# NEXT !!! When is the next update ?



## Bobman (Jan 3, 2006)

Just wondering, while I hear about the HR20 getting update after update after update, what is coming for this version of the R-15 before the new model(s) are rolled out ?

Just missing skip to tick, increased SL/TDL limits, icon colors, SL logic is much better but needs tweaking, sync up programs descriptions as one screen shows this another shows that and when you record a show it completly vanishes sometimes, etc...


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

The R15 software development is done by an entirely different group than the HR20 development. As a result, I'm not sure that Earl has as close a contact (or that his contact has as close a relationship) with the R15 team. As a result, we are not getting as much info on the R15, and they are not working the issues in exactly the same was as the HR20 crew is doing.

I'm sure there will continue to be updates for the R15, and I hope they incorporate some of the features the HR20 has seen that the R15 has not (for example, buffer while in standby, better guide info, etc.).

Carl


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

I thought Earl stated at one time that the actual code changes for the R15 come from NDS. Kinda like with Tivo. So it could be a LONG time between updates.


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

The R15 is entirely a 3rd party product. They even said that during the Q&A at the CES show about the current DVR issues with the DTV+ units.

Assuming these new major releases don't run into any major issues (looks as though they are functioning better thus far), I would say we have seen the last of them. 
HD is the future for DirectTV, so the SD devices and users aren't going to getting much attention (starting about a year ago)...


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

HD may be the future, but right now SD brings in the $$$. If DTV want's to base their business on HD subscribers they can keep on that course. If they want to keep their SD and non-DVR customers (majority of their revenue) they better spend a few resources on something other than the HR20.


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## rlambert7 (Feb 7, 2006)

Perhaps things could be moved along a little faster if we were to ask. "When is the update-after-next???


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## Bobman (Jan 3, 2006)

I really dont see SD going away anytime ever really. Maybe switching to only having one DVR, like the cable companies have, but SD is going to be around 10-20+ years from now IMO.


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

Bobman said:


> I really dont see SD going away anytime ever really. Maybe switching to only having one DVR, like the cable companies have, but SD is going to be around 10-20+ years from now IMO.


Not saying that SD will go away, just that it is no longer a concern to D*. When I moved from cable to D* in 2003, aside from the crappy treatment from TWC, the SD picture was excellent, even on the LIL once they arrived. 
Now the D* SD picture quality is being sacrificed so they can offer a minimal amount of programming in the HD arena. Once the new Sats are operational, D* will begin an outright assult on E* and all the cable providers for dominance in the HD marketplace. This has already started in the marketing of their 'soon-to-be' world beating HD Capacity .

Unfortunately I live in an area where the utility companies write their own laws and abolish any competition, so I am left with a choice between a cable company that is garbage (I won't mention any names because Time Warner might get upset...) and a Sattelite company who has figured out they don't have to be alot better, just not bad enough to make me switch back. (Due to several channel requirements, E* is not a real option, but that may change).
SD will still be there, but they are not going to lose any sleep over that fact that it looks worse than regular cable anymore. If you want PQ go to HD...


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

SD is still a concern for DirecTV.

While the future is HD.. Over 12 Million of their subscribers are SD only.
And a LARGE massive proportion of that number, have no intentions of going HD.

So even though an HD DVR will work, it is at an increased cost for components that are not used.

There will be an SD DVR for the forseeable future.


As for the OP question, where is the next update.
It is in development. And has been since the last one was initially released.

But there are not timeframes to even hint with yet.


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## wbmccarty (Apr 28, 2006)

The pertinent question is not whether SD is a cash cow. The question is whether DTV will (1) invest increasing proportions of its capital in building the SD market or (2) strive to obtain a strong return on the capital invested up to this point.

My 8-ball says DTV will invest relatively small amounts of capital in efforts to maintain the SD market. The bulk of their capital will be invested in HD and relatively more exotic technologies that have the potential for great future success. SD will continue to exist and be a significant source of cash flow to DTV. But, they're not going to spend significant money making SD better. Instead, they're going to rest on their laurels and watch the bucks roll in. Most folks here, at this time, express satisfication with the R15. Collectively, the rest of us don't represent a big enough potential market to entice DTV to spend cash in order to serve us.

Maybe, by accident, some programmer will discover and fix a memory-corruption bug that's been responsible for a great many R-15 faults. But, I doubt that we can expect to be so lucky. For most of us, more of the same would be _good_ news. Hence, it's a cinch that's what we'll get.

I plan to watch less TV and read more books. While the rest of our society will be getting dumber, I'll be getting ... sore eyes. 

Cheers,


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> SD is still a concern for DirecTV.
> 
> While the future is HD.. Over 12 Million of their subscribers are SD only.
> And a LARGE massive proportion of that number, have no intentions of going HD.
> ...


Granted, the viability of SD may not be completely on topic to the OP, it does speak to the portion of it addressing the frequency of releases between the HR20 and the R15. Now that the 2-part 'super update' for the R15 seems to be quelling the masses, I don't think we will be seeing a new release any time soon. 
I am not suggesting that D* is going to discontinue SD any time soon, only that it is not a "concern" in the business sense involving the committment of new resources and technology. The SD subscribers will be enjoying the 'status-quo' for the duration of the technology at best. More likely we will continue to see the slow degradation of quality as the HD market grows.

Not passing judgement, as it may well be a wise business move, and perhaps the best way for Satellite providers to stay viable once the cable companies begin to deliver all-digital programming. If TWC can deliver equivalent SD image quality (in the case of the local channels, the analog signal is now superior) and an equal or better DVR at that time, then D* will just become 'cable with rain-fade' to me. Two years ago I could not have imagined ever going back to cable. However, if things continue as they are, I will likely switch back (unless by some miracle FiOS sneeks past the TV maifia here in Ohio) as I am 'one of the masses' that don't have the intention of switching to HD until the technolgy is much more standardized (read: cheaper).

_"That's all I have to say about that." - Forrest Gump_


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## Bobman (Jan 3, 2006)

For SD channels, in my area, I really have no choice except DirecTV.

Comcast is $70.70 for the basic Digital plan, DirecTV is $49, Comcast charges $12 for DVR service, DirecTV is $6, Comcast charges $20 for any premium movie channel and DirecTV is $12 for the first and lower on the next and so on. I can get Comcast Siver but thats still $89.95 so the same as the basic plus 1 premium movie.

I didnt have to pay for either of my R-15s, got them free thru promotions so no upfront cost there. That leaves Dish out as I dont want to pay any big fees when I can keep DirecTV with 2 DVR's or go to Comcast with no upfront fees.

Comcast and 1 DVR and HBO is $102.70 a month. DirecTV is only $67. I cant get Comcasts 3/3/3 or any combined promotions as I need a landline phone for my alarm system.

EDITED NOTE:

For HD, my only 100% option is Comcast as I dont know if DirecTV's new satellites will make it around the trees as their current HD ones dont. I am just assuming the same would be true with Dish.


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## Cerus (Feb 8, 2007)

There is an update for the R15 due out in within the next week. It's going to address the record series issues that some are having. I don't believe it's going to address anything other than the those issues.


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## Kevin Dupuy (Nov 29, 2006)

Cerus said:


> There is an update for the R15 due out in within the next week. It's going to address the record series issues that some are having. I don't believe it's going to address anything other than the those issues.


First, :welcome_s Welcome to DBSTalk.com
Next, where do you get this info?


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

Cerus said:


> There is an update for the R15 due out in within the next week. It's going to address the record series issues that some are having. I don't believe it's going to address anything other than the those issues.


Cool, what's the release and what does it fix?


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## Cerus (Feb 8, 2007)

Kevin Dupuy said:


> First, :welcome_s Welcome to DBSTalk.com
> Next, where do you get this info?


Thanks for the welcome..I'm sure I'll be surfing around the site here more and more as I'm one of the many that have run into the series record issue. Once I noticed the problem I of course gave DirecTV a buzz. I wasn't aware at the time that it was a known issue but found out from the tech that it was. She informed me that it indeed was known and there would be an update released within the next week.

Since I've already been given loads of false info from them, I decided to keep calling back a couple times a day since then to ask someone else. Each rep, sales, tech and supervisor I've spoken with has told me the same thing. Along with another update for another receiver (can't think of which model) there is an update for the R15.

I still don't believe it 100% given their reputation and given the length of time people have had issues with recording entire seasons but they seem to have all the info right in front of them.

As for what they say it's going to fix..it's going to address the issue where not all the episodes in a season pass are set to record and programmed individually as well as the "first run, repeats, both" issue. They mentioned a few other minor fixes but I don't recall anything else significant.

So far I've spoken to nearly two dozen different reps and all have told me the same thing. Whether or not it's true...I guess we'll find out. I'm new to the R15 but I'm shocked to know that it's been a problem since day one. When I asked why it's taken them a year to fix it, all they could say was that they had to make sure it worked correctly.

I did point out in several of my phone calls that I could cancel my service without incurring any of the penalties since the feature does not work the way they claim. They agreed that this was a breach in contract and would allow anyone to break the contract without consequence. That tells me right there that they are aware that the service they advertise is not up to par with the service they provide.


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## wbmccarty (Apr 28, 2006)

Cerus said:


> I did point out in several of my phone calls that I could cancel my service without incurring any of the penalties since the feature does not work the way they claim. They agreed that this was a breach in contract and would allow anyone to break the contract without consequence. That tells me right there that they are aware that the service they advertise is not up to par with the service they provide.


One of my biggest complaints has been DTV's lack of forthrightness in my communication with them. If I had dealt with a CSR who told me the truth, I might retain some positive feelings about DTV. Claims that I'm the only one who's ever reported such problems irritate me no end. :bonk1:

Cheers,


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## Lantian (Aug 26, 2006)

csr said in february there will be an update to eliminate the problems!!!!!


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## wbmccarty (Apr 28, 2006)

I think they're planning to upgrade to Customer 2.0. Customer 2.0 not only pays bills _before_ they're presented but actually enjoys product defects as much as product features. However, loading the software into customers' brains has turned out to be trickier than originally anticipated.

Cheers,


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## Cerus (Feb 8, 2007)

On subsequent calls, the CSR's and even a tech has been unable to find any information on the update. Either they just can't find the information (couple of CSRs had trouble finding it before) or there's been a problem with it and they've removed it from the system.

It seems kind of odd to me since my original call was to ask if there was a way to fix the series record problems. At that point I was informed of an update coming and they ran through the list of what it was going to fix. Now they can't find anything concerning it.


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## klwillis (Apr 11, 2006)

I wouldn't be surprised if D* converted all of its content to MPEG4.
Requiring a mass replacement of all MPEG2 receivers.
This would free up more bandwidth for HD especially compared to a SAT launch.
I also think SD will not exist even on D* platform beyond 6 years.
The HR20 is SD compatible.
Based on D* last earnings call they keep saying the cost of the HR20 box is rapidly coming down.
I think they may be planning to only have one DVR to support and thats the HR20.
After living with both the R15 and HR20 there is a big difference in how D* supports each box.
I am very happy with the HR20 and don't think I will keep the R15 once I get a second HR20.
Along with the change of Malone being in control of DTV and not having an interest in NDS the 3rd party DVR (R15) software developer. The life of the R15 is really numbered. 
By this time next year I am willing to bet the availability of the HR20 will be ubiquitous and any orders for a DVR from D* will default to the HR20.

In my observations I am just paying attention to what D* is doing along what they are saying (ie earnings call). Thats why my conclusion is that MPEG4 and the HR20 will be most significant in D* future and not the R15.

Separate development teams or not D* is making a huge effort to stabilize a specific platform (HR20) and what they did in the past year for the R15 is showing me they really don't care about that platform in the same degree they care for the HR20.

I think D* would have been better off if they never introduced the R15.

OK I'm done.


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