[TelstraClear] T-Box issues continued

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [TelstraClear] T-Box issues continued

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151 posts

Master Geek

#546020 16-Nov-2011 13:48

DonGould:

Languages such as MS VBA, Access, Java, PHP, and others, just let you get away with stuff and if you're not on your game it gets away on you. That was simply my point really, not a focus on Java being the wrong tool, that was purely a random thought that seem to attract flys :)

And there's another one. I'm not sure if you are just trying to wind people up, but that first comment shows that you have a complete misunderstanding about Java.

DonGould

3892 posts

Uber Geek

#546031 16-Nov-2011 14:01

BigBadaboom: I'm not sure if you are just trying to wind people up,

No.

BigBadaboom: but that first comment shows that you have a complete misunderstanding about Java.

I think I already half conceded that might be the case.

A decade of talking to people about Java, having spent 2 decades working with 3GL's myself, sure I don't know much about Java, but I've talked to enough people with some degree of clue and perhaps there is a perception issue here.

To accuse me of just wanting to wind people up because the perception I've been left with about Java is that is not robust is just unfair.

I think I have made it more than clear that with respect to this TBox thing, I see a whole bunch of issues and as with any thing like this, it's never just one thing that is the whole issue.

Perhaps a quick summary:

* Telstra have been wound up by a vendor and over sold.
* The hardware in the box is not powerful enough to push the application
* The application is not robust because of poor programing
* The 3GL language choice is in question

What you are saying is that in your view, Java is a robust enough 3GL for this type of application, however its application in this instance is the problem. This is a point I think I conceded a number of posts back making the same comment with respect to VB6 (which has long since been passed by versions of .Net).

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MikeB4

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#546038 16-Nov-2011 14:17

BigBadaboom:
DonGould:

Languages such as MS VBA, Access, Java, PHP, and others, just let you get away with stuff and if you're not on your game it gets away on you. That was simply my point really, not a focus on Java being the wrong tool, that was purely a random thought that seem to attract flys :)

And there's another one. I'm not sure if you are just trying to wind people up, but that first comment shows that you have a complete misunderstanding about Java.

I don't think it's a case if DonGould winding anyone up. He like a lot of others are trying to work out what is wrong with this device. The real issues are...

1. T-Box is not a sound product. There is many issues affecting many users.
2. Users want answers and results in order to gain value for money.
3. Telstra Clear are not forth coming with the full specs of the device that would give folks here
more to work with.
4. Telstra have missed update release dates and there is no real future release dates for updates
5. T-Box is falling short of what could be described as fit for service. As a result customer patience
is being tested to the limit.

r2b2

586 posts

Ultimate Geek

#546041 16-Nov-2011 14:23

KiwiNZ:
3. Telstra Clear are not forth coming with the full specs of the device that would give folks here
more to work with.

To be fair to TCL, this is probably commercially sensitive information. I mean I don't think you can get the full specs for MySky?

MikeB4

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#546042 16-Nov-2011 14:25

r2b2:
KiwiNZ:
3. Telstra Clear are not forth coming with the full specs of the device that would give folks here
more to work with.

To be fair to TCL, this is probably commercially sensitive information. I mean I don't think you can get the full specs for MySky?

It's not really that commercially sensitive. If one were to open the box it would take just a few minutes to determine what is in there.

Now I not suggesting anyone do that as these boxes are owned and remain owned by Telstra Clear.

BigBadaboom

151 posts

Master Geek

#546141 16-Nov-2011 18:24

DonGould:
A decade of talking to people about Java, having spent 2 decades working with 3GL's myself, sure I don't know much about Java, but I've talked to enough people with some degree of clue and perhaps there is a perception issue here.

There definitely is. I talk to a *lot* of people that have this misconception also. I think they may be remembering Java 1.0 from the mid nineties when it was first released. They perhaps remember buggy applets or something and think Java hasn't changed in the past 15 years.

For some reason Java is not extensively used here in NZ. MS is completely entrenched. But in the US and UK etc, it is a completely different story. For example Wall Street is a complete Java shop.

Java is exceedingly robust. It's also fast (approaching C speeds).

What got my goat was that you seemed to half-heartedly concede that I might be right, and then go on to compare it with the robustness VB and PHP. That's why I thought you were trying to stir the pot.

To repeat, there is no grounds to accuse Java of being at fault here. It was the developers that I was suggesting weren't up to scratch.

DonGould

3892 posts

Uber Geek

#546147 16-Nov-2011 18:39

BigBadaboom: What got my goat was that you seemed to half-heartedly concede that I might be right, and then go on to compare it with the robustness VB and PHP. That's why I thought you were trying to stir the pot.

Sorry. I did not mean to offend you.

You are quite right that my current impression of Java robustness is on part with VB and PHP.

Just last week I was talking with someone about a different Java application and got a number of very negative comments. It was that conversation that came to my mind when I made my earlier comments.

BigBadaboom: To repeat, there is no grounds to accuse Java of being at fault here. It was the developers that I was suggesting weren't up to scratch.

Again, I'm sorry, I have not communicated my thoughts well here at all.

I totally agree with you that the developers are a problem here with the TBox. That message is very clear.

Time and time again I saw instances where VB was used badly. People would blame the tool because they simply didn't know how to use it properly.

Because C++ was more complex, I would see less problems because the people using it were simply better programmers in the first instance.

I guess this was my feeling in seeing Java named as the tool set. I when "Oh, Java=People". Two decades ago you'd expect the same comments when people suggested using VB for things.

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BigBadaboom

151 posts

Master Geek

#546196 16-Nov-2011 20:41

I wasn't offended. It's just if you don't correct misconceptions, they get propagated.

You can write beautiful code in any language and you can also write shi**y code.

Fog

372 posts

Ultimate Geek

#546636 17-Nov-2011 19:20

For at least the last two hours, The Guide has been showing "Please Wait" on all channels. This makes it
very difficult to record a programme. Perhaps I am the only one getting this.? Or is this a new problem with
the T/Box?.

RobertT

120 posts

Master Geek

#546807 18-Nov-2011 11:00

Odd behaviour last night.
The news didn't record and none of my future series links etc were showing. I could browse through the planner and play recordings as normal.

I then went to the Fav list and got a message to "please wait". There was no information at all in the EPG.

A reboot of the Motorola Surfboard didn't fix it.

A reboot of the Tbox and the EPG eventually loaded. My series links and other future recordings were also now displaying.

Is it normal that if the EPG is missing, recordings shouldn't work?

r2b2

586 posts

Ultimate Geek

#546808 18-Nov-2011 11:03

RobertT: Odd behaviour last night.
The news didn't record and none of my future series links etc were showing. I could browse through the planner and play recordings as normal.

I then went to the Fav list and got a message to "please wait". There was no information at all in the EPG.

A reboot of the Motorola Surfboard didn't fix it.

A reboot of the Tbox and the EPG eventually loaded. My series links and other future recordings were also now displaying.

Is it normal that if the EPG is missing, recordings shouldn't work?

If the EPG isn't working then I don't think it can properly calculate future recordings past the one its already calculated so sounds normal to me. (This is where a "manual" record would come in useful)

Usually if this happens, I power both TBox and Surfboard off. Wait 15-20 seconds. Start Surfboard and wait for it to fully connect and then start TBox.

Seems to come back a lot quicker if you do that... (well did for me)

Fog

372 posts

Ultimate Geek

#546843 18-Nov-2011 12:21

Fog: For at least the last two hours, The Guide has been showing "Please Wait" on all channels. This makes it
very difficult to record a programme. Perhaps I am the only one getting this.? Or is this a new problem with
the T/Box?.

A reboot had no efffect. The problem was resolved (presumably by Telestra, or Goblins) sometime between 9am and 9.30am this morning, Friday 18th. Will the problems with the T/Box never end?.

DonGould

3892 posts

Uber Geek

#546864 18-Nov-2011 12:57

Fog: A reboot had no efffect. The problem was resolved (presumably by Telestra, or Goblins) sometime between 9am and 9.30am this morning, Friday 18th. Will the problems with the T/Box never end?.

Gary,

What is the problem with the EPG?

Seriously man, I had a digital service 3 years ago and the EPG would just crap it self on that as well. EPG data is a tiny block of xml data and you've got a modem that can do 30mbits/s that can down load it, yet consistently Telstra just don't seem to be able to get EPG delivery right.

I got sick of ringing up to ask why it was so poor. I got sick of rebooting all the hardware just so it would force a reload.

EPG really is to a digital TV solution what toilet paper is to my loo, or chips to fish.

With my Sky service before that I just about never had a problem. I won't claim it was perfect, it wasn't, but it was just in a different ball park to Telstra.

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MikeB4

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#547104 18-Nov-2011 22:33

The saga of my T-Box continues, today it took another step to melt down. When we decided to watch MASH yeah I know it's old, so am I. But to the tale, the T-Box was completely lifeless, it was locked on TV1 the guide would not come up, the menus would not come up, it could not change channel or activate the planner.

Yet another power cycle , I have lost count of how many I have made this week. The power cycle resuscitated the device.

I am so over this.

quickymart

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#547132 19-Nov-2011 06:06

I thought the weekly powercycles were working really well for you? When did they stop doing what they used to?

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