# Earl isnt it time for another release



## baimo (Sep 8, 2006)

time to spill the beans again


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

No beans to spill.

They have been working on the next release, since the release of the last one. But most of my contacts are still "recovering" from holiday time off... so new information yet.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

Personally, unless they have a fix for a critical bug, I'd rather them spend the month working on a rock solid release to squish as many of these nagging bugs that some people are still seeing.

Also everyone needs to understand that updates will start coming farther and farther apart as the platform becomes more mature.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Earl, it's funny to see your face with tight lips, when you typing the reply  

BTW, each section of spooling SW ( a few packets, up to 4 KB ) is secured by 4 bytes CRC, so there is no way to get corrupted image as someone mentioned here.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

It's not my lips that are tight while I type....


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

Earl,

They got doctors that can fix that...


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## HDTVsportsfan (Nov 29, 2005)

Earl Bonovich said:


> It's not my lips that are tight while I type....


Well there's an an image that ruined my night. lol...


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## DblD_Indy (Dec 3, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> It's not my lips that are tight while I type....


ROFL!

I can see why typing round here might make you a bit squeeky!

Let us know when we should beg to play beta tester. As long as it is not only availaibe during the first LOST of the spring season, I am good with anything that might make this box better.


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

HDTVsportsfan said:


> Well there's an an image that ruined my night. lol...
> __________________
> Always smell it first.


Perhaps that wasn't a comment you needed to keep your signature on...:nono:


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## DblD_Indy (Dec 3, 2006)

HDTVsportsfan said:


> Well there's an an image that ruined my night. lol...


Dude if that ruined your night I am still trying to figgure out what you always have to smell first....

:nono2: :eek2:  :eek2: :nono2:


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## HDTVsportsfan (Nov 29, 2005)

tibber said:


> Perhaps that wasn't a comment you needed to keep your signature on...:nono:





DblD_Indy said:


> Dude if that ruined your night I am still trying to figgure out what you always have to smell first....
> 
> :nono2: :eek2:  :eek2: :nono2:


LMAO...I didn't even notice that. That's funny. You guys don't miss anything around here.


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## cookpr (Aug 24, 2006)

No offense, but when 80% of the forum is getting regular (daily) black screens requiring red button resets, no one at DirecTv should be getting vacation outside of Xmas and New Years day...sorry, if I cranked out as much sh#t as D* has in this last update causing a non stop black screen party on everyones TV at my job, I would not be worrying about vacation..........I woulb be washing my Arby's smock, as thats where these "programmers" as they call themselves, should be working...

My xmas eve was littered with 3 red button resets on the NFL Sunday Ticket....my little gift from D*....

But seriously, hope you had a good holiday though Earl....


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

> It's not my lips that are tight while I type....


Oh Man ! 

(Let me know when you will be ready spill something...
No ! Only from the mouth I mean  or from stream )


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## dervari (Dec 1, 2005)

cookpr said:


> No offense, but when 80% of the forum is getting regular (daily) black screens requiring red button resets,


I've had no black screen issues, as have many others. I'd love to see where you get your "80%" figure from....


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

dervari said:


> I've had no black screen issues, as have many others. I'd love to see where you get your "80%" figure from....


I've only had 1...not very "regular."


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## Andrew_J_M (Feb 11, 2005)

dervari said:


> I've had no black screen issues, as have many others. I'd love to see where you get your "80%" figure from....


He must be a politician to use statistics like that.


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## mjs31 (Sep 22, 2006)

cookpr said:


> No offense, but when 80% of the forum is getting regular (daily) black screens requiring red button resets, no one at DirecTv should be getting vacation outside of Xmas and New Years day.....


Hmmm...I have not had this issue


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## mtnagel (Sep 18, 2006)

dervari said:


> I've had no black screen issues, as have many others. I'd love to see where you get your "80%" figure from....


Not to speak for him, but I'm sure he got it from this poll, which is at exactly 80% (at this moment) having had the BSB at one point. So no the poll doesn't indicate that 80% have it _daily_, but 80% of the population in this very unscientific poll have had it at least once. Personally, I've had it 2 or 3 times in almost 2 weeks. Not daily, but not acceptable either. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say that all the D* programmers should be fired and working at Arby's, but I'd like to see these issues fixed as soon as possible (as I'm sure everyone does).


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## tfederov (Nov 18, 2005)

I thought I read somewhere that D* was having a problem duplicating the black screen bug. Kinda hard to fix if you can't duplicate it. 

For the record, I've been bit by the black screen bug a few times.


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## mtnagel (Sep 18, 2006)

tfederov said:


> I thought I read somewhere that D* was having a problem duplicating the black screen bug. Kinda hard to fix if you can't duplicate it.
> 
> For the record, I've been bit by the black screen bug a few times.


Unless I missed it, I don't recall seeing the steps to replicate it. I've seen a few ideas, but no concrete steps to replicate it, so I'd say that would be hard to fix. (not a programmer, but cars are like that too)


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

If my box is any measure, I can see why they are having trouble replicating it. I haven't had it, and have had the box for 15 weeks. 

Finding and fixing this kind of problem ain't easy....and there is a significant chance that the next release could fix it for a whole bunch of people, and introduce it to my box for the first time. There are so many variables to contend with. It's a wonder they get anything fixed that doesn't show up in 20% of the boxes, but does in 80% (which is actually better trend line than most bugs that this box periodically manifests for a variety of people).

As I said in another post, anyone who thinks finding and fixing bugs in this box is easy, doesn't have a clue.

All we can do is provide feedback (as detailed as possible), test the new releases, and wait it out....or give up. The idea that there is some sort of silver bullet or magic wand out there that is going to suddenly make all the mal-performing HR20s "well" is silly. It's going to be a drawn out, incremental (two steps forward, one step back) process. We either need to adjust to it or get out of Dodge. That's the REALITY of it, and all the hand wringing and cheerleading doesn't change a thing.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

mjs31 said:


> Hmmm...I have not had this issue


Nor have many others of us. But clearly there are people who have. The 80% number thown out is a SWAG at best.


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## upnorth (Jun 21, 2006)

mtnagel said:


> Not to speak for him, but I'm sure he got it from this poll, which is at exactly 80% (at this moment) having had the BSB at one point. So no the poll doesn't indicate that 80% have it _daily_, but 80% of the population in this very unscientific poll have had it at least once. Personally, I've had it 2 or 3 times in almost 2 weeks. Not daily, but not acceptable either. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say that all the D* programmers should be fired and working at Arby's, but I'd like to see these issues fixed as soon as possible (as I'm sure everyone does).


Please remember that is 80% of the folks on this forum and it does not speak for all users.


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## 69RoadRunner (Feb 17, 2006)

92.45% of all statistics are made up on the spot.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

upnorth said:


> Please remember that is 80% of the folks on this forum and it does not speak for all users.





69RoadRunner said:


> 92.45% of all statistics are made up on the spot.


...and we're right only 50% of the time.... 

OK. I guess everyone gets the point now.


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## mtnagel (Sep 18, 2006)

upnorth said:


> Please remember that is 80% of the folks on this forum and it does not speak for all users.


Didn't I say it was unscientific? Trust me, I know that internet polls, especially ones on forums are not very scientific, but I still think the 80% is significant even if it's really only 50% of the general population.


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

When you get over 100 responses, even in a "biased sample" like this forum, an 80/20 distribution is SIGNIFICANT, if the questions are unbiased.

I would have no trouble believing the results are "meaningful"....to what "decimal point"....I don't really care.

The information the poll provides is meaningful and significant. Let's not shoot the messenger by picking nits. A lot of polls are nothing more than agenda driven rot...this one is not.


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## erichb64 (Jan 2, 2007)

I've had the HR20 since 12/22 and have had to red-button or unplug daily (or twice a day) and have had to "reset everything" twice (per the D* tech).


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## upnorth (Jun 21, 2006)

mtnagel said:


> Didn't I say it was unscientific? Trust me, I know that internet polls, especially ones on forums are not very scientific, but I still think the 80% is significant even if it's really only 50% of the general population.


I am guilty as charged for responding before reading your full thread.:blush:
And for the record I do agree with the rest of your post #18.


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## kfcrosby (Dec 17, 2006)

cookpr said:


> No offense, but when 80% of the forum is getting regular (daily) black screens requiring red button resets, no one at DirecTv should be getting vacation outside of Xmas and New Years day...sorry, if I cranked out as much sh#t as D* has in this last update causing a non stop black screen party on everyones TV at my job, I would not be worrying about vacation..........I woulb be washing my Arby's smock, as thats where these "programmers" as they call themselves, should be working...
> 
> My xmas eve was littered with 3 red button resets on the NFL Sunday Ticket....my little gift from D*....


I guess I am one of the lucky 20%. Never had an issue......

KC


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

kfcrosby said:


> I guess I am one of the lucky 20%. Never had an issue......
> 
> KC


Me too (lucky)...in 15 weeks I've had few and only minor issues.

There is no doubt, however, that there are issues, some major, that we could experience at any moment.


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## ZDawg (Nov 7, 2006)

mtnagel said:


> Didn't I say it was unscientific? Trust me, I know that internet polls, especially ones on forums are not very scientific, but I still think the 80% is significant even if it's really only 50% of the general population.


I think that this poll and the one I started are accurate representations of the general public. There is nothing special about our boxes compared to the other D* users out there. So we are a subset of the general public, and what is true for our boxes is true in the same ratio for the rest of the boxes out there. The only real potential for inaccuracy, and this is the same for any poll, is that it is slanted higher to the "I've had it" side because people who have had an issue are more likely to vote than those who haven't.

You may have an argument that our boxes are more problematic because that is what drove many of us here, in my case that is true. I still feel that overall, we represent a good subset of the total out there.

Z


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## HDTVsportsfan (Nov 29, 2005)

IIRC I've had it ahappen three times. Twice I had to do a RBR. The other time, after about 3 minutes it just came back to life. Go figure. I haven't been able to put any sequence of events together to account for it. I'm not sure I could it break it if I tried.


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## cookpr (Aug 24, 2006)

Never said scientific, and should not have put "daily" in there...but multiple polls here have a running total between 70-85%

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=74573


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

upnorth said:


> Please remember that is 80% of the folks on this forum and it does not speak for all users.


And it's 80% of the users on this forum *that bothered to vote*. I never voted in that thread personally.


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

:backtotop 

Earl,

Tomorrow is my wife's birthday. Given what has been reported, (yeah, by a CSR), about an impending release tomorrow, do you think she'll have a birthday present from Directv?  

Maybe a beta release? 

Cheers,
Tom


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Am I reading this thread correctly? Reading between the lines it sounds to me like you guys are talking about Earl's butt! Man, I think we have reached a new frontier. :lol: 

I have had no black screens for a few weeks. I think it has happened to me twice or three times since I've had the unit. Right now it's pretty rock solid although new episodes of shows I watch are starting this week. We will see.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

tibber said:


> :backtotop
> 
> Earl,
> 
> ...


Sorry... as far as I am aware, there is no impending release tomorrow.


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## ouijal (Aug 22, 2006)

bonscott87 said:


> And it's 80% of the users on this forum *that bothered to vote*. I never voted in that thread personally.


You mean the poll only keeps track of those who bothered to vote in the poll?!?!?
:lol:


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## cookpr (Aug 24, 2006)

^^^Black screens around the bar for everyone for the next week again...!!!!!!!!!


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## Spanky_Partain (Dec 7, 2006)

Chris Blount said:


> Am I reading this thread correctly? Reading between the lines it sounds to me like you guys are talking about Earl's butt! Man, I think we have reached a new frontier. :lol:


I think they were talking about where the shoe fits! :lol:

Couldn't resist, sorry!:icon_peac


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

ouijal said:


> You mean the poll only keeps track of those who bothered to vote in the poll?!?!?
> :lol:


It's amazing, isn't it? :hurah:


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## raggededge (Aug 25, 2006)

Yesterday I got a BSOD while changing channels. I changed from one channel to the next and whammo, BSOD. What a POS this thing is.


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## islesfan (Oct 18, 2006)

I hate to jinx myself, but I have now gone since Dec. 21 without a RBR, lockup, BSOD, or IKD. The only thing left here is babysitting the ToDo list (which would be fixed by enabling CIR).

I had ALL of the problems before, but 0x10B seems pretty good. (Now I will go home to find my HR20 smoking.)


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## Cleophus (Dec 31, 2006)

I'd just like it if the damn ota tuner in my hr20 worked as well as the one in my h20.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

erichb64 said:


> I've had the HR20 since 12/22 and have had to red-button or unplug daily (or twice a day) and have had to "reset everything" twice (per the D* tech).


You need a new box.


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## danko (Dec 5, 2006)

had my hr20 since the last week Oct, lam using HDMI and only had to reset once,and really no other problems other than pinky and some audio sync problems


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## Strejcek (Sep 28, 2006)

Cleophus said:


> I'd just like it if the damn ota tuner in my hr20 worked as well as the one in my h20.


I'd be happy if my OTA tuner in my HR20 was as good as the one in my HR10. My TV gets all my local OTA channels, my HR10 gets about 90% of them, and my HR20 gets about 70% of them. Seems strange that a newer box with next generation tuners gets less reception than older generation tuners. Hmmmmmmmmmmm that's something I can't figure out. :scratch:


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## Cleophus (Dec 31, 2006)

My H20 gets all of them. My HR20 gets one... about one frame ever 4 seconds.


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

Cleophus said:


> My H20 gets all of them. My HR20 gets one... about one frame ever 4 seconds.


Do you mean the HR20 is showing a freeze frame/pixellated image every 4 seconds? If so, the signal could be too strong, to weak, or is not handling the impedance mismatch between the antenna feedline and the HR20's input.

Are all OTA channels acting the same way, or just one?

Are you using splitters? If so, try bypassing and connecting directly into the HR20. If you are not using splitters, try using one (this attenuates the signal).

If nothing else works, look around for a few spare, short pieces of RG-6 cable (with F connectors on each end...usually they are left over from other installations of various equipment and are 3 to 6 feet long). Go to your local Radio Shack and buy a couple double female F connectors. Then....add a short piece of feedline and try it again (look at all your channels, not just one). If that doens't work, add another short length...etc.

Give us more info, and we can try to help ya.


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## Strejcek (Sep 28, 2006)

Cleophus said:


> My H20 gets all of them. My HR20 gets one... about one frame ever 4 seconds.


Nice to know I'm not the only one having OTA problems.  It's nice not to be the only one. You know what they say, comfort in numbers.  :group:


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## Cleophus (Dec 31, 2006)

Thanks for the advice. The honest answer though is that I am too busy right now to get that stuff done. Too many other things to screw around with 

I'll probably just suffer (and switch back and forth from my h20 and hr20) for a while longer until it's either fixed or I get tired of it and go through those suggestions.

My concern though is that on the H20 signals are in the high 60 to mid 90 range and I'm just swapping the coax between recievers. Seems to me they should be tuning about the same. Tonight I'll check the signal strength on the HR20.

The message is always "Searching for a Signal on the Off Air Tuner". I think it's 771


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## Richi (Sep 13, 2006)

Earl, is the inablility to do a scan on HR20, a hardware problem or is it entirely a software problem. If it is a software problem will D* enable the HR20 to do a real scan and enable stations that are NOT in any list that is used by D*?


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

Richi said:


> Earl, is the inablility to do a scan on HR20, a hardware problem or is it entirely a software problem. If it is a software problem will D* enable the HR20 to do a real scan and enable stations that are NOT in any list that is used by D*?


It's a software issue. For some reason DirecTV chose to "simplify" the OTA setup by using published guide information instead of having users scan for channels. Given all of the problems with missing and erroneous channel information, hopefully they'll add an option for channel scanning.


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## gr8reb8 (Aug 21, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> It's a software issue. For some reason DirecTV chose to "simplify" the OTA setup by using published guide information instead of having users scan for channels. Given all of the problems with missing and erroneous channel information, hopefully they'll add an option for channel scanning.


I sure hope so as well. Even if there is no program data. Now, the HR20 must also let me record a manual recording on a channel without program data as well....


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## marksman (Dec 23, 2006)

I heard in the next update the BSOD will be replaced with the Fuchsia Screen of Funk.


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

marksman said:


> I heard in the next update the BSOD will be replaced with the Fuchsia Screen of Funk.


:lol: :hurah: :lol:


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## btmoore (Aug 28, 2006)

marksman said:


> I heard in the next update the BSOD will be replaced with the Fuchsia Screen of Funk.


Thats pinkies big brother.


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## richlife (Dec 4, 2006)

Earl, I don't know for sure, but it appears that the "black screen" issue (in it's many iterations) is currently one of the biggest complaints now on the HR20. As has been said, flaky bugs are hard to 1) replicate and 2) fix. Especially with the quality of the reporting that's been done (mea culpa also). 

I think we need a form to report the bug and get complete information. If you had a sticky post with a form content that could be updated (or some such), we could get better info. And I'd further suggest that you delete any other posts (aside from forms) and and forms that are not filled out with designated required fields.

Maybe a different sticky post for each type of "black screen". (i.e. at startup in the morning, when changing channels, when veiwing a recording, etc.) 

Examples of what should be collected:
How long has this machine being used?
How often do you see this black screen?
What form of input do you use (HDMI, Component, both, etc.)?
Do you use a splitter? 
Do you use OTA? Network? etc.
Is the system locked up?
Does the remote work at all?
Can you change channels?
Do you see the D* screen banners?
Does the Menu button work?
etc. etc. etc.

I'll be happy to assist with this and I'm sure many of the other developers, testers, etc. would also like to help.


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## mtnagel (Sep 18, 2006)

richlife said:


> Earl, I don't know for sure, but it appears that the "black screen" issue (in it's many iterations) is currently one of the biggest complaints now on the HR20. As has been said, flaky bugs are hard to 1) replicate and 2) fix. Especially with the quality of the reporting that's been done (mea culpa also).
> 
> I think we need a form to report the bug and get complete information. If you had a sticky post with a form content that could be updated (or some such), we could get better info. And I'd further suggest that you delete any other posts (aside from forms) and and forms that are not filled out with designated required fields.
> 
> ...


I've started a diary of my issues. Probably not as many details as you want, but it's got the configuration and as much detail as I can provide.


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## Spanky_Partain (Dec 7, 2006)

That's not a bad idea, Matt!

Any chance that someone make a template that can be downloaded, filled out, then a person could potentially post the filled out template?

This may even help dbstalk with helping people who are having issues get the help they are looking for from the forum.

Make different sub-categories, like Network, BSOD, Audio, etc. Have a template for each sub-category then users post in that sub-category to get the help. It woud also help the persoon(s) posting help to go directly to their field of expertise!

TaaDaa...
Spanky


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## Spanky_Partain (Dec 7, 2006)

In my last post, potentially it would help D* as well. I would bet that the developers of certain areas of the code would appreciate going to a destined place to review their potential problems. And with a template, wow, they would even have the details need to duplicate issues.


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## mtnagel (Sep 18, 2006)

Spanky_Partain said:


> That's not a bad idea, Matt!
> 
> Any chance that someone make a template that can be downloaded, filled out, then a person could potentially post the filled out template?
> 
> ...


Like this


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## Spanky_Partain (Dec 7, 2006)

Yea, I looked it. I like it too!


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## richlife (Dec 4, 2006)

mtnagel said:


> Like this


Matt, I like this too, but (as you sort of suggested) added to the info I'm looking for. I also would add the serial number and manufacture date as was suggested in another thread (sorry, I lost track of who and where). I think that with detailed data, D* could zero in on the BSB where they can't with the kind of anecdotal input we've been providing.

The spreadsheet is a good idea since it could allow combining and sorting based in the data provided potentially helping to spot areas to explore for problems.


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## jcurrier31 (Dec 15, 2006)

The BSOD seams to be one of only 2 problems since Santa delivered. Except the only time I get it is when I try to watch TV after pressing the power button on my Harmony 890. I could probably fix this with my remote but haven't figured it out yet. The only other problem I have is when I try to watch recorded shows I have to rewind about a minute or so to get the beginning. My 2 cents.


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## LI-SVT (May 18, 2006)

hasan said:


> If my box is any measure, I can see why they are having trouble replicating it. I haven't had it, and have had the box for 15 weeks.
> 
> Finding and fixing this kind of problem ain't easy....and there is a significant chance that the next release could fix it for a whole bunch of people, and introduce it to my box for the first time. There are so many variables to contend with. It's a wonder they get anything fixed that doesn't show up in 20% of the boxes, but does in 80% (which is actually better trend line than most bugs that this box periodically manifests for a variety of people).
> 
> ...


I agree 100% with your point. The problem is DirecTv is not paying us to be part of their development team. In fact we are paying them for a level of service they can not provide right now.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

You might want to check out this thread/post from Earl - the latest info:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=776725#post776725


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