Sony "Previous Channel" Button - sonys reply
 

Having recently sent sony a moaning email about v3.00 of their software
breaking my "previous channel" button on my 32dx150 I recieved the following
reply...
Thank you for your recent enquiry.

The recent software upgrade was made at the request of the broadcasters and
was done to give greater flexibility and improved inter-operability between
MHEG operations. The "Previous Channel" button will now act as a "back-up"
button for digital text services, e.g return to previously viewed page.

The "previous channel" button works normally when you view two channels that
do not have an MHEG application, but when one or both channels have digital
text then the "previous channel" will be used to replace the "Press Red
Button" commonly used in MHEG applications. This is a broadcaster
requirement and is not an issue with Sony sets.

Unfortunately it is not possible to revert back to the previous version of
software.

Does anyone else agree that this an excuse and what he really meant to say
was "Yep, we broke it but wont be fixing it!"

"KingStew" wrote...
Does anyone else agree that this an excuse and what he
really meant to say was "Yep, we broke it but wont be
fixing it!"

Don't hold your breath for Sony to fix anything. I've been waiting 3
years for them to write some software for my KV32DX20 that actually
works.

"KingStew" wrote in message ...
Having recently sent sony a moaning email about v3.00 of their software
breaking my "previous channel" button on my 32dx150 I recieved the following
reply...
Thank you for your recent enquiry.

The recent software upgrade was made at the request of the broadcasters and
was done to give greater flexibility and improved inter-operability between
MHEG operations. The "Previous Channel" button will now act as a "back-up"
button for digital text services, e.g return to previously viewed page.

The "previous channel" button works normally when you view two channels that
do not have an MHEG application, but when one or both channels have digital
text then the "previous channel" will be used to replace the "Press Red
Button" commonly used in MHEG applications. This is a broadcaster
requirement and is not an issue with Sony sets.

Unfortunately it is not possible to revert back to the previous version of
software.

Does anyone else agree that this an excuse and what he really meant to say
was "Yep, we broke it but wont be fixing it!"

I think it's more like - "We have a choice of breaking the channel
return button, or breaking MHEG (because the remote does not have an
MHEG 'back' button), we decided to break the channel return button."

You could always buy the Sony VTXD800U, which has both a back button
and a previous channel button - MHEG has a lot to answer for, and (so
far) little to provide ;-)

So will the red button work as the 'previous' button if Sony have made
the previous button work for 'press red'?

muppets

"KingStew" wrote in message ...
Having recently sent sony a moaning email about v3.00 of their software
breaking my "previous channel" button on my 32dx150 I recieved the following
reply...
Thank you for your recent enquiry.

The recent software upgrade was made at the request of the broadcasters and
was done to give greater flexibility and improved inter-operability between
MHEG operations. The "Previous Channel" button will now act as a "back-up"
button for digital text services, e.g return to previously viewed page.

The "previous channel" button works normally when you view two channels that
do not have an MHEG application, but when one or both channels have digital
text then the "previous channel" will be used to replace the "Press Red
Button" commonly used in MHEG applications. This is a broadcaster
requirement and is not an issue with Sony sets.

Unfortunately it is not possible to revert back to the previous version of
software.

Does anyone else agree that this an excuse and what he really meant to say
was "Yep, we broke it but wont be fixing it!"

At least you are getting upgrades. I have an old Phillips set and they have
just stopped supporting altogether,


"Alan Pemberton" wrote in message
rve.co.uk.invalid...
KingStew wrote:

The recent software upgrade was made at the request of the broadcasters
and
was done to give greater flexibility and improved inter-operability
between
MHEG operations. The "Previous Channel" button will now act as a
"back-up"
button for digital text services, e.g return to previously viewed page.

I haven't seen another DTT handset that has a 'back-up' button.

The "previous channel" button works normally when you view two channels
that
do not have an MHEG application, but when one or both channels have
digital
text then the "previous channel" will be used to replace the "Press Red
Button" commonly used in MHEG applications.

The Red button does this on most receivers.

This is a broadcaster
requirement and is not an issue with Sony sets.

Sounds like Sony bull**** to me.

--
Alan Pemberton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England
http://www.pembers.freeserve.co.uk/
'From' and 'Reply To' fields are invalid.
Avoid my spambox by replying to My First

So will the red button work as the 'previous' button if Sony have made
the previous button work for 'press red'?

Hmm, I did read that bit, but figured that the person who sent the
e-mail doesn't have a clue.... I very much doubt that the 'previous
channel' button will perform the job of the 'red' button! However,
MHEG does have a requirement for a 'back' button (though few apps use
it).

But only after an MHEG application has been entered/selected/activated.
Until such time, all channel change functions on the remote should remain as
expected. For example, the number keys should only be used for MHEG after
the TEXT button or a coloured button has been pressed to confirm that the
MHEG application is to be used. It would be at this time that the
CANCEL/EXIT/Previous Channel button would function as the MHEG CANCEL button
(It was ONdigital that decided to call this EXIT - the MHEG docs called it
CANCEL). Once the MHEG application had been exited/terminated, all channel
change buttons (eg the numbers and previous channel button) should revert to
their normal usage. This is another example of Sony not being able to think
out and code software properly. I see nothing wrong with the key acting as a
CANCEL button when in an MHEG application and a Previous Channel key when
out of an MHEG app. This used to be the case prior to the recent upgrade.
Ideally there would be 2 buttons, but given the existing remote, the
previous behaviour is definitely preferable.

Mark

"Mark Coley" wrote in message ...
So will the red button work as the 'previous' button if Sony have made
the previous button work for 'press red'?

Hmm, I did read that bit, but figured that the person who sent the
e-mail doesn't have a clue.... I very much doubt that the 'previous
channel' button will perform the job of the 'red' button! However,
MHEG does have a requirement for a 'back' button (though few apps use
it).

But only after an MHEG application has been entered/selected/activated.
Until such time, all channel change functions on the remote should remain as
expected. For example, the number keys should only be used for MHEG after
the TEXT button or a coloured button has been pressed to confirm that the
MHEG application is to be used. It would be at this time that the
CANCEL/EXIT/Previous Channel button would function as the MHEG CANCEL button
(It was ONdigital that decided to call this EXIT - the MHEG docs called it
CANCEL). Once the MHEG application had been exited/terminated, all channel
change buttons (eg the numbers and previous channel button) should revert to
their normal usage. This is another example of Sony not being able to think
out and code software properly. I see nothing wrong with the key acting as a
CANCEL button when in an MHEG application and a Previous Channel key when
out of an MHEG app. This used to be the case prior to the recent upgrade.
Ideally there would be 2 buttons, but given the existing remote, the
previous behaviour is definitely preferable.

Although the key is called 'exit' or 'cancel' to MHEG, it does not
mean that the MHEG application will terminate when this key is pressed
- it is up to the application how it is used, more often that not if
an MHEG application is available on a channel it is impossible to
terminate it, if 'exited' it simply doesn't display anything, and will
only respond to the colour keys, text and cancel (if it is coded to do
so).

An MHEG application is automatically started when you change to a
channel, and the MHEG docs specifically state that the colour keys,
text and cancel button shall not be used for channel surfing, so
therefore if Sony only have the one button to use as 'previous
channel' and 'mheg cancel' then they way they've now inplemented it is
the only way to do so without breaking the MHEG spec.

For instance, it's perfectly within spec for an MHEG author to write
an app that when you change to a channel pops up a banner which
provides some info and says press cancel/exit to remove this banner -
in your scenario, you wouldn't be able to remove this on the Sony IDTV
as the 'exit/cancel' button would change to the previous channel :-)

I agree it's not ideal, and it's unfortunately a limitation of the
remote, but I doubt you'll persuade Sony to provide all users with a
new remote as well as an upgrade!

"toller" wrote...
Think yourself lucky - the first generation of Sony IDTV's used
the colour buttons to do the audio/TV mode/contrast etc, and
these would only then work when MHEG wasn't running in the
background!!

Mine uses the blue button to change the aspect ratio. So when it was
able to tune into The Hits, I had to be fast with the remote to get it
into Zoom mode before the MHEG "press red" application loaded. Now that
it won't tune to The Hits at all I don't notice this so much, but that
isn't quite the solution I was hoping for!

Fortunately I was able to borrow an older Sony remote from a non-IDTV
that had the aspect ratio on a dedicated button, not one of the colour
buttons, and that also worked for changing the aspect ratio on my IDTV.
So I've put that code into a learning remote control.

I have been trying out this button and it doesnt even seem to do what sony
say it should!

"KingStew" wrote in message
...
Having recently sent sony a moaning email about v3.00 of their software
breaking my "previous channel" button on my 32dx150 I recieved the
following
reply...
Thank you for your recent enquiry.

The recent software upgrade was made at the request of the broadcasters
and
was done to give greater flexibility and improved inter-operability
between
MHEG operations. The "Previous Channel" button will now act as a "back-up"
button for digital text services, e.g return to previously viewed page.

The "previous channel" button works normally when you view two channels
that
do not have an MHEG application, but when one or both channels have
digital
text then the "previous channel" will be used to replace the "Press Red
Button" commonly used in MHEG applications. This is a broadcaster
requirement and is not an issue with Sony sets.

Unfortunately it is not possible to revert back to the previous version of
software.

Does anyone else agree that this an excuse and what he really meant to say
was "Yep, we broke it but wont be fixing it!"