How do I stop recordings showing on the screen when they start

[Malcolm42]

How do I stop recordings appearing on the screen when  the TV starts recording my TV is an xr-55a80j 

[daveyh64]

Do you mean the notification you see on screen when a recording starts and/ or finishes. The notification should only stay on screen for a few seconds.

[Piscie]

Hey @Malcolm42, can you share a screenshot of what you're referring to here? It would really help us understand.

[Malcolm42]

No it's impossible to change to another channel while it's recording. Regards Malcolm Smalley 

[Malcolm42]

Maybe I need to explain the TV won't let me change channels while it's recording ie the only channel I can watch is the one being recorded. Regards Malcolm Smalley 

[royabrown2]

@Malcolm42 

You don’t need to change channel.

Just photograph the screen with a mobile or a tablet, or even with a digital camera if you have one, and post the picture here!

[Malcolm42]

As regards a screen shot all it will show is the program being recorded. Regards Malcolm Smalley 

[royabrown2]

@Malcolm42 

Ah, I see, finally, I think.

You have a TV with two digital tuners, according to the model number you quoted:-

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-oled-tvs-android-/xr-55a80j/specif...

• NUMBER OF TUNERS (TERRESTRIAL/CABLE)

  2(Digital)/1(Analog)

(I presume you are recording terrestrial, though satellite has two tuners as well)

But it is behaving as if it had only one tuner, which would of course have to show the programme being recorded; but with two tuners, you should be able to switch to the other one, and watch something on that while the recording is going on.

Is that the issue here?

Can you double-check the model number of the TV?

There’s no manual for this TV, apparently. Though there are all sorts of resources about recording, from Sony and others.

[daveyh64]

Thats a slightly different question than the one you originally posted.

The general rule is that if your TV has only one tuner you cannot record one programme and watch another

programme on a different channel.

I have a XR42A90K which will let you change channel while recording another so I am surprised that another model in the XR series cannot. Check the TVs specifications, click on the link below and then click on Specifications.

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-oled-tvs-android-/xr-55a80j/downlo...

The suffix J in your models number would mean it is a 2021 model and perhaps they only have one tuner

for FreeView terrestrial TV. It may be possible to record one channel and watch another if they are broadcast

on the same multiplex. For example record or watch something on BBC1 whilst recording or watching something on another HD channel, Channel 4 for example.

Terrestrial transmitters broadcast all channels via 5 multiplexes, each multiplex carrying several TV and radio channels. All HD channels are broadcast through one multiplex, that is why I chose that as an example.

You would need to check your transmitters information to see what other channels are broadcast over

other multiplexes.

If it is important to you to record programmes whilst watching other channels you may consider buying a PVR

which can allow you to record up to 3 or 4 channels while watching another. Typically they have 2 or 3 tuners.

Look for Humax, Panasonic or Manhattan.

[royabrown2]

@daveyh64

See my posting just above yours, which quotes the desired information.

My two working hypotheses at the moment are that either @Malcolm42 has the model number wrong, or the second tuner has failed.

I can’t find anything on the web that describes this problem occurring for anyone else (not to say that there isn’t, just that I can’t find it), except for one posting that says the second channel can’t be an encrypted one. Which would imply that @Malcolm42 could switch to channel 1 (SD), or any other SD channel but not to 101 (HD).

But I would be surprised if this restriction actually exists; can you watch one HD channel while recording another one on your XR42A90K?

I also can’t find anything about the multiplex trick; I know this can be used on YouView boxes, but I don’t see it mentioned anywhere for Sony TVs. Worth a try, though, especially for single-tuner owners.

If that model number is correct, though, then I think @Malcolm42 needs to be talking to Sony support next.