Hear are my updated Software Ideas
Its not a bug list
Please only reply if you have used the machine
My intention is to create with your help a master list of software ideas to send to Humax.
But please think carefully before posting since any ideas must be practical and user friendly to every one who has one or will buy one in the future

Humax PVR9200T Software Ideas version 1.1

i button
Has to be pressed twice to get program description = change it to only needing to be pressed once.
Only Now and Next available = change it to at least a day
Make the UP and Down arrows change the Channel that program description is being displayed

Live Buffer (Time Shift)
The following should be options since I assume they will increase Hardrive noise.
Only works on one channel at a time = Make it work on two at the same time + when changing to another Channel, delete only the first channels buffer.
Live Buffer erased after watching a recording = stop it erasing it.
When half way through recording a program, make it possible to watch the recording from the beginning before it finishes recording.

Programme Guide
Only 4 Channels displayed at a time = Need 5 or 6.
Date next to Programme Time is a number = need day not number displayed.
To find out a Programmes Description, the i button has to be pressed = make it automatic = stop the i button needing to be pressed.
CH + - moves the cursor to the last Channel on the menu and then moves the channel to the top = it should instead move the cursor to the Channel after the last Channel on the menu and move it to the top of the menu.

Find By Genre displays a type of Genre, one channel at a time for the next 7 days, no way of jumping to another channel without scrolling through 7 days of the channel before and the channel before that etc. Change it so it orders it by time and date, not channel

Schedule (Yellow Button in Guide menu) should have displayed OK button to Edit

Recording Schedule and Schedule in the Guide menu needs the following changing / adding
Turn the RED button in to Delete
Make the OK button go straight in to Edit function
Edit Function = Separate Start and End times and put them at the top of the menu
Make the Left and Right arrows add and subtract 1min from the Start and End times.
If the program scheduled has been edited, keep its name = at the moment it goes blank.

Change the maximum amount of Scheduled Recordings from 20 to 200

Record List and Recorded Programme menus
Make RED button delete the highlighted programme
Make OK button go straight to EDIT function
The name of the recorded program should be the program name half way through the recording, this will stop the program be fore’s name accidentally being used.
Would be nice to see program description when cursor is on a program, not essential.

Preferences Menu
Add the ability for all Scheduled recordings to automatically have 1,2,3,4,5 minutes added to their start and end times.
Add the ability for a screen saver / turning the picture blank when left on menus for a certain length of time to stop it burning on to the TV screen. Also apply this rule to pausing and radio.

Save the 7 Day EPG guide data so it’s not deleted when in standby mode.

MP3 = Increase the amount Hardrive space that can be used to store MP3

Copying recordings from Humax to PC = give the file name the correct extension to describe the file format so Windows can work out how to open it.

Favourites = Make it easier to rearrange the order Channels are displayed

PIP = Make it work when viewing a recording or when recording

Switch Fan off when in Standby if Hardrive is off and box is cold enough

Front Display, Need option to Dim it and to switch it off when on or in standby.

After a power cut, currently the machine powers up and switches the hardrive on for a few seconds, then turns in to standby mode and powers down the hardrive.
Stop hardrive from switching on for the above = unnecessary and could damage or wear it out faster. Of course make sure it switches hardrive on for any recordings.

Some suggestions there are good and are well needed but you must be realistic.. things like the Dimmer option on the LCD would need a total software and possible hardware revamp, and if there were more than 4 programs on the TV Guide.. where would the preview screen go?

A few people have mentioned about the LCD being to bright and it might be very easy to fix = many DVD players have a dimmer and off options in the menu. Sending a software command to switch off the LCD could be very, very easy.
Saying that you could put something over the LCD but that would look wrong.

The Thomson Freeview hardrive has 6 channels displayed on screen in the EPG and a preview screen. So it can be done. The only reason to have 4 is its easily readable on a portable T V. But from what people have said being able to see BBC1, BBC2, ITV, CH4 and Five at the same time is more important.

I think it's essential that the manufacturers fix the bugs in their products, but do you really expect them put their software engineers to work on free product upgrades?

I would like to see an EPG similar to this.
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/whisper/EPG.JPG

Although with the preview screen to remain. I'm guessing that most people use a PVR with their main television in the house, that is 26" or greater (which is the size of the screen in the above picture).

If they want to sell the product to new customers they will.
The Humax software is so bad in places, only a real enthusiast could put up with it.
For example, when you have watched a recording you have to press 7 buttons to delete it.
The buttons are
Menu, 1, 1, OK, OK, OK, Exit
Can you imagine a normal person putting up with that?

How about something a bit like this (not exactly, copywrite issues and the Humax does somethings better)
http://dtt.opennet.co.uk/DHD4000-ProgramGuide2.JPG

I use the humax as a vcr only, i.e. for recording and playing not for viewing freeview as my tv is an idtv.

What annoys me the most is how many buttons it takes to get to a recording and play it.

Either,
1.
Open the flap
press list
press OK

Or,
2.
Press menu
go to record optionfrom whever I was last
press ok
press ok
press play

Option 1 would be OK if it wasn't under the flap

Option 2, is awful, especially as your finger easily finds the OK button but the default action is to DELETE the recording not play it. I may play it several times but I will l only ever delete it once.

So, either make the menu button always go to the top option and make OK the play button.

Or

Reassign the list button to something outdide the flap. How about the OK button, then the actions are OK, scroll, OK. Nice big buttons to hit, can be done in the dark and no hand movements or searching for the specific small buttons.

As a recorder the primary and therefore easiest functions should be to play and record.

sandholme

Some people have removed the flap on their remote. One person said it was very easy. No one mentioned putting it back on = I assume you can?

I agree the Record List button under the flap is not easy to find and is a pain since its often used.
Using the OK button instead would not work for other people. Most freeview boxs including non recorders use the OK button to bring up the channel list. Many people will have got used to their old freeview box doing this and they may have several around the house.

Good list Spoon261.

I agree with most of it but personally I am happy with the epg as it is.

Maybe it would be posible to have an option giving a choice of either 4 line or 6 line display.

Not sure what you mean about making it easier to rearrange the order Channels are displayed in favourites.

There is already a move option which works well.

Roger

[quote=spoon261]sandholme

Some people have removed the flap on their remote. One person said it was very easy. No one mentioned putting it back on = I assume you can?

...QUOTE]
Yes it clips back on like a fliptop lid. I have had mine on and off a dozen times.

Yes, I can! There's a lot of features on the 9200T its inevitable that the man-machine interface will involve some heirachy, because you can't dedicate a high level menu positions or buttons on the remote to every function because then you make the product unusable for a different reason.

Perfect usability for everyone is impossible to achieve anyway because different people have different priorities so Humax are probably much better-off focussing on bug fixes for current models and improved software for future products otherwise they'll have nothing new to sell us next year. (Consumer electronics is an industry, rather than a charity afterall).

Sony Fan

Have you deleted many recordings on the 9200T?
Do you really expect normal people to put up with that?
I expect several people will have returned the box to the dealer just because of that.

I have checked the move channels option and can confirm your right. I have removed it from the list.

I can't believe people would return an otherwise good machine because they have to press a few buttons.

If you watch a few recordings and then go into the menu it's only three presses per recording, you can delete ten items in about 30 seconds, that's not exactly time consuming.

I thought I was lazy, after reading this suggestion I feel possitively energetic.

I have slightly edited and added a bit to my list.

Humax PVR9200T Software Ideas version 1.2

i button
Has to be pressed twice to get program description = change it to only needing to be pressed once.
Make the UP and Down arrows change the Channel that program description is being displayed
Only Now and Next available = change it to at least a day

i button shortcut, while watching live TV, make the left, right, up and down arrow keys act like the i button has been pressed instead of doing nothing. But when they are pressed again let them do their normal thing so you can navigate.

Channel List button, the current program is only displayed at the moment, would be nice to see the next program as well.

Live Buffer (Time Shift)
The following should be options since I assume they will increase Hardrive noise.
Only works on one channel at a time = Make it work on two at the same time + when changing to another Channel, delete only the first channels buffer.
Live Buffer erased while watching a recording = stop it erasing it.
When half way through recording a program, make it possible to watch the recording from the beginning before it finishes recording.

Program Guide
Only 4 Channels displayed at a time = Need 5 or 6.
Date next to Programme Time is a number = need day not number displayed.
To find out a Programmes Description, the i button has to be pressed = make it automatic = stop the i button needing to be pressed.
CH + - moves the cursor to the last Channel on the menu and then moves the channel to the top = it should instead move the cursor to the Channel after the last Channel on the menu and move it to the top of the menu.

Program Guide Time Bar, currently you have to enter Time Bar mode before the Fast Rewind, Fast Forward, Instant Replay & Commercial Skip buttons work as shortcuts to Time Bar functions. Make them also work when in normal Program Guide = so you do not have to go in to Time Bar mode (don’t have to press the green button).

Find By Genre displays a type of Genre, one channel at a time for the next 7 days, no way of jumping to another channel without scrolling through 7 days of the channel before and the channel before that etc. Change it so it orders it by time and date, not channel

Schedule (Yellow Button in Program Guide menu) should have displayed OK button to Edit

Recording Schedule and Schedule in the Guide menu needs the following changing / adding
Turn the RED button in to Delete and display a RED icon to Delete on the screen.
Make the OK button go straight in to Edit function
Edit Function = Separate Start and End times and put them at the top of the menu
Make the Left and Right arrows add and subtract 1min from the Start and End times.
If the program scheduled has been edited, keep its name = at the moment it goes blank.

Change the maximum amount of Scheduled Recordings from 20 to 200

Record List and Recorded Programme menus
Make RED button delete the highlighted programme and display a RED icon to Delete on the screen.
Make OK button go straight to EDIT function
The name of the recorded program should be the program name half way through the recording, this will stop the program be fore’s name accidentally being used.
Would be nice to see program description when cursor is on a program, not essential.

Preferences Menu
Add the ability for all Scheduled recordings to automatically have 1,2,3,4,5 minutes added to their start and end times.
Add the ability for a screen saver / turning the picture blank when left on menus for a certain length of time to stop it burning on to the TV screen. Also apply this rule to pausing and radio.

Save the 7 Day EPG guide data so it’s not deleted when in standby mode.

MP3 = Increase the amount Hardrive space that can be used to store MP3

Copying recordings from Humax to PC = give the file name the correct extension to describe the file format so Windows can work out how to open it.

PIP = Make it work when viewing a recording or when recording

Switch Fan off when in Standby if Hardrive is off and box is cold enough

Front Display, Need option to Dim it and to switch it off when on or in standby.

After a power cut, currently the machine powers up and switches the hardrive on for a few seconds, then turns in to standby mode and powers down the hardrive.
Stop hardrive from switching on for the above = unnecessary and could damage or wear it out faster. Of course make sure it switches hardrive on for any recordings.

If you watch a few recordings and then go in to the menu, you have to remember what you have and have not watched. I dont expect everyone watches things in the sequence they are recorded in, so needs a lot of brain power to remember. Try it when your half asleep.

Another "wouldn't it be nice if.." for the Preferences menu

The option to turn off the on-screen reminder that a recording has started. If you happen to be archiving at the time that reminder will appear on your DVD recording as well.

The seven presses required to delete a program on the 9200 is only one more than on the 8000, which I've been using very happily for nearly two years.

If you can't manage seven presses, then go ahead - return your product!

With the 9200 geared up to upload your family snapshots, it would also be nice if you had the option to do a screen capture.

Thanx added to the next update of the list

Your obviously an enthusiast, I could never have managed it even for 2 months.
But have to admit I have programmed a learning remote to press the 7 buttons for me, so I now only have to press 2 buttons.

Unfortunately I have not got a laptop, so can not hook a computer up to the Humax.
My PC is to far away for a USB cable to work. You could start your own software ideas list for things to do with connecting to a PC.
I will mention that my list does not cover this in the next update.
If you do create a list, when other people have had a chance to comment on it, we could merge the 2 lists together.

Wouldn't it be good if... The programme name in the playlist menu was white and not an almost illegible blue.

Wouldn't it be good if... The commercial skip and instant rewind features were on the main part of the remote. The blue and yellow buttons, maybe.

Re the on-screen reminder that a recording has started.

If enabled it would be better if the message was more helpful and displayed at the bottom of the screen.

I suggest it should read ' now recording <program> on <channel name>.

It should also be on the screen longer say 5 seconds or adjustable in preferences.

Roger