New TiVo HD Software Update

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Which update are we talking about, here? Unless one dropped last night, they didn't fix it for all Motorola Cablecards. I have two TiVo HDs with Motorola cards and FIOS, and as of last night, I was still experiencing minor pixelization.

There's a post over on TiVoLovers that support told one caller that there would be an upgrade tonight, but wouldn't offer any details other than some 'service improvements' and wouldn't say any more than that, even when asked about the pixelization issue. Guess we'll see if it was true or not.

 

This entire thread is about the software update released last night, specifically v8.1.7b2.

The TivoHD will grab this update automatically the next time it connects to download guide information (which could be tonight or three days from now), and it will install during the early morning hours so as not to interfere with your viewing or scheduled recordings.

If you don't want to wait, you can force the immediate download by going to Settings -> Phone and Network. Choose "Connect to the Tivo Service now." Once that connection and download is complete, the Network Connection screen should say "Pending Restart." Once the Network Connection screen says "Pending Restart," go to Messages and Settings -> Restart or Reset System. Choose restart and the TivoHD will restart and update to the newest software. Be aware the software update can take 30 minutes to complete, so if you were planning to record a program tonight, you may want to wait until that is done.

 

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I'm getting sick of the complaining. This is why there is a 30-day money back guarantee. I think people who are still having issues should post so they can gather information, but stop the universal bitching.

For whats its worth, my OTA pixelation issues are much improved. As everybody else here, I'm happy to wait and know TiVo is working on it.

 

I couldn't agree more. I was thinking of posting something similar. It makes perfect sense and seems to help the resolution process when someone reports their issues, but if owning an entertainment device is that much of a negative life-changing issue, just take the damned thing back and move on.

Thanks for expressing what many of us have been thinking, jfh3!

 

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My SA cards (Cablevision LI) were installed this morning so this is based on a short testing period, but I have seen little pixelation or macroblocking. What I have seen is on par with what I experienced with the old SA/Tivo S1 combo the THD replaced. A couple of days may prove different, hopefully not.


oh and
+1

 

Well, I think that he -could- have some productive things to offer for everyone. But the 'thread crapping' should stop. Yes there are still issues. Yes they are working on it. No this last update didn't fix it for everybody. Yeah, we all get it.

I will say, with absolute conviction, that if this is fixed within in a month or two (it would seem that tivo is more than happy to continue to provide updates in this amount of time...) then you will have put in time for nothing where everybody else wins.

On the other hand, if it is not fixed in a month or two (or three? hope not) then I'll be upset about it too...but I [think] know what I am getting in to buying a brand spanking new piece of technology.

Good luck..
joneSi

 

i am upgraded to the new software, the minor pixelation problems with OTA HD channels seems rectified, but i have a new "problem"

when changing channels rapidly, it will go ahead a few channels but then stop and go back to the starting channel.

i.e. press channel up 4 times, you can see the channel number and corresponding guide change, but end up where you started.

 

I didn't realize Motorola had 70% of the market. If so, maybe Tivo did in fact focus on the "core issue" first, despite what some want to believe.

 

Those who have been fixed had more than "minor intermittent problems". Mine wasn't enough (to me) to make a stink about, but it was every 5 or 10 minutes. Enough that if I knew there would never be a fix, I'd probably return it. But tolerable knowing that the fix would come.

<joke>It's a global conspiracy! Forget just TiVo, I'll bet this one goes all the way to the top. If you check the Zapruder film, right next to the second shooter on the grassy knoll, if you look closely you can actually see the TiVo engineers (could be two, could be three, not sure) plotting against all users of Scientific-Atlanta CableCARDs. The CIA had to have put them up to it, though. Either that, or the Russians. No way a couple of TiVo engineers could pull off an operation this complex. Heck, they can't even fix a simple macroblocking problem!</joke>

<rant>Let's get real... there has been undoubted progress. Rather than wait until they have it completely solved, they're incrementally putting out the updates and some customers (self-included) are happy to get the fix sooner rather than later. For others, yeah, it sucks that they haven't completely figured the issue out yet. But does anyone really believe that if they knew what the issue was that it wouldn't be fixed yet? Nature of the technology business.

And before anyone starts piping off about how it's unacceptable that a product would be released to the public with some bugs in it, let's keep some perspective. This is a $300 consumer electronics product, not a half-a-million dollar piece of life-or-death medical equipment or a piece of central office telco equipment serving thousands of users. Bugs happen. Wait for every kink to get solved before release and the market will always pass you by.

Take some solace knowing that they're working on the issue. A couple of updates over a couple of weeks, each of which has helped at least some users? Yeah, I think they're aware there are issues and they are working on them. The fixes will come. And if you're sick and tired of waiting or afraid they're not going to fix them? Yup, it's been said plenty of times, so I'll say it again. Take it back. Want to try again in a few months? Your call. Check the forums and online community first, though, and if you don't like what you're seeing and hearing, then stay away. You're the consumer and the power to make your statement lies in the pocket book, not in ridiculous conspiracy theories posted on forums.</rant>

And let's get back to the conversation -- Motorola users seem to be seeing improvement, SA users less so. What's common among the users who've seen improvement and among those who have not? Yeah, Motorola vs. SA, but it's not 100%, so what else?

Peace.

 

99% of solving a firmware/software issue is duplication. Do they know what the problem is?... Yes. Can they duplicate it?.... Obviously, based on the many reports since the update,.....no or partially. Give them time (coming from their perspective and not defending). They will solve this problem....it just takes time.

It is the nature of the SOFTWARE business.

 

True enough, a little too general in my statement.

 

The TiVo engineers still have no idea what the difference between mono and stereo is.
I've presonally seen three TiVoHD boxes including one at the store and they all send a mono signal on the analog channels that should be stereo. But the TiVo guys think it's sending a stereo signal because there is info in both channels. But they don't seem to realize that the info in the right and left channels is identical which isn't stereo. How long before they understand the problem?

 

Certainly a fair statement, but your computer is broke is in the same genre.

 

I have a small glitch in my tivo hd with the recently deleted folder.
With only one program in the recently deleted folder, i will permanantly delete the program and it will not disappear the first time or even if i do it repeatedly it stays there.
Then if i go to watch a live tv program and come back to the menu, it still will show 1 program inside the RD folder and then i can go into the folder and go through the Yes, permantly delete option and only then will it disappear and i have an empty folder then.

IF i have several programs (say 4 for example) in the RD folder I can permanantly delete 3 of them and they go away as they should but then the last one stays until i go out to live tv and come back and delete it again then it goes away.

just an odd glitch, no biggie.

d/l and installed the new b software and stills does it. understand the new software is trying to correct the macroblocking/pixelation problem that many are having and that is first and foremost but was hoping they might have fixed some little problems too.
why don't they give the tivo HD the 8.3 software that the S3 uses?

 

Presumably, they will. Much like they did in converging the code base between the S2 and S3.

 

But remember, you have multiple tivos and know how supieror they are to the various cable boxen.

Think of the guy who has never owned a tivo before, but has maybe read some positive reviews in the past. He finally decides to make the purchase -- which is not cheap -- $300 for tivo, $300 for subscription, cable card installs, etc. He convinces himself and his wife that it is a justifiable cost because Tivos are so intuitive, friendly...they just work better.

When this poor guy (who is the target marker for the tivoHD) realizes that the picture is not anywhere as good as his rented cable DVR. He won't be happy. He won't take the time to start to enjoy all the menus and features we are accustomed to because he will be so irked he bought a defective product.

There was no room for this kind of error at launch. Period. Yes, they will probably fix it, but many potential new converts will be lost. Remember, Tivos are just supposed to work.

mitomac

 

I see your point about the non-enthusiast who is new to TiVo.

 

Oh crap! My tivo upgraded last night and guess what, the slot 2 cablecard stop working. When I went to the status screen to check on the version, I saw the status of slot 2 saying initializing, then error, then initiallizing, then error. My TiVo was in the process of recording two shows, so I check out the second tuner and guess what it was black! Nothing was showing up. Cablecard 1 was working fine. I was getting random pixelation ever once in a while, but it wasn't that bad.

I just reboted and I got a 161-2 error, then it said error (25) Inserted card is not a viewing card.

Any advice on getting it to work again? I am on cablevision in LI with NDS cablecards. Should I call TiVo and tell them to downgrade me? Is that something TiVoPony you can help me with.

 

Power cycle the unit. If that doesn't work I think you just need a new card.

 

Thanks for the advice and I did try that. The problem is fixed now. This is so random, but when I checked the TiVo in the morning I was basically in the process of an outage starting in my area. Really weird and random, but while I was on the phone with the cablecard group then sent an update, all my cableboxes including my cablemodem lost a signal. The CSR couldn't tell what was going on so they signed me up for an appt for later today. They just called me and service is now back in my area and everything works fine on both slots!

I guess I spoke too soon, it was so weird that only one card came up with a weak signal. I guess the second slot is a lot more sensative. Oh well, everything is working now and the software wasn't the issue