What are your two SHOWSTOPPER problems with your A110?

[paulmoons]

I certainly wouldn't call it a showstopper, but my biggest gripe would be that these forums seem to be filled with constant whining about minor problems and pointless feature requests.

This is an inexpensive device that accomplishes what it sets out to do - play a variety of video - very well.

[SunnyUK]

Whoa...

Some discussions are pointless on forums, and this is probably one of them. However, I feel I have to say that paulmoons' comment about whining, minor problem and pointless feature requests is the most sanctimonious and offensive post I have seen in a very long time.

How dare you judge whether a problem is minor to the person raising it?
How dare you judge whether a feature request is meaningful or pointless to the person raising it?
How dare you think that just because you can't see the point of something, it isn't very important to someone else?

Tsk, tsk, tsk! Not very nice, paul.

[paulmoons]

(05-16-2009 11:09 AM)SunnyUK Wrote:  How dare you judge whether a problem is minor to the person raising it?
How dare you judge whether a feature request is meaningful or pointless to the person raising it?
How dare you think that just because you can't see the point of something, it isn't very important to someone else?

1. I was not attacking any one individual but the culture of complaining that appears to be the norm on this forum. Complaining about a problem that could be solved via Googling, trawling through this very forum or calling support, is not helpful.

2. The sheer amount of feature request posts and general whines about what features are "missing" are not helpful. If people did even a cursory amount of research before purchasing the A-100/A-110 they would know exactly what they were getting.

3. While your assumption that I cannot see the point is a little ironic, you must admit that some of these requests are pointless - and that's not counting those feature requests that are actually already present, of course. And besides, just because my request to have Honda install coffee makers in all sedans is important to me, doesn't make it beyond criticism.

From my experience, the Popcorn A-100 and A-110 have no "showstopper" problems. Minor gripes maybe, but showstoppers is just the sort of misnomer I was trying to highlight in my post.

And finally, if I have somehow offended you then I genuinely apologize.

[leonmoylan]

1. Stuttering 23.973 playback on a capable TV
2. See No.1 !

[dh2005]

SunnyUK and paulmoons;

All good debate.

I agree with you both - Sunny's looking out for the annoyed man-in-the-street, whereas Paul takes the view that these things cost not-a-lot, and that they're pretty good... so where's the fuss?!

If I may comment...? I think Sunny has been slightly too sensitive, and Paul has been slightly too grumpy.

Let's get along, fellas. This forum needs intelligent contributors who can see the World View. Let's not fight...!!!


(PS: it's ironic that, of all people, I should be the one to raise this. Normally, I make a big fat mess of resolving this kinda thing...!)

[SunnyUK]

(05-16-2009 12:06 PM)paulmoons Wrote:  From my experience, the Popcorn A-100 and A-110 have no "showstopper" problems. Minor gripes maybe, but showstoppers is just the sort of misnomer I was trying to highlight in my post.

And finally, if I have somehow offended you then I genuinely apologize.

I am one of those who have written about what I consider a pretty serious problem. Others might consider it just a wee nuisance. I'm hard of hearing and need the telly turned up quite loud to be able to enjoy a movie. The wife doesn't like that and fear it bothers the neighbours. I have a well-sized collection of DivX movies with idx/sub subtitles (previously enjoyed on an HTPC with vobsub to handle subtitles). I have previously explained why I had justifiable expectations of being able to play these on the Popcorn. I have also been through understanding why my expectations were wrong. This problem annoys me so much that I have seriously been thinking about binning the A-110 only 3 weeks after buying it, but find that there's no way I can afford to do so. So yes, I did feel offended for being told that I'm just whining about a minor problem. To me it's not minor problem. It's a showstopper. If I had realised this beforehand, it would have stopped me from buying the kit. Apology accepted.

(05-16-2009 06:03 PM)dh2005 Wrote:  If I may comment...? I think Sunny has been slightly too sensitive, and Paul has been slightly too grumpy.

Let's get along, fellas. This forum needs intelligent contributors who can see the World View. Let's not fight...!!!

Point taken, and I have calmed down. Happy to lay down weapons and instead focus on world peace (and all the wonderful things the PH can do).

[chris57]

I don't know what the relevance that you can play sub/idx on a HTPC has as I can play them on a $50 5 year old DVD player.

Sub/idx subtitles are on the current beta, they don't work so don't get too excited however it is hoped that by the time the beta and RC stages are gone through the next 'proper' firmware will introduce sub/idx. Proper meaning not a bug fix release.

[dh2005]

Yeah? Sweet! Not that I use them myself, but it's nice to know that I'll have the option pretty soon.

[markb]

(05-16-2009 10:41 AM)paulmoons Wrote:  This is an inexpensive device that accomplishes what it sets out to do - play a variety of video - very well.

Paul, I'm new here but my summary sentence would be the exact opposite of yours. This is an expensive device that accomplishes little of what it sets out to do - it plays about half of what I give it and the play quality is poor. And let's not even start on the usability of the user interface. I'm a linux hacker and I expected problems with this thing but it's just rubbish.

I was conned into purchase by statements like yours Paul.

[simonk83]

I've had zero problems with mine. I watch several videos a day (avi's, mkv's mostly) and have never come across one that won't play.

[dh2005]

markb;

Yikes... not a happy camper.

Well, I'm sorry for your disappointment, but I think the thing for you to do is to post a thread in the A-110 area so that your particular problems can be discussed, and hopefully resolved. The NMT is not rubbish (I wouldn't be using mine today if it were - I'd have ditched it). It just requires patience.


EDIT: ... oh, and, "conned"? Strong word, dude. There's no conspiracy here.

[SunnyUK]

(05-16-2009 11:24 PM)chris57 Wrote:  I don't know what the relevance that you can play sub/idx on a HTPC has as I can play them on a $50 5 year old DVD player.

The relevance being that I can't play them on my $300 Popcorn, despite being able to on either an HTPC or, as you correctly state, on many old and very inexpensive DVD players.

(05-16-2009 11:24 PM)chris57 Wrote:  Sub/idx subtitles are on the current beta, they don't work so don't get too excited however it is hoped that by the time the beta and RC stages are gone through the next 'proper' firmware will introduce sub/idx. Proper meaning not a bug fix release.

Cool! Can't help myself... Getting very excited

[tyrant78]

(05-16-2009 08:38 PM)SunnyUK Wrote:  I am one of those who have written about what I consider a pretty serious problem. Others might consider it just a wee nuisance. I'm hard of hearing and need the telly turned up quite loud to be able to enjoy a movie. The wife doesn't like that and fear it bothers the neighbours. I have a well-sized collection of DivX movies with idx/sub subtitles (previously enjoyed on an HTPC with vobsub to handle subtitles). I have previously explained why I had justifiable expectations of being able to play these on the Popcorn. I have also been through understanding why my expectations were wrong. This problem annoys me so much that I have seriously been thinking about binning the A-110 only 3 weeks after buying it, but find that there's no way I can afford to do so. So yes, I did feel offended for being told that I'm just whining about a minor problem. To me it's not minor problem. It's a showstopper. If I had realised this beforehand, it would have stopped me from buying the kit. Apology accepted.

these maybe helpful in the short term if your needing subs

Open Subtitles

Divx Subtitles

[SunnyUK]

(05-17-2009 12:54 AM)tyrant78 Wrote:  these maybe helpful in the short term if your needing subs

Open Subtitles

Divx Subtitles

Thanks tyrant78. Very kind of you

[SirNickity]

Have you guys actually tried using SubRip to OCR the Vobsub? It's really not that bad.

I agree 197.5% that Vobsub support should be implemented. I've said this dozens of times... I cannot wrap my mind around why this hasn't been done yet. Subtitle formats are not that complex, and there are open-source implementations out there to borrow from. Considering the features these things do have, but taking months... now over a year... to properly support bitmapped subs of one or another flavor is kinda pathetic.

*sigh* ... *taking my pills*

That said, it never was listed as a feature (unless you, like me, may have initially misunderstood the ambiguous ".sub" in the spec list). And the OCR engine in SubRip is good enough that after only a few minutes of training with some common fonts, most subtitle streams convert with few (if any) interruptions.

While the resulting .SRT file may not be flawless, it's adequate. Absolutely a hacked workaround, but it does the job in the meantime. :-)