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View Full Version : UTV Beta ... soon to be v3.7


Neil Derryberry
11-21-02, 10:19 AM
I wish this info was posted here first, but it wasn't. This is from a post by Corey140 on avsforums, and a MS UTV beta tester didn't deny this is what was being tested for UTV. YMMV...

quote:
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Originally posted by Corey140 (avsforum)
1. Pause buffer recording: If you are in the pause buffer, you may press the record button to record the pause buffer. The way it works is: When you press record button while in pause buffer, you will record the show you are viewing from the beginning of that show in the pause buffer. The recording will end when the show that’s currently being broadcast is finished. This means you may end up with multiple shows in you’re my shows recording.

2. Caller ID: If you go to Settings>Phone Options>Caller ID, you can turn on Caller ID and the advanced Caller ID options. Once enabled, the caller ID log will then be accessible through a “Calls” tab at the bottom of TV Home.

3. Persistent Favorites: As in 1.1, multiple guide presses will switch between favorites lists. But now these lists will be "sticky" if enabled through Search > Favorite Channels > Set Up Favorites > Options. This means you will remain in your Favorites lists once you are in Favorites mode. For example, using channel up/down while in Favorites mode will scroll only through the channels in that Favorites list. To exit Favorites do one of the following: Go to TV Home, power off the box, or toggle to the default guide through multiple “Guide” presses. We've also made improvements on the channel selection screens - channel info for each channel will appear as you select channels.

4. Search Improvements:

a. You'll notice new "Display by time/Display by name" radio buttons on the main search page where you go when you select “Search TV”. In the past, search results were always displayed sorted by broadcast time (“display by time”). Now, you can sort search results alphabetically by choosing “display by name” before starting a search. In addition, you can skip through alphabetically-sorted search results faster by entering letters on your wireless keyboard. Note: This feature will only work if your unit has been on for 2-3 hours after a hard reboot/power loss.

b. When displaying results by name, you’ll notice that each episode of a program is only listed once in the search results. To view details on all upcoming showings, select the search entry from the results list. Unfortunately, due to guide data restraints, each episode of a series will still be shown separately rather than grouped by series on the results page.

c. There is also a new Credits page with all the additional information that cannot fit off the info screen. For instance, you’ll see info on the role of each actor, director, etc. when available for that program. This information will be searched when searching by "person or description".

5. Movable PIP: Now you can move the PIP window to all four corners of the screen using your remote. First highlight the PIP window by selecting “Window” (Sony) or “Ch Ctrl” (RCA) then use the arrow keys to move the PIP.

6. Improved options panel: Try it and tell us what you think!
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I'll be glad to see the CallerID. I wish Ethernet were enabled, but it doesn't seem so. There is some hacking being done on UTV boxes that has yielded interesting results, but we won't be going there on this forum. Google is your friend in that case.

Karl Foster
11-21-02, 11:05 AM
The buffer recording is a long overdue feature. I'll be glad to see that and caller id.

spanishannouncetable
11-21-02, 04:52 PM
Buffer recording comes in handy. You will like it :)

Now if TiVo would just add CallerID, I would be set :(

HarryD
11-21-02, 06:41 PM
And the P4 card is a pre-req??

Neil Derryberry
11-21-02, 09:46 PM
I'm guessing so... the rumor has it that any new sw build is geared for the p4.

raj2001
11-22-02, 04:16 PM
Originally posted by Neil Derryberry
I'm guessing so... the rumor has it that any new sw build is geared for the p4.

That's quite correct and in line with everything else that DirecTV is doing re software upgrades and P4, like the upgrade to version 3.1 for DirecTiVo's, which requires a P4.

bigrig
11-26-02, 08:01 AM
That sounds like all good stuff. I'm glad if I'm paying double DirecTivo monthly price, they're still working on upgrades.

One thing I would like to have is the option to not record shows that have been recorded before. Right now it doesn't record only if the show is still on the hard drive.

Matt

Karl Foster
11-26-02, 05:49 PM
Originally posted by bigrig
That sounds like all good stuff. I'm glad if I'm paying double DirecTivo monthly price, they're still working on upgrades.



I only paid $39 for each of my units (and many others paid nothing) so I won't complain too loud, but I wish they'd "price match" what D*Tivo is charging.

In all seriousness, though, it is money well spent each month. It is nice to have a true PVR that records everything it is supposed to, never needs to be rebooted, and just plain works (D*Tivo owners can relate as well). After reading thread after thread of "features," bugs, and problems with the other brand of DVR (and I don't mean D*Tivo), I am glad that I chose what I did.

bigrig
11-27-02, 07:25 AM
Yeah, I agree, I wasn't complaining, just kind of a back-handed compliment. :p

So do we know the timeframe when this upgrade will occur?

Matt

Karl Foster
11-27-02, 11:01 PM
I bought my wife a 80GB hard drive for the UTV in our bedroom. It is always showing yellow triangles. It just came by UPS today, and will be installed tomorrow. She is very excited to have the 70 hours available. I will have upgraded both of my units, one with a Western Digital WD1200AB, and the other with a Western Digital WD800BB. I got a smokin' deal on the 80GB. Bought it brand new still in box off EBay for $84. This puts my total investment in my two boxes at under $300. Not bad for a 105 hour unit and a 70 hour unit.

Anyone planning to do an upgrade needs to do some research at www.avsforum.com and search under upgrade in the Ultimatetv forum. There are only certain hard drives that will work. The upgrade instructions can be found there as well.

bigrig
12-06-02, 09:32 AM
Anybody know how soon the beta will be released as v3.7?

Matt