New firmware released for IceBox 1.11.6

[Daniel Hall at IceTV]

We have a new firmware update available for the IceBox that is recommended for all users.

We have worked long and hard on this release to ensure that a soft reset is not required as part of the upgrade, however if you do experience issues after the upgrade then we would recommend performing a 'soft reset' using the procedure at How do I reset the network or IceBox or rescan channels?

This firmware has the following updates:

• All new firmware based on version 11.0.6 of the LibreELEC operating system with lots of stability and performance improvements.
• Massive overhaul of IceBox's timer handling to ensure you never miss your scheduled recordings.
• We have changed the format of recorded shows to ensure that subtitles (closed captions) are now available on recordings. This will apply only to newly recorded shows.
• Timeshift has been enabled to allow for automatic rewinding of live tv.
• AutoSkip has been added to this firmware, so when possible commercials will be automatically detected and then skipped during playback. This will apply only to newly recorded shows.

NOTE: If doing an upgrade subtitles will be enabled by default on all recordings (after performing a soft reset it will default to off). To change this:

• Start watching a previously recorded show then press the "OK" button on the remote control.
• Go across to the "Subtitles" option along the menu at the bottom of the screen (it's the second last option) and select it by pressing the "OK" button on the remote control.
• Change the setting to off for "Enable subtitles", then scroll down to "Set as default for all media" and press the "OK" button on the remote control.
• It will ask you confirm the change, select "Yes".
• Go across to the "Close" button on the right of the window, then press the "OK" button on the remote control.

Automatic commercial detection is enabled by default on this firmware. If you wish to disable it, please follow these steps:

• On the home screen of the IceBox if you go down to "Add-ons".
• Then go across to the big "IceTV" logo and press the "OK" button on the remote control.
• On the settings screen select "Automatic Commercial Detection" to disable it.
• Go across to the "OK" button on the right hand side, then when highlighted press the "OK" button on the remote control.

The update to this firmware is almost completely automatic, the IceBox checks with our servers for a new release and will download it automatically for you.

Once it has downloaded you will get a notification in the top right hand corner of the screen that advises that an update is available.

When you see this message all you need to do to apply the firmware update is to reboot the IceBox.

Press the power button on the remote control and a menu will come up for "Power Options", go down to "Reboot" and press the "OK" button on the remote control.

The IceBox will reboot twice, after the first reboot you will see some text on the screen as the update is applied, then it will reboot again into the new IceBox firmware. You will know the process is complete once the normal IceBox home screen is shown.

The first time the new firmware loads a migration of your settings will occur, this will include a re-scan of channels, this is all automatic and you will be updated on the progress through it. Once the migration is complete your IceBox will reboot one last time.

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

Thanks Daniel.

[Daniel Hall at IceTV]

For some more technical info this release also has a much more updated version of TVHeadEnd (it's from just after the parental labels patch)  and some other wireless tweaks as well.

[GreyNomad]

Thanks Daniel.

Do you need to have the IceBox on a particular screen or just up and running?
Is there also a KODI update in this release?

[Daniel Hall at IceTV]

No particular screen at all, as long as you are running 1.11.3 already it will auto update in the background, and once it's downloaded automatically a simple reboot will apply the update.

Kodi was updated to 20.3, so just a point release.

[vader1111]

A few things to note about the automatic commercial detection...

• The detection process runs after the recording has finished.  It can take a while, depending on which channel you were recording (SD vs HD), and how long the recording was (i.e. file size).  Be patient!
• The detection process handles one recording at a time, to prevent overloading the CPU.  This means you may need to be extra patient if you have multiple recordings finishing around the same time.
• The commercial detection works really well on most recordings - but not all.  There are some shows where it really struggles (most notably The Chase Australia), but I'd suggest that it does a great job on 95% of recordings.  Hopefully Dan will have time to continue tweaking it, now that this major release is out the door.

Having tested this firmware over the last few weeks, I think it's a massive improvement on the previous firmware.  Dan has done an awesome job.  Hopefully all the users will appreciate the hard work he has put into improving the product as much as he has.

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

(it's from just after the parental labels patch)

Do you enable this feature in your setup process?
If not, I can give you some code to add the Australian rating labels plus icons.

[IanL-S]

Another beta tester testimonial.
The advertising break detection is sufficiently accurate for a good user experience. Occasionally I have seen the detected break being short than the actual break. I do not recall problems with the start. Very occasionally I have found an break not being detected.

Closed captions (subtitles) now work reliably, and in color - sometimes multiple colors to differential what different characters are saying. To get the best closed caption experience the recordings are now use MKV container rather than *.ts (transport stream). I did not test the new build with *.ts rather than *.mkv, but have done so with earlier builds.

[Hati]

The process worked as advertised, except for one small (or large if you ask my better half) issue: the rescan completely ignored Channel 7. Got everything but 7 back.

What now?

[vader1111]

The process worked as advertised, except for one small (or large if you ask my better half) issue: the rescan completely ignored Channel 7. Got everything but 7 back.

What now?

Soft reset, and hope that it picks up the 7 network next time around.

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

The process worked as advertised, except for one small (or large if you ask my better half) issue: the rescan completely ignored Channel 7. Got everything but 7 back.

What now?

I found that my Ice-supplied USB tuner is susceptible to loose antenna connections.  Giving the antenna connection a bit of tweak and re-seating helps when I have tuning issues.

[Hati]

Soft reset, and hope that it picks up the 7 network next time around.

Did that, no joy. As a matter of fact, going to Settings/General/Channels and selecting Channel scan, gives me a "None of the connected PVR backends support scanning for channels". WTF??

I found that my Ice-supplied USB tuner is susceptible to loose antenna connections.  Giving the antenna connection a bit of tweak and re-seating helps when I have tuning issues.

Tried that too. No joy. I am using proper crimp on RG6 connectors, but I moved them a bit anyway. Still no 7 network.

I know it for a fact it was present before the update.

[Ian_AW]

The process worked as advertised, except for one small (or large if you ask my better half) issue: the rescan completely ignored Channel 7. Got everything but 7 back.

What now?

On my system, I got all the Sydney channels except the 9 Network ones.

[Hati]

Started a topic on this in the "Getting help" section.

The solution is to do a soft reset to get the system to do a rescan. Bit of a pain as you need to set up your account and all that but got the channels sorted.

[Daniel Hall at IceTV]

Yes, at this stage the only way to perform a channel re-scan is via a 'soft reset', we are looking at other options now though.