News Item - Sky to Conduct Major Upgrades of Set-Top Box Software

In article .uk,
says...
Adam Dawes wrote:

My Sky software EPG wish list :-

- Make it so that when setting the favourite channels, pressing Backup
doesn't immediately discard the changes without asking for confirmation.
I've lost count of the number of times I've done that.

I'd happily second that.

I'm glad that it is to be made easier for us to access subtitles. With a
small baby in the house, sometimes subtitles can become incredibly handy
at a moment's notice.

Add to wishlist:

Subtitles that are always available on "888", not digibox-generated so they're
recorded on top of the programme.

Kids take a long time to learn the meaning of the word "quiet".
--

Dom Robinson Gamertag: DVDfever email: dom at dvdfever dot co dot uk
/* http://DVDfever.co.uk (editor)
/* 940 DVDs, 259 games, 33 videos, 67 cinema films, 69 CDs, laserdiscs & news
/* star trek nemesis, bringing down the house, phone booth, human nature
"Your eyes, they take me... to eternity." - Natalie Imbruglia, Identify

Please can someone post the substantive details here? I refuse to waste
my bandwidth visiting the above website.

Why should others?

James Masterton wrote:

In message , NO LOGO
writes

News Item - Sky to Conduct Major Upgrades of Set-Top Box Software

http://logofreetv.org/redirect.asp?i=2684


Please can someone post the substantive details here? I refuse to waste
my bandwidth visiting the above website.
Bling.....and the logofree site does take a while to load doesn't it?

--
Update : Sky to Conduct Major Upgrades of Set-Top Box Software

BSkyB, the company behind the UK's SkyDigital satellite-TV platform, is
soon to conduct 2 major software upgrades of its set-top boxes. The
first upgrade, which will affect all Sky boxes, will implement a new
encryption standard from NDS, and introduce new features such as 2-
button access to Sky's subtitles/closed-caption service. (Note:
activation/de-activation of the subtitles service currently involves
accessing and changing options on EPG menus, and thus takes viewers away
from the program they were watching.) The second upgrade will finally
allow subscribers who are equipped with the Sky+ DVR to record
programming from 2 different channels at the same time, while either
watching one of those channels or a previously recorded program. This
"dual recording" functionality was actually first promised by Sky 11
months ago.

The security upgrade, on which Sky has reportedly spent over £100
million, and which has entailed issuing new viewing cards to all
subscribers, is being closely watched by the UK television industry.
This is because the approximately 700,000 UK households that own a
satellite receiver but do not subscribe to Sky's service will lose
access to the digital transmissions of ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 as
a result of the upgrade. Around 367,000 of those households are former
Sky customers whose subscription has lapsed, while around 333,000 of
them are users of "Solus" viewing cards. The BBC used to issue Solus
cards, which decrypt free-to-air analog terrestrial channels that are
broadcast on Sky's satellite system, in order to make its channels
available to owners of satellite receivers who are not Sky subscribers.
(Note: in some parts of the UK, analog terrestrial reception is so poor
that the only way to receive the UK's 5 analog terrestrial channels is
via satellite.) However, the Corporation has ceased its support of the
Solus card, now that it is broadcasting its channels unencrypted on the
Astra 2D satellite (see [itvt] Issue 4.98 3/12/03). The UK government
has new powers, contained in the recently passed Communications Act, to
force the free-to-air broadcast of the UK's analog terrestrial channels
on all platforms, but it is unclear whether it will use these. It is
also unclear whether the Independent Television Network will--as some
have called on it to do--step in and support the issue of new Solus
cards that would be compatible with Sky's new encryption system.

The Sky+ upgrade, meanwhile, has apparently been plagued by problems
associated with the EPG menu structure and functionality needed to
ensure ease-of-use and avoid recording conflicts. What was originally
expected to be the final software release seems to still be causing
technical headaches in testing, and Sky is now indicating to subscribers
that dual recording will not be available on the Sky+ box until October.

"James Masterton" wrote in message
...
In message , NO LOGO
writes

News Item - Sky to Conduct Major Upgrades of Set-Top Box Software

http://logofreetv.org/redirect.asp?i=2684

Please can someone post the substantive details here? I refuse to waste
my bandwidth visiting the above website.


Aaah.

In article ,
says...
James Masterton wrote:

In message , NO LOGO
writes

News Item - Sky to Conduct Major Upgrades of Set-Top Box Software

http://logofreetv.org/redirect.asp?i=2684


Please can someone post the substantive details here? I refuse to waste
my bandwidth visiting the above website.
Bling.....and the logofree site does take a while to load doesn't it?

Look at a few other ng posts while it loads up?
--

Dom Robinson Gamertag: DVDfever email: dom at dvdfever dot co dot uk
/* http://DVDfever.co.uk (editor)
/* 940 DVDs, 259 games, 33 videos, 67 cinema films, 69 CDs, laserdiscs & news
/* star trek nemesis, bringing down the house, phone booth, human nature
"Your eyes, they take me... to eternity." - Natalie Imbruglia, Identify

In uk.tech.tv.sky Adam Dawes wrote:
My Sky software EPG wish list :-

All sounds nice, sensible and achievable. Probably never happen. I'd also
like to see:
snip
- Expand the number of favourite channels past 20 (why not 50? or 100?)

Or a way to re-sort the channels.

- Make it so that when setting the favourite channels, pressing Backup
doesn't immediately discard the changes without asking for confirmation.
I've lost count of the number of times I've done that.

Anyone for any more?

At the moment, I have to remember when the programmes happen, and can't
see at a glance what movies I can tape. (well, stream to disk)

There isn't a way to immediately know, on the search and scan banner
how much of a program you've missed.
It'd be nice if there was something other than just "NOW" shown.

The option to turn on a bit before programme times, I find that it can
often turn on several seconds after the program begins.

After all, it records the adverts at the end...

The option for the "this programme is about to start" before a program
on the same channel.

As someone else said, being able to get info for the programs coming up
on the "search and scan" banner.

--
http://inquisitor.i.am/ | | Ian Stirling.
---------------------------+-------------------------+--------------------------
"Looks like his brainwaves crash a little short of the beach..." - Duckman.

"Adam Grant" wrote in message
...

"James Masterton" wrote in message
...
In message , NO LOGO
writes

News Item - Sky to Conduct Major Upgrades of Set-Top Box Software

http://logofreetv.org/redirect.asp?i=2684

Please can someone post the substantive details here? I refuse to waste
my bandwidth visiting the above website.

Reading into that, Sky are just improving their already pretty secure
encryption in return for shabby software whilst there's the usual moan over
getting the government to force FTA channels to PAY for FTV cards.
Problem is FTA means FTA not FTV..So why should FTA channels be forced to
pay Sky a penny?
If Sky can't give it's box owners the free channels that are free on any
other platform then that should tell the customer to ditch the Sky box!

Chris Vowles wrote:

- a "previous channel" button so you can quickly switch between two
channels (most analogue Satellite boxes had such a RCL button),

This one has been the number one request since the day the Sky box was
first launched. Sky have consistently maintained that there is no
demand for this feature. The backup key could clearly serve this
function when the box is not generating OSGs.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/guiv
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

Steeler wrote:

- Controllable opacity for the EPG, so I can make it semi-transparent.

I think the EPG is a separate channel of its own - so if it were transparent
all you would see under it is a black screen

Perhaps he means the search and scan banner? This could be made
semi-transparent on the lines of the BBC digitext news pages.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/guiv
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

Andy wrote:

The security upgrade, on which Sky has reportedly spent over £100
million, and which has entailed issuing new viewing cards to all
subscribers, is being closely watched by the UK television industry.

Only £100million? So the payments for encryption services from ITV
alone will pay for that in just 6 years, not to mention all the other
channels.


This is because the approximately 700,000 UK households that own a
satellite receiver but do not subscribe to Sky's service will lose
access to the digital transmissions of ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 as
a result of the upgrade. Around 367,000 of those households are former
Sky customers whose subscription has lapsed, while around 333,000 of
them are users of "Solus" viewing cards.

I would bet a substantial amount that the number of viewers with
expired subscription cards is many times greater than the figure
quoted. Sadly we shall probably never know.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/guiv
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)