This will only work if you haven’t changed the live channel and the box was tuned to the channel when the programme started. If you switch to a different channel the buffer resets to the programme you have just switched to.

The instant record button doesn’t work like that. It copies content from the time shift buffer file from when it started recording the channel to the time you pressed the instant record button creating a full recording you have switched to using a tuner to complete the recording. When you switch to a different channel the time switch buffer resets to the new channel. Pressing instant record will only record from the time you changed channels. Instant record will only work for instance if you are watching a channel and a programme starts you fancy recording if you leave it 30 seconds or so then press instant record you will get the record buffer contents transferred to a new recording beginning with the end coming from the live stream which of course needs a tuner to record the rest. Anything transmitted before you started watching will not be on the recording.

If you change to a new channel there is no content in the timeshift buffer to create the first part of a new recording. There’s only 1 time shift buffer file not one for every channel in the epg.

Try doing what you want using three of the HD channels from 101 to 105. Because these are on the same Mux you can record up to 4 at the same time so you will have enough tuners but will lose the beginning of the second programme you choose to record.

micmac – 2 minutes ago  » 

You’re missing the point the recording is stopping even if i don’t change channels

How much of the live broadcast is available when you press the button. If the live programme has ended. the recording will stop when the programme completes. If you happen to be a few minutes from the end of the programme of course it will stop recording very soon.

eg

If you have been tuned to a channel and after 55 mins of a 60 minute programme and you then press the instant record button within a short period you will have a 55min recording file that you can view (chasing playback) with the actual recording stopping 5 minutes later.

Did you check the recorded file to see if the programme was complete.

Can you pause a live channel ?

micmac – 1 hour ago  » 

Film maybe 20% through a 90 minute film, start recording after watching channel for a couple of minutes. Records for a minute or two and stops, even when I haven’t changed channel. Recording holds the minute or two + whatever it had already saved before I pressed record.

Can you pause live TV 30 mins or so after switching to a new channel. After releasing pause does instant record produce the 30 mins recording.

Symptoms could be corrupted time shift file. You might have to format the HDD. Did you try live pause before pressing record ?

Before that if you can save 30 mins of content, try a reset to factory defaults.

I have found that instant record only records 7 minutes exactly of a programme then mysteriously stops recording. This is without changing channel. I am trying a reset to factory settings

Hi stevem1960, I have exactly the same fault as you describe and wondered if you’ve managed to rectify it? I am a long time Humax user and the behaviour of the ‘instant record’ function has definitely changed in the last few weeks for me. It reports that it will record until the end of the scheduled time but actually only records what’s already in the buffer and then stops. As no error is reported, the first you realise there’s a problem is when you find the recording is only a few minutes long. Every other function behaves correctly or as it ever did!

However, whilst trying to solve the problem, I discovered that it’s not possible to reformat my hard drive, either on its own or in conjunction with a factory reset. It tries but then comes back with an error message saying try again later. Have you observed the same problem? The factory reset appears to happen correctly but after going through setup the situation remains the same.

I also noticed that the firmware was updated on the 21/01/2021 and initially suspected an associated bug. I note however that your post slightly predates the update.

I have spoken to Humax support and they do not believe the update to be at fault as it ‘only addressed’ catchup TV issues and I’m the first to report the problem! To be fair they also correctly pointed out that the hard drive error may well indicate a hardware problem, although the fault seems bizarrely isolated on a machine that otherwise works normally. They also suggest that as the hard drive is refusing to format, the software partition could be damaged and therefore despite the machine appearing to factory reset it may not actually be reloading the software afresh from the hard drive, as it’s supposed to but simply resetting its settings to default and running the ‘install macro’.

They sadly confirm I can do no more and would need to return the machine for repair, which as it’s now out of warranty, not worth it in my opinion. Please let me know how you got on, I still find the narrowness of the fault more indicative of a software bug but have nowhere to go, so will live with the issue until it magically vanishes in a software update or I decide whether to risk buying an Aura machine or not!

I can confirm that, since the most recent update, “instant record” has been flakey.

I have had numerous instances where I have pressed the red record button to record the rest of a prog I have been watching and when I have gone to watch it, there is only a few minutes of recording but not until the end, the recording reports that the prog is complete (actually much longer than required) but it isn’t.

Unfortunately, it is something I cannot deliberately replicate.