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Beta software
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For those interested in recent postings the last software available for testing was Beta 3 or PGXTF10003 which has been available for a few weeks. Beta 2 from last November/december had at least one techncial problem that needed to be resolved for Beta 3 to do with the EPG navigation, as someone mentioned here previously.
I spotted one issue in beta 3 and so that will need to be fixed for the next round of beta testing.
I tested for and found the following bugs were fixed in the current beta:
Radio recording from standby bug
No sound on second recording bug
MP3 playback via digital optical out
I also noticed that the name of the recording in the schedule information does not change when adding padding to the beginning time.
The issue I reported to Humax was when in the Guide: if a scheduled recording starts you are sent out of the guide. Humax are currently working on the fixes for beta3 – I don’t know what they all are; the issue with MP3s downloading on the Humax and software changes to the MHEG engine. I don’t know what else they are working on. Hopefully a new version will be available in the next week or 2 as Humax want a software release for the PVR in February.
Probably wont be the only bug/issues fix release but it makes sense for them to release as many bug fixes as possible and then make them available, and then carry on with any remaining bug fixes for another release.
Bug/issues fixes are the priority however that doesn’t mean they don’t want to look at feature changes. I had recently provided a top 10 features wish list to Humax and comparing it to the one Humax compiled from their customer contact database they look almost the same. To be able to include these Humax will be working on several releases between February and May.
I spotted one issue in beta 3 and so that will need to be fixed for the next round of beta testing.
I tested for and found the following bugs were fixed in the current beta:
Radio recording from standby bug
No sound on second recording bug
MP3 playback via digital optical out
I also noticed that the name of the recording in the schedule information does not change when adding padding to the beginning time.
The issue I reported to Humax was when in the Guide: if a scheduled recording starts you are sent out of the guide. Humax are currently working on the fixes for beta3 – I don’t know what they all are; the issue with MP3s downloading on the Humax and software changes to the MHEG engine. I don’t know what else they are working on. Hopefully a new version will be available in the next week or 2 as Humax want a software release for the PVR in February.
Probably wont be the only bug/issues fix release but it makes sense for them to release as many bug fixes as possible and then make them available, and then carry on with any remaining bug fixes for another release.
Bug/issues fixes are the priority however that doesn’t mean they don’t want to look at feature changes. I had recently provided a top 10 features wish list to Humax and comparing it to the one Humax compiled from their customer contact database they look almost the same. To be able to include these Humax will be working on several releases between February and May.
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say that again?
Thankyou
calamero
Originally I was told I could not distribute Humax's own beta software or make it available publically. So I cant break the agreement, and as you can appreciate I wouldnt want to risk damaging some good communication lines.
Goody two shoes statement over; I received the beta software from Humax so I guess the best place to go is Humax. Steveh1 (hi steve!) got handed a copy of this software by Humax to resolve his no sound on 2nd recording issue but I am not clear on what the deal is with that.
Can you confirm that the name in the recording schedule AND the list of recorded programmes is correct (eg that from the EPG when OK pressed) even if the start is padded?
Paul
Can confirm that the fix for retaining the name in the schedule list after padding the beginning time.
There is no change to th behaviour of the box with regards to taking the actual name of programme being recorded when recording starts for the subsiquent playlist entry.
I did about 4 tests last night and for example, I set a schedule from the EPG to record The Mighty Boosh. Then I edited the schedule for it to start recoding 5 minutes earlier. As proved, the name is not deleted in the schedule list after editing this. When recording started 5 minutes early it was still Newsnight and that is te entry in the playlist. I'll check with Humax to see if they have any plans to change this feature if you like.
This is so disappointing, I was counting on a fix in the next release. I must spend 15 minutes or more a week editing the programme names of recorded programmes so that other people can find the one they want to watch. The only alternative is not to pad and then miss the start of some programmes.
Humax obviously don't see this as a priority. Surely the fix can't be that difficult to implement?
I'm just sayng that I think that the guide not saving itself has more of a detrimental effect on use of the box than some of the bugs that have been reported.
Incidently, Marc, how do you get on the beta?
When you edit the recording times, does the 'reserved' icon still disappear from the EPG, or have they fixed that too?
Cheers,
Pete
(in fact if their betas don't have the "new" features like drive based EPG, auto pad, chaseplay at this stage then an April release looks less and less likely - maybe I should say June?)
Cliff
For me only saving the epg, more timers and keeping the recording icon/name after padding would be nice and these are only really simple features to make it more user friendly. So not a high priority for Humax.
Apart from the odd HDD error (which is probably a faulty HDD in my unit and i can't be bothered getting it swapped just yet) it works fine and i'm sure this the same with the majority of owners.
All this talk of software upgrades and wish lists does get everyone's hopes up for a improved and more polished 9200 but i think the future updates will be few and far and just focused on recognised bugs, not cosmetic improvements.
So i guess the 9200 is what it is and getting it to work for everyone will happen at some point this year. But getting a polished PVR that everyone is happy with is just a dream, at least for this generation of PVR's?
fbz1501s attitude is probably the best approach. Lower the expections completely and then if things happen to the timescales Humax are aiming for then be pleasantly suprised.
As it stands at the moment, if you just go ahead and select what you want to record the box will tell you straight away if you already have 2 recordings and choose.
It would be nice if there was a visual way of knowing off the graphical EPG the contents of the seporate scheduled timer list, which is accessed within the EPG by the yellow button. Like a red line underlined under any or part programme blocks accordingly.
Will suggest to Humax to look at this, especially if when autopadding is going to start being used - if all programmes selected via the EPG are automatically padded you would never see any indications of reserved recordings at all anyway. Something they need to think about I think at the same time as the autopadding work.
It seems to me that fixing bugs will be highest priority for Humax. Consumers probably have a right to a refund if the product does not work as advertised but consumers have no rights if a box does not have a particular function that was never advertised.
It also seems to me there are two levels of wider release: to the enthusiasts via the Humax web site and to the masses via an over the air update. I would have thought it wise to release bug fix and feature enhancement versions via the web site (as a public beta and with due warnings)after issues found in a limited distribuion beta have been fixed but without necessarily going through a full release test plan.
This is a great idea, and probably much easier to implement than a scheme that has to decide whether you've just padded a recording by a few minutes, or have changed the recording times to record two consecutive programmes in a single recording. You'd still want the EPG to show if a recording is set to repeat daily or weekly, though.
Thanks Marc,
I agree there needs to be some sort of indication in the EPG. I think in the meantime, I might try an alternative padding method: reserving the programme after as well as the one I want. This is quicker than editing the scheduled times anyway!
I bet you run out of timer slots! You can only reserve 20 recordings.
Hi Steven,
We intend to increase the Timer limit to 50 in a future update.
We are aware of issues with the E-Linker software not doing any error checking when transferring the information to a PC, this is something that will be addressed in the future.
Thanks
This was in response to two questions I raised when I was e-mailed the recent beta software.
Notice no time frames!