Skippa Bug

[bodogbodog]

Another test would be to install the Plex App and see if it is any better at playing remote content.

Ian - Plex Server is installed and working over the network and Skippa can see it - albeit with unpredictable responsiveness
I should add that once a file on the server (whether via Plex or accessed directly) starts streaming on the Skippa performance is fine - the issue is with the responsiveness when trying to get to the file and back out of the file hierarchy

[IanL-S]

Back to not downloading timers again. Some time back I did another resend timers; just looks at the IceTV Interactive page and the two timers I set on SKIPPA are now showing as seres recorings yest to be downloaded (I created the series timer via interactive www site earlier and did the manual one time time on the SKIPPA when after several hours they had not downloaded.

The timers are still there on the SKIPPA. Will check in the mornig to see if they reorded.

Ian

PS The fact that some things are not working as they should does not mean they never worked. Somtimes properly fuctioning features are broken when attemting to fix something else. I have see this with other PVRs and with PC software (a prime example is Acronis True Image 2016 where things that worked well in the last beter were broken in the release version or in one of the 4 or is it 5 udates since the release less than a month ago).

[bodogbodog]

I plan to use the Skippa more often to watch files on my network than I use it for files recorded on it's local HDD. So if that is a clunky experience then I won't be happy.

Me too - although I do want it to be a reliable recorder as well and I'm not seeing that delivered reliably
I guess what I'm looking for is someone to post that they have a fast and responsive experience navigating a network drive - unlike me - but I'm yet to see that
Once I finally get to a file it seems to play ok without any stuttering or issues - but navigating the folder/file hierarchy is slow and painful with varying success on being able to move up and down the hierarchy (while I can do so easily on my Beyonwiz)

[bodogbodog]

First off - no electric shocks. I ope it is only static electricity

Me too! - I suspect it was static electricity - it happened a few times today as I walked over to the unit to manually reboot it after it froze...

[IanL-S]

Another test would be to install the Plex App and see if it is any better at playing remote content.

Ian - Plex Server is installed and working over the network and Skippa can see it - albeit with unpredictable responsiveness
I should add that once a file on the server (whether via Plex or accessed directly) starts streaming on the Skippa performance is fine - the issue is with the responsiveness when trying to get to the file and back out of the file hierarchy

That lack of responsiveness is typical of my experience with Topfield and Bush PVRs and Sony BluRay players playing media on another device (even when the device is sitting next to it). I am not saying that this is how it should be, merely that the SKIPPA is not the only device with the problem.

I have a similar responsiveness issues when accessing files on one PC from another (where that PC has 13 hardrives). Drives can go into standby and other issues.

One way of improving responsiveness would be to cache the file index of the remote server on the SKIPPA. I think this is one thing a Plex Player does. But I could be confused about that.

Not much help I am afraid.

Ian

[Dave at IceTV]

I have no idea what the process is for advising IceTV of Skippa bugs but this seems to be as good as any for the moment (Dave is there a more formal process for lodging bugs?)

I'd rather you didn't find any bugs :)  I'd suggest emailing support@icetv.com.au with the software version, the issue, and the steps to reproduce the issue if possible.

1. Poor responsiveness on Media menu when browsing remote files (when doing so on other devices including my Beyonwiz I get very good response so I don't believe it is my server or my network). This is one of the most frustrating things about my experience with Skippa so far - being able to watch material from my server is a fundamental issue for me

The Skippa may have been doing something in the background (not sure what exactly). For example the first time you go to play a video file off a USB drive it takes a number of minutes before the file starts playing. If you come back later and plug that USB drive in and try to play that same file it will start right away now. Any Skippa recordings moved to a USB drive already have the navigation files so they always start playing right away.

How many files are listed by the media server in the 'folder' you were browsing?

2. Rebooting when an active recording is paused - happened to me this evening - was recording and watching the same programme at the same time - went away so paused the playback and after 5 minutes or so the Skippa rebooted - I lost that recording and another one that was also being recorded

Not good. I'm wondering if the slow browsing remote files may have contributed the random reboot later. Do you have software version 1.1.1.0579?

3. Not really a bug per se but definitely an issue - is anyone else getting electrical shocks when they touch the Skippa? - I've had several - just tingles that give a bit of a kick but quite unnerving - it it happens tomorrow I'll make a warranty claim as I don't need any more shocks

Sounds like the zap you can get when an antenna is not earthed. Check your antenna cables are firmly plugged in at both ends and clear of power leads etc.

[bodogbodog]

I'd rather you didn't find any bugs :)  I'd suggest emailing support@icetv.com.au with the software version, the issue, and the steps to reproduce the issue if possible

Will do - I'm on 1.1.10579 - the latest version

The Skippa may have been doing something in the background (not sure what exactly). For example the first time you go to play a video file off a USB drive it takes a number of minutes before the file starts playing. If you come back later and plug that USB drive in and try to play that same file it will start right away now. Any Skippa recordings moved to a USB drive already have the navigation files so they always start playing right away.

Still slow response when trying to navigate the network drive this morning - although I don't think the Skippa did much overnight as it had hung by this morning - had to be physically rebooted

How many files are listed by the media server in the 'folder' you were browsing?

It varies folder by folder - but typically only 3-4 - and at the folder level there's probably 50 - like say the navigation is fast on my Wiz DP-2 and XBOX 360 when browsing the same network server

Not good. I'm wondering if the slow browsing remote files may have contributed the random reboot later. Do you have software version 1.1.1.0579?

Yes on the latest version. Quite possibly on the random reboot - who knows but the lockups and loss of recordings in progress as a result is so frustrating

Sounds like the zap you can get when an antenna is not earthed. Check your antenna cables are firmly plugged in at both ends and clear of power leads etc.

They are firmly plugged in at both ends - hard to make them clear of power leads completely when you have a busy entertainment setup. So far so good today with no shocks yet

[bodogbodog]

Just left my Skippa for a couple of hours expecting it to be ok (no auto standby option enabled) and came home to discover it was locked up and showing a "purple screen" on the TV - so I had to pull the power on it to reboot it and when it was well advanced on that reboot it then decided to reboot again spontaneously - I'll send in a bug report

[Mac37]

PS The tech support team also does sales support so they are probably very busy with sales related questions as I understand that the second shipment of Toppys has now arrived and may already have started shipping.

Toppys ? ???

:-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ Clearly I spend too much time on the Topfield Australia forum (one of the moderators) and the oztoppy wiki. :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[

Totally understand - forgiven.
HOWEVER - Sounds a bit like everyone wishes they were Toppys.    :'(
I hope to get mine from this weeks shipment !!    ;D
Mac

[IanL-S]

Sounds a bit like everyone wishes they were Toppys.    :'(
Mac

I am ambivalent about that. The advantage of the Toppy is that it supports TAPs and has an FTP server; both of these are essential.

However the IceTV implementation is primitive compared to that on the SKIPPA (if only I could get it to work on my SKIPPA  :'( ).

Ian

[stretch4x4]

Has anyone been getting emails for failed timers?

Message from recorder: Channel with the id (2530) is not found in STB

The skippa isn't reporting anything having failed.. One of the emails had four fails which also had the above id and also id 2408 which I think is for 7TWO..
Not really sure why it would be trying to schedule a channel that it doesn't already know about..

[IanL-S]

Hi All

This one is really weird. Had a recording scheduled last night. I verified on another PVR that the program started about 5 minutes late, yet on the SKIPPA recording there is 39 minutes before the program begins. Accordingly with standard pre- and post- padding I lost the end of the program. Almost as if pre- and post- padding were reversed.

Ian

Update: It was on 7TWO so not affected by sport telecasts.

[bodogbodog]

Has anyone been getting emails for failed timers?

Yes - when my Skippa locks up and a recording in progress or planned cant be completed I get this in an email

Message from recorder: Running program is expired

I've had multiple lockups of the unit today - with Purple screen on my TV - these are occurring when the system is not being used (although it may be processing ad skipping or recording something at the time)
I've started logging support calls with IceTV as after 36 hours I reckon its been "hung" longer than it's been operational

[stretch4x4]

Hmm I don't think we were recording much but did notice that James bond did finish over half an hour after the guide said it would..
One of the channels was massively delayed thanks to the AFL..
Was a bit disappointed that the ice tv guide was so far out.. Didn't check the fta guide to see if it was anymore accurate, will have to do that next time..

[prl]

Hmm I don't think we were recording much but did notice that James bond did finish over half an hour after the guide said it would..
...

I run with 25 min post padding (not on SKIPPA, but same issue).

The worse I've seen (other than on "breaking news" days) was a final of Big Brother (one of the earlier seasons with Gretel Killeen hosting) that ran about 50 min over.