New EPG coming to Sky+HD - Beta about to launch

energy1942

This sounds like it may mean the end of the card trick.

warlikedave

energy1942 wrote: »

This sounds like it may mean the end of the card trick.

Well it works except for the recording so far - we shall see - as gtg60 said it might rectify itself over the next day....

energy1942

warlikedave wrote: »

Well it works except for the recording so far - we shall see - as gtg60 said it might rectify itself over the next day....

If it turns out you cannot record it effectivelly renders the card trick meaningless as we have known it.

JustAddWater

Can you search for DVB-S2 FTA channels now? Or would that be a firmware upgrade?

warlikedave

energy1942 wrote: »

If it turns out you cannot record it effectivelly renders the card trick meaningless as we have known it.

for recording it could yes - for everything else like reminders and epg it works well so far

warlikedave

JustAddWater wrote: »

Can you search for DVB-S2 FTA channels now? Or would that be a firmware upgrade?

No you cant - i can only surmise that sky dont want people accessing dvb-s2 HD content that is only available for sky uk customers

gtg60

energy1942 wrote: »

This sounds like it may mean the end of the card trick.

No, no, you're jumping to conclusions. From what we can see the 'Card Trick' still works i.e. it puts the UK channels on the Irish EPG.

warlikedave does report though that he is having issues with live pause and recording, this is not that unusual, I have seen this happen with people before, generally it settles down after 24 hours and everything works as expected. We should be in a much better position to judge this time tomorrow.

warlikedave

I have just reset the box and added a few more channels and then had a hunch :P:P - i got the recorder to work on bbc parliament but when i went to record bbc scotland 1 which shares an epg slot number i got a recording clash and every channel tested since has had the clash even the bbc parliament channel

even pressing backup after the clash and with the record symbol on the epg - i go to access it in the planner and it wont even let me select it

I am going to reset the box again and test recording only on channels that dont share epg numbers and see if that is the issue....

http://mythen.ie/newskyhdepg/cardtrickrec01.JPG.jpg
http://mythen.ie/newskyhdepg/cardtrickrec02.JPG.jpg



One note - my box is in single feed mode since i dont have a second feed from the lnb at the moment so that in itself might solve the problem....ill get back to ye shortly folks....

warlikedave

So much for that - i managed to get it recording and it still is but i cant view the channel (blue screen) plus my planner is now blank - ive stopped the recording - planner stilll blank and it wont record any of the added channels on the epg....

So - im gonna leave it for 24+ hours and test it again

muffler

Surely you would need the 2 feeds?

warlikedave

muffler wrote: »

Surely you would need the 2 feeds?

Nope ye can record a program in single feed mode...ye just cant change channels. The dual tuner allows you to view another channel while recording another channel or record two shows and watch another channel thats on the same transponder and polarisation. I dont have a second cable to plug into input 2 so im using single feed mode

So if i want to record the savage eye which is on now i can do so but i cant change channel. I can put the box in standby...anyways ye get the point

greendom

I think testing results will be more reliable with the dual feed.

warlikedave

greendom wrote: »

I think testing results will be more reliable with the dual feed.

It still should allow a single feed to record....plus not everyone has two feeds. No harm in testing both and i would if i could but i cant. Recording on single feed mode is as reliable as dual feed mode when it comes to normal channels...we shall see anyways in terms of the card trick

Omar C

warlikedave wrote: »

Well it works except for the recording so far - we shall see - as gtg60 said it might rectify itself over the next day....

Hey dave,

Can you please help me i was your pictures on boards.ie of the card trick can you please help me get it on my sky boxes @ home i have 1 tb with hd sub & standard HD box aswell.

warlikedave

greendom wrote: »

I think testing results will be more reliable with the dual feed.

Omar C wrote: »

Hey dave,

Can you please help me i was your pictures on boards.ie of the card trick can you please help me get it on my sky boxes @ home i have 1 tb with hd sub & standard HD box aswell.

Ive pmed ye in response to your pm

warlikedave

UPDATE ON CARD TRICK

The recording issue has not resolved itself. the viewing clash is still persisting....so it seems that the beta does not allow recording in single feed mode and I cant test dual feed mode but I suspect it would not make a difference (an opinion/educated response) since I can record any program on the normal non modified epg channels in single feed mode.

So: Card trick Analysis On SKY+HD Box in single feed mode with Beta Picasso Software (they dont use darwin anymore):

YES: EPG Addition of Channels SD and HD
YES: Reminders
YES: Series Link
YES: Live Pause and rewind/fast forward

NO: Recording is a fail on a single feed box when trying to record on ADDED CARD TRICK CHANNELS anyways - yet to be tested on dual mode but I dont hold much hope... Ill keep trying different stuff in the mean time and see that I can do

NOTE that recording on normal NON card trick added channels works perfectly in single feed mode.


UPDATE ON BETA EPG

Reports of epg bugs, observations and some basic info:

1 - Channel Listings in EPG view can take up to 90 seconds to load - it is an intermittent problem been experienced by others - confirmed as a bug

2 - People will notice a slightly longer period of blue screen while switching channels - sky have clarified that this is an addition to ensure proper channel sync with the box, sound, visual etc all synced up for best viewing performance

3 - Planner items have disappeared but hard drive space has stayed the same - a soft or hard reboot fixes this but it is a bug

4 - Sky beta testers number above 400 according to sky and there is a good level of feedback coming through to the dedicated forums that sky have for this beta

Any questions - feel free to ask :P

http://www.irishupandcomingmusicscene.tk/wordpressgaming/?p=201
http://www.mythen.ie/wordpressgaming/?p=201

1dave

If i take it the card trick wont work, can sky update my box automatically? Is there some way i can keeping the recording feature or is it just a matter of time b4 it goes.

warlikedave

1dave wrote: »

If i take it the card trick wont work, can sky update my box automatically? Is there some way i can keeping the recording feature or is it just a matter of time b4 it goes.

The card trick works for everything except:

actual recording on the channels ADDED by the card trick. When the beta is over and the full release of this epg announced - ye wont be able to stop it...maybe ye could say to sky that you dont want to be updated but i doubt they will allow that. This beta is 1TB box and drx 890 amstrad boxes only so it will be a while before we see a full release - august maybe...i cant be certain.

This only a beta and its limited to 2 types of boxes so we cant be sure as of yet in regards to effect on other boxes plus the final release date.

greendom

Hey Warlike, have you tried it with a dual feed yet or have you heard of anyone who has ?

warlikedave

greendom wrote: »

Hey Warlike, have you tried it with a dual feed yet or have you heard of anyone who has ?

I dont have two cables from any one location in the house unfortunately - i cant understand why it wont work though. i can record perfectly on any channel besides the ones added via card trick. Live pause works on those channels though so the skybox is saving a buffer on those channels when paused.

I dont know anyone who has a dual feed sky+hd box with the new software in ireland

greendom

warlikedave wrote: »

I dont have two cables from any one location in the house unfortunately - i cant understand why it wont work though. i can record perfectly on any channel besides the ones added via card trick. Live pause works on those channels though so the skybox is saving a buffer on those channels when paused.

I dont know anyone who has a dual feed sky+hd box with the new software in ireland

I know what you're saying - I'm just clutching at straws really

warlikedave

greendom wrote: »

I know what you're saying - I'm just clutching at straws really

Never any harm in asking

manutd83

When do you think they will bring in beta

warlikedave

manutd83 wrote: »

When do you think they will bring in beta

The beta was already launched - there will be no recall of it since it is functioning well enough with the exception of bugs listed here - the card trick is not garenteed or designed by sky so they wont see it as a bug if it doesnt record.

The beta will end with the launch of the Full EPG for all customers

This information is accurate enough but sky being sky could change things....Ill keep ye as informed as I can

gtg60

warlikedave wrote: »

i can record perfectly on any channel besides the ones added via card trick. Live pause works on those channels though so the skybox is saving a buffer on those channels when paused.

Hang on, so the 'Card Trick' channels you can Pause, Rewind etc but can't record, that is weird

What other issues are people talking about on the Beta forum?

warlikedave

gtg60 wrote: »

Hang on, so the 'Card Trick' channels you can Pause, Rewind etc but can't record, that is weird

What other issues are people talking about on the Beta forum?

Aye -the sky+hd box has no issue using the hard drive for buffering and storing live pause and yet it wont record.

I can pm you an official listing of issues from the sky forum but cannot post the full listings and details of it here - request via pm please for full listings and info

warlikedave

Since I cant post the full listing here - ill post the main ones that are still open so far

Stability Issues
- MiniTV not shown / blue screen
- Channel Numbers appear in grid but listings don’t load
- STB stuck in standby or blue screen coming out of standby
- STB locked on one channel
- Planner content disappears until reboot
- STB locks up on deletion / in planner
- Unresponsive STB w/No Signal
- Interactive blue screen stability problems
- Unable to delete reminder
- STB freeze on adding keep to anytime recording
- Unable to exit playback using back button
- Unstable STB with range of issues reported by Woddy
- Anytime+ glitches occasionally during playback

Significant interface issues
- PIN Request on Other Channels
- Unable to access third party subscribed channel (purchase dialogue)
- Future recordings show “To be recorded 0%”
- Live Pause Unavailable
- Unable to play “The London Debate” from showcase
- Unexpected Anytime+ downloads

energy1942

It would not surprise me if not having 2 cables is making a difference,
channels like itv2, channel 5 do have differences when recording, for instance if you record 2 channels at the same time one or both being a card trick channel when you enter a channel number e.g. 118 you will find on the screen message that you are making 2 recordings, this does not happen if you are recording 2 irish subscription channels e.g. sky one & sky sports2, and you key 106 or 402 on your remote you can watch one of them while recording, also if you have been watching say sky one for a while after it has started you can still record from the start but you would be unable to do this on say itv4 as it would only record from the moment you press the record button even if you have been watching the programme from the start.

warlikedave

energy1942 wrote: »

It would not surprise me if not having 2 cables is making a difference,
channels like itv2, channel 5 do have differences when recording, for instance if you record 2 channels at the same time one or both being a card trick channel when you enter a channel number e.g. 118 you will find on the screen message that you are making 2 recordings, this does not happen if you are recording 2 irish subscription channels e.g. sky one & sky sports2, and you key 106 or 402 on your remote you can watch one of them while recording, also if you have been watching say sky one for a while after it has started you can still record from the start but you would be unable to do this on say itv4 as it would only record from the moment you press the record button even if you have been watching the programme from the start.

It could - I just cant test it though :P Single feed recording is a simple record of the same channel though - its less complicated than a dual tuner record in alot of ways. Hmmm then why does live pause work and recording not so then on the added channels since the recording facility can access this buffer used for live pause and save it on official epg channels?

Im quite baffled myself

warlikedave

The record clash that i get could be resolved though by the use of a second tuner - i get your point - pity i cant test it