Saorview Connect

lsjmhar

patsryan wrote:

Since I posted my hypotectial scenario above, I asked PowerPoint on Facebook what the likelihood of preloading Guide information was (Now/Next) and they informed me that with the upcoming recording fuctionality update that the guide will be preloaded and the 2 SAT inputs utilized, so at least something appears in that otherwise useless guide!

Sweet. Patience is the key. As the saorview connect ad says 'The future of free TV has landed!'

lsjmhar

patsryan wrote:

Since I posted my hypotectial scenario above, I asked PowerPoint on Facebook what the likelihood of preloading Guide information was (Now/Next) and they informed me that with the upcoming recording fuctionality update that the guide will be preloaded and the 2 SAT inputs utilized, so at least something appears in that otherwise useless guide!

Sweet. Patience is the key. As the saorview connect ad says 'The future of free TV has landed!'

patsryan

Keri Billen mentioned here last September that they had a beta version of the recording software for release in January 18 and looking at this video on the Metaphor YouTube page the software appeared to be ready in August, so what’s delaying it?

lsjmhar

That video is like the recording - non existent!!

JDxtra

lsjmhar wrote: »

That video is like the recording - non existent!!

Is this it?

https://youtu.be/3uT6vCLMPK4

Somebody needs to give that lad from RTE (Richard Waghorn) a bit of genuine feedback!

Gerry Wicklow

They delivered the Cellnex product in 12 weeks. Saorview will take 12 years at this rate.

patsryan

JDxtra wrote: »

Is this it?

https://youtu.be/3uT6vCLMPK4

Somebody needs to give that lad from RTE (Richard Waghorn) a bit of genuine feedback!

At exactly 1 minute in?

Yep that’s it - unless there’s a surprise in store like Netflix, YouTube, Virgin Media Player, Eir Sport, UK 7 day EPG or any of the other things this box SHOULD have

JDxtra

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

They delivered the Cellnex product in 12 weeks. Saorview will take 12 years at this rate.

I'd say most if they delays are on the RTE side or due to bad choices they've made.

patsryan

JDxtra wrote: »

I'd say most if they delays are on the RTE side or due to bad choices they've made.

Was the LOVEStv project a full implementation of the Metaphor project though or was it just a UI implementation like tivusat?

Gerry Wicklow

JDxtra wrote: »

I'd say most if they delays are on the RTE side or due to bad choices they've made.

Montrose seem to love reinventing the wheel

JDxtra

Was in Currys/PC World today - they had a few lonely looking Saorview connect boxes on a shelf (priced at €159). On the box itself was a promo saying "COMING SOON RECORD TO EXTERNAL USB HARD DRIVE (SOFTWARE UPGRADE MID-2018)".

Lies!

Tigerandahalf

Has anyone received the beta version of the box with recording enabled?

keribillen

JDxtra wrote: »

Was in Currys/PC World today - they had a few lonely looking Saorview connect boxes on a shelf (priced at €159). On the box itself was a promo saying "COMING SOON RECORD TO EXTERNAL USB HARD DRIVE (SOFTWARE UPGRADE MID-2018)".

Lies!

Hi,
I can understand your frustration but 'Lies' is not the correct word. They were said in truth. However, some non-technical matters (which I am not going to elaborate on....this is not the place) got in the way. A few of us, me especially even if I do say so myself, worked damned hard to fix these matters, and the tech work got going again a few months ago.
To answer other questions, yes the beta recording software does exist and is being tested internally and will be shipped to the various partners involved for wider testing in coming days.
I don't get notified by this forum if someone writes to me or replies to my messages, and I don't log in here routinely so if you want to speak to me and I am not answering your questions then feel free to email me at keri.billen@ekt-digital.com. Best regards, Keri
All the best,
Keri

keribillen

JDxtra wrote: »

Was in Currys/PC World today - they had a few lonely looking Saorview connect boxes on a shelf (priced at €159). On the box itself was a promo saying "COMING SOON RECORD TO EXTERNAL USB HARD DRIVE (SOFTWARE UPGRADE MID-2018)".

Lies!

Hi,
I can understand your frustration but 'Lies' is not the correct word. They were said in truth. However, some non-technical matters (which I am not going to elaborate on....this is not the place) got in the way. A few of us, me especially even if I do say so myself, worked damned hard to fix these matters, and the tech work got going again a few months ago.
To answer other questions, yes the beta recording software does exist and is being tested internally and will be shipped to the various partners involved for wider testing in coming days.
I don't get notified by this forum if someone writes to me or replies to my messages, and I don't log in here routinely so if you want to speak to me and I am not answering your questions then feel free to email me at keri.billen@ekt-digital.com. Best regards, Keri
All the best,
Keri

keribillen

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Has anyone received the beta version of the box with recording enabled?

See my earlier note a few seconds ago.

Tony

Why is this not the place to elaborate on the reasons for the delay ?

keribillen wrote: »

Hi,
However, some non-technical matters (which I am not going to elaborate on....this is not the place) got in the way.
Keri

Tigerandahalf

So when can we hope to have the recording feature released? Is there a firm date in place given that technical issues were not a problem.

Thanks

JDxtra

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

So when can we hope to have the recording feature released? Is there a firm date in place given that technical issues were not a problem.

Thanks

"Soon". :rolleyes:

JDxtra

keribillen wrote: »

Hi,
I can understand your frustration but 'Lies' is not the correct word. They were said in truth. However, some non-technical matters (which I am not going to elaborate on....this is not the place) got in the way. A few of us, me especially even if I do say so myself, worked damned hard to fix these matters, and the tech work got going again a few months ago.
To answer other questions, yes the beta recording software does exist and is being tested internally and will be shipped to the various partners involved for wider testing in coming days.
I don't get notified by this forum if someone writes to me or replies to my messages, and I don't log in here routinely so if you want to speak to me and I am not answering your questions then feel free to email me at keri.billen@ekt-digital.com. Best regards, Keri
All the best,
Keri

I'm sure the engineering team aren't to blame here - but reality is this feature is long over due, and promised dates have come and gone.

Retailers are still stocking the product with out of date messages about a key feature. It is false advertising (so, a lie - right?).

You didn't write it, and it's out of your control - but the message is still there on the product packaging sitting on retailer shelves right now.

https://imgur.com/a/UVEabSa

Capt'n Midnight

IMHO it's pretty clear about advertising the recording feature.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer_affairs/consumer_protection/consumer_rights/consumers_and_the_law_in_ireland.html

Consumer Protection Act 2007. Under the act it is an offence for any retailer or professional to make a false or misleading claim about goods, services and prices. It is also an offence to sell goods which bear a false or misleading description.

Claims about the weight, ingredients and performance of goods must be stated truthfully. Also claims made about how items operate and where they were made must be true.

Claims about the time, place or manner in which a service is provided and claims about the effect of a service and the service providers must also be true.

Atlantic Dawn

Refund territory me thinks.

Tigerandahalf

It is misleading. The advertising on facebook would lead you to believe the box is good to go.
Recording is crucial but I feel people will be really disappointed to find out that the recording on satellite is not done through the epg.

E.g. So you want to record a rugby match on channel 4 in 3 days time. Normally you would scroll to it in the guide using the 24hr+ button, select it, and choose record once (or a series).

With this box you will first need a tv listings guide to know what time the programme is on and then go and manually put in the time. Hopefully the name of the actual recording will show up on the recordings list. I wonder will one be able to do remote recordings with the phone app as the methaphor software is limited to the saorview channels only.

The box might have had hope if players like Virgin, eir sports and others could be added but they may be more than happy to stick with chromecast.

As for the saorview channels they are blessed to have the priority epg slots on sky, virgin, eir, etc as if they were pushed down the epg it would be a case of out of sight, out of mind.

Saorview is still the dominant platform in the country but that pattern will decline as the older population pushes through. A lot of younger people seem to be using youtube, netflix and others and unless these are integrated onto the saorview platform the casual watcher of saorview channels just won't browse or watch them.

The high horse brigade

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

It is misleading. The advertising on facebook would lead you to believe the box is good to go.
Recording is crucial but I feel people will be really disappointed to find out that the recording on satellite is not done through the epg.

E.g. So you want to record a rugby match on channel 4 in 3 days time. Normally you would scroll to it in the guide using the 24hr+ button, select it, and choose record once (or a series).

With this box you will first need a tv listings guide to know what time the programme is on and then go and manually put in the time. Hopefully the name of the actual recording will show up on the recordings list. I wonder will one be able to do remote recordings with the phone app as the methaphor software is limited to the saorview channels only.

Holy sh1t that is retarded

keribillen

Tony wrote: »

Why is this not the place to elaborate on the reasons for the delay ?

keribillen wrote: »

Hi,
However, some non-technical matters (which I am not going to elaborate on....this is not the place) got in the way.
Keri

This is a forum of people with strong ideas for how the box 'should' be, and many were disgruntled about the Saorview Connect platform before the current project between EKT, Shomar, Freesat and RTE even started. Explaining how the various partners work (very friendly and co-operatively, by the way), and what has happened since the project started will be no consolation to those who are disgruntled about anything. I'm very happy to have a constructive discussion with anyone via email (see my earlier post with my email address) and have already started doing so. About the 7-day EPG over DVB-S I realise many are unhappy about its absence but again this is fundamentally a commercial matter. The satellite transmissions support Now/Next only as I am sure you all know (happy to be corrected on this or any point). I'm looking into ways to get such a guide on the box but no promises.

peking97

keribillen wrote: »

I'm looking into ways to get such a guide on the box but no promises.

Well that certainly is just what is needed! So fingers crossed it bears fruit.

Tony

Thanks for your comment but I think in the interests of openness and transparency Saorview should have explained the reason for the delays, especially since shops are still carrying the message about recording becoming available. I would not class myself as disgruntled but I do believe in being open and honest , things do go wrong of course as with any commercial enterprise.

keribillen wrote: »

This is a forum of people with strong ideas for how the box 'should' be, and many were disgruntled about the Saorview Connect platform before the current project between EKT, Shomar, Freesat and RTE even started. Explaining how the various partners work (very friendly and co-operatively, by the way), and what has happened since the project started will be no consolation to those who are disgruntled about anything. I'm very happy to have a constructive discussion with anyone via email (see my earlier post with my email address) and have already started doing so. About the 7-day EPG over DVB-S I realise many are unhappy about its absence but again this is fundamentally a commercial matter. The satellite transmissions support Now/Next only as I am sure you all know (happy to be corrected on this or any point). I'm looking into ways to get such a guide on the box but no promises.

thatwilldopig

Can't the satellite epg be download via the web to give us a 7 day epg or is there some licensing issue to do that. Had a box running enigma 😉 that done some thing like that.

JDxtra

Saorview Connect recording to be made available by November 5th or earlier.

Tigerandahalf

thatwilldopig wrote: »

Can't the satellite epg be download via the web to give us a 7 day epg or is there some licensing issue to do that. Had a box running enigma 😉 that done some thing like that.

That would cause a big issue for virgin, sky and others who are paying the bbc and itv to carry their channels in Ireland. So there is no way freesat (bbc and itv) will allow the freesat system to be used for the satellite channels. Rte don't really care either as long as their channels are no.1 on the epg slots of sky, virgin, etc.

The data 'could' be downloaded, as others have said on here the epg data belongs to each station. But just because it is out there to download by random users, doesn't mean it can be used on a commercial basis.

At the same time catch up/on demand tv is where the growth is and once people have decent unlimited broadband, recording will become less and less important.

This is one of the reasons why you see Virgin having a standoff with UKTV over getting a greater slice of catch up tv.

In time there will be a big push for the bbc to make their iplayer content available to virgin, sky and others in Ireland.

Johnboy1951

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

That would cause a big issue for virgin, sky and others who are paying the bbc and itv to carry their channels in Ireland. So there is no way freesat (bbc and itv) will allow the freesat system to be used for the satellite channels. Rte don't really care either as long as their channels are no.1 on the epg slots of sky, virgin, etc.

The data 'could' be downloaded, as others have said on here the epg data belongs to each station. But just because it is out there to download by random users, doesn't mean it can be used on a commercial basis.

At the same time catch up/on demand tv is where the growth is and once people have decent unlimited broadband, recording will become less and less important.

This is one of the reasons why you see Virgin having a standoff with UKTV over getting a greater slice of catch up tv.

In time there will be a big push for the bbc to make their iplayer content available to virgin, sky and others in Ireland.

... and the way around that 'uncertainty' is to have someone make a plugin for the box which will do exactly that.
It's not as if it has not been done before for other commercial boxes.