9HD Recordings Fail - MPEG4 HD Channels

Cannot record new HD channels that are broadcast in MPEG4 (like 9HD)

Australian TV networks are starting to broadcast new or updated channels in MPEG4. Previously all Australian Digital TV has been broadcast in MPEG2. Unfortunately some older PVRs, TVs and STBs cannot display or record these MPEG4 channels. This varies from seeing a picture and sound but not being able to record, to seeing a picture but no sound, to not seeing any picture or sound. 

Note: At the moment the only MPEG4 TV channel is 9HD (ignoring shopping and datacasting channels) though the steps below can be adapted to suit other new channels in future.

The good news is that the TV networks usually accommodate people with older TVs and PVRs by continuing to broadcast an SD MPEG2 copy of the MPEG4 channels for a few years. 

So you can still record your favourite shows on the network's SD simulcast channel. For Network Nine, 9HD is a MPEG4 HD copy of their channel 9 and 91 (or 8 and 81 for Nine's affiliate channels like NBN and WIN).

Solution for when you only have the one recording device

If you only have the one recording device that uses IceTV you can change 9HD in your account from 'All' to 'Disable' in the right-hand column in My Account > Guide Settings.

Now IceTV won't try top set any recordings on 9HD. You can do the same for any other MPEG4 channels that come online in future.

Solution for when you also have other recording devices that are MPEG4 compatible

Disabling 9HD is not the best option in this scenario as you would still want a guide and recordings on 9HD on your devices that are MPEG4 compatible. So you need to manage the recordings on the incompatible device so they don't try to record on an MPEG4 channel. 

To prevent your Nine network shows from trying to record on 9HD on the incompatible device do the following: 

1. Go to My Series or log in to your IceTV account and click on TV Guide then click on My Series.
2. Under the My Series heading click on the Device drop-down and click on the incompatible device to list only it's series recordings.
3. Click on the show you want to edit to display the management options for that show.
4. Click on the 'Update series on... ' link.
5. Click on set the 'Advanced options' button.
6. Under the Quality heading, click on the currently set quality and then click on either 'Prefer standard def.' or 'Only standard def.'
7. Click on the 'Update Series Recording' button to save the change.

This will prevent that show from recording on 9HD. If you now check My Week you should see any previously existing schedules to record that show on 9HD have been replaced with new schedules queued to record on one of Nine's regular digital channels.