# From Dish: What's planned to be included in P285 and P286



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Jason and I just received the following information from the Dish 811 team. The following text describes some of the features and fixes planned for software releases P285 and P286. As Jason's in Mexico at the moment, I'm posting this for you.

From Dish:

*P285* - The primary update is to add QAM capability for the ATSC tuner. This would support installations in Multi Dwelling Units (MDU) applications such as apartments and hotels where they use DISH Network service converted to QAM. Obviously this does not apply to single family residential systems except that the software must support both modes of operation without adversely affecting the installed base. That is why this release is getting a lot of careful testing. The release is expected to go out by the middle of February. Most customers will see the an expanded capacity favorites list and a search feature for the EPG. There is also a part of Dolby compatibility improvements in this release which changes the way a validity bit is set in the SPDIF header.

*P286* - Planned for mid March, this release will extend the program guide to approximately 3 days and support for an interactive feature called "triggers" will be added. Some improvements in MPEG decode performance and further work on open Dolby compatibility issues are also being attempted for this release.

The caution is that all software releases are subject to successful testing. Fixing problems encountered during test can affect the release date.

This post is copyright 2005 by Jason Nipp, Mark Lamutt and DBSTalk.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

Well glad to see the expanded favorites capacity being added. This QAM thing sounds a bit scary. Think I will set mine to not accept the update until some trail blazers give it a try. Damn.. Don't see the seperate SD/HD output resolution feature in there.


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

Yep, I think I'll keep the downloads disabled for awhile.


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## misterdsp (Apr 22, 2004)

P285 likes like another example of adding features before the existing ones are fixed. This never turned out well in the past.

Downloads are disabled on my 811 and I'll be watching the forums for P285 news. Thanks for the information.


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## citico (May 18, 2004)

MARK:I think I read a previous thread that said 285 would spool the end of January. Is this still a realistic release date?

Thanks


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## johninboise (Jan 28, 2005)

Mark and Jason,
Getting us this information is great! However, I would suggest to the 811 team they provide a backup plan for the future upgrades, a way to revert back. That way since most of the feedback on bugs comes from discussion groups like this, you wont have people that were burnt before on a previous upgrade turn their automatic download off. These guys are the technically savvy of the 811 owners, and therefore if they could revert back, they could report back to you the bugs they experienced before reverting back to p284 or whatever.
Thanks for your help Mark and Jason.


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

P285 is supposed to be spooled to partial release Feb 15. I have the notes and am awaiting a nod to post them. 

Reverting, we have brought this up a couple times now. Problem is there is not enough memory to store 2 versions. Also what ever was in stream would just revert it back again anyhow. Disabling automatic updates is not a solution, as E* can bypass this and "Force" and update. And actually P284 was an update that was "Forced". I think the best solution is just to maintain a great mutual working relationship with the team. The power users in this forum are great, like that video Mike posted the other day. Things like this help pinpoint the issue and resolve it quickly.


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## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

I have a HDTV with a QAM Tuner in it, and it picks up my cable companies unscrambled QAM broadcasts, will this QAM update allow me to tune those?


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## tonyp56 (Apr 26, 2004)

OK, thanks Jason and Mark!

Finally after having my 811 receiver for a year they are going to "expand" the favorites list. That seems odd to wait a year for that, I mean favorites are not that big of a deal to expand are they? (I've been waiting on this one since the beginning)If the updates happen like they are supposed to, I'll finally be completely happy with my 811 the end of March! (13 months after I bought my receiver)


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

tonyp56 said:


> OK, thanks Jason and Mark!
> 
> Finally after having my 811 receiver for a year they are going to "expand" the favorites list. That seems odd to wait a year for that, I mean favorites are not that big of a deal to expand are they? (I've been waiting on this one since the beginning)If the updates happen like they are supposed to, I'll finally be completely happy with my 811 the end of March! (13 months after I bought my receiver)


My guess is that it was lower priority than the other issues. I remember this was on a number of peoples list so it is nice to see it being addressed.


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

Scott Greczkowski said:


> I have a HDTV with a QAM Tuner in it, and it picks up my cable companies unscrambled QAM broadcasts, will this QAM update allow me to tune those?


No.


The QAM format being installed in P285 is the "Multiplexed" format, not the "Open" format. This format will support multidwelling structures such as an apartment building that relays sat, cable, ant, and maybe front lobby or pool surveillance camera systems using a "multiplexed" QAM format structure. However "Open" QAM is planned for future release. I was promised a blurb on QAM and will post it here when I get it.

For "Open" to work correctly on the receiver the carrier signal would need to contain the network system information. Oh and when "Open" is implemented it will not decode un-encrypted QAM unless it has visibility to a live sat feed and an authorized receiver. I suspect you'll like that last part.


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

Jason Nipp said:


> P285 is supposed to be spooled to partial release Feb 15. I have the notes and am awaiting a nod to post them. ...
> 
> Disabling automatic updates is not a solution, as E* can bypass this and "Force" and update. And actually P284 was an update that was "Forced". ...


Guys, please pull some strings with E* and get them not to "Force" this update on those who have downloads blocked. I'm in a good place now with my 811. None of the features listed will enhance my system.

Mike D


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

Mikey said:


> Guys, please pull some strings with E* and get them not to "Force" this update on those who have downloads blocked. I'm in a good place now with my 811. None of the features listed will enhance my system.
> 
> Mike D


Forced updates are only done in critical situations for the most part. And yes their are enhancements that you can benefit from. The SPDIF enhancement and the further corrections for BSOD.


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

Jason Nipp said:


> ... And yes their are enhancements that you can benefit from. The SPDIF enhancement and the further corrections for BSOD.


1. SPDIF doesn't interest me.
2. I don't have BSOD any more.
3. My favorites list is long enough.
4. I don't need 72 hours in my EPG. 8 is enough.

I just wanted E* to know that some of their receivers aren't on life support. Sure, just about anything was better than P2.82, and forcing that on everybody made sense. But mine ain't broke now, so don't fix it.


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## tonyp56 (Apr 26, 2004)

Ron Barry said:


> My guess is that it was lower priority than the other issues. I remember this was on a number of peoples list so it is nice to see it being addressed.


Agreed, but something this simple should have been there from the beginning, before they ever shipped the 811.(Not to mention the owners manual says something to the effect of Unlimited capacity for the Favorites lists, so it is a advertised feature and therefore should have been there) I agree that the other issues were worse than not being able to store more than 120 channels between all four list, but, if Dish Home, Favorite List(s), and etc. would have been there from the get go, Dish wouldn't be wasting a SW update on fixing them now. (I know Dish Home is not in this SW update, and it is what about 70%+ there) And instead be spending their time and energy on fixing other issues that are more important. Though I have to say, I don't have any other issues with my 811, but then again I don't use an OTA antenna, and it is my belief that most of the remaining issues have to do with OTA. All the issues that I've experienced with my 811 have been fixed except a complete Dish Home, and the favorite lists.

Yes, it is nice to see this issue get addressed, you won't hear any complaints from me. I was only stating that I didn't understand why it took so long for something that is advertised in the owners manual and seemingly so simple. But I do understand what you are saying, and in a way I agree, I just think this should have been addressed before releasing the 811.


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## tonyp56 (Apr 26, 2004)

Mikey said:


> 1. SPDIF doesn't interest me.
> 2. I don't have BSOD any more.
> 3. My favorites list is long enough.
> 4. I don't need 72 hours in my EPG. 8 is enough.
> ...


I know what you mean, and sometimes I would have to agree with you. But you should allow the update, after you let other people test it of course, and if there are added problems, then don't DL it, if everything is good, you really should.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

tonyp56 said:


> Agreed, but something this simple should have been there from the beginning, before they ever shipped the 811.(Not to mention the owners manual says something to the effect of Unlimited capacity for the Favorites lists, so it is a advertised feature and therefore should have been there) I agree that the other issues were worse than not being able to store more than 120 channels between all four list, but, if Dish Home, Favorite List(s), and etc. would have been there from the get go, Dish wouldn't be wasting a SW update on fixing them now. (I know Dish Home is not in this SW update, and it is what about 70%+ there) And instead be spending their time and energy on fixing other issues that are more important. Though I have to say, I don't have any other issues with my 811, but then again I don't use an OTA antenna, and it is my belief that most of the remaining issues have to do with OTA. All the issues that I've experienced with my 811 have been fixed except a complete Dish Home, and the favorite lists.
> 
> Yes, it is nice to see this issue get addressed, you won't hear any complaints from me. I was only stating that I didn't understand why it took so long for something that is advertised in the owners manual and seemingly so simple. But I do understand what you are saying, and in a way I agree, I just think this should have been addressed before releasing the 811.


I believe we discussed this issue a while back and you pointed me to the manual where it stated it. I was very surprised to see the working "Unlimited" on a limited resource device. As for you not understanding why it did not make it into the initial release that is fair assessment in my book.

I will note that there is such thing as documentation bugs as I am sure you are aware of.  Not saying this is one of them. Not sure what the orginal design doc outlined, but it is possible it did not call for unlimited channels. The manual is not always right. THere are a few posts indicating that both Component and DVI can be used at one time. Manual states it can't. In lots of a cases documentation does not get the review that it deserves due to the fact the engineers are busy at that point trying to get the product out. I at this moment have a document on my desk to review and I am not sure how the heck I am going to have the time to do it. :new_Eyecr

However, 120 favorites accross for lists is a bit light and it is good to see they are beefy them up. As it being simple, well my guess this one is one of those slipped through the cracks. It is anyones guess why it slipped through, but I am sure it will be welcome by a few folks on here.


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