Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Horizon TV- Awful?

1…1415171920…24

Comments

  • #482
    Heisenberg1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,511 ✭✭✭Heisenberg1


    IrlMonk wrote: »
    I compalined about the Horizon for long enough......
    Changed to Sky and it is a thousand times better.
    Absolutely crap GUI from UPC.
    Check the Sky GUI if you get a chance and you will see what i mean.

    See I don't get this SKY have perfected there UI over the last number of years I'm sure if you asked SKY users at the start when they launched they had similar issues. I am very happy with Horizon I haven't had the issues some users have had maybe I'm just one the lucky ones. I think UPC are going in the right direction with Horizon.


  • #483
    Joo0
    Registered Users Posts: 417 ✭✭Joo0


    IrlMonk wrote: »
    I compalined about the Horizon for long enough......
    Changed to Sky and it is a thousand times better.
    Absolutely crap GUI from UPC.
    Check the Sky GUI if you get a chance and you will see what i mean.

    Did you have to pay an early termination fee?


  • #484
    Wabbit Ears
    Registered Users Posts: 3,042 ✭✭✭Wabbit Ears


    I have both boxes.

    What so special about the SKY GUI? Seriously? Its a 10 year + old blocky Gui, the on demand implementation is awful, a real after thought to the box. Its not that quick, Its really limited in features. Channel changes are slow.

    What it has going for it? It intuitive because its just incredibly simple, it does absolutely nothing other than record and watch TV, It doesn't even have to worry about multiple tuners, stick with two, what could possibly go wrong!!

    Seriously, the comparison is like getting frustrated with lego technic and saying, screw that, ive gone back to duplo bricks, so much easier to use!


  • #485
    Infoanon
    Registered Users Posts: 4,618 ✭✭✭Infoanon


    Wabbit Ears wrote: »
    I have both boxes.

    What so special about the SKY GUI? Seriously? Its a 10 year + old blocky Gui, the on demand implementation is awful, a real after thought to the box. Its not that quick, Its really limited in features. Channel changes are slow.

    What it has going for it? It intuitive because its just incredibly simple, it does absolutely nothing other than record and watch TV, It doesn't even have to worry about multiple tuners, stick with two, what could possibly go wrong!!

    Seriously, the comparison is like getting frustrated with lego technic and saying, screw that, ive gone back to duplo bricks, so much easier to use!

    Whats so special - the Sky GUI works ! And is a lot quicker than UPC.

    No point in saying that Horizon has more features if the features don't work.

    I moved to Sky and my experiences don't concur with yours.


  • #486
    IrlMonk
    Registered Users Posts: 429 ✭✭IrlMonk


    Wabbit Ears wrote: »
    I have both boxes.

    What so special about the SKY GUI? Seriously? Its a 10 year + old blocky Gui, the on demand implementation is awful, a real after thought to the box. Its not that quick, Its really limited in features. Channel changes are slow.
    It sounds as if you need to update the box!


  • Advertisement
  • #487
    IrlMonk
    Registered Users Posts: 429 ✭✭IrlMonk


    Joo0 wrote: »
    Did you have to pay an early termination fee?
    Yes


  • #488
    Joo0
    Registered Users Posts: 417 ✭✭Joo0


    IrlMonk wrote: »
    Yes


    200 euro?


  • #489
    IrlMonk
    Registered Users Posts: 429 ✭✭IrlMonk


    Heisenberg1 wrote: »
    See I don't get this SKY have perfected there UI over the last number of years I'm sure if you asked SKY users at the start when they launched they had similar issues. I am very happy with Horizon I haven't had the issues some users have had maybe I'm just one the lucky ones. I think UPC are going in the right direction with Horizon.

    Yes, i do remember years ago using the Sky GUI and i did not like it at all, however, now it's a flyier. Very user friendly.
    The Horizon GUI was rushed, it's terrible to use and painfully slow. Maybe in a year or two the Horizon box will be perfected but who wants to wait!
    And i felt that UPC wrongfully advertised the Horizon box, when i ordered it i was expecting something great (as advertised), straight away i knew it wasn't. Waited months for an updates but that will not happen any time soon.


  • #490
    IrlMonk
    Registered Users Posts: 429 ✭✭IrlMonk


    Joo0 wrote: »
    200 euro?
    Yes, and worth every penny ;-)


  • #491
    steveon
    Registered Users Posts: 3,905 ✭✭✭steveon


    IrlMonk wrote: »
    Yes, i do remember years ago using the Sky GUI and i did not like it at all, however, now it's a flyier. Very user friendly.
    The Horizon GUI was rushed, it's terrible to use and painfully slow. Maybe in a year or two the Horizon box will be perfected but who wants to wait!
    And i felt that UPC wrongfully advertised the Horizon box, when i ordered it i was expecting something great (as advertised), straight away i knew it wasn't. Waited months for an updates but that will not happen any time soon.

    The Horizon was in production for over 8 yrs there was nothing rushed about it....the fact is its slow and tedious for many users, some like it which is great...it has great potential but right now falls well short of its promises.


  • Advertisement
  • #492
    IrlMonk
    Registered Users Posts: 429 ✭✭IrlMonk


    steveon wrote: »
    The Horizon was in production for over 8 yrs there was nothing rushed about it....the fact is its slow and tedious for many users, some like it which is great...it has great potential but right now falls well short of its promises.
    8 years.....OMG!!! that's new to me.
    I read on this forum that it was a rush job to compete with their competitors.
    What were the developers doing all that time? Sitting around eating candy and watching tv on Sky!!


  • #493
    steveon
    Registered Users Posts: 3,905 ✭✭✭steveon


    IrlMonk wrote: »
    8 years.....OMG!!! that's new to me.
    I read on this forum that it was a rush job to compete with their competitors.
    What were the developers doing all that time? Sitting around eating candy and watching tv on Sky!!

    I left UPC as an installer over 8yrs ago and It was been talked about before I left...it has been in production for years and rushed to market to try and fill a void as most other upc boxes are complete rubbish.

    I can see the horizon box getting better in time .....nothing can ever be tested in a lab fully until its out in the real world and getting used in everyday life...


  • #494
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    There's a lot of basic things wrong with it. Speed being the main thing.

    That said I've got used to mine. Working ok. I still hit the delete everything on a regular basis due to the lag and it being in the wrong place.

    Even though I'm used to mine. I can understand why others hate it. We had to switch it back to the older box for older people. Its just too user un friendly for them.


  • #495
    paulboland
    Registered Users Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭paulboland


    steveon wrote: »
    The Horizon was in production for over 8 yrs there was nothing rushed about it....the fact is its slow and tedious for many users, some like it which is great...it has great potential but right now falls well short of its promises.


    Lots of products are in planning stage with all companies and a lot never see it make production
    Horizon was not in production for 8 Years
    Talking about a product is not the same as in production

    Horizon has only been in production for 2 Years

    First-generation Horizon TV SMT-G7400
    Holland
    Horizon It was first introduced in
    Holland in 2012
    Note mostly this involved beta firmware been tested
    August 2013 New Firmware Released

    Ireland
    April 2013
    Beta testing starts

    August 2013 New Firmware Released
    Official launch to public August 2013


    The second-generation Horizon TV platform is now in testing stage in Holland
    The second-generation Horizon TV platform is however no longer based on XBMC, as the second-generation Horizon TV instead uses ActiveVideo Cloud platform

    Sky also have new products been discussed and some are in planning stage but are not in production yet


  • #496
    Giruilla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,595 ✭✭✭Giruilla


    I concur with above post.. maybe the box was being talked about 8 years ago, but no possible way in design for 8 years! Usual time frame for a product like that would be 2/3 years.

    Theres no question at all the box was rushed from the bugs and updates.

    The long awaited software update fixed a few very basic bugs/issues you'd expect wouldn't have been there in the first place... channel scrolling after finger removed from key for example. But I still think the box is fundamentally horrible to use. Makes you not want to sit down and channel surf, as its so tedious to find out whats on.
    It's unbearably slow changing channel on the NOW/NEXT screens (which are idiotic to have on seperate menus anyway).. and the 'guide' feature blocks the entire screen. You basically can't channel surf whilst continuing to watch a channel with it.. which for me is the first thing I'd expect from a STB.


  • #497
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    For me UPC is just a lot cheaper, (with HD) and easier which was the main selling point for me.
    Also I like the 4 Channel recording. Though I think it can't handle recording more than 3 at once, "reliably"
    The box seems to be underpowered for all its trying to do.


  • #498
    steveon
    Registered Users Posts: 3,905 ✭✭✭steveon


    paulboland wrote: »
    Lots of products are in planning stage with all companies and a lot never see it make production
    Horizon was not in production for 8 Years
    Talking about a product is not the same as in production

    Horizon has only been in production for 2 Years

    First-generation Horizon TV SMT-G7400
    Holland
    Horizon It was first introduced in
    Holland in 2012
    Note mostly this involved beta firmware been tested
    August 2013 New Firmware Released

    Ireland
    April 2013
    Beta testing starts

    August 2013 New Firmware Released
    Official launch to public August 2013


    The second-generation Horizon TV platform is now in testing stage in Holland
    The second-generation Horizon TV platform is however no longer based on XBMC, as the second-generation Horizon TV instead uses ActiveVideo Cloud platform

    Sky also have new products been discussed and some are in planning stage but are not in production yet

    I beg to differ Upc has had the horizon in development for yrs, we discussed it in detail and viewed videos when I worked there and I'm gone for over 8yrs it may have changed since its first introduction but it is not new....it was released to the public two years ago in Holland and Switzerland.

    The idea is that people will eventually be able to travel from country to country taking their box with them and connecting to the UPC service in the other countries. This has long been UPC's dream as I said the Horizon is a great idea but one that is a long way off but in time will definitely get there.

    The first video released to the public was in sept 2011 thats now 3 yrs ago...see it for yourself

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPka0gq87mQ


  • #499
    Wabbit Ears
    Registered Users Posts: 3,042 ✭✭✭Wabbit Ears


    the video is titled "project Horizon". Project phase and production phase are very different things.


  • #500
    twinklerunner
    Registered Users Posts: 902 ✭✭✭twinklerunner


    Infoanon wrote: »
    Whats so special - the Sky GUI works ! And is a lot quicker than UPC.

    No point in saying that Horizon has more features if the features don't work.

    I moved to Sky and my experiences don't concur with yours.

    As a long time Sky customer who has recently switched to UPC (mainly for their 200Mb broadband), the best thing about the Horizon Box compared to the Sky box is that you can create your own favourite channels, then enable 'favourites mode' and all the other channels are gone off the epg. You can also put the channels in any order you like - much better than the blue button option on a Sky box.


  • #501
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    They only added that feature in the last month or so. Works much better than it did before alright


  • Advertisement
  • #502
    RainyDay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,925 ✭✭✭RainyDay


    twinklerunner wrote: »
    As a long time Sky customer who has recently switched to UPC (mainly for their 200Mb broadband), the best thing about the Horizon Box compared to the Sky box is that you can create your own favourite channels, then enable 'favourites mode' and all the other channels are gone off the epg. You can also put the channels in any order you like - much better that the blue button option on a Sky box.

    This is a huge benefit - can't understand why it isn't a basic function with every TV box. The ability to personalise it would be great too, so that MY favourites might be different to HER favourites and THEIR favourites.


  • #503
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Many TV's I've used could do this for years.


  • #504
    twinklerunner
    Registered Users Posts: 902 ✭✭✭twinklerunner


    RainyDay wrote: »
    This is a huge benefit - can't understand why it isn't a basic function with every TV box. The ability to personalise it would be great too, so that MY favourites might be different to HER favourites and THEIR favourites.

    Agreed - I need to disable the function before herself takes control of the remote .. and asks 'where is TV3 gone?' :D


  • #505
    Joo0
    Registered Users Posts: 417 ✭✭Joo0


    twinklerunner wrote: »
    Agreed - I need to disable the function before herself takes control of the remote .. and asks 'where is TV3 gone?' :D

    So could I set SS 1,2 HD to replace SS 1 and 2?


  • #506
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Yup.

    Someone said to me before that the nonsensically order of the channels is due to licencing agreements.

    This favourites system circumvents all that. So I would still query if the above is true or not.


  • #507
    twinklerunner
    Registered Users Posts: 902 ✭✭✭twinklerunner


    Joo0 wrote: »
    So could I set SS 1,2 HD to replace SS 1 and 2?

    Yes, in favourite mode the channels are arranged in a different way - starting at number 1. Channels that are not listed in your favourites are not on the epg atall while in this mode.


  • #508
    Joo0
    Registered Users Posts: 417 ✭✭Joo0


    twinklerunner wrote: »
    Yes, in favourite mode the channels are arranged in a different way - starting at number 1. Channels that are not listed in your favourites are not on the epg atall while in this mode.

    Havent seen that. So I could set
    Rte 1 - 1
    RTE 2 - 2
    Rte News Now - 3
    and so on?
    Why didnt I find that before...


  • #509
    twinklerunner
    Registered Users Posts: 902 ✭✭✭twinklerunner


    Joo0 wrote: »
    Havent seen that. So I could set
    Rte 1 - 1
    RTE 2 - 2
    Rte News Now - 3
    and so on?
    Why didnt I find that before...

    I'm only new to UPC but I believe this facility is quite new too.


  • #510
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Its was only released a little while back along with the series delete. (which couldn't come soon enough).


  • Advertisement
  • #511
    twinklerunner
    Registered Users Posts: 902 ✭✭✭twinklerunner


    Joo0 wrote: »
    Havent seen that. So I could set
    Rte 1 - 1
    RTE 2 - 2
    Rte News Now - 3
    and so on?
    Why didnt I find that before...

    First page of my favourites


Advertisement