Edit by 57: Please post once you have the update. Posts that simply say "I don't have it yet" or "I have it" are not very useful since certain homes with two PVRs can have one with the update and one without... The firmware will be rolled out during October/November.
For those having problems, are you recording Fox Buffalo? If so, do not record this channel - record Fox Seattle or the Canadian Channel carrying similar programmes until the Fox Buffalo problem is fixed. This also happened a couple of years ago, requiring constant rebooting. It is not related to the firmware update since it's affecting those on the old firmware too.
Just discovered that a new firmware has been loaded on my PVR. It may now be equivalent to the version on the 8642. Here is a copy from the 8642 features with <comments>:
1. Faster loading On Demand sessions <does not seem faster to me>
2. The FF/REW/Play status bar displays the time offset, in minutes, from the start of the program. It is also divided visually into 15 minute sections. <yes> The exit key doesn't get rid of the status bar when FF or REW, but will if you're on Frame by Frame after you've paused to the frame you wish to look at.
3. Remembers where recordings left off in viewing previously recorded programs. (bookmarks) <yes, yeah!!>
4. takes a second or two for the audio to resume after a fast forward or rewind <no problem here>
5. Slightly different font/format for IPG/Info screens.
6. The IPG shows unsubscribed channels in grey. <yes>
10. Higher default contrast ratio <??>
11. Page up or down will jump 15 minutes <yes>
12. Option to enable/disable Descriptive Video <Yes - Enable or disable under Settings-Audio-Described>
13. Padding of programmes works (adding a minute or two to scheduled recordings) <I've tested several different programmes over a 3 week period and it works>
14. Button presses (FF, REW, Play, etc) seem to be just a tad slower (probably because additional info is displayed.
15. Press the select key when watching an FM music channel and the black screen saver comes up immediately (was available before, but worth noting)
16. If you have an eHDD, it may go to "sleep" (light out on my Vantec enclosure). Hopefully it also wakes up appropriately. So far mine do on both my PVRs (57) <more testing required since some people have reported issues>.
17. Copy to VCR is still there, but since there are more options (play from current location for example), you may need to scroll further to get to Copy to VCR.
18. Pause Live TV doesn't typically work right after a firmware update. Same for some recordings. A reboot usually solves the issue.
19. After pressing FF, then "Play", there appears to be a bit of visible "jumpback" to compensate for reflexes.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1179529#post1179529
On the old firmware, if you used the "jumpback" button directly from FF, then the next time the FF speed would be one speed higher - not what people want. The jumpback now works properly and the next time you use FF, it'll be what you want. Whoopee!
20. With the iHDD now sleeping more, the PVR seems to take some extra time to come back to life after turning it on, if the drive is asleep. For some people, the iHDD never went to sleep before. In my case it takes about 15 seconds.
21. For those of you going into the diagnostics and looking at your i/eHDD data around page 33, this now shows as "unavailable".
22. For those of you who wish to go into the IPG when recording two programmes, you need to have the IPG come up first, which is easily programmed in the QS guide under self service. Just remember to hit exit instead of guide when exiting the IPG. (If you go to the QSG when recording two programmes, the STB will usually lock up)
Note: If you get new firmware on your PVR, perform a reboot as soon as convenient. This may save you some grief (lost recordings). If that doesn't do it, try a second cold reboot (unplug/replug). If you still have issues, call Rogers.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17719 SA FAQ - Reboots, diagnostics, etc. SARA version is listed on Page 17.
For those people having issues with stretched SD programming, or notice the STB sending 480i to your TV when you want only 1080i, go into the settings (press settings button twice) go to "Set Picture Format" and choose "Fixed". Make sure you're tuned to a 1080i channel first. If you choose fixed and were not on 1080i, you can still go into the "Quick Settings" (one press of the settings button) and scroll up to Picture Format" - then select 1080i. This happens because you're using HDMI and the STB and TV are communicating with each other - you could use component video.
For those noticing the HDD spinning up and down (HSUD) frequently, this also happened to an extent in previous firmware updates, however, it's been going on for far too long now.... If you want, you can workaround this by leaving the PVR on, tuned to a music channel for minimal HDD use and setting a wake-up timer to turn the unit back on in the morning after the powersave feature kicks in turning the unit off at 1:10AM. See: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1212966#post1212966
Secondary output (Slingbox) now displays VOD - See link below:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1184563#post1184563
eHDD Discussion:
If you have an eHDD and you have issues, contact Rogers. Remember that you should be able to unplug the eHDD SATA cable and use the PVR on just the internal HDD without problem in the interim...
Certain enclosures/drives seem to have more issues - People who purchased the Vantec 300/CX instead of 360. Blue and Green drives also seem to have more trouble than the WD Blacks (this was true even before the update for some people). See:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=23773
Rogers is reportedly working on the issue and some people have had their issues go away. Obviously by the number of posts with problems, some people still have the problem.
For those having problems, are you recording Fox Buffalo? If so, do not record this channel - record Fox Seattle or the Canadian Channel carrying similar programmes until the Fox Buffalo problem is fixed. This also happened a couple of years ago, requiring constant rebooting. It is not related to the firmware update since it's affecting those on the old firmware too.
Just discovered that a new firmware has been loaded on my PVR. It may now be equivalent to the version on the 8642. Here is a copy from the 8642 features with <comments>:
1. Faster loading On Demand sessions <does not seem faster to me>
2. The FF/REW/Play status bar displays the time offset, in minutes, from the start of the program. It is also divided visually into 15 minute sections. <yes> The exit key doesn't get rid of the status bar when FF or REW, but will if you're on Frame by Frame after you've paused to the frame you wish to look at.
3. Remembers where recordings left off in viewing previously recorded programs. (bookmarks) <yes, yeah!!>
4. takes a second or two for the audio to resume after a fast forward or rewind <no problem here>
5. Slightly different font/format for IPG/Info screens.
6. The IPG shows unsubscribed channels in grey. <yes>
10. Higher default contrast ratio <??>
11. Page up or down will jump 15 minutes <yes>
12. Option to enable/disable Descriptive Video <Yes - Enable or disable under Settings-Audio-Described>
13. Padding of programmes works (adding a minute or two to scheduled recordings) <I've tested several different programmes over a 3 week period and it works>
14. Button presses (FF, REW, Play, etc) seem to be just a tad slower (probably because additional info is displayed.
15. Press the select key when watching an FM music channel and the black screen saver comes up immediately (was available before, but worth noting)
16. If you have an eHDD, it may go to "sleep" (light out on my Vantec enclosure). Hopefully it also wakes up appropriately. So far mine do on both my PVRs (57) <more testing required since some people have reported issues>.
17. Copy to VCR is still there, but since there are more options (play from current location for example), you may need to scroll further to get to Copy to VCR.
18. Pause Live TV doesn't typically work right after a firmware update. Same for some recordings. A reboot usually solves the issue.
19. After pressing FF, then "Play", there appears to be a bit of visible "jumpback" to compensate for reflexes.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1179529#post1179529
On the old firmware, if you used the "jumpback" button directly from FF, then the next time the FF speed would be one speed higher - not what people want. The jumpback now works properly and the next time you use FF, it'll be what you want. Whoopee!
20. With the iHDD now sleeping more, the PVR seems to take some extra time to come back to life after turning it on, if the drive is asleep. For some people, the iHDD never went to sleep before. In my case it takes about 15 seconds.
21. For those of you going into the diagnostics and looking at your i/eHDD data around page 33, this now shows as "unavailable".
22. For those of you who wish to go into the IPG when recording two programmes, you need to have the IPG come up first, which is easily programmed in the QS guide under self service. Just remember to hit exit instead of guide when exiting the IPG. (If you go to the QSG when recording two programmes, the STB will usually lock up)
Note: If you get new firmware on your PVR, perform a reboot as soon as convenient. This may save you some grief (lost recordings). If that doesn't do it, try a second cold reboot (unplug/replug). If you still have issues, call Rogers.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17719 SA FAQ - Reboots, diagnostics, etc. SARA version is listed on Page 17.
For those people having issues with stretched SD programming, or notice the STB sending 480i to your TV when you want only 1080i, go into the settings (press settings button twice) go to "Set Picture Format" and choose "Fixed". Make sure you're tuned to a 1080i channel first. If you choose fixed and were not on 1080i, you can still go into the "Quick Settings" (one press of the settings button) and scroll up to Picture Format" - then select 1080i. This happens because you're using HDMI and the STB and TV are communicating with each other - you could use component video.
For those noticing the HDD spinning up and down (HSUD) frequently, this also happened to an extent in previous firmware updates, however, it's been going on for far too long now.... If you want, you can workaround this by leaving the PVR on, tuned to a music channel for minimal HDD use and setting a wake-up timer to turn the unit back on in the morning after the powersave feature kicks in turning the unit off at 1:10AM. See: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1212966#post1212966
Secondary output (Slingbox) now displays VOD - See link below:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1184563#post1184563
eHDD Discussion:
If you have an eHDD and you have issues, contact Rogers. Remember that you should be able to unplug the eHDD SATA cable and use the PVR on just the internal HDD without problem in the interim...
Certain enclosures/drives seem to have more issues - People who purchased the Vantec 300/CX instead of 360. Blue and Green drives also seem to have more trouble than the WD Blacks (this was true even before the update for some people). See:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=23773
Rogers is reportedly working on the issue and some people have had their issues go away. Obviously by the number of posts with problems, some people still have the problem.
