Software Version E661 for ExpressVu 5100 / 5800 / 5900 Discussion

[hugh]

Bell has announced that a new Software version for the 5100/5800/5900 would be available in January.

The exact date for the update is not known.

Once it has been released this thread will be for owners to discuss. This thread will replace Software Version E553 for 5100/5800/5900 Discussion

Please note - Do not post in this thread asking when the updates are happening. If you do, your post will be deleted and an infraction issued.

This thread is strictly for the discussion on new firmware by 5x00 series owners who have received the latest firmware.

[KSPSlice]

SWARE 230 is now showing that the new version for these models are going to be updated over the next few weeks.

"Model 5100, 5800, 5900
Software: E661

We are pleased to announce a new recording feature available on the 5100, 5800, and 5900!

This upgrade will now allow your receiver to record all episodes of a show or new episodes.

We will be upgrading groups of receivers over the next three weeks."

[dosborne]

My 4 x 5900s updated yesterday. I didn't really care for VuPass and similar functions in the 9200, now they are in the 5900. Overall I guess it is a good thing, but one thing I used all the time is now gone, or so it seems.

I often would schedule an event for a hockey game after the game had started, then go modify the timer so that the start time would be current time plus a minute or so. Then I'd power off. The unit would power on, record the event , then shut down. This was good in case I fell asleep. Editing the time of an event seems to be locked out now, or at least I couldn't find it. Similarly, if a program airs an hour early or late one week due to a special event, I'd just modify the tweekly timer, then put it back after. Can't seem to do that now.

I never had any issues with the 5900 and other than VuPass, daily scedules, etc I haven't found anything new yet.

[satuser]

I tried to do a quick reply to the previous post but the "send" got hung up. Apologies for any duplication if that hung up attempted post ever goes through.

If I understood the previous post correctly, I can no longer change my event timers' start or end times. That would be a serious problem as I do this all the time for many different reasons. If this is a possible software glitch rather than an intentional change, does anyone know to whom to e-mail and/or call to ask that it be corrected?

With regard to recording by name, I did three searches, all without result: "name based recording", NBR, and "vu pass".

If anyone either knows the name of the thread or threads I should search to see how this works on other PVR types, or if you have a link that would be much appreciated.

I am concerned about programs that networks like ABC (which does this all the time) which start programs a minute early, or ends a minute or more late and does not change this until literally the day before the program is scheduled to air (e.g. Grey's Anatomy several times). Sometimes the EPG does not pick up this change.

If we cannot change the start or end time manually we basically cannot program the PVR to record the program correctly.

Thanks.

[K15]

I see the new recording options, like there are with the 9200.

I also notice the info banner has more info, like the episode number and original air-date. Obviously that would be necessary to implement the new recording features.
So far I haven't noticed any glitches, but I don't use my 5100 very much.

[dosborne]

Originally Posted by satuser

If I understood the previous post correctly, I can no longer change my event timers' start or end times. That would be a serious problem as I do this all the time for many different reasons. If this is a possible software glitch rather than an intentional change, does anyone know to whom to e-mail and/or call to ask that it be corrected?

The 5x00 series PVR functions now are very similar to the 9200/9242 with all the NBR, VuPass, "Daily Schedule" options.

Although I still haven't found a way to edit the start/end times of a timer, you can adjust the "extra" before and after times for the event. The 5x00 never had an option to start more than 1 minute early before, but now you can set this to whatever you want (there may be a 90 minute limit?), same for the extra time after an event.

Creating a new one time event for weeks that this won't work should cover it for most people. I personally liked to be able to alter the start times manaully to ensure the unit powered down (running in the bedroom) on its own as I don't use the auto-power off funtion as I had problems with it in the past and don't trust it now.

Also, I "believe" that the PVR, now that it has been enhanced, will automatically adjust AS LONG AS the schedule/guide information changes. i.e. if a show is listed one week as one hour and 5 minutes, I am pretty sure the event will change to cover this, but don't quote me on that.

[satuser]

Thanks dosborne for your response.

What I have always done is to create the timer from the EPG. Then if I learned of a time change, I would manually change the start and/or end times from the timer menu: e.g. if it were Grey's Anatomy, I would go to that timer that I created, check it, click on Edit, and then change the start and or end time manually from that menu. It always worked fine. The only glitch was that if I added too much time at the end, I got the name of the next program in my recorded programs list.

If I can still do this I'm fine.

I must be the worst searcher on the planet because I have searched for "name based recording" or NBR or "vupass" on this site and on google and came up with nothing that would tell me how the PVR 9200 and 9242 owners fared with name based recordings of new programs only. I guess I'm wondering if there are any known glitches and whether the system is reliable. If not, I'll keep setting up from the EPG (if this is still possible for individual events to be set weekly, etc.).

Thanks again.

[mingus]

What is the software version number after the update to the new search options.
I still have not got the changes to my 5900.

Would someone who has the change already post the new version number?

[dosborne]

E661 is the new version. Check channel 230, it is being rolled out by ranges of IRD#'s.

satuser -> NBR works marginally well on other models (92xx). Too soon to tell if it works any better on the 5x00 series. Some of the issues are guide related in that sometimes the info it needs is not available. I wouldn't count on it just yet. Stick with the weekly timers.

[velix]

satuser

If you must use the old style programming you can still use it by programming a manual timer. A bit more complicated, but useful if you must set a timer to record only a section of a show. I have a timer set to record only the last 7 minutes of a 30 minutes show.

With this new update we now have TWO options. The new way to edit a timer by adding time before or after a show (early start 0, 1,2,5,10,15,30 and 60 minutes and late ending 0, 1,2,3,5,10,15,30,45,60 and 90 minutes) or the old method we know in manual programming.

[alandh]

My 5100 just got updated - now I have no way to modify recording times, despite comments made above.

"Protect Event" and "Remove Timers after x events" are enabled, but "Start Early", "End Late", and "Set as System Default" are grayed out and completely inaccessible to me. Nothing I can do seems to enable these items.

So no, to me it seems another "one step forward three steps back" kind of update.

[dosborne]

Originally Posted by alandh

So no, to me it seems another "one step forward three steps back" kind of update.

I would say 3 steps forward and 1 step back :-)

When creating the timer, you should have the option to modify the Early and Late times. I don't recall off the top of my head which option this is under ("options?") but you should also be able to modify this after the fact (I know I did for one, it may have bee a "once" timer.....).

It may depend on the TYPE of timer, I use weekly timers. VuPass or some other type may not enable the option, I can't say I've looked yet to see.

I also didn't see the manual timer option, but again, I haven't looked very hard yet as my primary unit is a 9200.

It may be worthwhile to call in to tech support. If there is enough demand, they may be able to restore this option in a future release. And for all we know, it could be a bug rather than a lost feature.

I still firmly believe in the 5x00 series though as I find it a solid workhorse unit.

Other than the VuPass options, has anyone noticed any other changes? There is certainly more activity on the HDD when entering, changing, deleting timers as I assume more info is now stored and the HDD is used for this. It may explain my issue below.

Has your recording capacity changed at all? I have one (when all shows are deleted) that shows 80h 15m cap, while another shows 79h 40m (I'm guessing on the minutes but it was somewhere around there).

[alandh]

OK - I have been able to access the start/stop extensions - SOMETIMES.

If I use the guide, select a future event, and select "once" (which would be normal for me), and save the timer, there seems no way to go back to change the start/stop times afterwards. But if I change them under "options" BEFORE creating the time, then I can also change them after saving the timer as well.

But it seems so unpredictable that I was hoping others (using 661) had figured it out and could explain in detail.

The logic of accessing timers and events seems so convoluted that it could have been created by Microsoft. Beats me why they would be disabled in the first place under ANY circumstances.

[mikeaverey]

I have received the update for my 5100 receiver.
The functionality is good.
I would like to say i am a bit technically oriented but must say the update is confusing to say the least.I think it needs a few changes but a step in the right direction.
One big problem I have is the fast forward functionality has been comprimised big time.I cannot even view when I fast forward.It is slow and choppy(very choppy)almost like the processor is lacking speed now.
This to me is not acceptable and if this function is important you may not want to take the update just yet.

Anyone else experience this problem?

[alandh]

Originally Posted by mikeaverey

I have received the update for my 5100 receiver.
The functionality is good.
I would like to say i am a bit technically oriented but must say the update is confusing to say the least.I think it needs a few changes but a step in the right direction.
One big problem I have is the fast forward functionality has been comprimised big time.I cannot even view when I fast forward.It is slow and choppy(very choppy)almost like the processor is lacking speed now.
This to me is not acceptable and if this function is important you may not want to take the update just yet.

Anyone else experience this problem?

With regard to FastForward, my 5100 with 661 is the same as my 5900 with 553 - neither one has a problem with FF.