Thanks for the update on the BT situation Matthew.
I guess that just one more week, isn't too bad in the scheme of things.
I also agree with SW in that, looking at the features that will be introduced/upgraded/improved with this upgrade, that it will satisfy all of my most immediate needs.
very happy with first bug fix and enhancements stabilised it also. but we do need that search to work on EPG before Xmas. hope we get one more update before Xmas please.
very happy with first bug fix and enhancements stabilised it also. but we do need that search to work on EPG before Xmas. hope we get one more update before Xmas please.
Very surprised to find this isn't in there already, especially with all the Adult channels present and these boxes in family living rooms!
I would also love to be able to reorder channels, as the HD channels should be first in the list as far as I'm concerned, being the natural place to look first, before their SD counterparts.
Reording the channels so that HD channels replace the SD equivalents is an essential feature and needs to be implemented!
Aye, well there is the rub. The HD channels are *not* equivalent to their SD counterpoints as they do not carry the regional opt outs and are not all simulcasts. Only Channel 4 HD could be considered as equivalent.
Hi Polymorph - there are quite a lot of posts on this topic (as it has now rolled over into a second page). Within the first page of posts you will see confirmation that the software update on 30/10/2012 contains the channel hiding feature. So hiding the adult channels etc is now possible and a secure operation (i.e. you cannot unhide channels without the security code and you cannot switch to hidden channels by number either).
I would hope reordering channels and/or favourites channels lists will come along as an extension of this feature in due course.
Hi Polymorph - there are quite a lot of posts on this topic (as it has now rolled over into a second page). Within the first page of posts you will see confirmation that the software update on 30/10/2012 contains the channel hiding feature. So hiding the adult channels etc is now possible and a secure operation (i.e. you cannot unhide channels without the security code and you cannot switch to hidden channels by number either).
I would hope reordering channels and/or favourites channels lists will come along as an extension of this feature in due course.
This update isn't available to me yet on BT. Hopefully in the next few days though
I hope the current implementation of the Channel List Management is a first release, as, whilst it achieves the desired result (and thanks for providing iit so soon), it could be improved upon significantly.
If you subsequently decide you wish to unhide a single channel previously hidden, unless I have missed something, you have to unhide ALL channels (restore hidden channels), and then go through the whole process again, hiding the ones you wish to hide all over again. A rather tortuous process just to reveal one previously hidden channel, or hide a single new channel. It seems that, instead of just revealing the whole list (showing those channels already marked for hiding), and allowing a cross to be removed or one added, the current hidden channel list is just deleted ...! It is more likely that someone wants to hide another single channel, or replace one they now want to see again, than that their whole list will change.
In addition, it would seem sensible, having chosen a channel to hide (by OKing it) to automatically move down to the next channel. Removing all the consecutive Adult channels (a frequently required function from these posts) would then be simply a series of OK button presses. As it is, the button presses are OK, Down, OK, Down, OK, Down etc. i.e. an additional unnecessary key press for every channel hidden.
It seems that during the design and implementation of many features, little attention is paid to removing extraneous and unnecessary key presses. A small amount of re-thinking about the way a feature is implemented could easily avoid these additional key presses, vastly improving the user experience.
Can I suggest that one of the steps in implementing a new feature could be to review the design, with a view to optimising the number of key presses needed to achieve the end result?
I hope the current implementation of the Channel List Management is a first release, as, whilst it achieves the desired result (and thanks for providing iit so soon), it could be improved upon significantly.
If you subsequently decide you wish to unhide a single channel previously hidden, unless I have missed something, you have to unhide ALL channels (restore hidden channels), and then go through the whole process again, hiding the ones you wish to hide all over again. A rather tortuous process just to reveal one previously hidden channel, or hide a single new channel. It seems that, instead of just revealing the whole list (showing those channels already marked for hiding), and allowing a cross to be removed or one added, the current hidden channel list is just deleted ...! It is more likely that someone wants to hide another single channel, or replace one they now want to see again, than that their whole list will change.
In addition, it would seem sensible, having chosen a channel to hide (by OKing it) to automatically move down to the next channel. Removing all the consecutive Adult channels (a frequently required function from these posts) would then be simply a series of OK button presses. As it is, the button presses are OK, Down, OK, Down, OK, Down etc. i.e. an additional unnecessary key press for every channel hidden.
It seems that during the design and implementation of many features, little attention is paid to removing extraneous and unnecessary key presses. A small amount of re-thinking about the way a feature is implemented could easily avoid these additional key presses, vastly improving the user experience.
Can I suggest that one of the steps in implementing a new feature could be to review the design, with a view to optimising the number of key presses needed to achieve the end result?
A very good point, I expected the OK process to progress to the next Channel in the list too like my Samsung TV does.
I hope the current implementation of the Channel List Management is a first release, as, whilst it achieves the desired result (and thanks for providing iit so soon), it could be improved upon significantly.
If you subsequently decide you wish to unhide a single channel previously hidden, unless I have missed something, you have to unhide ALL channels (restore hidden channels), and then go through the whole process again, hiding the ones you wish to hide all over again. A rather tortuous process just to reveal one previously hidden channel, or hide a single new channel. It seems that, instead of just revealing the whole list (showing those channels already marked for hiding), and allowing a cross to be removed or one added, the current hidden channel list is just deleted ...! It is more likely that someone wants to hide another single channel, or replace one they now want to see again, than that their whole list will change.
In addition, it would seem sensible, having chosen a channel to hide (by OKing it) to automatically move down to the next channel. Removing all the consecutive Adult channels (a frequently required function from these posts) would then be simply a series of OK button presses. As it is, the button presses are OK, Down, OK, Down, OK, Down etc. i.e. an additional unnecessary key press for every channel hidden.
It seems that during the design and implementation of many features, little attention is paid to removing extraneous and unnecessary key presses. A small amount of re-thinking about the way a feature is implemented could easily avoid these additional key presses, vastly improving the user experience.
Can I suggest that one of the steps in implementing a new feature could be to review the design, with a view to optimising the number of key presses needed to achieve the end result?
so it would seem the updates are spread across a 2 week period and that even forcing a manual check and update will not work if your box is not yet scheduled for the update. Needless to say this has led to quite a few frustrated people as you can see on the other topic.
Note if you are a TalkTalk customer the update will not be within the 2 week phased rollout but shortly after that (according to the other topic).
I hope the current implementation of the Channel List Management is a first release, as, whilst it achieves the desired result (and thanks for providing iit so soon), it could be improved upon significantly.
If you subsequently decide you wish to unhide a single channel previously hidden, unless I have missed something, you have to unhide ALL channels (restore hidden channels), and then go through the whole process again, hiding the ones you wish to hide all over again. A rather tortuous process just to reveal one previously hidden channel, or hide a single new channel. It seems that, instead of just revealing the whole list (showing those channels already marked for hiding), and allowing a cross to be removed or one added, the current hidden channel list is just deleted ...! It is more likely that someone wants to hide another single channel, or replace one they now want to see again, than that their whole list will change.
In addition, it would seem sensible, having chosen a channel to hide (by OKing it) to automatically move down to the next channel. Removing all the consecutive Adult channels (a frequently required function from these posts) would then be simply a series of OK button presses. As it is, the button presses are OK, Down, OK, Down, OK, Down etc. i.e. an additional unnecessary key press for every channel hidden.
It seems that during the design and implementation of many features, little attention is paid to removing extraneous and unnecessary key presses. A small amount of re-thinking about the way a feature is implemented could easily avoid these additional key presses, vastly improving the user experience.
Can I suggest that one of the steps in implementing a new feature could be to review the design, with a view to optimising the number of key presses needed to achieve the end result?
No problem adding more channels the hidden list. It is only unhiding channels that you need to go through the rigmarole described.
It is a ludicrous situation that some users have to wait 2 or more weeks to get a software update that should have been there at the launch. Another case of incompetence which seems to be widespread across the whole YV Platform.
We have different apps depending on where you got your box.
Software updates are a lottery as to when you get them.
The Channels who are part of the YV consortium are unable to start or finish programs on time leading to chopped starts or ends of programs.
The whole thing is falling apart at the seams and the only comments we get from the YV team are acknowledgements of the sycophantic posts regarding some awards that they have not earned.
The channels have not sorted out the viewing rights so that programs available on PC or Laptop are not necessarily available to YouView viewers. I mean WTF is the difference between watching a programme over the internet on my PC plugged into my TV or watctching the same programme over the internet on a YV box plugged into my PC.
Evening Andy - whilst as ever I would not wish to down play problems where they exists I equally am happy to recognise that there are issues and that some of those issues can be of YouVIew's own making or can be made worse by insufficient clarity/engagement with the customers.
One could speculate reasons or thoughts for each of your comments, e.g.
Why are they doing a phased rollout when it would be potentially better PR to get it out to everyone quickly as it introduces features that many were expecting from the start: well this could be because they feel it is important to conduct a controlled rollout to establish the principle as in the future when they have a much larger customer base such an approach may be necessary. Personally I would have preferred to see this first rollout done in a much more condensed time frame just to avoid confusion this time around even if a phased roll out were necessary with a larger customer base in the future.
Different apps depending on where/how you get your box: well one could argue that is a point of getting a box through BT or TalkTalk in that that then comes with additional premium added value services. There are of course wrinkles hidden in that statement that need addressing but lets not reopen the whole multicast discussion within this different topic ;-)
Accurate recording timing issues: well there is plenty of discussion on whether and when they could introduce an intelligent padding option versus working with their partners to improve the partners accurate use of accurate recording signals. YouView do talk regularly with those companies so maybe things will improve although personally as I have said on the specific topics I think choice is the key so there is a place for improving accurate recording and an intelligent padding option for those that want it.
Viewing rights: well no one will ever sort that out overnight or even in a few months, they are unlikely to go back and renegotiate established deals and it is not YouView's fault that there are legal issues that mean viewing via a PC and viewing via YouView are currently being treated differently. Nevertheless these companies will hopefully evolve what they negotiate for for the future and the coverage will increase and the differences decrease.
As for things falling apart at the seams I would doubt that would be borne out by a review of all the information at this point in time. Yes there are various problems reported on the forum and yes some of those problems do appear to seem to lack a response from YouView that could have the potential to diffuse the situation and keep the customer more informed and involved. Nevertheless the forum only covers what I would assume is small percentage of the total YouView user base and hence I could not draw clear conclusions based purely on the data I can see through the forum.
If and when I find myself talking to YouView then as ever I'll be sure to give them some honest feedback both about the product and their general organisation and approach, but as ever it remains up to them how they do things based on their overall review of their own thoughts and any other information and comments they receive, and the success, failure, praise or criticism they then receive is theirs to own too.
Overall I would suggest picking up further on such issues on the relevant individual topics
Yes I was/am disappointed with some feature omissions, but having expressed my thoughts on those and on the understanding that they are acknowledged and that the next and following updates will progressively deal with them, I am happy to turn around now and say that overall I am very happy with my YouView Box.
Sorry Andy, but I think you experienced a moment of extreme exaggeration that you would probably retract now; now that your clarity of thought is restored. I have those moments too and I'm happy to admit to them once I've rationalised things properly.
Let's give the YouView guys a chance now, as I think they've got the message.
Sorry Andy, but I think you experienced a moment of extreme exaggeration that you would probably retract now; now that your clarity of thought is restored.
Not really John, as you can see I have not deleted my post. I just say it as I see it. Maybe I am a perfectionist but i really feel that the whole YV experience is not up to expectations. After all you wouldn't by a car from a dealer who said he was considering supplying rear seats at some time in the future. Exagerated example? maybe, but it explains the way I see YV. Too many promises and not enough delivery.
>> Maybe I am a perfectionist but i really feel that the whole YV experience is not up to expectations.
Not up to your expectations perhaps but everyone is likely to have wanted/expected something different and services such as YouView are ultimately a compromise centred on satisfying the majority.
For most of the people expected to move to YouView it will be a revolutionary step up from their Freeview box or non-recording TV with Freeview built-in. Just being able to record and watch the catch-up players will be a huge change in how they watch TV.
The features and content providers the rest of us want, those who've used smart boxes from other providers or who have a device like an Apple TV, will take a little longer to come.
The onus is on us to decide if we can live with what YouView is now - I can - and where we can't, surely the best, least stressful approach is to stop using it?
I'm not necessarily saying that you are wrong, but just trying to keep things in context here and I always respect people who say it as it is, because you always know exactly where you stand with them. However the YouView guys have been severely told off over the last few weeks and I think it's now time to see how they respond. A constant flogging for the same misdemeanour might be a negative now and I'm waiting to see if they have learnt from this, recognising that they made a mistake, (which we all can do), and they will now deliver the goods and be more responsive to user feedback in the future, (understanding that this was all part of the user feedback during testing). If they do, I am ready to praise them.
I actually believe that, because the competition was pulling away with equivalent product releases, that this forced a premature release of the YouView Box, (that was really still in development), and that they are now playing catchup with all the stuff that they would have liked to have had active, but didn't because of the race for a customer base.
I do believe that once the catchup is complete, we will have a very decent piece of kit.
Let's hope and believe that the YouView guys will strive to achieve the critical updates within the First Gen Box lifetime.
All the best
John
"Let's hope and believe that the YouView guys will strive to achieve the critical updates within the First Gen Box lifetime."
There's not a single "First Gen Box", merely one box that was launched in the shops before any others were. TalkTalk have their own boxes and BT will have their own Pace boxes.
Let's hope and believe that the YouView guys will strive to achieve the critical updates within the First Gen Box lifetime.
All the best
John
Hi Martin - I'm with BT but I have a Humax Box, not the Pace Box that BTVision has just started advertising. I hope that I'm not going to be disadvantaged by having the Humax Box on the BT service!!!
Let's hope and believe that the YouView guys will strive to achieve the critical updates within the First Gen Box lifetime.
All the best
John
Hi Martin
Saw the first advert today for the new "BT Vision Plus Box", which actually looks a lot like the old box, but I guess it's the guts that are different. I can't imagine that they would be advertising the old one at this time.
Comments
I guess that just one more week, isn't too bad in the scheme of things.
I also agree with SW in that, looking at the features that will be introduced/upgraded/improved with this upgrade, that it will satisfy all of my most immediate needs.
All the best to all
John
I would also love to be able to reorder channels, as the HD channels should be first in the list as far as I'm concerned, being the natural place to look first, before their SD counterparts.
I would hope reordering channels and/or favourites channels lists will come along as an extension of this feature in due course.
If you subsequently decide you wish to unhide a single channel previously hidden, unless I have missed something, you have to unhide ALL channels (restore hidden channels), and then go through the whole process again, hiding the ones you wish to hide all over again. A rather tortuous process just to reveal one previously hidden channel, or hide a single new channel. It seems that, instead of just revealing the whole list (showing those channels already marked for hiding), and allowing a cross to be removed or one added, the current hidden channel list is just deleted ...! It is more likely that someone wants to hide another single channel, or replace one they now want to see again, than that their whole list will change.
In addition, it would seem sensible, having chosen a channel to hide (by OKing it) to automatically move down to the next channel. Removing all the consecutive Adult channels (a frequently required function from these posts) would then be simply a series of OK button presses. As it is, the button presses are OK, Down, OK, Down, OK, Down etc. i.e. an additional unnecessary key press for every channel hidden.
It seems that during the design and implementation of many features, little attention is paid to removing extraneous and unnecessary key presses. A small amount of re-thinking about the way a feature is implemented could easily avoid these additional key presses, vastly improving the user experience.
Can I suggest that one of the steps in implementing a new feature could be to review the design, with a view to optimising the number of key presses needed to achieve the end result?
Keep up the good work YouView.
http://community.youview.com/youview/...
so it would seem the updates are spread across a 2 week period and that even forcing a manual check and update will not work if your box is not yet scheduled for the update. Needless to say this has led to quite a few frustrated people as you can see on the other topic.
Note if you are a TalkTalk customer the update will not be within the 2 week phased rollout but shortly after that (according to the other topic).
We have different apps depending on where you got your box.
Software updates are a lottery as to when you get them.
The Channels who are part of the YV consortium are unable to start or finish programs on time leading to chopped starts or ends of programs.
The whole thing is falling apart at the seams and the only comments we get from the YV team are acknowledgements of the sycophantic posts regarding some awards that they have not earned.
The channels have not sorted out the viewing rights so that programs available on PC or Laptop are not necessarily available to YouView viewers. I mean WTF is the difference between watching a programme over the internet on my PC plugged into my TV or watctching the same programme over the internet on a YV box plugged into my PC.
Come on YouView get real and sort this farce out.
One could speculate reasons or thoughts for each of your comments, e.g.
Why are they doing a phased rollout when it would be potentially better PR to get it out to everyone quickly as it introduces features that many were expecting from the start: well this could be because they feel it is important to conduct a controlled rollout to establish the principle as in the future when they have a much larger customer base such an approach may be necessary. Personally I would have preferred to see this first rollout done in a much more condensed time frame just to avoid confusion this time around even if a phased roll out were necessary with a larger customer base in the future.
Different apps depending on where/how you get your box: well one could argue that is a point of getting a box through BT or TalkTalk in that that then comes with additional premium added value services. There are of course wrinkles hidden in that statement that need addressing but lets not reopen the whole multicast discussion within this different topic ;-)
Accurate recording timing issues: well there is plenty of discussion on whether and when they could introduce an intelligent padding option versus working with their partners to improve the partners accurate use of accurate recording signals. YouView do talk regularly with those companies so maybe things will improve although personally as I have said on the specific topics I think choice is the key so there is a place for improving accurate recording and an intelligent padding option for those that want it.
Viewing rights: well no one will ever sort that out overnight or even in a few months, they are unlikely to go back and renegotiate established deals and it is not YouView's fault that there are legal issues that mean viewing via a PC and viewing via YouView are currently being treated differently. Nevertheless these companies will hopefully evolve what they negotiate for for the future and the coverage will increase and the differences decrease.
As for things falling apart at the seams I would doubt that would be borne out by a review of all the information at this point in time. Yes there are various problems reported on the forum and yes some of those problems do appear to seem to lack a response from YouView that could have the potential to diffuse the situation and keep the customer more informed and involved. Nevertheless the forum only covers what I would assume is small percentage of the total YouView user base and hence I could not draw clear conclusions based purely on the data I can see through the forum.
If and when I find myself talking to YouView then as ever I'll be sure to give them some honest feedback both about the product and their general organisation and approach, but as ever it remains up to them how they do things based on their overall review of their own thoughts and any other information and comments they receive, and the success, failure, praise or criticism they then receive is theirs to own too.
Overall I would suggest picking up further on such issues on the relevant individual topics
Yes I was/am disappointed with some feature omissions, but having expressed my thoughts on those and on the understanding that they are acknowledged and that the next and following updates will progressively deal with them, I am happy to turn around now and say that overall I am very happy with my YouView Box.
Sorry Andy, but I think you experienced a moment of extreme exaggeration that you would probably retract now; now that your clarity of thought is restored. I have those moments too and I'm happy to admit to them once I've rationalised things properly.
Let's give the YouView guys a chance now, as I think they've got the message.
All the best
John
Not really John, as you can see I have not deleted my post.
I just say it as I see it. Maybe I am a perfectionist but i really feel that the whole YV experience is not up to expectations. After all you wouldn't by a car from a dealer who said he was considering supplying rear seats at some time in the future. Exagerated example? maybe, but it explains the way I see YV. Too many promises and not enough delivery.
>> Maybe I am a perfectionist but i really feel that the whole YV experience is not up to expectations.
Not up to your expectations perhaps but everyone is likely to have wanted/expected something different and services such as YouView are ultimately a compromise centred on satisfying the majority.
For most of the people expected to move to YouView it will be a revolutionary step up from their Freeview box or non-recording TV with Freeview built-in. Just being able to record and watch the catch-up players will be a huge change in how they watch TV.
The features and content providers the rest of us want, those who've used smart boxes from other providers or who have a device like an Apple TV, will take a little longer to come.
The onus is on us to decide if we can live with what YouView is now - I can - and where we can't, surely the best, least stressful approach is to stop using it?
I'm not necessarily saying that you are wrong, but just trying to keep things in context here and I always respect people who say it as it is, because you always know exactly where you stand with them. However the YouView guys have been severely told off over the last few weeks and I think it's now time to see how they respond. A constant flogging for the same misdemeanour might be a negative now and I'm waiting to see if they have learnt from this, recognising that they made a mistake, (which we all can do), and they will now deliver the goods and be more responsive to user feedback in the future, (understanding that this was all part of the user feedback during testing). If they do, I am ready to praise them.
I actually believe that, because the competition was pulling away with equivalent product releases, that this forced a premature release of the YouView Box, (that was really still in development), and that they are now playing catchup with all the stuff that they would have liked to have had active, but didn't because of the race for a customer base.
I do believe that once the catchup is complete, we will have a very decent piece of kit.
All the best
John
Absolutely right John. I just wonder if it will be during the lifetime of the first generation boxes
Let's hope and believe that the YouView guys will strive to achieve the critical updates within the First Gen Box lifetime.
All the best
John
There's not a single "First Gen Box", merely one box that was launched in the shops before any others were. TalkTalk have their own boxes and BT will have their own Pace boxes.
All will give you years of use.
I've not seen any BT adverts for pace boxes, I understood BT were currently sending out the Humax box?
I can't see why anyone will be disadvantaged by having the Humax Box,it's a very good piece of kit.
Saw the first advert today for the new "BT Vision Plus Box", which actually looks a lot like the old box, but I guess it's the guts that are different. I can't imagine that they would be advertising the old one at this time.
All the best
John