8.1 Info as of 01-05-07

[derekcbart]

Hi there.

I was on the phone with tech support yesterday about a peculiar problem that I think the "C" update did to my S3. My HD channels are now only playing back the surround channel information. This basically means that I don't have any dialogue audio and only hear ambient music and sound effects. Originally I thought it was an NBC problem because it only happened on Law & Order, but then yesterday I noticed that it was doing it on all of my HD recordings. I then thought it was a Time Warner Cable transmission problem, but then I went to the TiVo audio settings and switched it from "Dolby Digital" to "Dolby Digital to PCM" and then I got all of my audio, albeit not in 5.1 form now. This means that the S3 was recording the signal correctly but was not playing it back correctly. I probably didn't notice it before because there were no new HD television series broadcasting at the time of the "C" update and the new episodes just started broadcasting this past week.

At any rate, while I was on the phone with the tech he said that they were aware of this problem and that it should be corrected when 8.1 is released for the S3 this month (January 2007). He said that there were a handful of people with 8.1 already because they were part of a contol group testing it and that the rollout to everyone should be starting within the first two to three weeks of January and that everyone should have it by the end of January. He made a note in my file for me to be placed on a priority list, but at this time it doesn't look like they are doing a priority list for the S3 like they have done in the past for the S2.

Apparently 8.1 busted TiVo-To-Go on some S2 units so there is going to be an update for the S2 at the same time they release 8.1 for the S3. However, TiVo-To-Go and Multi-Room-Viewing will still be disabled on the S3 when 8.1 is released. He said that these options should be included in the next big update later this year, supposedly 8.2, but he did not have any information on when that update would be happening. He only knew that it was scheduled for later this year.

I thought you might like to know about this.

[Bierboy]

You take what a CSR says with a grain of salt. It's been proven time and time again that their "information" on software updates is suspect. No one should be holding their breath for any update, and, if a CSR starts talking about "control groups" they're speaking about something they either 1) know nothing about, or 2) shouldn't be talking about. In either case, it's information that is not reliable.

[derekcbart]

You might be right, but it wasn't a CSR it was a technician. Also, there are beta testers for every piece of software ever made so saying that there are a small number of people in a control group testing 8.1 on the S3 is perfectly reasonable.

[monkeydust]

Yeah, we know that some people have been beta testing the 8.1 release for S3 (or whatever it is to be called). We've had some info leaked here and there.

But, if TTG and MRV are disabled, many will be disappointed. I was never a big user of those features on my S2 but I would like the one button delete feature back though.

[hookbill]

You might be right, but it wasn't a CSR it was a technician. Also, there are beta testers for every piece of software ever made so saying that there are a small number of people in a control group testing 8.1 on the S3 is perfectly reasonable.


It may have been a tech but what I found was interesting was he said "in the 2nd or 3rd week of January". Very similar to "The next two or three weeks." :)

Disappointed to hear no TTG, did he say anything about eSATA?

[dig_duggler]

Does anyone honestly think TTG or MRV will ever be enabled? MRV has a chance, but if they are waiting on the go ahead instead of forcing the issue, I just don't see it.

[Bierboy]

Tech, CSR....same difference. A "tech" is a customer service representative by definition, just a different flavor.

[hookbill]

Does anyone honestly think TTG or MRV will ever be enabled? MRV has a chance, but if they are waiting on the go ahead instead of forcing the issue, I just don't see it.

I think they will enable TTG, but it may be limited to SD only.

[moyekj]

Does anyone honestly think TTG or MRV will ever be enabled? MRV has a chance, but if they are waiting on the go ahead instead of forcing the issue, I just don't see it. Absolutely no reason it can't be done at least for unencrypted content only (Analog, unencrypted SD & HD digital). Even for encrypted channels as long as the 5C flag is properly honored that should not be an issue either. For the S3 platform to have any chance of increasing Tivo subscriptions by a substantive amount these features will have to be enabled at least in some limited fashion. I will not be buying another S3 until/if at least MRV between S3s is possible and TTG is enabled.

[derekcbart]

It may have been a tech but what I found was interesting was he said "in the 2nd or 3rd week of January". Very similar to "The next two or three weeks." :)

Disappointed to hear no TTG, did he say anything about eSATA?

He didn't say and I didn't ask. I get the impression that eSATA will be enabled at the same time TTG and MRV are enabled since they all seem to fall under the same CableLabs approval area. I do think that it is good that he said that TTG and MRV definitely will not be enabled in 8.1 for the S3 so that all of the people who will complain about it when 8.1 comes out will at least have had some warning that it wasn't coming.

And actually, he said the first two weeks of January, but since we are entering the second week of January I decided to cut him a little slack and post a slightly longer timeframe since TiVo estimates are always a bit off, so to speak. ;)

He definitely said that the 8.1 update for the S2 and 8.1 for the S3 will be released before the end of January 2007 and that they are working on getting the capabilities (minus TTG and MRV) the same on both pieces of software before releasing them in order to decrease the expected number of complaints about the differences.

[Maeglin]

He definitely said that the 8.1 update for the S2 and 8.1 for the S3 will be released before the end of January 2007 and that they are working on getting the capabilities (minus TTG and MRV) the same on both pieces of software before releasing them in order to decrease the expected number of complaints about the differences.
If that is accurate, then it at least coincides well with tax refund season... even for the early birds like myself that get their returns done in February :)

I too am optimistic about TTG/MRV making it in there, though at the moment I only really care about TTG. If their implementation does use the 5C flags for copy protection, that would indeed be the best way to do it... even better if the cable companies and providers leave most things as "copy freely" :cool:

[Bierboy]

..He definitely said that the 8.1 update for the S2 and 8.1 for the S3 will be released before the end of January 2007...The S2 already has 8.1. If you mean an update TO the current 8.1 on S2s, then perhaps that's what he's talking about.

[hookbill]

Ifeven better if the cable companies and providers leave most things as "copy freely" :cool:


I don't see that on any of the premium channels, or HDnet, INHD etc. All have copy once flags. But that's ok I have no intention of pirating these shows. They could make everything copy once, just so long as I can have some extra storage to keep the shows I want to watch.

And no, I don't want to put in a larger hard drive! :)

[derekcbart]

The S2 already has 8.1. If you mean an update TO the current 8.1 on S2s, then perhaps that's what he's talking about.
As stated in my original post the 8.1 update for the S2s busted TTG on some units and they are releasing an update (8.1.1?) to the S2 software at the same time they do the initial release of 8.1 for the S3s.

[dig_duggler]

Absolutely no reason it can't be done at least for unencrypted content only (Analog, unencrypted SD & HD digital). Even for encrypted channels as long as the 5C flag is properly honored that should not be an issue either. For the S3 platform to have any chance of increasing Tivo subscriptions by a substantive amount these features will have to be enabled at least in some limited fashion. I will not be buying another S3 until/if at least MRV between S3s is possible and TTG is enabled.

No (obvious) reason doesn't mean Tivo will implement it, judging by the past :)

[Peel]

I don't see that on any of the premium channels, or HDnet, INHD etc. All have copy once flags. But that's ok I have no intention of pirating these shows. They could make everything copy once, just so long as I can have some extra storage to keep the shows I want to watch.

And no, I don't want to put in a larger hard drive! :)
But using the copy-once flag won't really help you with extra storage. True, you could copy it to your computer to free up your TiVo HD, but you wouldn't be allowed to copy it back, as that would constitute a second copy.

[hookbill]

But using the copy-once flag won't really help you with extra storage. True, you could copy it to your computer to free up your TiVo HD, but you wouldn't be allowed to copy it back, as that would constitute a second copy.

I'm not certain how that works but assuming your right that's more reason for eSATA.

Anyway most of the stuff I record has a copy freely flag, just HBO would be a problem for me.