143 replies to this topic

[DrP]

Lightning Point, another show that hasn't even had the chance to start running, has gained a CRID.

[DrP]

Now here's an interesting twist.  The usual guff continues but this is a new one.

Star Trek - 14/07/2012 - is not a movie.  It's a series.  Apparently.  *sigh*

[DrP]

... I bet you thought that the fun and games had stopped!  No, don't be silly.  Everything is working... as badly as it always did.

TEN has been pushing the serialisation of Puberty Blues.  Pity Freeview equipped SCA viewer won't get to see the second episode if they use the 'series link' feature.  CRID was /5813 but now its /5872.

Don't worry.  You might like the show 'Class of'.  Too bad.  CRID was /5810, now /5860.

[pgdownload]

As far as I can see, either one of two things is happening. Almost no one has a Freeview PVR or Freeview's managing to meet customer expectations. Assuming Freeview customers are both a bit techy (buying a PVR) and a bit conservative (buying Freeview) I'd suspect most are keeping an eye on what's set to record every few days (esp. Popular prime time stuff). If the odd random show is not set then they're setting the recording themselves.

Not suggesting the CRID data isn't a bit flaky, but the complete lack of negative comments by Freeview PVR owners suggests its functioning at an acceptable level.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[DrP]

Did you hear a large outcry from across the country, including Perth, when WIN quit Freeview and stopped transmitting the data to make the EPG features work?  I sure didn't.  The silence on the topic was deafening.  I only found out about it when I did my recording tests earlier in this thread (tests which confirmed everything I've been banging on about since the day this thread started BTW).

One can safely assume that Freeview branded PVRs aren't selling like hotcakes and that this is the reason for few complaints about Freeview EPG data accuracy.

Edited by DrP, 15 August 2012 - 02:05 PM.

[alanh]

Funny how DrP keeps talking to himself. He does this so much that he has missed what Freeview actually said. http://www.freeview....e8e9ab0c1a2.pdf

DrP also omits the good news. http://www.freeview....aspx?newsId=113

He also omits http://www.freeview....px?categoryId=8

Quote

What if I can't see the Freeview EPG on the channel I'm watching? From time to time individual channels may have problems broadcasting the EPG. In which case, switch channels to ABC1 (via Channel 002), then press the ‘Guide’ or ‘EPG’ button on your remote control. This will show you programming information for all channels, you will then be able to use all functionality including recording.

So all broadcasters can transmit the CRID for all broadcasters. This enables an EPG to operate on TVs containing a single tuner but containing MHEG-5. Now the EPG will show all channels without having to tune them just prior to viewing the EPG. Too much looking at data streams not enough looking at real equipment. Alanh

[Malich]

pgdownload, on 15 August 2012 - 09:04 AM, said:

As far as I can see, either one of two things is happening. Almost no one has a Freeview PVR or Freeview's managing to meet customer expectations. Assuming Freeview customers are both a bit techy (buying a PVR) and a bit conservative (buying Freeview) I'd suspect most are keeping an eye on what's set to record every few days (esp. Popular prime time stuff). If the odd random show is not set then they're setting the recording themselves.

Not suggesting the CRID data isn't a bit flaky, but the complete lack of negative comments by Freeview PVR owners suggests its functioning at an acceptable level.

Or it's never worked, so people have never known how well it should work, and therefore aren't complaining. I mean, when it works it's better than a VCR, and when it doesn't work it's no worse - so overall that's a gain!

(On preview: oh dear, here we go again...)

edit: Too much looking at press releases and brochures; not enough looking at the real world...

Edited by Malich, 15 August 2012 - 03:13 PM.

[dbrmuz]

DrP, on 15 August 2012 - 04:50 PM, said:

I see alanh has failed to grasp the fundamentals of yet another thread.  Rather than encourage him to tug on his penis even more than he usually does, I think I'll just leave him alone to bask in his own stupdity and I encourage others to do the same.

Funny how Alanhandsalloverit keeps demanding others provide proof of their claims,yet fails completely to even attempt to respond when  the same demands are made of him.

Perhaps it was his goat in the pics he has of the forum's owner/s? Or perhaps he is the forum owner?   

[pgdownload]

Malich, on 15 August 2012 - 03:12 PM, said:

Or it's never worked, so people have never known how well it should work, and therefore aren't complaining.

I think that would fall under the 'Freeview managing to meet customer expectations' category?

Quote

One can safely assume that Freeview branded PVRs aren't selling like hotcakes and that this is the reason for few complaints about Freeview EPG data accuracy.

Safely? Well leaving aside why spend this much time and energy analysing something no one is using, there has to be many 10s of 1000's of Freeview units out there. Rewind five years and I've fielded 100's of complaints about why PVR X or Y failed to record show Z (or the last three or first four minutes of show Z). But apparently Freeview users who have spent their money buying units advertised under the banner of NEVER MISS ANOTHER SHOW aren't all that fussed about whether it works or not?

Although not advertised as such, I suspect most people have seen Freeview as a backup (catches schedule changes) and convenience service (sets 90% of timers), rather than an infallible juggernaut.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

Edited by pgdownload, 15 August 2012 - 09:52 PM.

[DrP]

Tens of thousands of freeview units does not equate to tens of thousands of Freeview EPG equipped PVRs.  Look at the Magic PVR thread.  The Freeview edition sold 'so well' that the manufacturer / importer took the step of opening up each box and reloading them with non-Freeview firmware.

[pgdownload]

Quote

Tens of thousands of freeview units does not equate to tens of thousands of Freeview EPG equipped PVRs.

Well that was the other option and I agree it seems Freeview have failed to convince manufacturers to build Freeview PVRs. I have to say I was expecting a bit of a Freeview PVR blitzkrieg after the Phase 2 EPG was rolled out - a bunch of models with a splash of advertising some time this year.

Perhaps the networks behind Freeview have never really reconciled their dislike of PVRs with a campaign of 'harm minimisation' that involves promoting the devices (and their ad skipping cousins)?

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[DrP]

Apparently Freeview is still running ads on TV promoting the features, but makes absolutely no reference to WIN withdrawing from the group and the resulting failure of the freeview EPG when it comes to WIN.

As I mentioned before, the manufacturers are hesitent to release the Freeview EPG powered products^* because of the demonstrable problems with the system.  The concern appears to be that they don't want the increased support costs when people inevitably contact them when freeview based recordings fail to work (at all, or in an inconsistent manner, or improperly) not because of a failing of the PVR but because of the freeview EPG itself.


^{*before the local armchair expert runs with it, I'll make it clear that I refer to PVR devices here.  The freeview EPG serves little useful purpose for a device that can not record programming.  Anyone with a TV that uses the freeview EPG but has no facility to record will never experience the problems caused by the deficiencies of the freeview EPG.}

Edited by DrP, 16 August 2012 - 07:36 AM.

[DrP]

Oh dear.  Just in case you missed Puberty Blues had quickly searched through the guide to see if there was a repeat and set your freeview EPG PVR to record it.... it won't.  Yes, that's right.  The CRID pixie has struck again and the repeat's CRID has changed.

[MLXXX]

Is it because Australians can struggle to communicate? In my particular city we have an under river tunnel that you can fail to reach the correct lane for because of inadequate "signage". Revenue would be less as a result. In fact the tunnel happens to be a failure financially at this point in time. [Clem7 tunnel in Brisbane.]

So with the freeview EPG, the product in operation is frustrated. It plainly is not being provided with correct data by certain broadcasters, as DrP has revealed time and again in this thread.

I feel that an earlier comment by Peter G may indeed explain the failure by certain Australian broadcasters to embrace the recording features of EPG technology. The relevant Networks simply don't like PVRs:

pgdownload, on 16 August 2012 - 07:12 AM, said:

Perhaps the networks behind Freeview have never really reconciled their dislike of PVRs with a campaign of 'harm minimisation' that involves promoting the devices (and their ad skipping cousins)?

As an aside, I note that the history of quality of PVR firmware over many years of many manufacturers has been poor (as reported so often elsewhere on this forum). Manufacturers have put to market products that intermittently fail to record, or freeze.  A year ago I purchased a PVR on special as an impulse buy. Recently, trying to use it to record the daily 3D coverage of the Olympics, I was struck by the frequent need to switch it to off and then on again at the power point, to get the PVR to respond to its remote control. [Strong SRT5435.]

Edited by MLXXX, 17 August 2012 - 09:46 AM.

[DrP]

House of Dangerous Lies, was /5863 now /5923.

Freeview has promoted its series link recording system as being the answer to Foxtel's.  People coming from the pay TV world where, putting aside the foilbles of the MyStar PVRs, series linking a program results in that program being recorded reliably and recorded in full might be a bit disappointed when they experience the freeview system.

Edited by DrP, 20 August 2012 - 05:36 AM.

[DrP]

DrP, on 17 August 2012 - 06:50 AM, said:

Oh dear.  Just in case you missed Puberty Blues had quickly searched through the guide to see if there was a repeat and set your freeview EPG PVR to record it.... it won't.  Yes, that's right.  The CRID pixie has struck again and the repeat's CRID has changed.

.... and again.

[DrP]

Fresh Meat SCA  /5560 /5611 /5965

*sigh*

[DrP]

Emily Owens vs The Good Wife.

*sigh*

... and yep, the confusion continues to next Wednesday too.


"Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better" - Frank Spencer.

Edited by DrP, 15 November 2012 - 07:35 AM.

[DrP]

But wait.  There's more.

TEN has flip flopped around and removed the repeat of Puberty Blues that was to run after next week's The Good Wife and replaced it with..... Emily Owens.  Only problem is the Freeview EPG still shows Puberty Blues.

.... and nope, its not a last minute change... again.