Freesat changes - firmware update

richard_g_uk · 22/04/15 - 20:51

My Panasonic Freesat TV has just prompted me to update the firmware. Just checked and spotted this:

Prepare Freesat broadcast change

in the change notes here:

http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/tv/download/fw/europe/down_uk1.html

What's happening that requires a firmware update?

M60 · 22/04/15 - 22:52

richard_g_uk wrote: »

My Panasonic Freesat TV has just prompted me to update the firmware. Just checked and spotted this:

Prepare Freesat broadcast change

in the change notes here:

http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/tv/download/fw/europe/down_uk1.html

What's happening that requires a firmware update?

Very interesting find, I wonder if this is to migrate the default TP, surely it will have to be an over-air update ultimately to capture all the sets in use?

DWA9IS · 23/04/15 - 00:05

M60 wrote: »

Very interesting find, I wonder if this is to migrate the default TP, surely it will have to be an over-air update ultimately to capture all the sets in use?

I thought that the default tp had already migrated to 2E or 2F months ago?

M60 · 23/04/15 - 05:38

lotrjw wrote: »

I thought that the default tp had already migrated to 2E or 2F months ago?

Nope, the Home TP is still on EB1

REPASSAC · 23/04/15 - 07:00

M60 wrote: »

Very interesting find, I wonder if this is to migrate the default TP, surely it will have to be an over-air update ultimately to capture all the sets in use?

A firmware update should not be necessary if freesat specifications were complied with. They specify that if the default transponder is not at the default location then it should be scanned for.

Hooded Claw · 23/04/15 - 08:41

"If" indeed"!

Anyway, the change is afoot as 2G is finally heading off for Ku Band testing

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showpost.php?p=77801298&postcount=231

Night Watchman · 23/04/15 - 11:07

Error - duplicate post.

grahamlthompson · 23/04/15 - 12:10

No updates on a 2015 Panasonic Freetime TV (yet

) Nor on Humax freesat/freetime units

DWA9IS · 23/04/15 - 13:04

M60 wrote: »

Nope, the Home TP is still on EB1

Ok fair enough I guess they want to switch it somehow then.

Is this tp in a band that Astra use for 26Mhz tps normally? If so could Astra just use the space of two 26Mhz tps and stick one 36Mhz transponder there for the freesat home tp?

DWA9IS · 23/04/15 - 13:06

REPASSAC wrote: »

A firmware update should not be necessary if freesat specifications were complied with. They specify that if the default transponder is not at the default location then it should be scanned for.

So could they move it down band to a 26Mhz tp and freesat would still find it?

me_plus_one · 23/04/15 - 13:15

My Panasonic txl37v10b has freesat but isn't on the list the OP linked to, cannot be that its to old? The v20 is there.

[Deleted User] · 11/05/15 - 22:06

What Panasonic actually seem to be up to is fixing a longstanding problem with the EPG on many of their older Smart Tv models suddenly ceasing to work beyond Now and Next. Up to now this has only been fixable for those with 5 year warranties (eg John Lewis sold sets) by replacing the Main A Board on the set.

This just released firmware update looks like it is fixing that problem on the GT and VT 30 series Panasonic models by restoring the full Freeview and Freesat EPG data functionality.

See https://www.avforums.com/threads/lost-freesat-freeview-epg-tvguide.1723297/page-4

Panasonic seem very keen to hide that there was a problem with their firmware's design for interpreting the EPG data so are trying to cover it up as something else. Of course it may be the data that was stuffing up both the Freeview and Freesat EPGs actually originated on the Freesat rather than the Freeview side of things, so hence why Panasonic have chosen to explain it away in this fashion.

They still need similar firmware updates to be released on their 40, 50 and possibly 60 series Plasma tvs to fix the same issue on those tvs.

[Deleted User] · 18/05/15 - 20:32

Well my box no longer buzzes like a bitch anymore, so ~ happy day

M60 · 18/05/15 - 21:14

My 2009 Panasonic sets also suffer from the same issues, would be great to nail that with a firmware update but guess they want to bury their head in the sand with these older models.

[Deleted User] · 09/06/15 - 21:42

Our TH46PZ81B with firmware 1.619 is now prompting to take an update to 1.621

I haven't found what this new firmware is for.
I have looked at some of the embedded links, the most likely reason seem to be for the new satellite.
http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/tv/download/fw/europe/down_uk1.html
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showpost.php?p=77801298&postcount=231
https://www.avforums.com/threads/lost-freesat-freeview-epg-tvguide.1723297/page-4

I hope this reply will keep this topic close to the top of the forum.

Strathclyde · 17/06/15 - 12:16

Panasonic TVs with built-in Freesat decoders variously seem to be requiring firmware upgrades which include the purpose "Prepare for Freesat broadcast change". This could well be for transition to a spot beam for the default transponder (which definitely is on the cards). Southern Ireland might have problems, and most of mainland Europe will have little chance of getting the default transponder.

I'd advise affected viewers to get themselves a Sky box - doesn't have to be subscription, just obtain a "Freesat from Sky" card, which is buried deep on the Sky website.

The firmware upgrade (released April 2015) isn't being done over the air, but the Panasonic website http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/tv/download/fw/europe/down_uk1.html gives instructions. Although these are pretty clear, they'll be beyond the ability of many viewers, given that the Freesat demographics includes a lot of senior citizens. Fantastic scope for rogue dealers to suggest that the TV has died, and needs to be replaced. Certainly those with standalone Freesat boxes outside the UK/Ireland might as well throw them away.

Prepare for a few howls when Freesat makes the move.

grahamlthompson · 17/06/15 - 13:03

Strathclyde wrote: »

Panasonic TVs with built-in Freesat decoders variously seem to be requiring firmware upgrades which include the purpose "Prepare for Freesat broadcast change". This could well be for transition to a spot beam for the default transponder (which definitely is on the cards). Southern Ireland might have problems, and most of mainland Europe will have little chance of getting the default transponder.

I'd advise affected viewers to get themselves a Sky box - doesn't have to be subscription, just obtain a "Freesat from Sky" card, which is buried deep on the Sky website.

The firmware upgrade (released April 2015) isn't being done over the air, but the Panasonic website http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/tv/download/fw/europe/down_uk1.html gives instructions. Although these are pretty clear, they'll be beyond the ability of many viewers, given that the Freesat demographics includes a lot of senior citizens. Fantastic scope for rogue dealers to suggest that the TV has died, and needs to be replaced. Certainly those with standalone Freesat boxes outside the UK/Ireland might as well throw them away.

Prepare for a few howls when Freesat makes the move.

Why Southern Ireland, all of Ireland is well within the Astra 2 UK spot beam beam primary footprint ? It it wasn't they would have long ago lost all ITV CH4 CH5 and BBC PSB channels ( The channels moved to a 1N UK spot around 2013 and to Astra 2E around Feb 2014 - it's not expected 2G UK spot beams will be significant to 2F and 2E)

http://www.ses.com/4628866/astra-2e

DWA9IS · 17/06/15 - 23:19

Winston_1 wrote: »

Don't need the card. A sky box WITHOUT CARD will get everything a Freesat box can get.

True but you get the default region as there is no way of changing it, unlike a freesat box that will go with the postcode you put in.
If its a newer sky HD box it will keep whatever region was on the last card.

Within England it will likely only matter for regional news but in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland there is a lot more content on BBC's and possibly some extra on STV's and UTV's channels.
So it could be a good idea to have a card, but it only needs doing once, as an expired card would keep the correct region.

Or get just an fta Dsat HD box which would allow manual tuning of the channels you can get, but it will need to be retuned manually when changes happen.

Hey there!

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Freesat changes - firmware update

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