[QUOTE=




A revised IPG in terms of graphics is immently expected (hopefully, I finished it at the end of June), see thread on the matter.
Parts of the overhaul was a bit more thought into making certain activites more intuitive and simpler, but alas, even it had a time deadline.

Thanks ARR for your informed inputs. I sure hope that the new guide will give us more useful information about the individual programs. The current info regarding programs is so sparse and in many cases absent. When I see a program on national Geographic, for example, I bring up the content list and it tells me "National Geographic". Another example a movie with just the names of a couple of actors. How can any reasonable decision be made to record a show if you have no idea of the content of the show. I think the onscreen TV Guide was one of the finest innovations since TV began but if there is no, or little, information about the show then it detracts from the benefits of the guide. Two people I know moved to SC, one from Cable and the other from Bev and both bemoan the poor information on the SC guide.
Lester

I just got mine and ran into a problem. I was in the middle of recording a program, and was watching a previous one that I had recorded. When it finished, I tried deleting it while the machine was still in record mode. Hindsight is 20-20. I'm comparing it to asking a computer to delete a file while it is simultaneously trying to write one.

The machine froze, and wouldn't let me do anything. I waited until the recording finished, and still no response. After re-booting the box, it told me that I had lost the program it was attempting to record because of a power failure.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Can anyone solve It?

This lockup problem is driving me Nuts!

Welcome to 530 land Carl! This is only one of the many oversights of the DSR530. Not much thought was put into the programming, and it took them over a year just to get it where it is today. You should have seen it when it was first released.

What made you decide to buy a 530?

Quite simple. I am very happy with Star Choice and my Digital Favourites package. Even with its limitations, the 530 is a big step up from VCR recording. If I was a TiVo addict, it would be a different story.

After re-booting the box, it told me that I had lost the program it was attempting to record because of a power failure.


Often, if it tells you the recording failed, it will still play, at least to the point of lock-up. You can tell if it's still recording by the LEDs. If they're still scrolling, it's still recording. If they stop, do a front panel reset and when it comes back on, it will start recording again after 30 sec or so (the red rec light will come on and it will start scrolling again). You can then watch your recording in 2 parts. Not ideal, but better than losing the whole recording.
Make sure you have CC code before you try any recording or you'll quickly become VERY frustrated!

... I sure hope that the new guide will give us more useful information about the individual programs. ...
There are 2 parts to the equation here;

1. The on screen guide graphics and presentation.
2. The guide data itself.

Now on point 1. The new graphics have used a slightly larger and different font for improved readability.
That will be especially important on the 207/317 units that may find themselves attached to 13" sets in dens and bedrooms.
Along with that though is substantialy more screen real estate in which to provide more lines of data, which brings us to point 2.

Due to limitations in ALL of the *c legacy products, the guide data was intentionally shorted or removed for both episode and title data as number of channels increased.
The DSR5XX and 207/317 have additional memory on board to accomodate more data.

The guide data provider has 4 levels of verboseness.
Currently the least verbose is being used.
The plan of record is to create a totally seperate guide data transport and delivery system for only the new products so as NOT to affect the hoards of existing units.
The equipment to do so had been purchased before I left.
Research had concluded that it was easily possible to deliver up to approx. 2 weeks of the most verbose data.

This was a requirement to support planned advanced features like searchable guide and name based recording, which would be quite useless with only 3 days of data.

I have no idea when to expect either, but wonder if they might be released together for maximum bang if they are capable of coordinating such an event, which is suspect.

It may also be that to deliver the extended guide in a production environment will require the installation of a spare transport system, which is extremely costly. 1/4 M$ I'm told.
So lets see what unfolds over the next few months.
Hopefully it's so far along the way now that the relocation of the development team doesn't affect it's deployment.

This was a requirement to support planned advanced features like searchable guide and name based recording, which would be quite useless with only 3 days of data.


I really don't understand this statement. Name Based Recording works well with a short guide. In fact, it makes up for the shorter guide. You tell the system the name of the program you want recorded, it figures out the rest. You don't need to see the episode to record it.

Starchoice needs to stop making excuses and start delivering. It's been a year and half and they haven't delivered one new significant feature on their PVR!

-Mike

You're quite correct on the NBR and short guide.
I have NBR on my HD cable PVR and it's fantastic when shows move nights and add a 2nd part episode the same night.
It catches them all.

They are not making excuses because none of what I said has ever been officialy communicated to the public, thus no excuse for missed deadlines is needed.

I can only blame myself for sharing what I know about future developments and things that were in progress when I left.
For some, it offers solace to know that some much needed features are in the works.
If you were planning a decision, wouldn't you prefer to have all the facts?
I know 1 member that plunged to Bell because *C didn't have TSN-HD at the time.
A week later they did.
Now he's stuck with paying 2 years of redundant Bell fees becuase the info hadn't emerged.
Dropping *c was not an option, as the DSR & other factors were key.

I know 1 member who is adamant about dual recording, while I've seen it in prototype, I don't think it's on the immediate horizon, so if that was a factor, then you should look at something else.

Get my point?

Some might argue that even more stability is needed before new features are introduced.
IMHO, a blended approach with more bugs fixes and some bread crumbs of new features.
There ARE some NEW features in the upcoming IPG refresh I think most people will appreciate.

I realize they are a much smaller shop and use their resources where they think is best.

This all reminds me of the Windows 95/98 era where if you asked the machine to perform too much too quickly it was sure to crash.Let's hope the 530 becomes as reliable as Windows XP sooner rather than later.

There are 2 parts to the equation here;

1. The on screen guide graphics and presentation.
2. The guide data itself.

Now on point 1. The new graphics have used a slightly larger and different font for improved readability.
That will be especially important on the 207/317 units that may find themselves attached to 13" sets in dens and bedrooms.
Along with that though is substantialy more screen real estate in which to provide more lines of data, which brings us to point 2.

Due to limitations in ALL of the *c legacy products, the guide data was intentionally shorted or removed for both episode and title data as number of channels increased.
The DSR5XX and 207/317 have additional memory on board to accomodate more data.

The guide data provider has 4 levels of verboseness.
Currently the least verbose is being used.
The plan of record is to create a totally seperate guide data transport and delivery system for only the new products so as NOT to affect the hoards of existing units.
The equipment to do so had been purchased before I left.
Research had concluded that it was easily possible to deliver up to approx. 2 weeks of the most verbose data.

This was a requirement to support planned advanced features like searchable guide and name based recording, which would be quite useless with only 3 days of data.

I have no idea when to expect either, but wonder if they might be released together for maximum bang if they are capable of coordinating such an event, which is suspect.

It may also be that to deliver the extended guide in a production environment will require the installation of a spare transport system, which is extremely costly. 1/4 M$ I'm told.
So lets see what unfolds over the next few months.
Hopefully it's so far along the way now that the relocation of the development team doesn't affect it's deployment.

Thanks for your kind response ARR - Unfortunately you sound like Sir Humphrey in "Yes Minister" as I can only understand two thirds of what you are saying. My question was whether we are going to see more info on the various shows and I cannot ascertain from your response whether we will or will not. Many shows on tv are available on different channels and it would be nice to be able to look at the story line and note whether we have seen the show or not and whether it is worth recording. If it is a matter of band width surely we could have a serial number such as "Call for Help" uses on Tech TV. It just seems to me that Starchoice is missing out on a highly desirable feature in its programming.
Ps I do appreciate you valuable input over the years and look forward to your future comments.
Lester

...My question was whether we are going to see more info on the various shows ...Lester

YES, but only on the DSR5XX and newer (207/317) boxes.

I also expect them to start using either the NEW or REPEAT attribute as well at some point in the guide.

This will come when some of the planned advanced guide features come about.
Part of an overall suite of enhancements like Name Based Recording, Searchable Guide, Advanced recording timers (New, ALL, 1st run, etc) and retention (Save All, save until space needed, save last 1/2/3, etc)

I had planned this all out for them, but kindly realise this is a MAJOR effort and may appear in stages over the next several release.
An opportunity to 'purchase' those modules by a respected IPG provider fell through when that division was closed.
Had that been done, a more modest integration effort would only be required.
As it stands now, the development would need to start from scratch.
Now the upside to that is they can take the 'better mousetrap' approach and learn from other systems the best and worst implementations and tailor it to *C and the customers needs.

:cool:
I also expect them to start using either the NEW or REPEAT attribute as well at some point in the guide.

This will come when some of the planned advanced guide features come about.
Part of an overall suite of enhancements like Name Based Recording, Searchable Guide, Advanced recording timers (New, ALL, 1st run, etc) and retention (Save All, save until space needed, save last 1/2/3, etc).

Correct me if I am wrong, does not Bell have these features now, I remeber my old 2700 and the 3100 receivers had one if not all of these features? Is not StarChoice just to small to compete? As you know, I am contempalteing the leap, I counted the stations I would want on HD on Bell and it is 28 HD channels, and the package I would get is less money than I pay now for StarChoice. And to boot it will be less (AIO) includeing a Dual Tunner PVR that is more stable than the 530.
Oh well I digress, any info on the above question would be appreciated!!!

... As you know, I am contempalteing the leap...
Sounds to me like you already have or at least justified it in your own mind.

The X700's don't have it although the x100's have some of them.
I know my Moto Cable HD PVR as them ALL.

When you get your 9200, you can always come back here and rub it in again!

And who said you have to be bigger to compete?
Who cares?
Shaw and *C are happy just the way they are and so are thousand of loyal customers.

Bell compets because of Sugar Daddy BCE and sleeps with Echostar technologies that builds unit for >13M U.S. subs.

What did you expect?

Like David and Goliath, some of just like to cheer for the underdog!

:mad: Sounds to me like you already have or at least justified it in your own mind.

The X700's don't have it although the x100's have some of them.
I know my Moto Cable HD PVR as them ALL.

When you get your 9200, you can always come back here and rub it in again!

And who said you have to be bigger to compete?
Who cares?
Shaw and *C are happy just the way they are and so are thousand of loyal customers.

Bell compets because of Sugar Daddy BCE and sleeps with Echostar technologies that builds unit for >13M U.S. subs.

What did you expect?

Like David and Goliath, some of just like to cheer for the underdog!

Hey Arr, Iam far from makeing a definitative decision, I just want more HD and a reliable PVR. Who cares if Bell sleeps with Echostar, seems to me they build a pretty good equipment, that people want and desire.

By the way it is millions not thousands

Yes I seem to have made up my mind, then I read some stuff you say and it makes me ponder a while

What I expect from StarChoice is better answers about the future, when 8PSK will gives us more channels, I always get B.S from StarChoice, yes Bell does to, but it is less because they currently have more of what I want. Do you know what their current capacity of HD is now before going MPEG4?
Thanks for the info.

*C ~ 850K subs, but with Shaw, sure ~ 3 M.

I doub't you'll ever get the answers you're looking for from *C, even if they knew themselves.

All I can comment on is what I either know is possible, or has been already tested or planned.

If & when they do something, we will all know at the same time.

Sorry I can't give more than that.
I just don't know and it's strictly a business decision at *C, so maybe get on their website and "Ask Jim?"

If the bottom line is MORE HD and you think you'll actually watch ALL or most of Bell's offereings after the novelty wears off in a few months, then by all means, sign up for a 9200.

As I've stated before, I can access all the Bell HD and most of the Dish HD for > 50-60 HD channels and what do I watch, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox & a little PBS on *C with the local Global for news. That's it!

I have 5 STB PVR's, 2 are HD, *c stills gets 99% time.

[QUOTE=ARR;462834]
If the bottom line is MORE HD and you think you'll actually watch ALL or most of Bell's offereings after the novelty wears off in a few months, then by all means, sign up for a 9200.

/QUOTE]

It is a novelty that I have a choice on, I can decide to watch them or not, yes you are right most of my viewing is the big 4 in the U.s. and the big 3 here in Canada. Choice and access are powerfull!!!!

One of the HD channels that Bell has which sparks my interest is the WGN network. There are a few shows on that channel that are not available in HD on any other StarChoice channel. If you like Supernatural or Smallville, you are out of luck getting that in HD with StarChoice. They are busy trying to haul in some of the more fancy channels and specific interest channels. StarChoice is not offering a full roster of normal television channels yet. Not that there is anything wrong with A&E or Discovery, but I expected them to at least get the mainstream channels up and running before delving into specialty channels like that. Warner Brothers also plays quite a few good movies, and they have a lot of sports too. It's definitely a good channel to have in HD. Bell has had that channel for years in HD. We don't even have CityTV or Global in HD with StarChoice.

Not that there is anything wrong with A&E or Discovery, but I expected them to at least get the mainstream channels up and running before delving into specialty channels like that.

I for one think there is plenty wrong with A&E HD but I know there has been lots of other discussion on this elsewhere so I won't get in to it here :D

Other then that I agree with Kevin270.

I too have had the unit exchanged after several problems. The new unit has a couple of quirks including audio drop off for about 10 secs on recorded programs. * choice installed new rb6 cable eliptical dish when it was first installed last summer

BBBob

Audio dropouts are fairly common on my 505 too. On most channels it's rare and only for a few seconds, but sometimes it increases to the point where it's really annoying in a particular program on a particular channel. There's never any accompanying video effect. I suspect that the 505/530 has a problem handling small errors in the audio digital data stream that causes it to lose sound for a moment whenever such an error occurs.