After hearing that the 530 firmware update had been cancelled I sent an email to "Ask Jim" asking to confirm what had been reported here as well as any news about the 6XX series or ANY news about their PVR plans. I expressed my disappointment in the way SD has handled this and suggested they need to do a better job at communicating with their customers in a timely manner. This is the response I received after only 3 hours:
"Thank you for taking the time to email us at Shaw Direct and bring your concerns to our attention.
We’ve been working diligently to bring these features to the HDPVR 530 receiver. Ultimately, we have been unable to make the software perform to the standard that our customers expect and deserve. In light of the dynamic nature of the industry and unpredictability associated with software and hardware development we have chosen not to release the new software on the HDPVR 530.
Additionally, the HDPVR 530 currently has a feature set that our customers are familiar and comfortable with. Feedback from an extended Employee Field Trial of over 500 staff members has included consistent concerns about the “change” introduced by the new software, such as music channels being moved or the Browse Bar not being available anymore. In keeping with our vision of providing outstanding customer experiences, we have chosen not to fundamentally change the viewing experience of customers who may not want the change.
We are scheduled for an update regarding the new information for the upcoming PVR 630’s by the end of next week. With this announcement we will be able to provide more information regarding the release date and specifications.
Should you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Please include any previous correspondence with your replies.
Thank you for choosing Shaw Direct,
Ross – on behalf of Jim Cummins
Business Support - Ask Jim
Shaw Direct - Shaw Communications Inc.
24/7 Customer Care - 1-888-554-7827"
"Thank you for taking the time to email us at Shaw Direct and bring your concerns to our attention.
We’ve been working diligently to bring these features to the HDPVR 530 receiver. Ultimately, we have been unable to make the software perform to the standard that our customers expect and deserve. In light of the dynamic nature of the industry and unpredictability associated with software and hardware development we have chosen not to release the new software on the HDPVR 530.
Additionally, the HDPVR 530 currently has a feature set that our customers are familiar and comfortable with. Feedback from an extended Employee Field Trial of over 500 staff members has included consistent concerns about the “change” introduced by the new software, such as music channels being moved or the Browse Bar not being available anymore. In keeping with our vision of providing outstanding customer experiences, we have chosen not to fundamentally change the viewing experience of customers who may not want the change.
We are scheduled for an update regarding the new information for the upcoming PVR 630’s by the end of next week. With this announcement we will be able to provide more information regarding the release date and specifications.
Should you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Please include any previous correspondence with your replies.
Thank you for choosing Shaw Direct,
Ross – on behalf of Jim Cummins
Business Support - Ask Jim
Shaw Direct - Shaw Communications Inc.
24/7 Customer Care - 1-888-554-7827"