Disappointed in Santa

4059 Views 56 Replies 38 Participants Last post by hdtvfan0001, Dec 19, 2006

OnTheIsland

Discussion Starter · Dec 16, 2006

New poster, long-time lurker. No offense to Earl, but for $120 a month, I shouldn't have to sit up until the wee hours of the morning monitoring this board or waiting for an email message to get a software patch for a buggy, feature deprived DVR. DirectTV should download stable, tested software to everyone who has paid to be a lab rat for this wunderbox. Shame on us for for jumping around like little puppies who were thrown an OTA bone. I guess I'll check back in when 108 is available to everyone, not just a subset of sleepdeprived viewers. Rant over.

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Earl Bonovich

· #2 · Dec 16, 2006

OnTheIsland said:
New poster, long-time lurker. No offense to Earl, but for $120 a month, I shouldn't have to sit up until the wee hours of the morning monitoring this board or waiting for an email message to get a software patch for a buggy, feature deprived DVR. DirectTV should download stable, tested software to everyone who has paid to be a lab rat for this wunderbox. Shame on us for for jumping around like little puppies who were thrown an OTA bone. I guess I'll check back in when 108 is available to everyone, not just a subset of sleepdeprived viewers. Rant over.

I think you are missing the point then of the "windows"...
The primary purpose of these "windows" was to do...

DirectTV should download stable, tested software to everyone who has paid to be a lab rat for this wunderbox.

That is one of the primary objectives of these windows.

To allow those that are willing to help... weed out those "bugs" and issues..
So that DirecTV CAN provide a tested software to everyone one that has paid for the system.

For the first 4 months of this system... that is what we have seen in posts..
"We are beta-testers", "They need to test it more", "They need to let us help them test it, as we are the ones that will push the limits"...

You can't have it both ways....

If you want a more stable release, that has less issues... then it is going to take more time to do the testing, make the corrections, do more testing, make the corrections, ect....

The window was not to "throw" a bone out there for OTA or ViiV.
They had no "reason" throw a bone... they could have kept with their existing release model... and rolled out a version... and then have to deal with the issues that caused there to be a 0x108 and then a 0x10b version (in comparison to 0x104).

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luv2fly3

· #3 · Dec 16, 2006

You know, I actually was kinda feeling the same way a bit last night as I downloaded the new software...but then came to the realization that by doing so, I'm going to help D* test the software...and that's something I'm grateful being able to do.

Good response Earl, and thanks for your help in making this happen!!

banningview

· #4 · Dec 16, 2006

Earl Bonovich said:
For the first 4 months of this system... that is what we have seen in posts..
"We are beta-testers", "They need to test it more", "They need to let us help them test it, as we are the ones that will push the limits"...

The window was to "throw" a bone out there for OTA or ViiV.
They had no "reason" throw a bone... they could have kept with their existing release model... and rolled out a version... and then have to deal with the issues that caused there to be a 0x108 and then a 0x10b version (in comparison to 0x104).

Wow!, I have been a lurker on this board for a LONG time. TIVO Community for YEARS. There are very FEW people who express the above sentiments. I would say less than 100 people, just a guess. It's all the same names you see in posts over and over and over again. The other 99.9% just want some techy geek info, like me, to see what's up. Helping DTV debug and test this box seems idiotic especially when all we REALLY want is a box that has the BASIC functions of any of the previous TIVO boxes from year's past. OTA, DLB, recordings we can count on. This...this...Frankenstein monster of a box may be fun to tinker with and talk about but when it boils down it we just want a DVR that works. All this workaround garbage is a joke. Workaround to what??? A TIVO based box? Think about it...all these workarounds and testing for features is all stuff you find in a TIVO based box. Maybe not a Directivo, but a TIVO based box of some incarnation.

Don't get me wrong, guys like Earl are nice enough to hang out and comment, even get windows of bones to thrown around like little puppies, but come on, it's simply ridiculous. You do it a few times and realize...what the h*ll am I doing here, waiting for this albatross to become a swan?

From now on the new DTV DVR is the Ugly Duckling. Call me when it becomes the swan that we all know and want it to be...

Supportive rant over...

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Pete0426

· #5 · Dec 16, 2006

Thanks for your hard work Earl. I am happy to have the opportunity to be an end user tester for this product. I spent many years in an IT development shop for a major financial software provider. We would rely heavily on selected users to help us with our beta testing. This approach proved very beneficial. The expanded testing base D* will have with these "windows of opportunity" will help them in providing a more stable product. I only wish they would have taken this approach sooner.

luv2fly3 said:
You know, I actually was kinda feeling the same way a bit last night as I downloaded the new software...but then came to the realization that by doing so, I'm going to help D* test the software...and that's something I'm grateful being able to do.

Good response Earl, and thanks for your help in making this happen!!

tstarn

· #6 · Dec 16, 2006

I agree with the OP. Earl's a very nice, hard-working guy. I have nothing but good feelings about Earl's efforts, concern and passion for his hobby on this forum. But the whole Santa thing sounds like a bunch of 4th graders, begging D* for toys (in this case, broken ones in for the form of just another buggy software version). Sad that this process is now in its umpteenth iteration, and still no stable DVR for all users.

It's really becoming a Keystone Cops/Comedy of errors scenario. Be honest. Look down that list of downloads. It's too funny.

And guess what? My HR20 actually works for the most part. But seeing the new bugs being posted combined with bugs that remain/recur says that D* is running in place on getting this box fixed and functioning like a real DVR - for the 99.9 percent of its subs who have one. I again refer you to the CNET users feedback. 4.4 rating? After 4 months to get it fixed. Sure they are trying. What are the going to do? Trying and succeeding are two different things.

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RxMan1

· #7 · Dec 16, 2006

I know I am going to be in the minority on this one, but I actually enjoy the process and the debugging. It's a hobby to me. Watching TV is boring. I've spent hours/days messing with a home network, setting up an HTPC/ripping DVDS, installing whole house audio, etc, etc... I like making things work (like the pics and mp3 streaming). Half the time I get things working and then rarely use the feature. I could see this happening with the pics and mp3s on the Hr20, but I still had to see if I could make it work because it was there. I enjoy the challenge and I enjoy being in a select group lucky enough to see new software before the masses. Again, I am probably in the minority, but I thought I would throw my .02 in.

tstarn

· #8 · Dec 16, 2006

Pete0426 said:
Thanks for your hard work Earl. I am happy to have the opportunity to be an end user tester for this product. I spent many years in an IT development shop for a major financial software provider. We would rely heavily on selected users to help us with our beta testing. This approach proved very beneficial. The expanded testing base D* will have with these "windows of opportunity" will help them in providing a more stable product. I only wish they would have taken this approach sooner.

You are kidding right? They've been taking this approach since September. And it's still failing.

RxMan1

· #9 · Dec 16, 2006

The "windows of oppurtunity" have not been going on since September. Earl has made a very clear post discussing the time it has taken to get the point where he can notify this forum of the oppurtunity to force a download.

tstarn

· #10 · Dec 16, 2006

RxMan1 said:
The "windows of oppurtunity" have not been going on since September. Earl has made a very clear post discussing the time it has taken to get the point where he can notify this forum of the oppurtunity to force a download.

Oh, so now you have a choice to get flawed software. You're right. That is new. Until they force it on everyone and it's still not working. Believe me, I look forward to the day D* gets this fixed for everyone. Until then, I hope they stop forcing "fixes" on anyone until all the "window" people work it out.

RxMan1

· #11 · Dec 16, 2006

tstarn said:
Oh, so now you have a choice to get flawed software. You're right. That is new. Until they force it on everyone and it's still not working. Believe me, I look forward to the day D* gets this fixed for everyone. Until then, I hope they stop forcing "fixes" on anyone until all the "window" people work it out.

That is how the process will work. Will you still check this forum and complain daily while waiting for this to happen? I hope so. Just for the sake of keeping a good negative balance here.

TheMoose

· #12 · Dec 16, 2006

OnTheIsland said:
New poster, long-time lurker. No offense to Earl, but for $120 a month, I shouldn't have to sit up until the wee hours of the morning monitoring this board or waiting for an email message to get a software patch for a buggy, feature deprived DVR.

What are you 6 years old?
The message that this was happining came at 5:18 PM my time that's 4:18 PM in Long Island.
The download was availible at 10:00 PM my time & 9:00 PM in L.I.
That's hardly the wee hours even for yankees!!

As for me I can now record my locals in HD so I'm a happy camper.

It's almost 4 PM in L.I. so I'm sorry if it's past your bedtime & you won't see this till tomorrow!:lol: :hurah:

tstarn

· #13 · Dec 16, 2006

RxMan1 said:
That is how the process will work. Will you still check this forum and complain daily while waiting for this to happen? I hope so. Just for the sake of keeping a good negative balance here.

Been here a lot longer than you, but I'm so glad you decided to be part of the positive vibe control group. No need for negative balance, in truth, because the entire HR20 experience has been negative for so many posters (and who knows how many non-posters). You're right, it's all been a wonderful, rewarding experience wondering if the latest recording will be there or not (and that's just one of a dozen issues with the HR20). FYI, this is all yesteday's news, though you wouldn't know that.

tstarn

· #14 · Dec 16, 2006

TheMoose said:
What are you 6 years old?
The message that this was happining came at 5:18 PM my time that's 4:18 PM in Long Island.
The download was availible at 10:00 PM my time & 9:00 PM in L.I.
That's hardly the wee hours even for yankees!!

As for me I can now record my locals in HD so I'm a happy camper.

It's almost 4 PM in L.I. so I'm sorry if it's past your bedtime & you won't see this till tomorrow!:lol: :hurah:

Love those laugh icons. They really drive a point home.

greenie95125

· #15 · Dec 16, 2006

OnTheIsland said:
New poster, long-time lurker. No offense to Earl, but for $120 a month, I shouldn't have to sit up until the wee hours of the morning monitoring this board or waiting for an email message to get a software patch for a buggy, feature deprived DVR. DirectTV should download stable, tested software to everyone who has paid to be a lab rat for this wunderbox. Shame on us for for jumping around like little puppies who were thrown an OTA bone. I guess I'll check back in when 108 is available to everyone, not just a subset of sleepdeprived viewers. Rant over.

Lucky for us left coasters. I had to *remember* to force the download *before* I went to bed.

No offense, but when I missed the first window, and though there might be a chance for a second, I checked the forum often to see if it would happen. There was plenty of advance notice.

--Mike

RxMan1

· #16 · Dec 16, 2006

tstarn said:
Been here a lot longer than you, but I'm so glad you decided to be part of the positive vibe control group. No need for negative balance, in truth, because the entire HR20 experience has been negative for so many posters (and who knows how many non-posters). You're right, it's all been a wonderful, rewarding experience wondering if the latest recording will be there or not (and that's just one of a dozen issues with the HR20). FYI, this is all yesteday's news, though you wouldn't know that.

You might want to look at my join date instead of post count. I also have an HR10-250 which I received in the first month of production. I have spent lots of time over at TCF and AVS. My HR10-250 is more steady, but still missed recording and had massive audio drops via otc making the recordings worthless anyways. This has been hopefully corrected with 6.3b software. Anyways, I enjoy the process and getting the updates. Who knows, there could be lots of people having positive experiences with the HR20, thus the reason not to post.

RxMan1

· #17 · Dec 16, 2006

BTW, I did notice the 'yesterday's news' comment and am well aware of the history of the HR20. I have followed it since it's release on various forums.

gpg

· #18 · Dec 16, 2006

Just to keep the facts straight, Long Island is in the eastern time zone, so when it's 10pm in Oklahoma, it's 11pm in NY.

Nevertheless, I agree that a window that opens at 11pm is not that onerous. In fact, I think it's better than having to interrupt prime time recordings as the folks out west had to do.

gonzlobo

· #19 · Dec 16, 2006

OnTheIsland said:
...I shouldn't have to sit up until the wee hours of the morning monitoring this board or waiting for an email message to get a software patch for a buggy, feature deprived DVR....

Hoo boy, staying up to 9:00 pm on a Friday night makes me sleep deprived?

crabtrp

· #20 · Dec 16, 2006

I was out of town on business all week. Arrived home today to find I have missed two chances to get the new update. I have a next to frigging useless system on FA. I spend $200 per month on frigging charges for this crap service and it looks like I am stuck on FA until DirecTV deems me suitable to be able to use a piece of crap hardware.

Sorry if I sound pissed here, I AM!!!!

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