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now 5 months since firmware update


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Old 03-04-2009, 12:54
wjharing
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Sorry to bring this up again and again, but as time is moving forward, we still don't really have a clue when a new firmware for the FOXSAT-HDR is about to be released, let alone what would be fixed.

We are now waiting for about 5 months since v1.02 was out in the open. (I'm ignoring v1.03 as it is not made available to existing FOXSAT-HDR users)

People might think I'm becoming impatience, but am I really, after waiting for 5 months?
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Old 03-04-2009, 13:00
Tern
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I suspect their thinking is: As there is nothing that is really a killer for the vast majority of people it is better to devote resources to steadily working through the things they want to repair/change rather than dilute the effort by going through the release process every couple of months.

I'm quite happy to be patient (not that I have much option ) but I will be pretty disappointed if they haven't really polished up the UI when they do do the next release. The longer we wait, the higher our expectations!
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Old 03-04-2009, 13:09
wjharing
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I bought a portable video player over a year ago, and after 9 months the company decided no longer to provide any firmware updates but instead focus on newer products. I would be concerned if something similar would happen with the FOXSAT-HDR, especially with the long wait for the first update.

I don't mind the waiting, if it is clear there is something to wait for.
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Old 03-04-2009, 13:21
Nigel Goodwin
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I bought a portable video player over a year ago, and after 9 months the company decided no longer to provide any firmware updates but instead focus on newer products. I would be concerned if something similar would happen with the FOXSAT-HDR, especially with the long wait for the first update.
Humax are a well established company, and are known for a good level of support - as for a company no longer issuing updates, if an item doesn't need any updates there's no need for them to do so.

As already mentioned, the Humax is pretty decent with it's current version of software, there's certainly no 'mad rush' to provide a few minor tweaks, it makes more sense to take their time and get it tested better before public release.

It's quite possible that there will be no interim release, and that the next update will be to add the ethernet iPlayer type service later this year.
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Old 03-04-2009, 13:25
Bob_Cat
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We still have a team working on the HDR, I have weekly conference calls about it. One of the biggest problems is that many of the problems reported are individual to a certain combination of exotic scenarios or the issues require complex solutions.

We've rushed out updates before and it hasn't always been to the benefit of the consumers, let us take our time. Beyond the next update the updates however won't continue forever though, speculation I would foresee around one year of decreasing effort from now? I won't say when the next release will be because it depends on what is important and how dramatic is that which gets fixed sooner.

Bob

PS. There will be an update before that of iPlayer.
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Old 03-04-2009, 13:40
timp
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Beyond the next update the updates however won't continue forever though, speculation I would foresee around one year of decreasing effort from now?
so an 'end of life' product then?

Bring on the Panny Freesat+ Blu-Ray kit then......
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Old 03-04-2009, 13:47
froxfieldrover
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..........

Last edited by froxfieldrover : 03-04-2009 at 13:48. Reason: I was being too unfair about the product
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Old 03-04-2009, 13:54
froxfieldrover
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What this could mean is that a new product is in the pipeline as the current one is being redesigned from the bottom up!

A lot of money to pay for something which is seen by some as having significant design flaws that should be corrected but which probably won't now be.

Last edited by froxfieldrover : 03-04-2009 at 13:57. Reason: rephrase
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Old 03-04-2009, 15:00
Tern
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A lot of money to pay for something which is seen by some as having significant design flaws that should be corrected but which probably won't now be.
Well, I've been using mine for some months now with nothing more than a few minor niggles. (O.K. a couple of the niggles are very niggling niggles) so I certainly would not say the box has significant design flaws.

More like a few rough edges that could easily be lived with but which it would be nice to have fixed.

I'm still not sure how they can accomplish fixes which change, for example, the menu layout, as this would mean that after an OAU people would suddenly have boxes that did not behave as their manuals indicated they should.
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Old 03-04-2009, 15:07
Bob_Cat
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Timp, in consumer electronics end of life means no longer supported at a customer services level, the products are sill under their warranty and we still maintain parts. This isn't the computer world. When a product is put into production most manufacturers cease to support it, however Humax is different and we support a product beyond launch because it suits us to. But as we get no revenue from the boxes already sold and it costs us not only to develop the updates, but also to transmit them we do it mostly for the secondary benefits (reviews, feedback, referrals and on-going sales).

As with all manufacturers there is always a new product in development, but it won't be out for a long time. We have a team still working on the existing products because we feel they need more and we can still share the benefits of this with consumers.
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Old 03-04-2009, 15:16
froxfieldrover
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Well, I've been using mine for some months now with nothing more than a few minor niggles. (O.K. a couple of the niggles are very niggling niggles) so I certainly would not say the box has significant design flaws.

More like a few rough edges that could easily be lived with but which it would be nice to have fixed.

I'm still not sure how they can accomplish fixes which change, for example, the menu layout, as this would mean that after an OAU people would suddenly have boxes that did not behave as their manuals indicated they should.
They could issue a pdf downloadable file with the updates! I would also disagree about a "few" rough edges too. Many of the changes on the wish list are not minor. Of course that may be a matter of opinion.

For me, the things that I think are it's saving graces are the dual tuner, now that is worth having plus the HD - oh and the weeks epg which is brilliant. It's just the way it all hangs together which I think could be much improved and lets hope is in the forthcoming update!
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Old 03-04-2009, 15:50
b33k34
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I can't help thinking that if the user interface was sorted properly then Humax would only need to do the work once - they could then use it on all of their products.

Additional features would be additional menu items but the basic menus would be the same

If there was a major revision it could be offered for existing products (even if it were for a small charge - see Apple's updates for the iPod touch and Apple TV).
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Old 03-04-2009, 16:07
Everything Goes
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You may find manufactures will offer 1 year of Mainstream Support (features added and bugs fixed) then 1 year of Extended Support (major bug fixes only). Thereafter the product will no longer be supported.
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Old 03-04-2009, 16:44
katrinap
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... This isn't the computer world. ...
That's the key quote for me. I think a lot of people are thinking in terms of OS upgrades and so on.
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Old 03-04-2009, 16:52
froxfieldrover
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That's the key quote for me. I think a lot of people are thinking in terms of OS upgrades and so on.
I understand your point we can expect too much, but it's a trifle misleading, of course it's the computer world! What else can it be , that's why you have firmware upgrades. Changes to the computer program, to fix bugs/oversights etc generally would not require a change to the operating system!
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Old 03-04-2009, 19:05
charlo
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Bob_Cat
The new box I`ve recently bought is on s/w 1.00.01.
Is there any way I can update to 1.02 without having to await a more up to date release?
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Old 03-04-2009, 19:44
scartart
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PS. There will be an update before that of iPlayer.
I hope the iPlayer update will be a full Canvas implementation otherwise the HDR will be obsolete within a year.
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Old 03-04-2009, 20:17
Tern
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I hope the iPlayer update will be a full Canvas implementation otherwise the HDR will be obsolete within a year.
It'll take a damn sight longer than that before it's obsolete for me, even if it's never upgraded.
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Old 03-04-2009, 23:23
nunboro1969
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Can i say the product in my case has been faultless BOB CAT,By reading problems other members have had i can understand the need for problems to be resolved and hopefully they will be,I too cannot wait for iplayer etc and also had foxsat from start of freesat hope humax can improve the hdr and itv can sort out there problems,THIS IS a v good product and the growing freesat product can be improved even though its less than 12 months old
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Old 03-04-2009, 23:54
suffolktoon
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I had a failed recording last week but that's been it as far as problems go. We do seem to have a high percentage of the disk used for not a lot of programs but that aside the box has been excellent. I've also had very few problems with my Sky HD box compared to the horror stories others have told us about. Perhaps East Anglian electrickery is the best electrickery.
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Old 04-04-2009, 00:06
nunboro1969
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SUFFOLKTOON, HAVE you had problems with itv hd ie england match on wednesday sound ok picture fine for three quaters of match before hd went down
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Old 04-04-2009, 10:24
Bob_Cat
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I hope the iPlayer update will be a full Canvas implementation otherwise the HDR will be obsolete within a year.
I don't agree it would be obsolete. Note that Canvas is still awaiting BBC Trust approval so the industry doesn't even know what will be distilled out of that. It is too early to make assumptions about Canvas. There is no specification for Canvas yet released, however as I understand the process it won't be likely that legacy products will support Canvas.

Bob
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Old 04-04-2009, 10:54
savvy
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I hope the iPlayer update will be a full Canvas implementation otherwise the HDR will be obsolete within a year.
How will the HDR be obsolete within a year?

It will still function as a twin tuner PVR, with Freesat EPG, capable of recording SD & HD. This is far from obsolete.

Les.
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Old 04-04-2009, 11:36
suffolktoon
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SUFFOLKTOON, HAVE you had problems with itv hd ie england match on wednesday sound ok picture fine for three quaters of match before hd went down
No, no problems at all with the game apart from trying to stay awake.
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