New Sky HD EPG. Phase 1 - Thomson boxes

cowengate

just got new epg but im off to work so let you know later my box is a thompson version ending in 4

Agent Smith

DONT DO THAT!


Whats Different?

cowengate

sorry i have rush im in dublin 8 just thought you would like to know its been rolled out

Mitch Connor

Is it a new EPG for all boxes (when they get updated) or only the HD boxes?

cowengate

just a brief scan now i have itv hd , something to do with freesat home, freesat oad,sorry i cant be more enlighting gotta go

cowengate

only hd boxes

Our man in Havana

Yes, indeedy. I received the update at 03.50 this morning.

It is very good now. Just took a small bit of getting used to. It is much better than the old EPG. Very easy now to get program information. No need anymore to mess around in the planner to get info for a show on another channel.

Also you can now add ITV HD.

It is a very welcome improvement.

rogue-entity

Got it as well, just looking for that ITV HD frequency to tune it in.
All my other-channels are still there, but they dont show until you press select on the Other Ch tab, then they show up.

From what I read on DS, all Thompson boxes are being upgraded in batches starting with 4E3004 (which is the one I have).

Our man in Havana

rogue-entity wrote: »

Got it as well, just looking for that ITV HD frequency to tune it in.

From Digital Spy:

Press services, and then in the middle menu scroll across to "Add Channels". Enter 11.427 as the frequency, change the polarisation to H, and then press yellow.

You should then get a list of channels, including 10510, highlight it and press yellow so there's a tick next to it, and then press select to save.

Now when you go up to "Other Channels", 10510 should be there, and when you select it you can watch ITV HD.

rogue-entity wrote: »

All my other-channels are still there, but they dont show until you press select on the Other Ch tab, then they show up.

Same here. That frightened me at first thinking that all my other stuff had been deleted.

Nice to be able to finally see ITV HD for all its' 3 hours of programming a week.

lynchie

Best improvement of it so far is being able to press right to see whats on a channel later and pressing the info button to be able to see details about it instead of it only showing the current programs info.

Victor_M

My box was updated this morning too, only had a minute to play with it looks great, I love the program stacking in the planner really tidies things up when you have 15 episodes of fireman sam and Dora the explorer recorded.

Big improvement on what I thought was a pretty good EPG in the first place. Happy days.

fat-tony

Mine updated too - 4E3004. Have had this box since HD started May '06.

mike65

I have an ex contract Sky box so am I "stuck" with the EPG that it came with?

fat-tony

No it should get the new EPG (I don't have a HD contract anymore:)), but the rollout is happening by model number. Started several weeks ago and is due to go on for a while. What's your model no. - it's under services/system details. Mine is one of the oldest models 4E3004 - Thomson.

mike65

fat-tony

That doesn't look like a HD box details

alexmcred

Mine has been updated its a Thomson ver no. 4e3004 EPG software sky+8.3.2

Our man in Havana

I have already found a small bug.

When playing back a recording the minute counter is slow to update. I was watching a film earlier and I started it from 0 mins and when I pressed select an hour later it still said 0 mins for about 2 secs until it updated.

mike65

fat-tony wrote: »

That doesn't look like a HD box details

I was talking in general terms not HD.

fat-tony

mike65 wrote: »

I was talking in general terms not HD.

It's a SKY+ HD facility only - not for other SKY boxes.

Our man in Havana

I don't think the general peasantry will be getting the update.

John mac

the new epg is very good EXCEPT you now have 8 button presses to get to the first added channel. (in my case bbchd)
The old one was 3. (services,9,select.)
Now the logitech 1000 I have for switching to other channels is no use :mad:

had it all set up so visitors etc could press the the icon for itv1 etc and it would run the macro.

Is there something I am doing wrong?

Is there an easier way to get to the other channels?

Our man in Havana

Nope. They have deliberately made it harder to access the other channels.

Widescreen

Bond-007 wrote: »

Nope. They have deliberately made it harder to access the other channels.

I haven't got the new guide yet,but I was in my nieces house in Tipperary last weekend and they have had this new epg for the last 2 or 3 weeks. I added ITV HD for them and had a quick scroll around.I cannot be too critical yet not having used it much ,but the one advantage I noticed about the "other channels" was that you could flick from one "other channel" to another without repeating all the steps, which was the case with the standard epg.

Our man in Havana

That is a good point. It is the initial getting in that has got harder.

Batesy

I find my HD Box is a lot louder since the update this morning. Every now and then you can hear the Hard drive spinning.
Even when I'm not recording anything or viewing a recording?

Our man in Havana

Nothing unusual there. Have you anytime enabled?

Batesy

Yep. I thought anytime recordings only started when the box was in standby?

Our man in Havana

Nope. They can start if so long as one input is free to record.

staker

how about 4E3006 lads/lassies??

Pat Gleeson

staker wrote: »

how about 4E3006 lads/lassies??

There was a 3 week gap between today's download for 4E3004 and the initial one for 4E300E boxes.

Today's download was for considerably more boxes than the first one. If the EPG tests out OK, I would expect the rollout to continue at a quicker pace for Thomson boxes. Other makes will be later, with a full rollout by "Late Spring"

http://www1.sky.com/HDGuide/

rdb666

How does the update come down? I got rid of my phone line a few weeks ago, will I still get it?

greendom

rdb666 wrote: »

How does the update come down? I got rid of my phone line a few weeks ago, will I still get it?

I think so - most software updates come via satellite, not the phone line

greendom

Anyone know if there are plans to roll this out to SKY+ and normal SKY boxes ?

Pat Gleeson

greendom wrote: »

Anyone know if there are plans to roll this out to SKY+ and normal SKY boxes ?

Only Sky HD boxes. There was talk of updating Sky+ Version 3 boxes, but that was scrapped.

Check your version No. : Press - Services, 4, 5 and lokk down the page (3rd line),

Downloaded so far 4E300E and 4E3004
Next 4E3005, 4E3006 and 4E3007 in the nest few days / weeks - all Thomson boxes.
Other manufacturers later, all Sky HD boxes will have the new EPG by "late Spring" say Sky.
You should get a pack in the post a few days before your box is due the download, or on the day as I did ...

Pat Gleeson

Here's a few screen shots

http://www.flickr.com/photos/patgleeson/sets/72157616265860698/

greendom

Pat Gleeson wrote: »

Only Sky HD boxes. There was talk of updating Sky+ Version 3 boxes, but that was scrapped.

Check your version No. : Press - Services, 4, 5 and lokk down the page (3rd line),

.

9F2127 - It's quite an old box and I don't even get SKy anytime

Pat Gleeson

greendom wrote: »

9F2127 - It's quite an old box and I don't even get SKy anytime

That's a Sky+ box isn't it? Only HD boxes are getting the update. If it's a HD box or a Version 3 Sky+ box, it should have Anytime on it.

greendom

Pat Gleeson wrote: »

That's a Sky+ box isn't it? Only HD boxes are getting the update. If it's a HD box or a Version 3 Sky+ box, it should have Anytime on it.

Absolutely, hence my question must also have a version 1 or 2 plus box

cowengate

very impressed with new epg,there is a demo of epg in sky anytime,but its only available till fri 3. much easier to view that then for me to try and explain,one thing i can tell confirm is uk sub (ftv) cards still work with new epg.itvhd showing "this service currently not available" i assume this is because they dont start broadcasting till 1900hrs

Pat Gleeson

greendom wrote: »

Absolutely, hence my question must also have a version 1 or 2 plus box

Apologies , I misunderstood

If by chance you want to confirm it's not a V3 box, why not do a forced upgrade ?

Unplug the box (for 5 mins. or so), press and hold the 'Back Up' button (on the box not the remote), plug in the box, wait for the update message then release the 'Back Up' Button.

5-10 mins. later you'll have the latest software for your box. If it's a V3 box, and for some reason not had the update before, you will have Anytime

greendom

Pat Gleeson wrote: »

Apologies , I misunderstood

If by chance you want to confirm it's not a V3 box, why not do a forced upgrade ?

Unplug the box (for 5 mins. or so), press and hold the 'Back Up' button (on the box not the remote), plug in the box, wait for the update message then release the 'Back Up' Button.

5-10 mins. later you'll have the latest software for your box. If it's a V3 box, and for some reason not had the update before, you will have Anytime

Thanks for that - I wont' lose any recorded programmes will I ?

Our man in Havana

You shouldn't.

Pat Gleeson

cowengate wrote: »

itvhd showing "this service currently not available" i assume this is because they dont start broadcasting till 1900hrs

ITV HD have a very limited service, on the order of a few programmes a week

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.php/freesat-channels/itv-hd-schedule

http://www.zingzing.co.uk/

pistolpetes11

Pat Gleeson wrote: »

Only Sky HD boxes. There was talk of updating Sky+ Version 3 boxes, but that was scrapped.

Check your version No. : Press - Services, 4, 5 and lokk down the page (3rd line),

Downloaded so far 4E300E and 4E3004
Next 4E3005, 4E3006 and 4E3007 in the nest few days / weeks - all Thomson boxes.
Other manufacturers later, all Sky HD boxes will have the new EPG by "late Spring" say Sky.
You should get a pack in the post a few days before your box is due the download, or on the day as I did ...

Dam ,

I have a Thomson HD box with a version number of 4E3009 so I would reckon I will be waiting a while to get the update .

Aquos76

My HD box is 4E3006, so hopefully I will see this update soon enough

Pat Gleeson

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

Dam ,

I have a Thomson HD box with a version number of 4E3009 so I would reckon I will be waiting a while to get the update .

It all depends if Sky are happy with this latest rollout. If they are, it's possible the next rollout will be to multiple version numbers.
How long they wait is anyone's guess.

It can't be too long - if they leave it 3 weeks between each rollout it will take forever with all the version numbers and manufacturers to consider !

fat-tony

greendom wrote: »

I think so - most software updates come via satellite, not the phone line

All software updates come over the air - the 'phone line is only for the box to call in for Sky Box Office events, or to call back for multiroom subs.

Victor_M

Is anyone having 'Red button' problems with the new EPG?

I tried to load the 10 music choice channels that I listen to over dinner every day and the red button wouldn't work, it said channels loading but nothing happens.

Also without turning off the preview in the top right corner, is there anyway of getting around having to double press the selected channel to watch it? One press changes what is being displayed in the top corner and pressing again full screens it.

tbh

I'm 4E3011, I guess I'll be waiting a while as well? Would a forced upgrade do anything? I really want this

Aquos76

Forced update will not allow you get this software update any quicker you will just have to wait your turn like the rest of us I'm afraid