New Firmware Update - WHEN???

[Ilya]

I'm hoping it addresses some PQ issues. The Sparklies, and now something new I've noticed. It seems like when certain colors shift on my screen, a row of stuck pixels hangs in a vertical line. It doesn't happen on any of the HD channels, just the SD ones.

The Sparklies I think are at the transmitting end; a reboot should take care of your vertical line...

 

[HeavyC]

I'll try a reboot, it's such an odd problem. Thanks.

 

[Dvlos]

Please, for someone new to Sats what is the scanning for OTA you guys keep hoping for?

 

[wasch_24]

It works just like when you connect unscrambled cable to your TV. The STB will scan through the channels noting which ones it picks up a signal on and locking in on them. This could be more then are currently listed depending on where you live i.e. close to two major cities.

 

[Vreesar]

Right now, VOOM pre-programs the frequencies (channels) that you "should" be able to pick up from your location. What they are talking about with scanning is where your STB will scan the frequencies (channels) to see which it has a signal from then presents it to the TV.

 

[gutter]

I solved this issue by just hooking up by previous Sammy OTA STB. It also serves up a superiro picture than the Motorola does ont he sme channels.

 

[Dvlos]

THanks wasch, my other question was for Ilya, when you talk about "Sparklies" are you talking about random light colored dots or squares the flitter around darker areas on the image? It mainly seems to happen on certain channels over and over again? If that's the case I get the same problem, and no amount of rebooting is going to fix that. Also by any chance is headline news CNN, the worst looking channel ever? LIke tons of static and lines?

 

[Ilya]

my other question was for Ilya, when you talk about "Sparklies" are you talking about random light colored dots or squares the flitter around darker areas on the image?

Yes. Here is one of the threads that talks about this problem and even has a picture of it. Since it is only present on certain channels, I think it is caused on the transmitting end and consequently cannot be fixed by a software upgrade...

 

[CKNA]

Sparklies are caused by slightly misaligned receiving dish at Voom's end. They appear only on channels that are picked up analog from satellite.

 

[bryan27]

I did a little research and I don't think it is a transmission problem. I appears to be a reception problem on VOOM's end.

I looked to see where the Comedy Central feed comes from (as I normally see them there). It comes from Satcom C3 at 131w. This satellite and those farther west are very low in the North-East. When I had C-Band this location was near impossible with an 8ft. and sparklie prone on a 12ft, anything farther west than 125 degrees was reather useless.

The transmission of Comedy Central is also in analog which is sparklie prone.

Okay, also on that satellite and in analog are TLC, C-Span, History Channel, Weather Channel, and E!. Tuning in those channels on VOOM yieled, you guessed it, sparklies.

So I am going to go out on a limb and say that VOOM is having a slight problem with analog reception of the Satcom C3 satellite and any sats with analog channels which are farther west.

 

[Ilya]

CKNA and bryan27,

What you are saying makes a lot of sense. It does look like an analog reception noise to me. When I say "it is caused on the transmitting end," I simply mean that this is how VOOM transmits it, meaning that the problem is not caused by the STB, but is present in the digital signal (uplinked by VOOM).

 

[stevegs1]

I did a little research and I don't think it is a transmission problem. I appears to be a reception problem on VOOM's end.

I looked to see where the Comedy Central feed comes from (as I normally see them there). It comes from Satcom C3 at 131w. This satellite and those farther west are very low in the North-East. When I had C-Band this location was near impossible with an 8ft. and sparklie prone on a 12ft, anything farther west than 125 degrees was reather useless.

The transmission of Comedy Central is also in analog which is sparklie prone.

Okay, also on that satellite and in analog are TLC, C-Span, History Channel, Weather Channel, and E!. Tuning in those channels on VOOM yieled, you guessed it, sparklies.

So I am going to go out on a limb and say that VOOM is having a slight problem with analog reception of the Satcom C3 satellite and any sats with analog channels which are farther west.

Yes, I have the same problem on my C-Band system in the Summer when trees partially block C3.

 

[bryan27]

Ah, ok I understand. I was trying to figure out how a transmission would cause sparklies

I haven't seen them in years (takes me back to those late 80's C-Band days) and really hadn't paid much attention to them. I guess if one never saw such things it would be annoying.

 

[Scotty]

Scotty,

Great post...however, perhaps your timing is just a little off!!! I hope all your "quality assurance" stuff doesn't further delay release of the MUCH ANTICIPATED firmware update.

Heaven Forbid!

Just kidding! I highly agree with you on the signal strengh issue. I sure hope this is fixed in the upcoming firmware update. Oh, there are two ways you can get to the System Status - Hardware (signal strength) menu: (just in case you didn't know)

1. VOOM-->Green-->System Settings-->System Status (5 keys if you include the arror)
2. HELP---INFO---OK (3 keys)

...still too many key. Hope this helps!

Those were the two screens I was talking about. There are so many key presses, it's taken a bit of practice to remember them and get quick at them.

I haven't seen D* screens, but all on one with audible, analog bar graphs, and digits, sounds good to me! How hard can that bit of java code be. They are using java for this stuff arent' they?

 

[Scotty]

I'm hoping it addresses some PQ issues. The Sparklies, and now something new I've noticed. It seems like when certain colors shift on my screen, a row of stuck pixels hangs in a vertical line. It doesn't happen on any of the HD channels, just the SD ones.

You can clear that vertical stuck pixels line if it falls within the expaned info window, by just pressing info a few times to bring the info screen up and then get rid of it. I have that happen all the time.

 

[FunkyBoss]

Does anyone "in the know" about the new firmware update know if the PG will finally start with the channel you are currently on when you launch it? And not always 100!

 

[aychamo]

Does anyone "in the know" about the new firmware update know if the PG will finally start with the channel you are currently on when you launch it? And not always 100!

OMG I hope so!! This is one of the most annoying thing.. "Voom" "Enter" PGDOWN PGDOWN x20 lol

 

[Sean Mota]

Does anyone "in the know" about the new firmware update know if the PG will finally start with the channel you are currently on when you launch it? And not always 100!

We are hoping that this will be taking care of. I am also hoping for customizable FAV lists. The PG has a few lists right now. Here are a few.

All Channels
All HD channels
FAV channel list
Sports Channel list

and so on....

 

[bryan27]

Instead of endlessly paging down I've gotten into the habit of opening the guide then pressing the channel number I'm on, or if there is something I want to goto like News I just press 400 and it moves to the 400s in the guide.

It's a little bit better than paging down many screens. Just remember pressing a channel number while in the guide will move the guide to that channel (or the nearest one to the number you put in) and won't change the actual channel you are tuned to.

 

[DarrellP]

Does anyone "in the know" about the new firmware update know if the PG will finally start with the channel you are currently on when you launch it? And not always 100!

Yes, it will.