New Firmware for Star Choice Receivers Next Spring!

[QCK]

Check out the new feature links on Star Choice's web site:

Are you ready for the new and improved Star Choice experience? - Star Choice


Star Choice, Canada's number two Direct-to-home satellite television provider, has announced that it will be updating the firmware of its DVR530, DSR505, DSR317, and DSR207 satellite receivers in the spring of 2009.

New features of the new firmware include a new interactive Star Bar, an enhanced electronic program guide, improve information screens for shows and movies, interactive search, new features for the digital video recorder and
more.

 

[BigFella]

Sounds GREAT! I've been looking forward to this for a long time. I sure hope the new software will be stable. The last update was a VAST improvement over the previous software and stable too. Now all I want is external hard drive capability (I know, never completely satisfied)!

 

[scrooloose]

And how many announcements has Starchoice made about new features coming soon, that never materialize? Don't count this chicken until it's hatched.

-Mike

 

[QCK]

And how many announcements has Starchoice made about new features coming soon, that never materialize? Don't count this chicken until it's hatched.

-Mike

I was wondering who would be the first to post a negative comment like that lol!

Yes we all know the empty promises, all we can do is hope...

 

[mexsunny]

I see they are going to provide the original showing date in the program description, a feature that is nice to have.

Must say that dealing with StarChoice service representatives is a pleasure, some of the best trained professionals that I have come across.

 

[QCK]

Update, the Star Choice website says the updates will now begin in the New Year.

 

[hiker]

Update, the Star Choice website says the updates will now begin in the New Year.

What year?

 

[QCK]

What year?

We will have to wait and see lol!

 

[QCK]

Update

Today I asked a CSR when the new updates for the receivers will arrive and she said I would see all sorts of new features on the receivers Jan 5th.

We will see... :

 

[SatboyZ]

Sorry but...

Long before DishNet started saying "Soon" there was SC. The receivers are not bad but the software can best be described as bad first/second generation software. I mean my DN 3000 receiver from the 1990's (I am an original subscriber) had better features then. The content/picture quality is what counts for me. My 505 is still pokey with the guide and does not even have the option to select "subscribed" only.

Anyways - my opinion only, good luck. Remember HCPS copy protection came in alot "sooner" than this "promised" upgrade last year.

Satboyz

 

[QCK]

All of what you say is true that is why it would be so nice for thses upgrades. With modern day features the 505 and 530 could be great receivers.

My 505 is runs very well, not pokey at all like yours. It has software version F4 in it.

 

[stone phillips420]

sounds good cant wait

 

[jself1982]

I lost faith in SC when my expensive 530 died unannounced one day, now its back down to the 315, which is not included anymore in software upgrades. I am fine with my antiqueness, but I still don't have the gumption to changeover to Bell just yet.

 

[Gant]

Today I asked a CSR when the new updates for the receivers will arrive and she said I would see all sorts of new features on the receivers Jan 5th.

I knew it was too good to be true. No changes this morning on my 530. Same old ugly, feature-deprived software.

 

[QCK]

Lol, yep bummer. No promises, just told you what I was told. I did read that another guy was told by a CSR that the upgrades would be this week from the 5th to the 8th, and another guy said that the upgrades are due to go out in March or April. We will just have to wait and see. Nothing like keeping you hanging for 3+ years...

 

[QCK]

Well the CSR that talked to me obviously had no clue. From reading the Canadian forum it looks like the big update situation is going from bad to worse. A few people have been told April/May and the latest from "ask jim" is late 2009, my oh my!

 

[QCK]

Ask Jim Reply

I sent "Ask Jim" an e-mail message yesterday to hopefully get some more info on this and some other questions:

This is what I wrote:

I was very happy to hear about the major updates that were suppose to come out in early 2009. Now I see on the digital home forum that the updates may not be available untl late 2009!

1) Would you mind giving me a true estimate of when these updates are to become avaiable?
2) Is it true that you will have new model HD receivers coming out within the next year?
3) Do you have a rough estimate for when "the Score HD" will be avaialable?


Jim's reply:

Thanks for the e mail. The info on the chats is not always the best measure of the facts. We started downloading new code Jan 5 and will be done up to the 23. This code fixes a few or the small bugs but also starts adding the code for the launch of Interactive TV and guide features and services. We will launch Interactive services in late April. We also have another new code in testing to add more improvements. We also have launched new lower end receivers and are working on new HD

Score HD is low on our new HD adds as we have Golf to add as well as some great US channels.

We are working hard to add the Interactive features as these are all free to our customers.

Regards

Jim

 

[Gant]

Score HD is low on our new HD adds as we have Golf to add as well as some great US channels.

Golf HD? Seriously? WHY when you have so few HD channels would you add a niche channel that only a small percentage of subs will watch? They're either getting it on the cheap or entered into a crappy contract with the Golf Channel that makes it a must carry.

How about Global HD? City HD? CBC West HD (for East subs)? CTV West HD (for East subs)? Add some broad appeal HD's before wasting precious bandwith on niche channels.

Ugh.

 

[SatboyZ]

You are kidding right?

Canadian crap HD channels that only exist to simsub American channels. The only HD content they have is when they simsub. Everything you would want to watch on those channels is already available, in original quality, from existing US network feeds.

Global is an absolute joke, CTV not much better, and City is going downhill (not what it used to be with blue movies on Sat night - full frontal nudity at its best! )

Steve

 

[Mr Tony]

How about Global HD? City HD? CBC West HD (for East subs)? CTV West HD (for East subs)?

Wasn't Global's (off humour) slogan was -Global stole it (instead of Global's got it)
CBC West maybe
CTV is just simsub central part two