ntl: Digital - New STB software update (v5.40)

celticfc

I noticed this morning when I plugged in the box that a new software update was downloaded.

No huge differences other than: (From the help menu)

*New diagnostics data on help menu.

*You can reboot (reset) the STB from the front panel and the remote control now. (Very handy) (via the yellow button on the remote)

*You can control STB volume from the front panel

*Automatic reminders on PPV events

*General service and performance improvements.

Also, I've noticed there's a very handy cancel function on when you set a reminder for a programme. (I've long lost count the amount of times that i've set a reminder by accident and having to go all the way into the diary to delete it.)

icdg

Ah, but has the EPG "double listing" problem been finally fixed??? And what about the one-day three-day EPG???

Alun

Hmmmm, I'm still on 5.37 at the moment. Is there any way of forcing an update? That not being able to cancel an unintentionally entered reminder drives me nuts.

Also, one problem that irritates the hell out of me, apart from the 'variable length' 3-day EPG, is the random disappearance of program information from blocks of channels while scanning the channels using the Browse function. I use this more than the Guide, since I can carry on watching and listening to the program I have tuned, rather than being forced to watch ITN news, or whatever it's called. The silly thing is that after selecting teh Guide and then switching back to Browse, they all suddenly magically reappear!

daramullally

To force a reboot just power off the STB for a few minutes and power it on again. The screen on the STB then shows some strange codes and finally boots up with the new software.

The 3 day EPG is still with us, hopefully the missing program information issue is resolved. It looks fine to me at the moment but it remains to be seen whether this has been fixed.

Alun

Thanks, I'll give that a try I usually hard reset the thing every few days anyway!

UPDATE:

OK, I've done that and it's updated! Love the cancel feature on the reminder. It remains to be seen whether the EPG problems have been solved too.

A few questions though ...

1) How do you do a reset from the front panel? Can't find any info in the Help on this.

2) Any idea what the diagnostic info is on the Help menu? I'm assuming its stuff like signal levels and error rates, but it'd be nice to know exactly what each item is.

daramullally

No worries.

Not sure how to reset it from the front panel but there is a menu option to reset it on the Help screen.

Alun

I've had a few occasions recently where it hung so badly that the remote wouldn't work. Chances are that in such a situation, the front panel buttons wouldn't work either, so it wouldn't be much use unless you'd lost the remote or the batteries had run out, I suppose. Still, it'd be nice to know

Round Cable

Well no update here, although v5.37 came here months after some others had it, I'd love the cancel reminder, the amount of times they were set by accident...

icdg

My Di4010's been updated to v5.39, but this seems to carry all the updates which were described above. You can reboot the box by pressing Help, Yellow.

The EPG seems to be working fine at the moment, but whether that will stay okay remains to be seen...

Rosser

Really surprised they bothered doing anything at all now that it's up for sale, hope the new owners of NTL make some radid improvements 'cause I'm really starting to consider Sky+

Alun

Thanks for that info cableguy!

A few other things I've noticed, apart from the double EPG entry bug still being there, and "no information" (not "gathering information") today for friday in the EPG !! Grrrrrrr!

1) The program information box you get if you press OK during a program now has scroll bars if the information doesn't fit
2) The option "All Programs" in the Guide has moved to option 1 (was option 8) and is the default.

And another rant ... why do they still just truncate long program names in the EPG instead of, say, switching to a smaller font and wrapping the text?

soiaf

I updated to 5.40 last night, I was looking away and it give some message about settings? [So I only caught the start of the message when I did look at the screen]. I then got the 'your box has been updated etc.' message.

Anyone know what that settings message could have been?

I also notice that the 3 day guide isn't working for Friday, very annoying. I really hate (in normal operation) only having the guide for today.

I notice in the guide section that the buttons seem 'out-by-one', if I press a button I seem to get the options for the option above it (don't remember exactly, but say pressing sport gives entertainment etc.).
Anyone else seeing this?

Alun

soiaf wrote:

I notice in the guide section that the buttons seem 'out-by-one', if I press a button I seem to get the options for the option above it (don't remember exactly, but say pressing sport gives entertainment etc.).
Anyone else seeing this?

Mine seems OK. They did change it so that the first option is "All programs" instead of it being in position 8, but I've just checked and either pressing 3 or selecting sport gives me a list of sports channels.

soiaf

Alun wrote:

Mine seems OK. They did change it so that the first option is "All programs" instead of it being in position 8, but I've just checked and either pressing 3 or selecting sport gives me a list of sports channels.

Hmm, I haven't unplugged/reset the box since it upgraded, I wonder if I do that will it sort itself out. I'll try that this evening.
Thanks for checking that out.

soiaf

Have just checked and I did not have 'all channels' as my fiirst link (and all the links were out by one).
So, unplugged the box and now the guide has the 'all' option as number 1 and all the links work properly.

chorus techy

soiaf wrote:

I also notice that the 3 day guide isn't working for Friday, very annoying. I really hate (in normal operation) only having the guide for today.

Re-booting the box each morning will mean the full 3 day EPG should work correctly, and stop double programme entries

Alun

chorus techy wrote:

Re-booting the box each morning will mean the full 3 day EPG should work correctly, and stop double programme entries

We know this already, but that doesn't stop it being a bug. In any case it happens quite often that even after a reboot you only get two days in the EPG, with the third day showing as "No information"

mike65

Mine updated last week and since then the remote control has been very slow I dunno if the infra-red receiver has got lazy but its damned annoying,
also often the programme guide shows nothing and if it does show programmes (this is the on screen presentation) I cant scroll "down" the listing to see whats on later. Oh and often the software is running late, it tells you about some programme thats already over when you click the info button. God NTL are crap.

Mike.

Round Cable

I also got the update last night (V5.39) no problems with the remote.

NewDubliner

The software still has the annoying feature of using half the screen for the awful ITV adverts & news channel when you're looking at the program guide.

It's still not possible to change this to another channel or better still, display the guide full-screen.

It's as infuriating as the non-skip adverts on DVDs.

Alun

The Browse feature also still sometimes forgets what time it is, and continues to display programs that have long finished, along with the 1- or 2-day 3-day EPG and various other bugs that have been in there for ages.

God, I'd love to get a look at that source code! Now there's an idea ... why can't someone develop some Open Source STB software?

soiaf

Alun wrote:

The Browse feature also still sometimes forgets what time it is, and continues to display programs that have long finished, along with the 1- or 2-day 3-day EPG and various other bugs that have been in there for ages.

God, I'd love to get a look at that source code! Now there's an idea ... why can't someone develop some Open Source STB software?

I'd love to know what the story is with their updates. Those bugs have been there for ages now, the only reason I can come up with for why they're not fixed is that NTL just don't give a damn. The software works well enough for the customers not to be in open revolt, so lets not put any effort into fixing the bugs seems to be their attitude.
In fact everything they do seems to be a 'just do the bare minimum', the boxes they supply are awful from a connectivity point of view (yes, I've seen the posting about the box with the slightly better connectivity).
Ok, maybe you can get by with one scart output, but why should you? Is looking for a seperate audio output really the craziest idea someone can suggest?
I look at Sky (and don't get me wrong here, I know theres issues with Sky too) and I see integrated recording facilities, 7 day guides (I think), interactive services etc.
But with 'bare minimum' approach, I just can't see us even getting a NTL+ option (NTL with built in hard drive).

I like the idea of an open source option. Imagine if there was an open source OS running on your cable box, some functionality would be handled by core routines (say the decryption of the incoming signal via your NTL card), and a basic framework provided, but if you wanted to change the way the EPG was displayed, or develop plugins (do to whatever, check new email say), or develop entire new functionality, you would be able to do it, zero chance of it happening though.

spockety

mike65 wrote:

Mine updated last week and since then the remote control has been very slow I dunno if the infra-red receiver has got lazy but its damned annoying,

I just came on here to post about this, and I see there's already a thread.

This is DOING MY HEAD IN. The remote control has gone completely to **** now on me, I thought it was batteries being dead so I replaced them, but it is just AWFUL. AGGHHHHH. Definitely considering switching to Sky+ now just so I can at the very least get a decently responsive remote control.

Anyone else having remote control lazy issues???

mike65

Changing channels using the box buttons is fine, mine is a Pace unit all black, dunno the model off the top of my head.

Mike.

SteM

spockety wrote:

I just came on here to post about this, and I see there's already a thread.

This is DOING MY HEAD IN. The remote control has gone completely to **** now on me, I thought it was batteries being dead so I replaced them, but it is just AWFUL. AGGHHHHH. Definitely considering switching to Sky+ now just so I can at the very least get a decently responsive remote control.

Anyone else having remote control lazy issues???

Yeah, I'm having the exact same problem as you. I have the black Pace DI400 box and it only started happening after the software upgrade. Changed the batteries but that's been no help, driving me crazy too.

Mountjoy Mugger

Same problem here - old Pace box. I find it a bit strange that this is down to the box - all or most of them can't be failing as soon as NTL u/g the software. Methinks it's another plot.

spockety

Mine is the old dark grey one, and my card has been burnt brown since the first year I got it (2002)..

Anyway, I'm loathe to get a new box, because they only have one SCART output, don't they?

I'm thinking I've chucking it and just getting Sky+ instead.

daramullally

I've noticed the same thing with the remote since the upgrade. I too thought that it was the batteries but I still have the problem. I have one of the older boxes (4001 or 4010). Its extremely annoying!!

celticfc

Yeah, very noticeable delay with the remote control since the update, very strange....


BTW I have a Grey DI4001 box.

spockety

I think at the very least they should roll back to 5.39 for anyone that requests it, until they do PROPER testing.

Has anyone here actually got on to NTL about it? I emailed their customer support, but unless everyone else does, they will not take this seriously at all.

The address is customer.support@ntl.ie

Alun

I've got the silver Di300 box and have noticed no slowdown problems with the remote at all, so this maybe just a Di400 problem.

It has spontaneously rebooted twice since then whch is something it never did before the update.

spockety

==================

Thank you for your email. I regret to hear of the problems in which you are experiencing at the moment with your Digital Remote Control.

I have taken your comments and I have informed my Team Manager who has passed this on to our Regional Technical Department for them to investigate this matter of the remote control since the software download.

Once I receive an update on this situation I will contact you immediately and advise of the outcome.

Please accept my sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused to you at this time and for the delay in having this matter resolved.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on 1800 321 321 or once again e-mail us on customer.support@ntl.ie

Kind regards

Nxxxxx Rxxx,
NTL Customer Support
==================

icdg

For what its worth, my Di4010 is working okay remote-wise, though the EPG doesn't seem to have been sorted out...

SteM

Got a mail back from NTL support telling me to unplug the box for 30 seconds, plug it back in and that should fix the problem (like I hadn't tried that). If not to give them a call. That's something I really don't want to have to do.....

daramullally

I had an engineer out this morning and he replaced the remote control to a newer model. It seems much more responsive now.

See attachment.

I can also control some of my TV functions from the remote too like volume and teletext etc.

spockety

I have asked them to send me out a replacement controller, to see if what daramullally says is correct.. they've said there is one in the post..

Is anyone else following this up, or are you all just happy to have crap remote control responsiveness???

SteM

I rang them the other evening and they insisted it couldn't be the controller! They said they wanted to send an engineer out but I just can't get the time off to wait around half a day for them to not show up, I'll have to call them back when I can.

Please let us know how you get on with your new controller.

Mountjoy Mugger

spockety wrote:

I have asked them to send me out a replacement controller, to see if what daramullally says is correct.. they've said there is one in the post..

Hmm. I mailed them asking for a replacement and this is an extract of the reply I got.

Please return the remote control to the following address: Attention remote control department, Building P2, East Point Business Park, Dublin 3.

Please enclose you account number with the remote.and we will post you of a new one as soon as we receive the faulty one back.

So, I'll be without a remote for at least a week. Great!

spockety

Well I got the new remote control in the post yesterday, and I'm pretty surprised to be able to say that it actually has made a difference...!

It is one of the smaller silver controllers that you normally see with the small silver boxes, not the funny oval shaped blue ones that you get with a box like mine..

lamper

Not sure if this is a new feature from the upgrade or something I have just noticed but pressing the yellow button flicks between the last two channels.

The tax man

Thats cause the small silver remote never had a "back" button on it.
Now the yellow button makes up for it.

SteM

Mountjoy Mugger wrote:

Hmm. I mailed them asking for a replacement and this is an extract of the reply I got.

Please return the remote control to the following address: Attention remote control department, Building P2, East Point Business Park, Dublin 3.

Please enclose you account number with the remote.and we will post you of a new one as soon as we receive the faulty one back.

So, I'll be without a remote for at least a week. Great!

So spockety's new one made a difference, did yours (or have you even got it yet!)? I rang them to organise a new remote yesterday, god I really hate talking to those people. Anyway they said they'd mail me one and then I could mail my current one back, if they didn't receive it they'd charge me €25.

JohnC.

SteM wrote:

So spockety's new one made a difference, did yours (or have you even got it yet!)? I rang them to organise a new remote yesterday, god I really hate talking to those people. Anyway they said they'd mail me one and then I could mail my current one back, if they didn't receive it they'd charge me €25.

Their installers/engineers don't seem to care much about the remotes and certainly never said anything about charging. I've still got an old remote from my previous box which they left here. I asked them if they wanted it when they were leaving but they said they wouldn't bother.

We have 2 boxes in this house, both silver Pace boxes with the small silver remotes. Although one remote was recently replaced with a big purple one because the small silver one was interfering with the TV, randomly changing channels and volume (on the TV, not the NTL box). The engineers said they had never seen that problem before. The IR signals must have been fairly close to the TVs own remote or something.

belmulletman

Hey,

Got NTL: Digital installed today... i got the brand new Pace box that NTL just signed with pace... the DC221... really, really small little box.. about the size of 2dvd cases stacked on top of each other...
(Heres the link http://www.pacemicro.com/corporate/products/prodinfo.asp?PID=DC220 )

2 scarts... and even Optical output! and i've got this new remote... a small silver one... nothing like the other NTL: Digital remotes out there... don't have a picture, but if i find one,i'll post it!

i've got this Tech Info on the help screen... but where does it tell me what version of the software i'm using?
it says the following:

1 A541 1.125.4.13/?
2 371003/6887
3 44/44
4 0.0E 00/0.0E 00
5 34.1 (BUT CHANGES. I PRESUME THAT THIS IS SIGNAL STRENGTH
6 (ED OUT)
7 (ED OUT)
8 12/157

I find it really responsive, but i think there is a problem with widescreen switching! but that could also be the way i've got the connections done through my HD Recorder!

There is no Display on the box!!! like... nothing... but it's soo small you couldn't fit one on there!

I've very happy with the picture quality... i don't notice, or notice very little digital artifacts!...

if some one could PM me or post here and let me know what teh stuff on the help menu mean's or even what version of the EPG I'm using!...

Oh and to reset from the front of the box, you have to press the 3 buttons together and hold them down... and it resets... like plugging it out of the wall (according to the booklet that came with it!)

Thanks in advance,

B-Man

snappieT

I don't know what half that means, but my version is in space 1 there.

You can also get your version by doing help > topics (red) > What's New (down, enter) and it'll say it at the top.

On that topic: v5.40 : Released November 2004 WTF? I only got it recently, and there's no way they've been testing since november, otherwise there's wouldn't be the remote control problem.

DingDong

belmulletman wrote:

Hey,

Got NTL: Digital installed today... i got the brand new Pace box that NTL just signed with pace... the DC221... really, really small little box.. about the size of 2dvd cases stacked on top of each other...
(Heres the link http://www.pacemicro.com/corporate/products/prodinfo.asp?PID=DC220 )

2 scarts... and even Optical output! and i've got this new remote... a small silver one... nothing like the other NTL: Digital remotes out there... don't have a picture, but if i find one,i'll post it!

i've got this Tech Info on the help screen... but where does it tell me what version of the software i'm using?
it says the following:

1 A541 1.125.4.13/?
2 371003/6887
3 44/44
4 0.0E 00/0.0E 00
5 34.1 (BUT CHANGES. I PRESUME THAT THIS IS SIGNAL STRENGTH
6 (ED OUT)
7 (ED OUT)
8 12/157

I find it really responsive, but i think there is a problem with widescreen switching! but that could also be the way i've got the connections done through my HD Recorder!

There is no Display on the box!!! like... nothing... but it's soo small you couldn't fit one on there!

I've very happy with the picture quality... i don't notice, or notice very little digital artifacts!...

if some one could PM me or post here and let me know what teh stuff on the help menu mean's or even what version of the EPG I'm using!...

Oh and to reset from the front of the box, you have to press the 3 buttons together and hold them down... and it resets... like plugging it out of the wall (according to the booklet that came with it!)

Thanks in advance,

B-Man

Not too sure what the first 3 are, but 4 is a bit error rate test,
5 is singal to noise ratio 6 and 7 are you smart card and box number.
8 i dont know maybe your IQ rating Vs mine .... just kidding
Hope that helps and really you shouldnt post 6 and 7 in a forum

JohnC.

belmulletman wrote:

Oh and to reset from the front of the box, you have to press the 3 buttons together and hold them down... and it resets... like plugging it out of the wall (according to the booklet that came with it!)

They said they enabled that type of reset with the last software update. You can also reset using the remote now if you press the Help button and then the yellow button.

snappieT

Got a mail back from them today about the remote.

Dear Mr *******,

Thank you for your email. Currently we do not have any faults with the software on our remote control. Please post the remote control back to us and on receipt of the remote we will post one out immediately. The address is as follows, Remote Control Department, Building P2, Eastpoint Business Park, Dublin 3.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on 1800 321 321 or once again e-mail us on customer.support@ntl.ie

Kind regards,

A** R*****,
NTL Customer Support

WTF? "We do not have any faults with the software on our remote control" Does that make sense?

SteM

snapscan1212p wrote:

Got a mail back from them today about the remote.


WTF? "We do not have any faults with the software on our remote control" Does that make sense?

I spoke to them last week about the problem. The lady INSISTED that sending a new remote control wouldn't fix my problem. I got a new smaller one in the post on Friday and have not had any problems since.

Most of them really don't have a clue what thy're talking about.

snappieT

Would this not be a priorty 1 for them? Customers not being able to use the service properly seems pretty serious to me!

SteM

snapscan1212p wrote:

Would this not be a priorty 1 for them? Customers not being able to use the service properly seems pretty serious to me!

As far as the woman I spoke to was concerned there was no issue, my problem was a once off. Even though I explained that I'd read of others having the exact same problem and the new remote fixed the problem she said it wouldn't make a difference and there was no way the 5.4 upgrade could have caused anything like this.

She asked me if I had tried changing the batteries in the remote and when I said I had she said something along the lines of 'were they duracell because they're the only ones that work really well in them' - they were duracell as it happened

Whenever I get off the phone to NTL 'support' I never know whether to laugh or cry.....