Begun, this Virginercation Has [Firmware Review!] - Page 2

HDFootyMan · 18-01-2007, 22:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by .....

What's your day 1 score out of ten then Chris?

8 out of 10. I want to leave some room for improvement.

I think that score would be lower if I didn't have a 8 day EPG on the TV Drive in the living room, and the Pace box (now in the bedroom) was still my only Cable box.

There's no way I could have done with a 1 day EPG up until now (not with the TV recording I was doing last year) and I can't see people with the current 3-day EPG being

when the new and improved firmware robs them of 2 days. Still, Telewest users have dealt with this for a while I think, now NTL users will have to too.

Is the TV Drive worth upgrading to, to get the extra days in the EPG (and all the other fancy features)? IMO, yes. But now the entry-level TV service from Virgin only has 1 day in the EPG, while everyone else (including Freeview) offers at least 7.

---------- Post added at 22:46 ---------- Previous post was at 22:42 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Ok, with you now. You mean the RF (UHF) connection. It doesn't mute because most people use the RF either for a VCR or to feed to a second TV.

(You are right that it's composite, but you can also get composite on SCART)

Ah, Ok.

Heck, that 'feature' is not gonna ruin my life or anything

, and most TV remotes have a mute button anyway.

RS100 · 18-01-2007, 23:06

v+hd box (tv drive) is worth it as it has full 7/8 day epg and has three tuners so you can record two programms at the same time while watching another and if you have a HDTV you will get bbc HD in high def and be able to watch some movies on filmflex in HD aswell,

Longwave · 19-01-2007, 15:11

I'm also in Coventry and got this new firmware yesterday, it's definitely faster than the old firmware - less lag when pressing buttons, switching channels seems a bit quicker than before, and redrawing the selection boxes and so on in the menus isn't noticeable any more. Plus, no more "Please wait" for 20-30 seconds when entering the TV guide is a great improvement. I wish I could reorder channels again though - I don't need to see BBC HD in the list as neither the box nor my TV are capable of showing it.

There does seem to be a bug in the VOD system. If I choose Catch Up TV On Demand > BBC, then select Th18 as the day, six programmes are listed, and the first one is highlighted by default, and I can watch it by pressing OK. However, pressing Down, which you assume would highlight the second programme in the list, actually advances forward one day - I can't figure out how to view any programme except the first one listed! This bug also happens on Mo15, but if I go back to Su14, I can select either of the programmes. Very strange.

Also, on some of the VOD pages, the page number display says "Pg1/1" and on others it says "Pg1/0". This doesn't seem to correspond with the selection bug though.

HDFootyMan · 20-01-2007, 11:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longwave

I'm also in Coventry and got this new firmware yesterday, it's definitely faster than the old firmware - less lag when pressing buttons, switching channels seems a bit quicker than before, and redrawing the selection boxes and so on in the menus isn't noticeable any more. Plus, no more "Please wait" for 20-30 seconds when entering the TV guide is a great improvement. I wish I could reorder channels again though - I don't need to see BBC HD in the list as neither the box nor my TV are capable of showing it.

There does seem to be a bug in the VOD system. If I choose Catch Up TV On Demand > BBC, then select Th18 as the day, six programmes are listed, and the first one is highlighted by default, and I can watch it by pressing OK. However, pressing Down, which you assume would highlight the second programme in the list, actually advances forward one day - I can't figure out how to view any programme except the first one listed! This bug also happens on Mo15, but if I go back to Su14, I can select either of the programmes. Very strange.

Also, on some of the VOD pages, the page number display says "Pg1/1" and on others it says "Pg1/0". This doesn't seem to correspond with the selection bug though.

Works fine for me. The only time pressing DOWN goes to the next day, is when you're on the last programme in the list for the day currently selected.

Likewise, when pressing UP, if you're on the first programme of the day, it will display the list for the previous day.

Nikesh · 20-01-2007, 12:00

So..... the all important question..... Is the new firmware better than the old one?

KN4995 · 20-01-2007, 12:12

Am I seeing this right? You can't re-order channels?
I don't bloomin' want it then.

Nikesh · 20-01-2007, 12:14

I don't understand why they got rid of that feature.

KN4995 · 20-01-2007, 12:15

Last thing want is all the unsubscribed channels dotted through my list. I have all my channels just how I like them.
Meh. Not happy.

Nikesh · 20-01-2007, 12:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by KN4995

Last thing want is all the unsubscribed channels dotted through my list. I have all my channels just how I like them.

Me too

HDFootyMan · 20-01-2007, 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikesh

So..... the all important question..... Is the new firmware better than the old one?

If you can live with a 1-day EPG (which, right now, only has info up to 5.30am Sunday morning and features 'No programme information' all over the place

) - then Yes.

If you can't live with a 1-day EPG - well....yes-maybe no-ish.

A couple of things I've just noticed about the EPG:

If you press RIGHT to jump ahead a few hours, then you can press RIGHT again without having to wait for the STB to display the EPG info for that time of day. Ditto when pressing LEFT to go back through the day. Because of this, its very quick to goto a hour in the day, a lot quicker than the old software.

ALSO - the EPG seems to remember what 'page' your on.

For example, I'm listening to TalkSport on 927 now. I can goto Home Menu >>> TV Guide >>> All Channels, and page down the EPG until I see info for Trouble (Channel 140) at the top, and Challenge (Channel 152) at the bottom.

I can then press TV to quit the guide. And then go back into it, Home Menu >>> TV Guide >>> All Channels - and it will display the same page of the EPG as before, Trouble (Channel 140) at the top, and Challenge (Channel 152) at the bottom.

Hell - it even remembers what CHANNEL you have selected in the EPG. . I can 'select' into Zone Reality (Channel 146), quit the guide, come back in via Home Menu >>> TV Guide >>> All Channels...and Zone Reality is automatically selected!

Nice.

Nikesh · 20-01-2007, 12:30

Cool

Are there any dates for this firmware release?

HDFootyMan · 20-01-2007, 12:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by KN4995

Last thing want is all the unsubscribed channels dotted through my list. I have all my channels just how I like them.
Meh. Not happy.

But with the favourites feature, you can do exactly that - define the channels you're only interested in. Then you can goto Home Menu >>> TV Guide >>> Your favourites (or even just activate the mini-guide and press red to get to your favourites).

But yes - there's no way to re-order your favourites.

---------- Post added at 12:43 ---------- Previous post was at 12:34 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikesh

Cool

On second thoughts....that 'cool' feature could be kinda confusing - I think some people would expect the guide to automatically 'select' the channel they're currently watching. I'm watching BBC 1 now, but the guide has 'remembered' that I've 'selected' the Sci-Fi Channel.

Still, I think I'll sit on the 'cool' side of the fence for now.

Quote:

Are there any dates for this firmware release?

Due to be rolled out to all areas by June I think. Looks like each headend/area will get updated one at a time.

KN4995 · 20-01-2007, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Howell

But with the favourites feature, you can do exactly that - define the channels you're only interested in. Then you can goto Home Menu >>> TV Guide >>> Your favourites (or even just activate the mini-guide and press red to get to your favourites).

But yes - there's no way to re-order your favourites.

I understand..
I think.

See, I don't have a lot of channels subscribed to. I have them all at the top of the faves list so I can lazily flick through, and all the kids channels at the bottom - so I cant type 101 and down channel twice to get to Cbeebies quickly

As I understand it, I'm not gonna be bale to do this anymore?
Might sound petty to some I suppose. *shrug*

swissle · 20-01-2007, 12:50

If you don't like it upgrade

I think that is the idea of removing re-ordering. Sky always have it this way.

HDFootyMan · 20-01-2007, 12:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by KN4995

I understand..
I think.

See, I don't have a lot of channels subscribed to. I have them all at the top of the faves list so I can lazily flick through, and all the kids channels at the bottom - so I cant type 101 and down channel twice to get to Cbeebies quickly

As I understand it, I'm not gonna be bale to do this anymore?
Might sound petty to some I suppose. *shrug*

Ahhh, right! I'm with ya! Not petty at all.

The answer to your question: No.

I've set up BBC 1 (Channel 101) and Five (105) as my favourites. I goto BBC 1. Pressing the Channel Up button goes to.......BBC 2 (Channel 102).

Looks like the channel re-ordering feature has gone out the window in more ways then one.

But then again, you can just enter 702 and goto Cbeebies.