BHN New software

[stevenl]

Those of you who have received a converter box in the past 2-3 months will notice its drastic new software, although it has a few neat features my overall impression of it is its a hunk of garbage. First off it takes like 5 mins to boot the dam box up and 15-20 mins to boot it for the first time on account. It seems to respond much slower then the passport software, although it does have a lot of neat features. Like the built in on-demand systems and such. That allow you to goto 1 channel and see all the on-demand content in categories. Its pretty neat but eh, the software sucks. Not to mention the problems with it needing a cable card, and the pairing issues. WTF does the cable company need to give out boxes with cards for? I understand a mandate to require them to have cards that would work with consumer purchased boxes (not really but its more understandable then forcing the cable companies to carry them) Anyway back to my rant. The software sucks right now I hope they fix it fast!!! Otherwise alot of pissed off customers. THey arleady are lighting up the phone lines to complain, and begging for the old boxes. But guess what. The FCC want let us use them so sorry

 

[Saxamoophone]

Yeah, I was one of the "lucky" ones to get this new software.

It's slow.

It's buggy.

The Audio is also a major problem. On a lot of hd-programming the sound will come in and out.

They REALLY need to get an software upgrade out there soon!

 

[jcarrera]

Does this bad software apply to the DVR's also?

 

[Isomorphic]

You mean it's worse than the software on the normal SA8300's?

Is that possible?

 

[stevenl]

The Passport software on the regular boxes is wonderful. Works fine very little lag. This new "OCAP" More like OH CRAP" Software is HORRID. and to answer jcarrea it is on all the new boxes. All the "Removable Security" boxes. Basically all the ones that end in HDC (i think it is) Like 8300HDC, for the dvr and 3250hdc for the normal boxes. I beleive though BHN will be soon moving to ALL dvr installs. but they will disable the DVR functions unless you pay for the service. So this will save a trouble call/upgrade if you want a dvr they can turn it on / off at the office.

 

[Saxamoophone]

So get this...

7:50 PM last night (after watching the dvr for 30-40 minutes) they FORCE a software update of this new crappy DVR on me!

The DVR becomes useless, everything stops recording, the update takes 5 minutes + the 15 minute reboot.

You would THINK they could have done this at 4am or something.....

I think it is actually running SLOWER now too!

Can I have the old software back? pretty please...

 

[jcarrera]

That is incredibly insensitive (read that as 'stupid') to do that at that time. Geesh.

 

[jcarrera]

Holy Toledo!! This is incredibly stupid!!

Obviously, I have gotten a new software download too. Now on screen displays like the channel guide automatically disappear after a short time EVEN IF YOU ARE SCROLLING THROUGH THEM.

Good God almighty. Has BHN not got any sense whatsoever? Don't they check out the SW changes before releasing them?

This is almighty STUPID! This is almighty STUPID! This is almighty STUPID! This is almighty STUPID!

ONE HOUR LATER: Now it is not doing it. What the heck is going on!?

 

[stevenl]

Yea this OCAP software is crap. Its a custom built system TWC.BHN has been working on so it can be modular, and they can do more advanced stuff with it.... But it obviously was not ready for prime time. I think they had to push it to soon. (I think the biggest problem was they were spending so much money to make this software, it made no sense to buy the new passport software (to support the removable-security) when they already are spending so much on this new software that does the same thing) I understand the reason for pushing it so quick (dam fcc time table would not give bhn an extension like that did other companies att/verizon etc etc) any who, enough bitching at the FCC the software still sucks regardless

 

[iceturkee]

is bhn even thinking these at all these days? first, was pivot and although that was in beta, the whole program was plaqued with problems from the start. now, they release software that apparently doesn't have all the kinks worked out. yikes.

 

[Saxamoophone]

Holy Toledo!! This is incredibly stupid!!

Obviously, I have gotten a new software download too. Now on screen displays like the channel guide automatically disappear after a short time EVEN IF YOU ARE SCROLLING THROUGH THEM.

Good God almighty. Has BHN not got any sense whatsoever? Don't they check out the SW changes before releasing them?

This is almighty STUPID! This is almighty STUPID! This is almighty STUPID! This is almighty STUPID!

ONE HOUR LATER: Now it is not doing it. What the heck is going on!?

Yeah, I tried it again last night, and I *think* all is well again.
In fact I was *gasp* able to record House last night on FOX and actually HAVE WORKING audio for once!

There may be hope yet!

 

[stevenl]

I may be jumping the gun by calling it CRAP software (because all the neat things it WILL do) I call it junk because I dont think its ready for primetime It was rushed to much.. But once complete the new features will be fun

 

[jcarrera]

I may be jumping the gun by calling it CRAP software (because all the neat things it WILL do) I call it junk because I dont think its ready for primetime It was rushed to much.. But once complete the new features will be fun

...and in the meantime, customers should do what? Praise BHN for "trying?"

 

[stevenl]

No they should wait it out. I think they will be happy with the final product and it will be worth the wait. Newer versions are already being released, with updates and patches and its getting less buggy. Windows 3.1 when it came out was not the greatest, win95 got better win98 imrpvoed winME sucked winXP got better and now Vista thus far is great. I never judge something on the beta, or first run, I usually wait till round two. I look at the history of the product and or company. If they constantly show improvement then I wait it out till its improved. When Win98 came out it was way more buggy then 95 when sp2 came out it fixed a majority of that. The same can be said with BHN. When they first went full digital with simulcast, we had problems out the ass our service call rates went over 10x the normal demand, we had 4-5 day waits on service calls and had contractors doing service calls. Why? Because the system was new, and it needed to be fixed and worked out. BHN fixed the problems with the simulcast quickly and efficiently and made it better, I have the same hope they will do it with this software. I have seen the complete versions of it with all its features and am impressed and cant wait till its fully deployed. However I stand with you and all the customers who say currently it sucks and is horrid and I have decided not to get a HDDVR yet, because I cannot get a box without the new software!! So I will wait, till I upgrade and add a new box (or replace my old dvr) until the software is up to snuff for my opinion.

 

[jcarrera]

"No they should wait it out. I think they will be happy with the final product and it will be worth the wait."

That is like buying a car with tires that wobble and the dealer says, "just wait--the next model won't wobble. We'll give it to you free. It will be worth the wait."

Of course, waiting is all we can do, but believe this, it isn't because that is the proper course or what we want to do. It is because there is no other course.

It is another example of incompetence and not caring a hoot about your customers or your reputation, because you know you won't lose many customers even treating them this way.

 

[stevenl]

Dish and Directv are another course. People have choices, they choose to stay with BHN because they know its the better choice in the long haul. and the software is not a "wobbley wheel" It works, it does what it is suppose to do. it changes channels has a guide and lets you use the on-demand etc type features. if anything its like buying a car before AC was invented. When they invent AC and bring it out, you'll want to dump the old car and get the new one, then forget you ever had a car without AC. The problems I speak of are mainly on a backend side, that customers do not notice nor understand (like the crappy diagnostics interface, and how many steps it takes to get there) or the fact it takes 5mins to boot up. These are crappy issues but not ones that affect your TV viewing. (unless you like to reboot your box every hour or something) My other gripe was lack of features, which as I said is just something we have to wait on as they are coming out and being released many already notice the upgrades (why it happend at those times I had no idea unless it was some form of a security update and needed to be pushed asap)

and again, this software would of been done before release if the FCC granted BHN the extension they requested. Giving them an extra YEAR to perfect the technology and get it ready for primetime. They gave one to Verizon, they gave one to ATT. So those two companies were not forced to rush anything out. If you stop looking at things with a one track and see the reasons behind things happening you don't feel so upset about it.

 

[jcarrera]

I disagree. If it were things customers don't notice, you wouldn't have all the complaints you see here and elsewhere. The software does not work well, and people DO notice it. It is not a matter of "I wish it had 'this' feature or enhancement" as you are saying. Things that are already there don't work well.

 

[stevenl]

Most of the complaints are because it does not do what the software prior did. That it looks different and does not seem to run as fast. The recent updates have fixed a lot of that. It still has not fixed the fact it takes forever to reboot it! Which is annoying as hell to our installers/service techs who now have to spend an extra 10 mins at a house or more just waiting for the box to be authorized and boot up

 

[jcarrera]

Still wrong. I read back through. Not a single one was about "it used to _____, but now _____." Every one I read was about true issues--audio in and out, running slow, etc. Stop trying to defend BHN to the hilt no matter what. They've put out bad software. Period.

Steven, we really understand you standing up for BHN as you work for them, but man you need to start either acknowledging the places they go astray or stand silent. The continuous defense can only serve to make people question the validity of your answers.

An example: you constantly throw out that the FCC caused it (whatever the 'it' of the moment is). OK, we agree the FCC made a stupid rule. But BHN implemented it in, obviously, a completely inadequate way--a way that causes substantial annoyance to their customers. The implementation is BHN's, not the FCC's.

 

[stevenl]

umm mcfly I started this thread, about how crappy the software was.. I think I made it perfectly clear how disappointed as was.. But that does not mean I cannot explain the reasons why things have happened. If you stop thinking 1 dimensional and realize how much is at play and its not as easy as "clicking a switch to fix every problem" You would understand. Thats the problem with a lot of customers they think this cable system just runs itself, that there are no problems, that things don't 'just happen' they bitch when service goes out but id estimate over 75% of the outages I go to are NOT in anyway BHNs fault, but we take the blame for it. Rather it be someone cutting a line, or just mother nature and her lightning. Being apart of this industry I understand how it works and the reasons why things happen. I don't just look at it and say "That evil cable company!!" First off BHN is not in the software business, they pay a company to make it, Secondly they were expecting so was BHN an extension to have time to test the software. They were denied, because of this denial they have to release the software prematurely. That is fact and that is why it took 3 months to get these updates in to make it at least bearable! Lets try not to let facts interfere with our "Bash the evil cable company" though...