HITACHI TV GUIDE PLUS

The "Troubleshooting" details for the AP84 Electronic Program Guide

Model 50SBX78B

First it is necessary to find out how the user has set up the system and what channel the unit is trying to download from. This is considered to be the Host Channel. To do this, follow the procedure below:

1. Press guide on the remote control.

2. Highlight "FEATURE"(This is the default) Using CURSOR <, >. 

3. Press ENTER/SELECT on the remote.

4. Highlight "DIAGNOSTIC" using Cursor DOWN.

5. Press"ENTER/SELECT" on the remote.

6. Press 7, 5, 3, 1, 5, 9, 8, 5, 2, on the remote.

7. The first page of the diagnostics will be shown. This will be used later.

8. Highlight "PAGE" (This is the default) then pressENTER/SELECT four times.

9. You will see a dialogue box that has the following information:

Step 7 is the diagnostics page, contains important information relative to errors in the data packets received by the TV Guide Plus circuitry

TV Guide Plus data is received in packets A type and B type). The amount of errors is typically lower than 1% of the total numbers of packets received

(Aerrs/TypeA < 1%) and ( Berrs/TypeB <1%).
 
 

Asthe error percentage increases, gap will be appear in the TV GuidePlus data. This is to say that the data will download but some data will be missing. Example (ABC line up NG or SORT by MOVIES will be NG). It is unclear what percentages of errors will cause the entire download of data to be NG, but remember, the lower this percentage of errors of the better. A High error percentages can be attributed to excessive multi path (ghosts), poor signal to noise ratio, electrical interference, etc …

All other data in this diagnostics section should be ignored.Hitachi does not have a write up of the meaning of this additional information. It is only meaningful to the TV Guide Plus software engineers. If we experience some catastrophic failure in the field, we will need to work closely with theTV Guide Plus engineers to study and record this data, but for now this other data is of no importance to us.

Once the above setup information is checked, and matches the user, and setup/hookup, then we can assume that, user error, is not the cause of the problem. The next thing we should check is that theTV GUIDE Plus unit is operating correctly and there is TV Guide Plus data reaching it. To check this, follow the this procedure:

1. Hold down the front panel input button while pressing the power button. (This is memory initialization procedure).

2. Press cursor op one time, (or cursor down to GUIDE PLUS) 

3. This is a TV Guide plus page

ROM, RAM --- This should always be "PASSED"

VBI TEST -- This is passed if the Channel tuned t o has the TV Guide Plus data. (Tune to the channel found to be the host channel. This should be the same host channel found in the diagnostics section. This should indicate "PASSED" If it "FAILED", then No TV Guide Plus data is present. For some reason the TV Guide Plus unit is trying to download from this channel. In most cities the ABC, PBS and FOX affiliate may be the host channel. Check to be sure you are on one of these channels.

GLINK TEST -- This test is always "FAILED"

IR Test-- This is always"FAILED" unless the IR Blaster is used. Connect IR Blaster to jack on back of TV. Point the output of the IR Blaster toward IR receiver on the TV front panel. IR TEST should now be "PASSED". If not there is a problem with the IR output or cable which could be the cause of the "NG" TV Guide Plus.