JCMatthew DVR320t firmware update

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# 928036 6-Nov-2013 10:29

bazzer: It doesn't sound like the same thing. For a start, I don't think the same symptoms are occurring across different brands (other than two specific Zinwell and JCMatthew boxes which are basically identical, I think).

When I say unresponsive, it's simply that it takes somewhere between the normal time and a really long time for the unit to react to the remote. Eventually it will catch up and perform all the operations. Sometimes it's worse, sometimes it's better and it can be fixed by pulling the aerial, all without a reboot. I don't think it's the firmware "completely crashing", as you put it, I think it's just not able to "keep up" with the current transport stream. Not sure if this matches your experience or not?

Okay, thanks for clarifying. My device locks solid and won't respond to anything at all until switched off at the wall, so you're probably right in saying it's a different problem.

Jaxson

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# 928043 6-Nov-2013 10:44

Far too many of these devices are mods of existing Chinese designs, with no significant development history, or quickly whipped up for the NZ market via firmwares changes for local NZ companies, all without the R&D backing of the larger companies such as Sony, Panasonic and Samsung etc.

That said, Panasonic were guilty of not filtering VHF signals into their DVB-T recorders, which caused issues with these that weren't present on their TV's, which did feature the VHF filtering.

I've said it before in this thread and others, but the 'Freeview approved' label is nothing short of a custom locked down feature set and a guarantee the MHEG5 guide would work. Freeview have shown no interest in ensuring devices with their own Logo on them continue to work, which just astounds me.

Virgo

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# 937503 19-Nov-2013 20:00

I can't believe the mux problems caused by Mediaworks are happening again. My JCMatthews pvr is really playing up this time - difficulty using the remote (especially on fast forward and rewind) and freezing/pixelating on recorded programmes. I have emailed Simon again at the JCMatthew Service Centre, but have heard nothing back from him. Ideas anybody?

Skitzotiger

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# 937590 19-Nov-2013 22:00

I emailed Simon over a week ago but no response.... I think I have given up with this now and realise I am going to need to spend some money on a new one. It was never really perfect anyway after the last round of issues. I was looking at the MagicTV 3700 or panasonic. Anyone recommend a good one? Cheers

Apsattv

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# 937645 20-Nov-2013 03:10

What I noticed since the other week, a difference in the timing of the DVB subtitles on TV3. It may have something to do with your issue.

bazzer

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# 938031 20-Nov-2013 17:06

Skitzotiger: I emailed Simon over a week ago but no response.... I think I have given up with this now and realise I am going to need to spend some money on a new one. It was never really perfect anyway after the last round of issues. I was looking at the MagicTV 3700 or panasonic. Anyone recommend a good one? Cheers

The main issue I have is exactly this. I'm happy to buy a new box, but which to buy? This one was Freeview approved when I bought it and now it's junk. I can't help but think that the same thing could happen to the next one I buy. I understand that these kind of appliances are not designed to last forever, but that's not what's happened here. The box works fine, it just wasn't "future proof", which is one of the promises made about buying Freeview approved.

bazzer

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# 938057 20-Nov-2013 17:52

I sent a link and explanation through to the Herald. Maybe they'll pick up the story? The point is not that our "obsolete" PVRs are no longer working well but that the "Freeview approved" concept is meaningless.

KrisBlueNZ

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# 938157 20-Nov-2013 20:36

bazzer: I sent a link and explanation through to the Herald. Maybe they'll pick up the story? The point is not that our "obsolete" PVRs are no longer working well but that the "Freeview approved" concept is meaningless.

You can add me (my mother, actually) to the list of people having trouble with the "freeview-approved" JCMatthew DVR-320T. She has noticed problems for about two weeks, i.e. starting early November 2013.

The obvious symptom is random delays in responding to remote control commands, specifically the Mute button (it's the main one she uses). On most presses, the sound mutes/unmutes and the "MUTE" icon appears/disappears within a few hundred milliseconds, but sometimes, one or both of these can be delayed by as long as ten seconds! (And that's ten real seconds, by the clock, not exaggerated for effect.)

During the delay, the unit appears to ignore the command, so the user keeps pressing buttons on the remote, but the unit is still receiving and queueing up commands. When it's able to respond to them, it gets a flood of unintended commands. This makes the box very difficult and frustrating to use. I can only imagine how much worse it would be if she was making a lot more use of the remote, like most users probably do.

I downloaded and installed a firmware upgrade from http://www.jcmatthew.co.nz/dvr320T_firmware.html (which mentions a date of 14/12/2012) but the symptom remains. System information:

Hardware version: DVR-320T V1.0.0; Software version: DVR-320T V1.2.2 before upgrade, V1.3.0 after upgrade; Loader version: 1.0.2; Release Sep 28 2009 before upgrade, Nov 21 2011 after upgrade; SSU Info: K: 1.0.1; R: 1.0.1; A: 1.2.2 before upgrade, 1.3.0 after upgrade; SSU: 0 before upgrade, 2 after upgrade; Box Info: OUI: 0x59E; H/W model: 10; H/W version: 1; S/W model: 2; S/W version: 256.

I agree with the earlier comments that the organisation that approved this model for the freeview badge, and the organisation that administers the freeview transmission, have a responsibility to maintain the freeview transmission in a form that is reasonably compatible with legacy equipment that's still significantly in use.

It's true that digital TV is a complicated business and compatibility issues exist, but freeview, and particularly the freeview badge, was (and still is) promoted as an integrated system; the user is not told to expect that certified-compatible equipment will have to be replaced after only a few years.

Apsattv

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# 938274 21-Nov-2013 00:59

You should take it to http://freeviewforum.co.nz/ and kick up a fuss about it. The more people that know about the more attention it might get.

Virgo

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# 939062 22-Nov-2013 14:53

I received the following email from Simon yesterday:

We regret to inform you that there is no way to fix this problem as it is caused by the Freeview not the product.

Below is the reply we received from the Freeview.

“It is just because new channels have been added. This will happen again in the future too as there is a whole new multiplex planned for March next year.“

Since the product has been EOL that we can not get any further support from the manufacturer.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

JCMatthew Service Centre

And to add insult to injury, this model is still being advertised on the freeview site, although it states under the product listing: *This product is no longer being manufactured.

butlerboy

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# 939484 23-Nov-2013 13:07

Virgo: This will happen again in the future too as there is a whole new multiplex planned for March next year

This is the best thing I take out of the reply you got. Wonder what will be going on the new mux, hopefully with the new capacity Prime may go HD.
On another note, has anyone taken one of these boxes apart? Can you upgrade the ram etc?

Apsattv

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# 939724 24-Nov-2013 02:55

Virgo: I received the following email from Simon yesterday:

We regret to inform you that there is no way to fix this problem as it is caused by the Freeview not the product. Below is the reply we received from the Freeview. “It is just because new channels have been added. This will happen again in the future too as there is a whole new multiplex planned for March next year.“ Since the product has been EOL that we can not get any further support from the manufacturer.

Thank you for your understanding. Best regards, JCMatthew Service Centre
And to add insult to injury, this model is still being advertised on the freeview site, although it states under the product listing: *This product is no longer being manufactured.

Wow totally NOT acceptable, go to Fairgo you bought a Freeview approved product. You are within your rights to request a refund now.

One of the main claims of certified units was new services will automatically added and unit were certifed as compatible with existing and future services.

Also go on Freeviews Facebook page and make a posting and then watch as they push you back off onto the dealer.

Lashams

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# 941063 26-Nov-2013 13:59

In my opinion this is like having a car where the steering suddenly responds slowly. If this were to happen the car manufacturer would issue a product recall and the issue would be fixed. These companies however think they can simply say the box is no longer certified and out of support. Not acceptable by my standards. I have raised the issue with Fair Go and urge everyone else with this same problem to do the same. If Fair Go get enough input on this they will hopefully air the story. At the very least I think we all should get compensation for a reduced expected product life. I would expect my box to last at least 10 years, or equivilent to the life of a TV. Thus having owned my box for 4 years I would expect a 60% refund of an equivilent product today, to go toward a new box. Raise the issue with fair go and let us try and get a fair go. Cheers.

KrisBlueNZ

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# 941815 27-Nov-2013 16:02

I will be emailing Fair Go as well. I don't know whether there's any point, but it might be worth a go.

If anyone has any responsibility for the problem, I think it's Freeview - specifically the people who Freeview-certified the JCMatthew box.

Even if we don't get any benefit, at least it will remind the those people that there are a lot of different decoders out there, and if they're going to state (or imply) that buying a Freeview-certified box guarantees reasonable performance for a reasonable length of time, they have to bear that in mind when (a) testing boxes for certification - obviously their testing wasn't future-proof, and (b) changing the Freeview transmission - obviously they did not test their recent changes with all certified receivers (or perhaps they just hoped the JCMatthew owners wouldn't kick up a fuss).

On a related subject, a few days ago, the box stopped receiving TV1 and TV2. This might have been due to the firmware update I installed, but perhaps not - apparently other users have had this problem. This can be fixed using Menu -> System -> Set Defaults. This does a re-scan of the channels, and sets them back in Freeview's order - TV1, TV2, TV3, FOUR, Maori, TV1+1, TV2+1, TV3+1, C4, Prime, ...

Jaxson

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# 941849 27-Nov-2013 17:15

Reading this is Déjà vu for me. Looking back I must have rants about this all over the place, right from when freeview didn't offer their EIT data on the new terrestrial platform, which ruled out an EPG instantly for many devices such as Windows Media Centre and the Sony PS3 Play TV product etc.

These guys basically went in to poach customers from SKY TV, despite not having the content to directly compete with SKY. They made a big song and dance about getting a freeview approved unit, and these boxes were all sold as freeview boxes, complete with the freeview logo on the front. Just look back at any of the ask freeview threads and you'll see it's full of offloads to the broadcasts, to the point that it basically appears freeview doesn't actually do anything.

When pushed as to why products made and certified to their standards fail or have issues caused by a change in freeview broadcast systems, freeview don't have anything to say. I went TIVO long ago and it was the best $199 I ever spent. I hate the interface and all, but it has just worked. One day the support for this will go, as it's already a hash of a release with no local support anymore. This will probably leave me with a TV view box only, not a PVR, but so far it's all good. IMO there is a reason there were few big brand name boxes available early on, and we're suffering from buying the quickly hashed software and hardware options some opportunistic resellers got to market in the early days of freeview.

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