VOOM STB Version 00.05.68: Features/Bugs/Requests

[Sean Mota]

That's a good one Ilya. I don't know. I have to look more carefully. You maybe right. I'll let you know...

Yes. That was the case...

 

[vurbano]

I see no problems with this reciever or remote now since the update. I would suggest that the voom channel menu should bring one back to the current channel position in the channel list rather than starting from the beginning each time. And a previous channel feature in the programming would be cool for those of us buying improved remotes.

 

[kirkdj]

Report Back?

Is the report back feature still disabled for everyone? Not really sure what this was for anyway.....just know it no longer works.......I was told by installer that this was for PPV.........is that true?

 

[Ilya]

Is the report back feature still disabled for everyone? Not really sure what this was for anyway.....just know it no longer works.......I was told by installer that this was for PPV.........is that true?

I think the manual call-back feature is there for maintenance and trouble shooting purposes only. Don't worry about it. VOOM will use automatic call-back instead. They will send a request to your box via satellite and your box will phone home without your intervention. Currently they are not doing that. But they will in the near future. That's why you need a phone line. In addition, the phone line might be used for PPV orders.

 

[Ilya]

"Stuck Pixels" bug

OK, this is a good one! I've been hunting this bug for some time and finally it is caught! If you want to see it, follow the steps below. But hurry up! I will be displaying it only till midnight on Saturday!

This is a really ugly-looking bug! And yes, you can actually see it! It looks like a worm (or a snake) with a white head and a black tail. And it is very scary, especially for those of us with LCD TV sets! (Stuck pixels is our worst nightmare...) Fortunately the bug seems to be harmless, unless you leave it on-screen for a long time

I think I've seen this bug before. And others reported it too. But this is the first time I can reliably reproduce it. Too bad I haven't caught it on April 1. Would've made a good joke...

Symptoms
On some occasions after closing the PG window with the WATCH button, I see groups of stuck white and black pixels on the screen. They stay on even if I switch channels. Bringing the main menu with the VOOM button clears them. I think this problem is caused by a mistake in the STB software that is responsible for clearing the screen when the WATCH button is pressed in the PG.

Steps to reproduce the problem
(Note: this works on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only! So, try this right away!)

1. Switch your STB to the 1080i mode.
2. Open the on-screen Program Guide by pressing VOOM and then "OK".
3. Note the word "Today" above the program grid.
4. Scroll the program list to the right until the word "Today" changes to the word "Sunday".
5. Press WATCH. A group of pixels will remain on the screen in the area where the end of the word "Sunday" was displayed.

Edit: In case you missed the bug exhibition on Saturday, the next opportunity to see it should come on Thursday, when Sunday programs become listed in the PG. Note, that your STB must be in 1080i mode!

I also noticed that some long program descriptions ending with a letters "o" and "s" in the PG occasionally leave a group of white pixels in the middle of the screen when you press "Watch". The pixels are left-overs from those letters. I was able to reproduce this, but couldn't figure any pattern...


Enjoy!

 

[Ilya]

Info screen does not show titles in double-quotes.

Symptoms
In the Program Guide some program titles include text with double-quotes. This text is not displayed in the Info screen. I don't know if this is a bug, or it's done by design, but in some cases the result might be confusing (see example below).

Steps to reproduce the problem
1. Open the PG.
2. Navigate to Sunday 4/4 8 PM on channel 125 RAVE.
3. Note the program title: Rave in Concert "The Branford Marsalis Quartet..."
4. Press INFO button. Note, that the title name does not contain the name of the quartet. In the PG this is not a big problem, but in the Surf Bar it is somewhat confusing to read the following:
Rave in concert.
See and hear the musical scope of this Grammy-Award winning tenor saxophonist. Produced in High Definition. (Which saxophonist? - the name is missing!)

 

[Videofx]

Turned my downstairs reciever on got red sat dish and it stayed like that for 10 min. Powered off receiver then powered back on, got green sat then got little picture in upper right of screen. Pressed Voom button then gave me full screen. Pressed Voom button again got little picture in upper right again. Reset box holding in power button. Now receiver appears to be operating normally.

Upstairs receiver after recieving update worked flawlessly,

Bill

 

[pdqbobe]

Houston we have a small problem : the upgrade software works alot better the box is now more stable. Only one small problem.....I had the CC on it every now and then a black bar will flash like a CC but it is not the CC it shows up under these flashes of black. Has anyone noticed this while having the CC enabled ...on always... It was bothering me so I turned off the CC...thanks Bob..HD=Voom

 

[knyaz]

I almost had a heart attack when I saw some stuck pixels on my Plasma TV. Thank God it was gone the next day, went to the forums and found out that its not my TV, its VOOM!
My Panny Plasma is soooo good to me for the past 2 years *whew*....

 

[vurbano]

I about had a heart attack too a few months ago when I got them on Directv. But then I said to myself "RPTV doesnt get dead pixels" lmao

 

[Walter L.]

I've seen the "sticky" pixels a couples of times (even before the upgrade). The esiest way to get rid of them is to simply turn off the box and turn it back on (no hard reset is needed).

 

[Walter L.]

I experienced two lockups during the weekend. On both cases it happened while changing channels. Has somebody seen this problem with the new software?

 

[Ilya]

I've seen the "sticky" pixels a couples of times (even before the upgrade). The esiest way to get rid of them is to simply turn off the box and turn it back on (no hard reset is needed).

In the case I described above, simply pressing VOOM button followed by WATCH clears the stuck pixels.

 

[Ilya]

I experienced two lockups during the weekend. On both cases it happened while changing channels. Has somebody seen this problem with the new software?

I didn't have a single lockup since the last software push. Even though, I tried hard!

Can you tell us more about your specific configuration? Native mode or 1080i? What exactly you did before it happened? Did the PG have enough time to load? Etc.

 

[Walter L.]

I'm using 1080i mode. I don't remember exactly what I did before, I believe I was somewhere in the Planner or Browser and then went to change channels. I'll try it again later to see if I can duplicate it and post the exact sequence.

 

[Ti-maniac]

Although its been requested before, I would like to request it again:

Please discrete power codes for voom box.

Thanks,

 

[kirkdj]

No sound

Is it still a known bug about not getting sound after changing channels.....I have to change to another channel, then back to get the sound to come in. Doesn't do it everytime, but enough that it is annoying?

I have the latest update too....

 

[Ilya]

Is it still a known bug about not getting sound after changing channels.....I have to change to another channel, then back to get the sound to come in. Doesn't do it everytime, but enough that it is annoying?
I have the latest update too....

Yes, this problem is not fixed in the latest version, and was present in the previous version too. When you change channels, from time to time you may encounter one of three things: (1) picture with no sound (most often); (2) sound with no picture; or, (3) nothing at all (some times with the "No signal" message). In either case, the problem usually goes away after you press CH up/down once or twice.

The problem is easily reproducible, so I hope it will be fixed in the next version.

 

[desidoc]

Exactly I noticed the same bug too , but good thing it wont lock up STB, u dont need to reboot. Just go to next channel and comeback then the channel works fine. It is a bit annoying but definitely better than STB locking up

 

[pdqbobe]

No lockup so far since the new f/w 5.68....Only one black white screen last night ...only happen once . Noticed the CC had black bar flashes....Wilt said they will be working on it put more important issue to fix first... So far the box is more stable .
HD=Voom