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Ask Jim response to 530 update cancellation

32K views 109 replies 52 participants last post by  Michigander 
#1 ·
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"
 
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#31 ·
You were curious, so I'll tell you. A PVR is not meant to just record something. Hence the Personal part of the name. It's meant to make recording television a personal and intuitive experience.

ShawDirect didn't invent the PVR. PVRs existed and they boasted certain functions -- like searchable guides and series based recording not to mention recording two shows at once.

I expected these things from the 530 because I was told by the salespeople that the 530 would do these things when I bought it. It was supposed to record two things at once from the get-go -- this was not true, though they rely on the fact that it does temporarily record one thing while recording another so they could say they didn't lie exactly. They did mislead.

I was told that a firmware upgrade that would come shortly after I bought the 530 would bring the PVR functions I desired (searchable guide, series record, etc). This has never happened. This was a lie.

I get that some people just want to press a button and record and that's it. Nice for you. You're probably in the majority and the reason why ShawDirect isn't worried about scrapping this upgrade.

I happen to not want to spend hours searching through guides (2.8 days at a time) looking for my shows then adjusting timers to record said shows weekly. Then constantly being on the alert for my shows being moved around or extra time added to it.

I want the ability to record a series, have it record automatically whenever it's on -- then I want to know when something is a repeat or a new episode. And when I look at my list of recorded programming I want to see the show, episode number and title and proper information. I also want this in a neat and organized series of menus for ease of use.

These are the things a PVR is supposed to do. These are things that every other provider's PVRs do, and have done for years.

And more importantly -- these are things we were all told the 530 would do when they released the screen shots of the upgrade on their website years ago. They can pretend they didn't promise it, but they did.
 
#32 ·
So are the DSR 605 boxes probably going to be sold for $199.99 does anyone know? I would like to go out and get a New PVR as soon as they come out (Whenever that will be) but given the past PVR and its problems, I dont think I am going too. I usually like to get technology as soon as it comes out, but think this one i'm gonna hold off and see what happends with the new PVR. I will maybe purchase the HD Box though. Has anyone heard if the DSR 605 will be able to become a PVR?

Thanks.
 
#33 ·
Gents,

A bit earlier on in this thread someone mentioned a new Sat coming on line for SD. If that is so (sorry I'm such a newbie) wouldn't another Dish/LNB configuration be required to catch all 3 Birds?

The reason I'm asking is I'm trying to see if I can get SD at a tough location

(think Mountains)
Code:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=125300&goto=newpost
If a new configuration is required I only want to install the right system the first time.

Thanks for the info.
 
#35 ·
Gents,

A bit earlier on in this thread someone mentioned a new Sat coming on line for SD. If that is so (sorry I'm such a newbie) wouldn't another Dish/LNB configuration be required to catch all 3 Birds?
The new satellite will be positioned at the same location as F2 is now which is 111.1W. The frequency that the satellite will transmit at will be different. Thus, you will not need to change the dish, but the LNB head will need to be exchanged to allow you to receive the Extended Ku band frequency that will be sent from the new satellite.
 
#34 ·
I think all of this is so funny. If the "upgrade" to a 630 is more than $150 then I will say goodbye to shaw direct after being with them since they launched.

I currently have 2 530s, 3 505s and a 500. I will not be paying $399 x 2 and $199 x 3 to stay with them....the most recent rogers offer is looking better and better.

The one thing that will definitely push me over the edge is if SD chooses not to offer NFL Sunday Ticket in HD. i've already asked them and they "don't have an answer yet".
 
#38 ·
G1 is the new satellite which will go to 107.3. If more bandwidth is required, G2 will be ordered and placed at 111.1.

Regardless, no dish repointing will be required - just a LNBF swapout.

Only customers with 605/630 will be able to receive programming on the G series satellites.
 
#40 ·
G1/G2 will have a slightly lower frequency. You may need to upgrade to a larger dish, if not just an LNBF upgrade, especially if they go 8PSK/DVB-S2 with the channels on those satellites.

The 605 supposedly has a plug-in DVR feature, where you can plug in a USB or eSATA HDD to make it into a DVR.
 
#45 ·
I am very dissapointed, but not surprised after all this time. I'm not likely to leave SD since I only have 3 options where I live.

SD
4 OTA channels (non-starter)
Bell (been there and done that, never again (maybe))

I only pray the 630 does what it is supposed to do, even though at this point we don't really know what it is supposed to do.

I have been sitting back and being very patient, giving SD the benefit of the doubt, but I am not happy.
 
#47 · (Edited by Moderator)
I understand that people are upset, but guess what..it is only television! A lot of complaints about SD, but no other provider is 100%. I have been with, Rogers, Bell and Cogeco and they all have had their fair share of problems. So yes you have a choice whether or not to jump ship, but are you going to encounter other problems with your new provider, the odds are yes.
 
#48 ·
If the 630 comes out in a timely fashion and SD does something to make this failure right, I may still end up a satisfied consumer.
No doubt they considered this sentiment when making their decisions.
However, if the firecracker goes sizzle instead of Bang, then they need to hold someones feet to the fire, or look for heads to put into the basket.

Just what is the gauge then?
Say by launch of fall tv season with no major defects and all features available, then it will be a success.

For that to happen though, the product really needs to be in distribution about now with a forced code load to the latest version immediately as part of the activation routine.
So they would want to have a usable code now in lockup and can work on further testing so that a minor release is available within 6 months of it hitting the streets with updates twice a year until fully matured.

Factory code would be loaded in production overseas with a new version sitting on the bird queued up.

The 2nd part of the equation is not for the new buyers or holdouts, but the question of existing 5XX subs.
And then what compelling new content could be offered to take advantage of state of the art technology when new enhanced birds are launched.
That is a common driver.
If you want the new content, you need the new box.
Let the customer decide AND pick up the tab along the way.
 
#50 ·
eight posts removed and an infraction issued. This thread is about the 530 and canceled firmware. If you wish to rant about the government and the CRTC then use our politics forum
 
#51 ·
what I don't know is the caliber of those currently coding the unit as they lost 2 very good programmers a few years back along with a spirited program manager with real vision and drive to have it reach it's full potential.
Gee Moose57, I wonder who that "spirited program manager" was :rolleyes:
 
#54 ·
Where is Jim?

"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."

Well it is almost the end of the week, and no word from Jim or his lackies. Maybe he mean't by the end of next year, or the year after that......
 
#57 ·
It says that the new model has HDMI, more capacity and "smart PVR technology" like 14 day guide.

So I guess it's going to launch with the new firmware. And it does say that it will be launched this summer, so the August 30 date we've been hearing must be accurate.
 
#58 ·
I've had a 530 since day one, and have 4 505's to go with it. I have dual recording already (it's called time-shifting - one program now and the second one three hours later from the west coast.) Plus, I can watch a second program at the same time in each hour!

So they can't make the new functions work on the 530? It' s been very poorly handled by Shaw, but if you want to leave, please go quietly. Me, where do I order the new 630, and how soon can I do it??

Meanwhile, I agree with a previous suggestion to update the 505, 530, and compatible "new" receivers with the improved guide (better searches, more information, and one or two weeks data). However, if the problem preventing the implementation of the guide was an impossibly slow refresh, then what is the problem exactly and how can it ever work on the current receivers? Is the bottleneck in the receiver hardware, or in the satellite data stream? And what's improved about the 605 that will make it work well with the new guide? Just asking .....
 
#59 ·
All good questions MSM!

TJ77 said:
It says ....... "smart PVR technology" like 14 day guide.

So I guess it's going to launch with the new firmware. And it does say that it will be launched this summer, so the August 30 date we've been hearing must be accurate.
Sorry, what is "It"??

I really don't consider 14 day guide to be smart PVR technology.
A much better definition might be;
"Able to record your favourite shows wherever and whenever they happen.
Intelligently negotiate guide conflicts and automatically find alternatives.
Anticipate human response time when pressing pause, replay and so forth for seamless operation."

14 day guide is a simple 2 part formula.
1. Load the bird with a new data stream with 14 days of data.
2. Put enough memory to hold the guide data
A simple LZW compression of the guide data had been tested years ago with 14 days of data.
The problem is the box choked during decompression.
They could have run raw data and said ONLY 530's and partitioned off a chunk of disk, like Echostar 5X00 PVR's did.

Now these are things that have already been done, so even that isn't considered exciting anymore, unless you are marooned with SD waiting for them to play catch up.

Under most circumstances, your last sentence would be great news and probably believable, but there is a mountain of evidence to suggest we take this with a grain of salt and then rejoice when we can actually plug it in and verify all these wild claims.
Even a pre-order doesn't qualify in my books.

I agree they should still provide a 'lite' version of the planned upgrade for those wanting to maximize their SD equipment investment.
Some recent investigation has revealed the base program and middleware code when launched NEVER had the needed calls to make true dual recording actually work.
It was planned for subsequent releases.
If this never happened and the new crop never noticed, then no wonder they were banging their heads against the wall.
Someone forgot to buy the upgraded SDK.
If they DID, then their really is no excuse not to have released the fully planned upgrade.

They just didn't have the will and gave up.
In that case, what should we expect for the 6XX.
A 'mostly' running box, but never quite 100%??

Isn't that what we got with 5XX.
It never lived up to it's potential.

The BEST upgrade for the DSR530 never came out of SD, it came from forum members exploiting information provided in the hard drive upgrade thread.
Longer storage hours, faster boxes and greater stability.
 
#60 ·
Well I still have an email from Shaw dated December 23 2009 telling me that there would be some great new software would be released in a few weeks, which I took to believe would be January / February 2010, as well as the release of the new 600 series in the spring. Both those time frames have come and gone so how do believe anything this company says or for that matter puts in writing. If you are going to put something in writing you better be darn sure you can deliver otherwise your reputation is at serious risk. You know the old saying if you under promise and over deliver you will always look good in the customers eyes. Well unfortunately Shaw got it backwards over promised and under delivered time and time again. Maybe they really do not care about their reputation. I for one will have a problem believing anything they put in writing or say in the future until they have a consistent record of delivering on their promises.

Just my two cents.

Brewster
 
#61 ·
What will 530 owners choose to do?

I'm wondering…

Current 530 owners (unhappy with the 530 owners)…
What would you consider a fair offering from SD when the 630 is released?

How much will you be willing to pay to get the new box?

Given the history of the 530, how many people will jump to buy the 630 when it's released?

I'm trying to decide what I'll do and wondered how others are leaning.

(Perhaps this should be a new thread if anyone is interested in responding?)
 
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