Page 1 of Tevion DVD recorder DVD4001 Tuning problems Aldi

Bought 3 of these recorders before Xmas as presents from Aldi.
The auto tuner can only find 3 at most channels.The tuner finds the channels (BBC1,BBC2 ,ITV,Chan 4, Chan5,Sky etc) on screen but fails to lock onto them and skips past them on the Screen not storeing them in the recorders tuner. After the inital set up the remaing 97 supposedly free i.e un tuned channels have "Skip" placed on them blocking out the remaining channels.I can manually tune any of the 3 that have been tuned into the recorder to any of the 7 required channels mentioned above,but I cannot get 7 seperate channels.
Also you cannot manually tune from the start,you have to go through the auto tune process even if you abort the auto tune straight after start it blocks out i.e places "Skip" on all the 100 channels.
Therefore this is useless for TV recording
I have phoned the Aldi help line which is a nightmare to get anyone to answer.
They confirm there is a problem with the Skip function and they are awaiting advice from the supplier,but nothing is forthcoming.
Before I take them all back for a refund this weekend has anyone found away round this tuning problem ? :(

This item was edited on Wednesday, 10th January 2007, 13:44

The Tevion TDR 4001 has an analogue tuner (ie not a freeview tuner). Therefore you can only receive the terrestrial channels on this machine. Having said that, it has also to be admitted that the tuner is of a pretty poor quality, but I`ve so far managed to get a maximum of four channels (out of a possible FIVE). One or maybe two of these are of watchable/recordable quality.

This item was edited on Wednesday, 10th January 2007, 18:02

Yes thanks I realise that is has an analogue tuner but one of the channels it can find is sky from my sky box.The problem is all the chanels 1 -100 should be free to allow you tune it whatever you want,but when it runs through the auto tune process after whatever it finds it then blocks the others out i.e on my machine 97 channels.
On the first release of this product in May 2006 & £80 there was no problem a colleague bought one then has all 100 channels Free.
The Aldi help line know there is a problem as the stores are getting returns,but they no doubt are working on the basis that some individuals will just have them tuned to one digi or sky box.presumeably any returns they get will just go back to the supplier.
I suspect they have updated the firmware from the first release and this is causing the problem I also suspect no fix will come forward from the manufacturer until a later release

This item was edited on Thursday, 11th January 2007, 10:02

Absolutely correct! In my individual case, nine different alternative channels can be found in a manual `change channel`.
I have persisted with the Aldi "help line", Key Electronics of Halifax. Eventually they admitted that the inability to manually ADD programs that were not found in the automatic search was an inherent fault. In late February they said that there was a "fix". Although this fix would not allow manual ADDITION to channels, the fix would increase the "gain" (amplification) of the tuner. Then, an automatic search of channels would detect many channels that could be changed or deleted. They sent a cd to update the machines software/firmware. The cd began the automatic update procedure and the screen warning stated the DVD must not be switched off. After some considerable time the machine went into standby mode. I phoned Key Electronics who said that a complicated installation instruction sheet should have been sent. The machine was locked and "DEAD". They sent a replacement machine (from Hereford) but after two weeks I am still waiting for a replacement cd (with complicated instructions).
Needless to say that if a manufacturer and their service centre have not resolved a inherent fault problem in 10 weeks then one can have little faith in the product.
After some 30 plus telephone calls I think it`s time to give up, get my money back, and seek compensation from Aldi.