New EPG on Dublin UPC/ntl: digital

Alun

Anyone else noticed the new format EPG on their UPC DVR?

Layout has changed a bit with the new UPC logo and some funny fading effects to the text in the overview page. There's now a pop-up menu (yellow button) to select a particular day instead of continuously pressing tomorrow. Blue button now takes you to 'prime time', i.e. 19.00. My favourites is now a selection on the front page of the EPG rather than being selected with a coloured button.

finnteme

Yes, thats true, it has changed. Living in D15, Blanch.
However, what functions this "text shading" is serving, i dont know..

flogen

The guide has changed for me but nothing else - maybe it's being done in bits and pieces... has the likes of the DVR content menu changed for other people?

Rosser

Yes some subtle changes in the 'guide', the new UPC flower logo is there too here's hoping it's the first of many developments. Still no series link though:(

dunworth1

has changed for me the popup for the days is very handy

also i noticed that the digital radio menu has chenged aswell very nice

i too hope this is just one of many improvements to come

hope interactive and on demand are coming very very soon

belmulletman

Same here... the guide has updated, but nothing else!
What i really want to know is when is the freakin Series link going to happen??
In saying that i do like the new guide. It's definitely faster, and nicer looking.

But UPC, get the freakin finger out and complete the update and add those features you've been promising to everyone for soo long!

The tax man

When you mark a program for recording,along with the little red clock icon you also have a red line along the bottom of the listing.:eek:

patrickmooney

I've also noticed the radio epg has been updated too, it now includes the name of the current show.

Appleblossom42

I'm in Waterford and my dvr has all the said changes, noticed it on Monday. Agree the series link would be great, along with being able to record two programmes at the same time. Anybody know if this is going to happen?

flogen

Appleblossom42 wrote: »

I'm in Waterford and my dvr has all the said changes, noticed it on Monday. Agree the series link would be great, along with being able to record two programmes at the same time. Anybody know if this is going to happen?

Theoretically it could happen through a software update, but you wouldn't be able to watch anything else on the digibox if you decided to record two things at once (like what happens with the Sky+ one).

Basically both boxes have dual tuners so it can manage two programmes at once. At the moment wth UPC this means you can record one and watch the other. With Sky you can also do this, or you can record two and either watch nothing (put the box on standby) or watch one of the things you're recording.

Alun

All the other menus have been UPC-ified now as well. Some very subtle changes in wording for some of the menu options but otherwise nothing new that I can see.

Alun

belmulletman wrote: »

What i really want to know is when is the freakin Series link going to happen??

I suspect that it isn't quite as easy as you might think, since this would somehow have to be driven by content in the EPG which may or may not be included in it .. some kind of additional 'series code' that would uniquely identify a series of programs. I've no idea through what channels UPC, or indeed any other provider gets their EPG information, and whether this kind of information is already present in the EPG when they receive it, or whether someone at UPC/Sky/whatever has to add it in themselves. The programming of the series link feature wouldn't be too arduous, but if the information required to make it work isn't there then there wouldn't be any point in putting it in (yet).

In saying that i do like the new guide. It's definitely faster, and nicer looking.

Yes, it does seem to be a tad quicker than the old one, and the sound from the channel you're currently watching in the little preview screen seems to be consistently there during the viewing of the EPG now which wasn't the case before.

Apart from the weird fading text thing .. can't see the point of that at all.

paulm17781

Is it only the "new" guide that was updated or has the NTL purple one been replaced too?

I only noticed some of the changes in the DVR last night, it looks nicer.

I figure every TV series must have some form of unique index number, if not I'd think UPC could create a unique index for each show. While it would require testing, I don't think it would be too difficult to implement series link.

Alun

paulm17781 wrote: »

I figure every TV series must have some form of unique index number, if not I'd think UPC could create a unique index for each show. While it would require testing, I don't think it would be too difficult to implement series link.

Well that's the crux of the matter isn't it? If the information is already there then it shouldn't be too much of a problem to leverage it and implement a series link function. If it isn't, then it'd be a manual job for some poor unfortunate soul in UPC to add the information by hand. I guess it depends on economics then and whether they consider the additional cost/effort to be worthwhile. Personally, I couldn't give a toss if it's included or not.

Rosser

Does anyone know if UPC has a series link on their services in the rest of Europe?

murpho999

Well I have the new EPG etc for the last two days now and I must admit to being initially impressed but now I am completely underwhelmed.

The changes are purely cosmetic and do not really offer any real functionality improvements.

Firstly, the whole package is neater, nicer colour scheme and we have a lovely UPC flower on the screen. This is most welcome.
Also, the Dutch language 'Instellingen' meaning 'settings' is gone, finally.
The loading of the EPG has improved. It now takes 5 seconds instead of 6. Wow!!
Also, when you select an item to record from the guide, it is underlined in red, again I do not see what difference this really makes.
The 'Change Day' function now shows pull down menu with each day, handy but not vital.
There is also a 'Primetime' function which brings you to 19.30hrs in the EPG, handy but not amazing.

The biggest omission is the series link. I see that Alun says that he couldn't give a toss if it's included or not but believe me Alun if you have had it before with Sky+, like I have had, then you will realise how valuable a function it is.

I have missed a lot of programmes because I have seen one episode and forgot about the next scheduled broadcast. When I had Sky I would set the series link and it would save my skin so many times when it would record a programme without me even thinking about it. Once you have had a series link then you will find it very hard to live without it.
I do not accept the points about UPC having to set manual codes etc. Sky have had series link for about 4 years now so why don't UPC?

They have now set up a 'Set Repeating Recording' button but this is only good if a programme runs at the same time every week without delays or schedule changes.
I do worry that the placement of this new button is UPC's attempt to pass it off as a series link.
Also, the fact that you can only record one programme is also a disadvantage.
Why is this the case when the box has two tuners?

Why are there still no interactive services?

You still cannot playback from a selected point, but only from the start or last stop point. A very basic useful function which should be easy to implement but is missing. On Sky+ you can select the start point of a programme to the nearest minute.

If you are watching TV and accidently hit UPC then you lose all of the memory from the buffer and can only rewind or record from when you hit UPC button. With Sky all programing stays in memory until you change channel.

Similarly, if you are watching a programme and decide that someone else in your household may find it interesting and decide to record it and press record, then the box will only record from the moment you press the button, and lose all of the programming you have watched. Sky will record from the moment you select the channel.

There are still a lot of bugs. Only tonight, the rewind function would not work. I had to restart the box.

Also, I still have issues with the info bar in the mini guide staying on screen and I have to press the 'i' alot to make it disappear, which is really annoying.

I was delighted to see the upgrade come from UPC. But this soon turned to despair when I see that the real functiionality problems have not been tackled and the changes are just basic cosmetics and do not offer any real threat to Sky's package.
I would switch back to Sky's service at the drop of a hat but live in an apartment complex where dishes are not allowed.

I wonder if UPC monitor these boards and listen to their customers at all. In order to make sure they hear us I am going to e-mail this posting and a link to this website to them.

Irishdudedave

murpho999 wrote: »

You still cannot playback from a selected point, but only from the start or last stop point. A very basic useful function which should be easy to implement but is missing. On Sky+ you can select the start point of a programme to the nearest minute.

I know its not the same but if you press green while watching a recording it sets a bookmark at that point. You can then browse between all these bookmarks using the left/right arrows

d8player

Murpho999 is dead right in all he says. A series link should be simple. We have two tuners and two buffers so why not be able to record two programs even if it means you cannot pause when recording two other programs.

Also a simple thing would be the ability to rename a recorded program. When you use a timer to record the recording only takes the channel name so after a while it becomes very hard to track. It would also be good to be able to put recordings in a folder rather than all in the same level. There is a file system on the DVR so this should be easy to do.

patrickmooney

A problem I've found with this update is the slowness of the EPG, Yes Slowness. I tend to view the guide, hit red to view the "on this channel" full page listings. Using the right and left arrows I scroll through all the channels. Before this was instant, no lag between channel change, now it takes 2 or 3 seconds. Very slow and is really annoying me. I'd rather the slower start up anyday then suffer lag when browsing the detail listings.

Ranicand

patrickmooney wrote: »

A problem I've found with this update is the slowness of the EPG, Yes Slowness. I tend to view the guide, hit red to view the "on this channel" full page listings. Using the right and left arrows I scroll through all the channels. Before this was instant, no leg between channel change, now it takes 2 or 3 seconds. Very slow and is really annoying me. I'd rather the slower start up anyday then suffer leg when browsing the detail listings.

What you are saying is before you had one leg and now you have the other leg but you want the two right now without any lag?:D

paulm17781

Ranicand wrote: »

What you are saying is before you had one leg and now you have the other leg but you want the two right now without any lag?:D

Which was the case before the EPG change.

dunworth1

people are never happy with what they get
they always complain about something upc are trying as we know by the recent up date

paulm17781

dunworth1 wrote: »

people are never happy with what they get
they always complain about something upc are trying as we know by the recent up date

That's because the new update seemed to be little more than aesthetics. I've had such trouble with UPC lately but have no real choice. If UPC actually made any effort to keep customers happy, people wouldn't complain. Series link and interactive are things NTL / UPC have been talking about for years. Still no sign. Their main competitor here is Sky. The Sky service is without a doubt a better TV service. UPC (Ireland) absolutely must be aware of this yet they continue to be be a subset of the Sky package.

I have UPC as I have little choice in my apartment. If I had a house, it would be Sky and DSL simply because I have grown so tired of UPCs awful service. This is up to them to rectify. Not their customers to settle for a second rate service.

dam099

murpho999 wrote: »

They have now set up a 'Set Repeating Recording' button but this is only good if a programme runs at the same time every week without delays or schedule changes.

Where does this appear? I cant see it so must be overlooking it as my EPG is changed.

paulm17781

dam099 wrote: »

Where does this appear? I cant see it so must be overlooking it as my EPG is changed.

It's under the DVR menu. I think it may have always been there. There was always 4 options and still is so I don't think it's changed.

dam099

paulm17781 wrote: »

It's under the DVR menu. I think it may have always been there. There was always 4 options and still is so I don't think it's changed.

Is that the set advanced memo option? Yeah I know its always been there I thought maybe he meant they had added a quick way to do this from the guide. The advanced memo is allright though I would prefer if you could give them a name (presently your programmes recorded this way just have a time and channel in the list, a name would be more meaningful) and could enter the channel some way other than by number (select from a list?)

murpho999

dam099 wrote: »

Is that the set advanced memo option? Yeah I know its always been there I thought maybe he meant they had added a quick way to do this from the guide. The advanced memo is allright though I would prefer if you could give them a name (presently your programmes recorded this way just have a time and channel in the list, a name would be more meaningful) and could enter the channel some way other than by number (select from a list?)

It is not a new function but they have renamed the button 'Set Advanced Memo' to 'Set Repeating Recording' and that is a worry to me that they are trying to pass it off as a series link.

bk

paulm17781 wrote: »

I have UPC as I have little choice in my apartment. If I had a house, it would be Sky and DSL simply because I have grown so tired of UPCs awful service. This is up to them to rectify. Not their customers to settle for a second rate service.

It is funny, your lucky, I wish I could get UPC. I can only get Smarts IPTV service in my apartment. Inferior channel line up (no Sky, Discovery, SciFi, Film4, etc.), inferior picture and audio quality, no DVR, no analogue service

I'd give my right arm for UPC, it is only when you leave it and are forced to a shower like Smart do you realise how good you had it.

Rosser

dunworth1 wrote: »

people are never happy with what they get
they always complain about something upc are trying as we know by the recent up date

Agreed. They bought an absolute pup in NTL/Chorus but do seem to be making progress, slow yes but progress none the less (and I've had my share of grief with them in the past too).If the series link went on the dvr there'd be little between it and sky+