New software dropped on 8300HDC

[LoadStar]

Got a new version of the software last night on my 8300HDC.

Initial observations:
- Darker color scheme. It was immediately obvious that something was different.
- "Timeline" (there a better term for that?) info bar is smaller, probably half the height of the previous one.
- New features under Settings - Display:

• "Interactive Pop-Ups" (lets you turn off the boxes that let you access Start Over and other features)
• "Nearest Tune" - "if OFF, entering an invalid channel number does not tune"

- New features in series recording options:

• "Set Priority" - finally!
• "Save at most" - now allows only one episode. Previously that was a minimum of 3 episodes.
• "Adjust Start Time" - start 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 30 min. early, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15 minutes late
• "Adjust End Time - end 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120 min late, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15 minutes early
• Unfortunately, still no option to tell it to "keep until I delete"...

Unrelated to the new software, how long have they had "Primetime On Demand," channel 1103? They have primetime shows from NBC, USA, CBS, and FX. Unfortunately, no FOX or ABC, and not HD, but still potentially very useful if you forget to set a recording for a show.

[Jack 1000]

Got a new version of the software last night on my 8300HDC.

Initial observations:
- Darker color scheme. It was immediately obvious that something was different.
- "Timeline" (there a better term for that?) info bar is smaller, probably half the height of the previous one.
- New features under Settings - Display:

• "Interactive Pop-Ups" (lets you turn off the boxes that let you access Start Over and other features)
• "Nearest Tune" - "if OFF, entering an invalid channel number does not tune"

- New features in series recording options:

• "Set Priority" - finally!
• "Save at most" - now allows only one episode. Previously that was a minimum of 3 episodes.
• "Adjust Start Time" - start 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 30 min. early, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15 minutes late
• "Adjust End Time - end 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120 min late, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15 minutes early
• Unfortunately, still no option to tell it to "keep until I delete"...

Unrelated to the new software, how long have they had "Primetime On Demand," channel 1103? They have primetime shows from NBC, USA, CBS, and FX. Unfortunately, no FOX or ABC, and not HD, but still potentially very useful if you forget to set a recording for a show.

Thanks LoadStar,

Nothing new on my MDN. (AFAIK)  I am surprised that they are doing the OCAP's first.  Normally they do the MDN's first and than the OCAP's.  At least that's how it was when we got the new Navigator color scheme.

I would like the ability to end shows early because let's say that you have a show that runs from 9-10 am on one channel, and a show that runs from 10-11am on another channel.  

 Using this example, With MDN, a show would not actually end until 11:01am. What happens is that if I have another show scheduled on another channel, the tuner kicks to that channel at 11pm because the 10-11pm slot is still active until 11:01  Again, using this example, I would get a conflict about that second recording if I try to watch a third channel not recording until the 11:01 stop recording time.

If a third show is not one of the two being recorded, MDN just tunes to the most recent show being recorded if both tuners are busy.  This is confusing for one family member who is not familar with DVR and often wonders why is it switching?  I have to say that I have two recordings going on at the same time.

This is where Adjust End Time is so critical and needs to be applied to MDN boxes ASAP.  If I could have the end time set at 10:59 when another show is set to record at 11 on a different channel, I wouldn't have this issue, and the second tuner would be free.

Right now, the only way you can avoid a two-recordings tuner conflict, is to extend the end time of the first recording on the same channel as the second scheduled recording.

Now if all versions of Navigator had Manual Recording Options, this would not be an issue.  However, the ability to adjust end times to end early or start times to end late, is almost as good as a Manual Recording.

Jack

[LoadStar]

A good illustration of the difference between the two, stolen from Time Warner Cable MidOhio's webpage:
Old:

New:

[Jack 1000]

A good illustration of the difference between the two, stolen from Time Warner Cable MidOhio's webpage:
Old:

New:

Oh yea,

We have had the new colored Navigator since around December on MDN.  Not sure of all the similarities and differences between MDN/OCAP updates.  I do think the boxes go faster, On Demand is more reliable, and the interface seems easier to use.

Jack

[duncantuna]

Got a new version of the software last night on my 8300HDC.

Initial observations:

• "Set Priority" - finally!
• "Save at most" - now allows only one episode. Previously that was a minimum of 3 episodes.
• "Adjust Start Time" - start 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 30 min. early, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15 minutes late
• "Adjust End Time - end 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120 min late, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15 minutes early
• Unfortunately, still no option to tell it to "keep until I delete"...

Got the update last night as well. -- Good recap -- two more things .. the screen saver is a bit better, with a logo and the time of day.

and .. in the series manager, you can now specify Record Series Options > Air Time  ..

That's key.  I've had shows that don't set the New/Rerun flag, and I'll literally get a dozen copies.  With Air Time, you can say "only record the 5pm showing" .. FINALLY. -- Of course, the old version from a year ago .. you could say "only record on Tuesdays" .. which was way better.  

Ah, the good old days.  Someday, Time Warner will finally get back to how good it used to be.

[leprechaunshawn]

I've got the new colored channel guide but I noticed something about it right away that doesnt seem right.  When the screensaver kicks in, its in 4:3 not the 16:9 that the old one used to do.

[LoadStar]

Got the update last night as well. -- Good recap -- two more things .. the screen saver is a bit better, with a logo and the time of day.

and .. in the series manager, you can now specify Record Series Options > Air Time  ..

That's key.  I've had shows that don't set the New/Rerun flag, and I'll literally get a dozen copies.  With Air Time, you can say "only record the 5pm showing" .. FINALLY. -- Of course, the old version from a year ago .. you could say "only record on Tuesdays" .. which was way better.  

Ah, the good old days.  Someday, Time Warner will finally get back to how good it used to be.

Good call. I noticed that there, but I wasn't totally sure that _wasn't_ there before, so I didn't list it.

[duncantuna]

One more odd change .. when on a 4:3 station, if you want to zoom/unzoom it .. you used to hit the asterisk button on the remote.

That no longer works.  # on the remote now controls normal/zoom/stretch.

[nick3092]

Looks like we got ODN 3.1.1_3.  I checked it out at my parents house today.  It's still pretty slow in comparison to MDN.  Maybe just a hair faster, but not much.  And eSATA support seems shot.

[somehuman]

I got my update and have noticed a couple more NEW bugs!

1. Audio device issue: Every time I turn on my DVR it defaults to HDMI audio output even though I change it to Dolby Digital.

2. Video issue: Once in a while the HD channel I'm watching will turn to Black/White inverted video (kind of like an XRay).

I had netither of these issues prior to the new software drop.

Does Time Warner even test this crap before sending it out? The audio issue seems like a pretty basic thing that shoud get caught in testing - if this were a competent company.

Once again I'm ****ed off that I  pay for this crappy service....

-=SomeHuman=-

[LoadStar]

I got my update and have noticed a couple more NEW bugs!

1. Audio device issue: Every time I turn on my DVR it defaults to HDMI audio output even though I change it to Dolby Digital.

I noticed this one as well, except in my case, I'm using the RCA L/R output, but the same holds true - it defaults back to HDMI.

Fortunately, the RCA outputs still remain active, but because HDMI is considered the "active" output, volume control gets disabled.

[amaroq]

And eSATA support seems shot.

Same here.  Does anyone who's gotten the update still having a working eSATA drive?  My box acts like the internal hard drive is dead when the eSATA drive is connected (can't rewind the channel you're viewing, none of my recorded shows will play, etc.) but with the eSATA drive disconnected the box works fine and records, rewinds, etc.

Pretty disappointing.

[Jack 1000]

Same here.  Does anyone who's gotten the update still having a working eSATA drive?  My box acts like the internal hard drive is dead when the eSATA drive is connected (can't rewind the channel you're viewing, none of my recorded shows will play, etc.) but with the eSATA drive disconnected the box works fine and records, rewinds, etc.

Pretty disappointing.

Why couldn't TWC just pair up with a decent external drive manufacture, charge say a $5.00 extra/mo fee to subs that wanted it and than pair that drive and manufacture to co-exist together so that all Navigator updates would work with Ex-Drive support?  SA/Cisco make the boxes, and later this year, Samsung.  It does not seem right for customers to lose their extra storage with a second drive, just because the software does not support it following updates.

Jack

[nick3092]

Same here.  Does anyone who's gotten the update still having a working eSATA drive?  My box acts like the internal hard drive is dead when the eSATA drive is connected (can't rewind the channel you're viewing, none of my recorded shows will play, etc.) but with the eSATA drive disconnected the box works fine and records, rewinds, etc.

Pretty disappointing.

Reading over on AVS, no one with this version has working eSATA.  One user said initally he could do some voodoo to be able to at least watch the shows on the external drive.  But then later he said he was getting error messages about the disk being bad.  I was unable to get any of the shows to playback off my parent's external drive.

Initially they would show in the list and nothing would happen if you try to play them.  Now every time the drive is connected it pops up this hardware generated box (I figure it's hardware because it looks nothing like a Navigator prompt, and is very basic looking) saying the disk is bad and press A or C to continue.  Then the box locks up and you have to pull the power plug to reboot it.

[leprechaunshawn]

Has anybody else noticed that when an HD channel is pause long enough for the screen saver to come on, that the screen saver is in 4:3.  Seems to totally defeat the purpose of a screensaver if its not going to save the whole screen.