Surely it can't be normal to go this long between updates?

Does anybody have any concrete info as to whether Humax are still developing this product further, or is this it?

Yes we are continuing to develop heavily, test releases are being delivered frequently here but they are not for distribution as yet.

We are focusing on delivering a number of highly complex issues and while we had hoped to have a release earlier we are waiting for a release which is more comprehensive.

Bob @ Humax

Bob,

Is the plan still to deliver a bug-fix release, then followed by the iPlayer implementation?

Rgds.

Les.

Thanks for the info Mr Cat

Bob_Cat
Why not let forum members be beta testers for your interim test releases?

Yeah because we don't blab about bugs to anyone

And no-one here ever defames Humax either.

And if you beta tested you'd probably have to give up your warranty + consumer rights too i.e. it's not going to happen!

Bob_Cat,

I think that's a top notch suggestion. I'd certainly be willing to give it a go, without prejudice to the success or otherwise of the exercise and with/without Humax test cases to go through. (My box is currently switched off as I got fed up going up to the attic to reset it.)

Judging by the stability of the box, I'd say we are all beta testers.

Mine's very stable, electrically and it's on a solid shelf

This does sound very promising and is excellent news, I can't wait.. but it has to be said... any ROUGH idea as to when?????? This month? This year?

..and before anyone starts about this forum not pressurising poor Humax....this post is not meant in that vein.. I just would like to have a ball park figure. although, is it too much to read into what bob_cat is saying the implication that it might be that things are possibly beginning to move a bit faster!

Patrick

I agree with 'froxfieldrover', it would help to know roughly when an update is due. I do know that software development is not an exact science but there must be some target date they are aiming for.

I am not awaiting an upgrade for a Humax Foxsat I own, as I 'd returned mine earlier this year when it broke down and Comet didn't have another in stock. But I'd like to know if an upgrade is availble before the release and proving of Panasonic's effort.

I do want HD as I dropped Sky in January and returned the Foxsat in February so I have been patient. But I'd rather buy into a revised Humax than spend more on the purchase of the Panasonic and have to make my present Panasonic Blu-Ray redundant.

However, whichever comes first, a Foxsat revision or Panasonic's proving, will get my vote.

I wouldn't mind betting that Humax have got wind of some of their competitor's up and coming product features (Panasonic, Metronic?) and are having to incorporate them into the revised firmware. Doing that would keep them ahead of any pre-announced 'soon to be released' products and keep their sales up. As long as they release before the rival products come out they will stay ahead of the game.

I've not been looking very often, but I see the DTG site has an end date for the 1.00.15 OAD. The end-date is 15-06-2009.
http://www.dtg.org.uk/industry/download_schedule.php

Could this mean that we will soon see a new version going out?
Of course we have no more idea when that might start, but maybe this is a good sign.
Even if it is only marginally better than looking at tea leaves!

Thread running here http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s....php?t=1043659

I've been wrong before on dates and because we are looking at some significant changes I am even more apprehensive about naming a date. I'll stick my neck out and say before the end of the summer, I wanted it sooner but there are limits.

The update can never make everyone happy, but I am impressed with some of the features that will make people more comfortable with their product.

A note to those who are trying to message me about becoming a beta tester: It doesn't matter who you are and what level of skills you have I won't be recruiting anyone. It's not my field and I won't be a conduit for that process. We won't be releasing it at this delicate stage, it will take time to pull everything together. There are different stages of testing, just testing a feature is one part, we then have to test if it is fit for consumers which is a relatively long processes.

Ta for info Mr Bob_Cat. I can see where your coming from about beta testing. I take it H' have a pool of "final release" testers before it gets mass rolled out.

As we all know it doesn't matter how many checks are done in the test bed..... Customers at large will always find the faults when released out into the wild...

Hi Bob_Cat


Thanks for your input and the info you have given us over the months - nice to get something from the horse's mouth so to speak.

While I am looking forward to some exciting new features my need is to have the current box work correctly. I am on my second box since February and the new one (which may be a return anyway as it has the older 1.00.02 software) has frozen twice in 5 days. Even some who have had a relatively trouble-free experience so far are getting freezes now. see today's posts.

Is the update we are waiting for likely to address this issue? or is that not even on your radar?

I continue to be impressed with the HDR when it works, but freezes, non-recordings (not Humax at fault I suspect) and a few smaller issues are spoiling my Freesat experience.

Fair enough, Bob_Cat, and thanks for keeping us up to date. (Unfortunately, any I-Player features are unlikely to be accessible in the Irish Republic. I'd even be willing to pay a subscription!)

if you are willing to pay a subscription, just get a router with vpn capability then pay a company for a UK IP vpn, ie.

http://www.banana-vpn.com/UK-vpn.htm(I just googled it and this is the 1st I found).

Its not strictly legal, but nor is taping stuff off the radio....

Are you still targeting a separate release for iplayer then - looks like the timescales are converging ?

The timescales have indeed converged and we are testing the enhancements at the same time as working on the MHEG IC extensions as used in interactive services.

It will be up to the BBC as to when they want to launch any interactive services, but there will be updates to support them.

Excuse the cynic in me, but suddenly the pressure is off Humax because it's all down to the BBC to determine when the update is released - hasn't anyone in Humax got the balls to step up and release an update come what may?

That's not what Bob said - my reading of it anyway. Humax will release updates that will support BBC iPlayer. When BBC implement it at their end is up to them.

That's how I interpret it.

Rgds.

Les.