99% or 100% and then it just stops and stays there, not dropping down into the directory.

It still says it is recording but it can't be paused the only thing one can do is to abort the recording.

I tried this on my desktop and laptop with the same results.

 

Spoke to ThaiExpat customer services and was told there is no support for the older UKTV player and suggested I download and use ThaiExpat.

Very reluctant to do so as there is no comparison between the two.

However I did this and I had the same problem.

Tried downloading 4 programs only one of which one was completed and dropped down into the directory all the others got to 99 or 100% then stopped.

Again the only way to get rid of it was to abort the recordings.

This to my untechnical mind tells me it is not my computers and not a program bug as it is two separate computers and two different programs.

My internet connection is good (or as good as one can expect) with 6-8mps download.

Anyone with more technical knowledge have any ideas??

[KittenKong]

You cant really expect a very old legacy version of software to keep working indefinitely.

 

I use expatTV and it does allow you to download programmes and save them locally if you wish, and I cant remember the last time a download failed (though there is a saving issue with some file names, but no big deal as you can still view them from within expatTV).

 

So I wonder what those features are that you think the TV-asia software offers that expatTV doesnt?

 

This topic would probably be better off in the Computer or A/V forums, rather than the Electrical one.

[Pormax]

Hi KittenKong, thanks for your reply,

To be honest there are a lot of features on the old version of the program which I like and not available on Thai Expat.

For instance there is a search button for programs so you don't have to look through 10 days of programs to find what you want.

This is handy if one is following a series.. As I said before being able to save the downloads to your hard disc as MP$ then if you want then put them on a DVD is quite handy at times.

I also like the idea of seeing all the channels on one page instead of having to click on the individual channel.

 

Anyway as you quite rightly say one can't expect older versions to work indefinitely but when you are told that they would be running this older version alongside

the other and that they would give support to this one gets a bit miffed when no assistance is forthcoming.

 

Anyway have you tried today downloading and saving a program.

I would like to know if others are having the same problem mentioned above.

If not then it means there has to be something wrong my end. Though can't figure out what it could be.

[Crossy]

I too prefer the old version, it is actually maintained but I've never worked out why it has some different channels to the ExpatTV. I get Aljazeera and ABC on the old version (which are not on the new) but not Yesterday, A+ and NHK world (which are on the new). I have version 3.4.134.

 

I love the old EPG which shows all channels on any given day for easy browsing.

 

I just recorded FlogIt from Friday without issues, whizzed up to 100%. Plays just fine :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pormax]

Thanks Croosy for your input.

 

Good to hear from someone else who prefers the UKTV-Asia version though I am sure we are not alone.

Yes the recording on this program is very fast whereas on the newer version recoding a program takes for ever.

Not sure what the problem is however I think (but still testing) that I have found a way around it.

As I said this problem also resurfaced on the ThaiExpat program.

What I did was when it had recorded to 100% and not go down into the directory I then closed and reopened the program

then clicked on recording which now was paused and clicked on resume recording and it then went down into the directory.

If after more checking this resolves the problem then I shall stay with the old program.

I regret to say that support/sales at ThaiExpat were not at all helpful and more or less told me that if I am not satisfied then look for another program to use.

Great customer service!!! (not)

 

 

[KittenKong]

6 hours ago, Pormax said:

For instance there is a search button for programs so you don't have to look through 10 days of programs to find what you want.

This is handy if one is following a series.. As I said before being able to save the downloads to your hard disc as MP$ then if you want then put them on a DVD is quite handy at times.

I also like the idea of seeing all the channels on one page instead of having to click on the individual channel.

................

Anyway have you tried today downloading and saving a program.

 

ExpatTV has a search box which works well. Series links sound interesting though, and ExpatTV certainly doesnt have those. I dont quite see the point of having all channels on one page as you dont need to watch live or from any particular time. I just look through and mark for download everything I want to see, regardless of what day it was on.

 

ExpatTV certainly downloading without any issues today.

[sumrit]

For those having trouble saving programs to a hard drive etc on the expat TV version I've found that the problem occurs when there is a 'non letter/number' character such as a colon in the title name of the program. For example, with 'Law & Order: UK', when trying to save the recording, a window comes up saying it's not a valid file and won't save. However, removing the colon from the title  before saving cures the problem.  

 

I too used to use and prefer the older version but decided to try the new one for a while to get a fair comparison and am getting to like the new version more. Yes there's only one channel shown at a time but I now quite like the idea of seeing a complete day (and maybe download what I want) before going on to the next channel instead of scrolling through all the time to see everything. Now I prefer looking at each channel individually. 

Because the new system only physically downloads one program at a time while pausing the others it is slower to download, but it is quicker to save to save to the hard drive.

And there is a search option on the new system which is similar to the old version.

On the other hand I prefer the bottom search bar on the older version. Being able to scroll through the programs sequentially is better. 

[FracturedRabbit]

Download regularly, never had an issue. Running on Mac.

[Crossy]

Sadly the UKTV player is now defunct (from the end of the month) so we have to put up with being reminded of our left and right each time we start the player.

 

 

[iancnx]

My expat tv latest version on a Mac is perfect for me. Downloads are easy and seamless in the background.   I also have the latest quad core android box supplied by them.  I think, togetether with Sport 365, it is a superb service and excellent vfm.  

[vogie]

On 1 October 2016 at 4:44 PM, Crossy said:

I too prefer the old version, it is actually maintained but I've never worked out why it has some different channels to the ExpatTV. I get Aljazeera and ABC on the old version (which are not on the new) but not Yesterday, A+ and NHK world (which are on the new). I have version 3.4.134.

 

I love the old EPG which shows all channels on any given day for easy browsing.

 

I just recorded FlogIt from Friday without issues, whizzed up to 100%. Plays just fine :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aljazeera is on the new version Crossy.

[Crossy]

3 hours ago, vogie said:

Aljazeera is on the new version Crossy.

 

Sadly not on my PC version

 

[Upcountry]

 

 

 

I too have been having trouble with the "black player" stopping at 99%. The fix I used was to quit the program and restart it. Then was able to continue and usually finish it without having to do that again for the program.

 

But I tried that tonight and got a nasty message:

 

"This player has been suspended for Thailand and Vietnam. Please contact ThaiExpatTV support to obtain the actual player software."

 

Last week there was a hint that UK TV might somehow be coordinating with ThaiExpat to give us an improved player. I noticed some nice improvements to automatic updates I was getting.

 

So, I'm bitterly disappointed that they now want me to uninstall it use the inferior green player instead. I don't have FTTH yet, so streaming is not an option. Plus the .ts file format is not as good as .mp4

 

Now I can no longer start a recording before the show has finished airing.

 

The "green player" these days is certainly better than it used to be, but it is still not a good replacement for the black player.

 

I wish I could get UK TV instead!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JaseTheBass]

On 16/10/2016 at 7:32 AM, vogie said:

Aljazeera is on the new version Crossy.

 

Not on my PC version (v1.93). I only subscibe to the basic package as I have the Premium service too (it's not on there either :) ).

 

Not sure if it's on the Android version as the box is at home.