While certification would be nice, if the quid pro quo to getting it is crippling the product (ability of stations to flag shows as non-copyable, removal of the ad skip button) then it's not worth it, and my strong preference for and buying of pannys will cease.
I find live TV virtually unwatchable now - I love pressing record, pressing play 15 minutes later, and pressing the magic blue button every time an ad appears. I was at my parents over christmas, and found the experience of watching TV without being able to do this to be unpleasant. By the second ad break I had either changed channels or simply wandered away, and never actually managed to watch a complete programme.
It is amazing how short an "hour long" programme really is when you skip the ads.
Alot of people have been moaning about the XW350 and BW850 not having the Full EPG. Panasonic are simply responding to them if the rumour is correct about them going for Freeview cert. The no ad skipping is a NZ Freeview rule i think and they withhold the EPG from anybody who doesn't comply. The guys at MagicTV said they were told their product wouldn't sell in NZ unless it had Freeview certification
Damned if they do, damned if they don't. Personally I don't care about an EPG at all, and as for ad skipping... I simply forget I can do it and use the ad breaks to do something else / discuss what just happened. Different strokes for different folks I suppose.
Dunnersfella: Damned if they do, damned if they don't. Personally I don't care about an EPG at all, and as for ad skipping... I simply forget I can do it and use the ad breaks to do something else / discuss what just happened. Different strokes for different folks I suppose.
I'm guessing from what comment that you've possibly never used a device with an EPG if you don't think it's important.
Customer Research has very clearly shown that EPG's are one of the most important aspects and that very close to 100% of people who have used a device with an EPG would not go back to a PVR that did not include an EPG.
People also need to realise ad skipping is not the same thing as fast forwarding or rewinding ads. No device restricts you from doing this.
Dunnersfella: Damned if they do, damned if they don't. Personally I don't care about an EPG at all, and as for ad skipping... I simply forget I can do it and use the ad breaks to do something else / discuss what just happened. Different strokes for different folks I suppose.
I'm guessing from what comment that you've possibly never used a device with an EPG if you don't think it's important.
Customer Research has very clearly shown that EPG's are one of the most important aspects and that very close to 100% of people who have used a device with an EPG would not go back to a PVR that did not include an EPG.
People also need to realise ad skipping is not the same thing as fast forwarding or rewinding ads. No device restricts you from doing this.
I reckon 100% of people would like a Full EPG and the ability to skip ads.
Dunnersfella: Damned if they do, damned if they don't. Personally I don't care about an EPG at all, and as for ad skipping... I simply forget I can do it and use the ad breaks to do something else / discuss what just happened. Different strokes for different folks I suppose.
I'm guessing from what comment that you've possibly never used a device with an EPG if you don't think it's important.
Customer Research has very clearly shown that EPG's are one of the most important aspects and that very close to 100% of people who have used a device with an EPG would not go back to a PVR that did not include an EPG.
People also need to realise ad skipping is not the same thing as fast forwarding or rewinding ads. No device restricts you from doing this.
I have an EPG on my current Freeview box and... well, I never use it. I do use an app on my iPhone (well did until they dropped Sky support) - but on the TV I'm not really into it. Then again, ad skipping doesn't worry me. I'm normally using my laptop with the TV on in the background (Top Gear / Family Guy aside) - so a break in the programme means I put more attention to what I'm doing on-line I suppose.
There's a difference between an EPG on a set top box capable of viewing only and a PVR where you can schedule recordings via the EPG. Once you've used a good EPG to schedule recordings you will never want to go back to manually entering times etc.
Personally I'm changing my tone on the MHEG5 epg. I think it's a lot faster on newer machines and it is fairly clearly laid out. That doesn't mean I don't think there shouldn't be EIT data broadcast as well, (there just plain should be), just that the MHEG5 EPG is not that bad.
Gemini: On the Panasonic Aus website the new models have 250GB and 500GB options for both the Blu-ray (BW model) and DVD (XW model) models - cheaper too.
nothing on the NZ site yet
According to the last page of this Panasonic NZ brochure www.panasonic.co.nz/userfiles/file/.../PNZ_Viera_Brochure_Aut_10_low.pdf there is a freeview certified 250GB DVD recorder coming to NZ - the XW380
So now that the new models will have a full EPG AND the ability to transfer HD recordings to Blu-ray or DVD disc (MPEG4) have peoples not so favourable opinions on these products changed?
If that's the case I will probably buy the Blu-Ray model PROVIDED (1) it still has ad-skip (peoper ad-skip, not just fast forwarding) and (2) the price is acceprable $1200-1400 depending on specs is probably what I would be prepared to pay.
Gemini: So now that the new models will have a full EPG?AND the ability to?transfer HD recordings to Blu-ray or DVD disc (MPEG4) have peoples not so favourable opinions on these products changed?
Gemini: So now that the new models will have a full EPG?AND the ability to?transfer HD recordings to Blu-ray or DVD disc (MPEG4) have peoples not so favourable opinions on these products changed?
Can Admin please move this thread to the Freeview forum?
I think/hope Freeview NZ is going to allow HD recordings to be copied to DVD disc using MPEG4 (their Dx recording modes) rendering the old MPEG2 (XP, SP, LP, EP) obsolete and making it possible to get an HD programme on a DVD disc.
I bought one of these from Dick Smith's at $699 - they seem to be in "run out" at the moment, at this price at a number of stores. Limited numbers available - mainly demo units only.
Firmware upgrade is available at http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/bd/download/bw850/nz.html, but can upgrade OTA or from the intenet too. Be careful writing the cd - use ISO9660 Joilet, disc at once. After a couple of attempts (and thinking I'd bricked the unit when it had blown away the old firmware and only partially updated the new one), I used CDBurnerXP and updated in 4 minutes.
Can make it region free with info from http://www.dcevolution.net/panasonic/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=54. I used the OmniRemote PDB Palm solution and it worked fine.
1 big con - the guide only seems to have the names of the programs for the next 4 hours or so, but has a button for +24 hours up to a week ahead. Can use the old fashioned timer settings, but only options are once or weekly - No Mon-Fri, etc options. No G-code either.
Couple of good features is the ability to record from an AV source (not just Freeview channels) and to write DVD's. The 850 (also in "run-out" at $899) can write blu-rays.
Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly
to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.
Retired Mod
Trusted
Biddle Corp
