New Firmware / (HD) IPG for 8642, 4642 Discussions - Read Post 1 and Links There

[OttawaTony123]

My main concerns with the new user interface and my 8642HD are:

• even though I have 48% space available on my PVR, sometimes when I'm setting up a recording it will tell me I have insufficient space and that I should "Manage My Recordings" even though the program is only 1/2 hour
• recordings I have set don't always take place (F1 race last weekend) but the program right after that did record
• the inability to surf through my favourite channels like before
• no more slow motion capability (this is important for sports)

Tony

[Holmes108]

The other day I got the low space warning. It didn't happen when scheduling a recording... the window just popped up before an already scheduled recording was about to start. I was at 20% (with a 1TB extender).

Also, twice in the last few days I've run into a new glitch. I go into my "List", and see a recording from the previous day (that I know was already recorded), but it has the "Rec" symbol next to it, as if it's recording. It was a rerun anyways, so I selected it to delete it, but it came up with the option to "Stop and save.." etc (again, as if it's recording). However choosing any of these options don't actually do anything, and it continues to say that it's recording. Only a reboot fixed it.

At first I just wrote it off as a strange glitch, but as I mentioned, it's happened twice now. Other than this, and 2 low space warning (one recent, the other weeks ago) I haven't had much else go wrong. No black or unauthorized channels.

[MattyG]

Some of the problems I have with the new UI have already been stated:

-No Slow-Motion or frame advance (this is a big one for any sports fans)
-Slow response
-reboot for no reason
-frozen recordings
-'not enough resources' message when trying to watch recording on networked box.

Other things I don't like about the new UI that were on the old menu:

-No 'Page +' and 'Page -' to jump ahead our back 15 minutes on a recording
-Menu only lets you scroll by page, not by individual channel (so if I get to the bottom of the page and press down it goes to the next 5 channels, rather than just the next one)
-Sometimes when I power on my box the image is stretched/zoomed and I have to press the # key to get it back to normal
-No manual recording (i.e. you can only set it to record an extra 5, 15, 30, 60 or 180 minutes - sometimes I want to record 20 or 45 extra)
-Menu doesn't show if shows are on-going or if they are starting at the current time (i.e. there are no arrows or difference in the menu if a movie started earlier than the current time, that can only be seen in the info box).

I hope these get resolved soon.

[Balaclava]

The annoying confirmation pop up when you delete a single recording may be gone but it is still there when deleting a folder using B For Folder Options.

[MyMedia08]

Originally Posted by MattyG

-Sometimes when I power on my box the image is stretched/zoomed and I have to press the # key to get it back to normal.

I have a different power on (wake up) problem.

I think I have a typically arrangement where the 8642 is normally always on, and I power off the TV when finshed viewing ( letting the 8642 do whatever hibernating/sleeping that it does.)

Hours later when I turn the TV back on, there is ALWAYS a colour scrambled image as per attached - its a series of sharp horizontal lines of different widths/colours. the image is not static (it moves/shakes). It will appear for about one second, then go black, the reappear.. and then eventually the prevailing channel will kick in. (I believe we have it set to Last Channel).

-I had this same issue on the first 8642 box I had as well
-I ONLY have this issue with the 8642
-I never had this issue on any other box
-I do not have this issue with any other source

Has any one else experienced this?

If yes, perhaps it can be added to the known issues list.

[Holmes108]

Twice now I've had the following scenario (the times are given just as an example).

Bug summary: Kicks me out of a recording I'm watching for no good reason (happens at the top of the hour).

Details:

I'm recording the following:
Program A - 8-10pm
Program B - 8-9pm

At 8:30pm, I start program A from the beginning (through my list). So I'm behind the live broadcast. As 9pm approaches, it tells me there's a warning and I must cancel one of the following "Program A, Program B and Channel 250" (Channel 250 is an example... it's just referenceing live TV, and not a recording).

There is no conflict as Program B is ending at 9pm. Plus, even if it wasn't, I don't have a 3rd item scheduled.... So I hit "exit" on the error as it makes no sense. At 9pm it kicks me out of Program A, and sends me to a random live channel (that's not taping anything... possibly the last channel I was on?).

Program B finished just fine, and Program A is still recording just fine... but now I have to go into the list and select Program A again to finish watching. Very annoying.

[viper359]

I will update the list with some of the things posted so far.

[yyzlhr]

I'm starting to notice that with certain recordings it can take up to a full MINUTE for the PVR to respond when trying to fast forward at 4x speed. Sometimes you've already fast forwarded through the commercial but you can't get the recording to play because the PVR is still trying to process the fast forward commands. This forces you to rewind, and if you rewind at 4x speed you can get the same issue. Very annoying.

Also when fast forwarding through certain recorded shows, the picture just breaks up but the show is actually still fast forwarding forcing you to guess when to press play.

[Mr.Nobody]

Am still on the old firmware but am wondering if they've fixed this long-standing bug:

If you're FF'ing (or RW'ing) through a recording, the playback bar/box appears on the screen but if you press the 'Exit' button to dismiss it, the box disappears for a fraction of a second and then immediately returns (so it doesn't really hide at all). In all other instances of onscreen operation, 'Exit' dismisses an onscreen dialog.

During sports programs especially, there's times when there's something on the screen (such as the current score, right before going to commercial) in the area that the playback bar covers - so not being able to hide the box is an unnecessary annoyance.

[yyzlhr]

Pressing exit while using the trick modes will dismiss the playback bar and will not come back until you initiate some other trick mode. Also the new playback bar is translucent so you can see what's playing in the background as well.

[yyzlhr]

Just got another software update tonight. Box rebooted twice during the update process and on my TV it actually displayed "your set top box is installing new software. A reboot may be required" which I've never seen before. Software version and UI version remain unchanged. Everything else remains unchanged as well, except I'm noticing that the performance has seemed to improve a lot. Opening the guide and settings menu is nearly instantaneous. Guide scrolling is also improved as well, however the lack of a transition effect when moving to a new page still makes it feel laggy.

[Dolfan]

I'm starting to notice that with certain recordings it can take up to a full MINUTE for the PVR to respond when trying to fast forward at 4x speed. Sometimes you've already fast forwarded through the commercial but you can't get the recording to play because the PVR is still trying to process the fast forward commands. This forces you to rewind, and if you rewind at 4x speed you can get the same issue. Very annoying.

I just noticed this last night as well. I thought it might have something to do with the fact that I had just upgraded my internal HD to the WD Caviar Black 1TB and hadn't seen these symptoms before with my old 160GB and 500GB extender. Very strange and annoying

[thenewdc]

How about On-Demand. Is that any quicker than before. I heard the new GUI is way quicker.

[Holmes108]

Originally Posted by thenewdc

How about On-Demand. Is that any quicker than before. I heard the new GUI is way quicker.

It's pretty awesome actually... how it always should have been. Loads nearly instantly, is responsive, and as a nice bonus your current channel stays on in the background as you browse, so you can continue to listen to your show (which I like, personally).

Say what you will about the update overall, but I couldn't be happier with demand. I had actually stopped using it completely due to the previous interface. Not only was it slow, but I found it prone to errors and reboots. I've had none of that with the new IPG.

[yyzlhr]

Agreed. On Demand was the only thing done right since the original public roll out.