The simple solutuin would be for Pete to post Beta firmware on his website, with a clear warning that it is Beta. That way anyone could try it out and provide feedback. Everyone wins. A previous poster has managed to downgrade his firmware, so you wouldn't be stuck with dodgy software if you didn't want it.
If Pete really wants to sell the best STB in NZ, its success heavily depends on the firmware that comes with it. Why not collaberatively develop the software with your end users?
So it looks like there won't be any further updates on the eXtra Terrestrial box direct from Pete as he has been banned from Geekzone.
freitasm: pete9321 has been banned because he had already been warned about his posts referring to competitors' products in a bad way.
True or not it is unethical for a company to refer to competitors like this in a discusson initiated by users. It wasn't his first post on this subject and after a couple of warnings I think it's time.
Given the tone of some of his recent posts it's no surprise really, but it's a stupid way for any company to behave. Being able to use a forum like this to provide factual updates and respond to requests for information on a product is very valuable for a manufacturer or importer. To jeopardise that by slagging-off competitors is lunacy.
He'd bee toeing the line for a long time, so no surprises there.
It is a good example of how not to do business on Geekzone.
If he had got the fellow geeks on his side early on and delivered on his promises, rather than rubbing them up the wrong way, he would have had a good product and a number of people spreading the word about it.
Yeah in the end I've given up on the ET box, its gathering dust, and put my geek hat on and got MythTV working with Freeview, ok it costs a bit more, but the PVR protion is very good and there is an enormous amount of support with forums and mailing lists etc.
The ET is a funny one. I watched the new CSI Vegas last night, awesome 5.1 sound right from the start, no audio dropouts for me basically ever on 5.1 dolby shows, so all good. Great picture, but will need a reboot soon as some of the menus aren't disappearing off the screen sometimes again.
Pretty much lost my support when the initially often updates stopped coming, and it was made clear that the problems I and my friends were having weren't real and there would be no updates for them.
On a good day the official DSE zinwell is the same price and includes an hdmi cable and has over the air updates if needed and as far as I'm aware doesn't have many problems, more just doesn't have some functionality like hd over component or an auto resolution option to just pass the native broadcast resolution on to the tv.
My ET will be sold or moved to a second TV if and when the PlayTV addon ever arrives for the PS3. This gives twin tuners and means only one box in my lounge. I think the Hyundai sat/uhf hd PVR is plan B and this will receive the sat only channels as well.
I agree - I watched CSI last night too - Had only one audio drop out - And no other problems. I hardly watch TV via my ET so have the problems havn't been that big a deal for me.
But I did enjoy the dolby 5.1 last nite.
I am still taking a wait & see with the ET. When I brought it great price comparativly & for the two shows a week I watch in HD the problems are minimal.
If its is ever fixed - Yay if not no panic watch most things via my popcorn hour any way.
I got one in Jan, and I have 2 issues. One, is that when I change input on TV from anything to Freeview, the audio is out of sync. Easily corrected by changing channels. I updated firmware and no fix, that firmware fixed the issue where audio slowly goes out of sync. Sommet are excellent in trying to locate the cause
Picture is superb.
Im not a Freeview expert, quite the opposite, so I am not up to speed with specs, but there seems a lot of issues across the board with all recievers. Can you enlighten me on your negatives on the Sommet?
The other issue is that I cannot get HD when outputting via SCART or AV to my DVD Recorder, it has jaggies. Is this the norm as I heard that Freeview wont allow HD out apart ftom to a TV? I would even be happy with a normal, ok picture form Sommet to DVD Recorder, but HD eps have jaggies and non HD is normal
Pete's been put on the naughty step (and quite rightly too - I was surprised he got away with for so long!), so won't be able to post here - see earlier posts in this thread (over last weekend, I think). Or did you know this, and weren't expecting a reply from him?
tdgeek: The other issue is that I cannot get HD when outputting via SCART or AV to my DVD Recorder, it has jaggies. Is this the norm as I heard that Freeview wont allow HD out apart ftom to a TV? I would even be happy with a normal, ok picture form Sommet to DVD Recorder, but HD eps have jaggies and non HD is normal
Only the hdmi and component (red green and blue rca plugs) video outputs are capable of hd resolutions. the yellow composite rca plug and the svideo outputs are only ever capable of standard resolutions.
Approved boxes only output HD resolutions on hdmi. The component output, whilst capable of HD, has been limited to standard resolutions. The ET is not an approved box, so can output HD on hdmi AND component. If the summit is approved, it will only output HD on hdmi only, like all other approved boxes.
There is a big variation in the quality of the standard definition output between the boxes. The Zinwell/DSE versions output a very good standard definitioin signal, which is very useful to feed into another dvd/hdd recorder unit. The ET outputs a fairly blocky picture on standard definition outputs like s-video and composite rca. At some times it's is ok, but most of the time it is blocky, and I think this relates to the channel/program you are watching. Also one of the RCA audio outputs is very distorted, so try not to use that one to feed off to your recorder either!
These problems, RCA audio distortion, blocky standard def output, audio dropouts on dig coax/opt out on non 5.1 shows, clock that varies over time (even after supposed fix) etc are what I refered to earlier as problems that apparently are not real and will not be addressed in any future updates.
After new aerial, cables etc i still have the pixilation and im still not to happy about the re-booting but so far its not been to anoying so ive decided to go and try the next step and install some form of signal amplifier to try and get rid of this picture problem. Im going on the theory that even if i go for a refund on the extra terrestrial all the changes i have done will still be a good thing for a replacement STB either way.
Who can recomend or tell me where i can purchase a suitable gain improving amplifier that can run off the 5V aerial power option on the extra terrestrial??
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