Where'd everyone go??

[accident]

There's always some periods where the site slows down but I've never seen it like this.. Where'd everyone go?

[chris57]

Lack of progress and lack of involvement in the project equals lack of interest and activity.

Only when there is something new or there is some new owner do you visit a forum in reality. We used to have more of a community feel but we've lost meaningful communication with Syabas these days. Add in disbanding the beta testing, competitions, and no firmware releases are you don't have much left for the masses. You're left with the dedicated few helping others get their players up and running or developing new software.

[Willem53]

Well now... that is an interesting philosophical question, if 'they' are gone how can 'they' answer....

My 2 cents is that the ones you are missing are not expecting Syabas/PCH to listen to them or perform on the basis of user input.
The whole concept of creating a better product by user feedback stands or falls by the responsiveness of the manufacturer, as soon as that no longer exists there is no reason to participate in this community.
That leaves us the community support posts for new users who have an issue... good work if we can solve or advice on a work around.... not to interesting for those who already know..

[Atinkler]

Well it's good news that people are still working on things like Oversight and Nzbget/sickbeard/couch potato
So.. kudos to Lordy, Accident, Vaidasyr, JMiller etc etc etc

[jasch]

So besides third party support of the NMT. What do you guys think of the lack of interest by Syabas? I really feel my A300 has been crippled in many ways since launch almost 6 months go, and it's kind of ridiculous there has only been 2 firmware updates since.

Is Syabas still interested in us or the market? I see Warner as the only one that still is around, and sometimes answer posts.

I put out with current bugs, because I still think the Popcorn is the best unit in the market.

But sometimes customer support, being behind the userbase, and promptly fixing things make the product fail or not. This has been my experience with the 100 and 200 series, but I can't avoid feeling that with the 300 family we are kinda looking at the last generation...

I understand that as a company, they probably have limited resources and probably smaller than previous years, but I feel this time around, they are alienating their userbase with their new attitude.

Is Syabas were to be a new company, introducing the 300 family as a new product they would be out of business by now because their lack of interest fixing the bugs (or the time they are taking in doing so) and lack of communication.

[accident]

I find this really interesting.. to me the 200s are horrible and always were but the 300s are a dream come true.. There is somethign in the units that I don't use that a lot of people do and that seems to really change how the unit works for you.. obviously some bug or problem but I wonder what feature is causing this difference in quality. To me no firmwares have been needed, what I need works.

There are also a lot more other options.. hd audio and stability is no longer a problem with htpc world.. depending on what you want out of it, the hardware cost (including extras you might want to add on) are the same cost as mid level models of hardware players.. there's a few low cost open source platform hardware models out there so it's no longer a situation where peopel can't make their setups (who can).. I'm really not sure what I woudl buy next if I was looking to buy.

Quote:Is Syabas were to be a new company, introducing the 300 family as a new product they would be out of business by now because their lack of interest fixing the bugs (or the time they are taking in doing so) and lack of communication.

I still have a lot of other models.. syabas is still really high up compared to most of the others... However the others are starting to do less new things and more underlying bugs.. So it's not going to be this way to me for much longer and in a month or two I'll be joining your view.

[Bazrah]

I must admit that the A300 with yamj, eversion, evZap and pchtrakt does everything I want.

Maybe I'm not that demanding a User, but I do stream bd with hd audio and have 3 pch's altogether. In fact, I bought another A300 when I needed another device simply because it works well for me.

Having said that, without Omertron, Accident, Safran, and Jlauwers (among others) I would have not invested so much time and money in pch and would have gone down the htpc route instead.

I can't see myself moving off this platform any time even remotely soon.

[Auggie]

Well, for me, I've been busy with other priorities in life, including a move to a new house in two months!

That said, my C-200 has no malfunctions and performs the job I originally purchased it for (with the help of YAMJ of course). It's certainly not perfect, and I do have my complaints about it (some serious). It may be that the 300 series are much more capable, but I see no need to replace my C-200 any time soon, gripes and all, unless very significant advances are made, such as breathtaking speed enhancements in UI.

But it's now approaching a year since Syabas has released any firmware updates for the 200 series, which suggests their focus is now the 300 series and beyond, and that their sales model has changed to mimic the Apple/Android smart phone/tablet market in hopes consumers would buy new instead of holding on to their existing media players.

This is only my opinion, of course, but if Syabas is indeed following this model, I don't believe they will succeed as the majority of AV consumers don't "upgrade" their hardware components via replacement with newer models unless there are significant feature/performance upgrades. These are not all-purpose computing devices; these are dedicated machines that fit a specific role (namely, the delivery of audio/video media). Sure, they may offer some overlap functionality that is traditionally served by computers, but that's really suited to automated/queued operations that doesn't require much interaction from users. Even computers are not replaced annually or bi-annually; users tend to replace them if a significant hardware or software event occurs that renders their existing system incompatible, obsolete or non-functioning. Thus, it is highly unlikely that consumers would be motivated to purchase new models of media players religiously as done with the phone/tablet devices.

Honestly, I may actually be looking at purchasing an AppleTV for myself, more so for the AirPlay functionality and third party apps that allow me to mirror my computer (desktop, laptop, tablet and even iPhone) on the big screen (most for presentation/web browsing purposes). I've already bought two of them for family as gifts because they are so cheap (can't beat $99!). It won't replace my C-200, but will offer functionality I just can't get from an NMT. (I will say that my brother-in-law has been very impressed with my C-200 and Media Server setup that he is on the verge of going this route.)

But if Apple were to offer HD audio (it just recently incorporated 1080p) AND playback mixed formats (AVCHD, BD ISOs namely for me), I would say Syabas would need to offer some compelling features to continue to hold on to us more demanding users...

Just my 2 bits of course!

[accident]

(04-25-2012 04:37 PM)Auggie Wrote:  But it's now approaching a year since Syabas has released any firmware updates for the 200 series, which suggests their focus is now the 300 series and beyond

I know how hard it can keep to keep up when you have a specific focus like your software release so maybe you don't know their plans in this area..

Yes, they are concentrating on the software of the 300 series.. But they are also planning to start releasing the same new framework on the 200 series.. so absolutely they are concentrating on the 300 and beyond, but they aren't ignoring the 200 series hardware, they just don't have it out yet.

btw, they also plan to release 1 more non-new system 200 firmware in beta now.. not a huge thrilling firmware mainly for users who need/want bug fixes to work with gaya, along with api updates for flash on those units but a good one..

[Micki]

I am quiet impressed that you say the 300 series is stable and like a dream.

However the market might have more competitors and hardware price for such devices dropped.
I only have a C200 and when friend came over I hard reset my C200 about twice an evening when we wanted to watch a movie. I guess none of them will ever buy a PCH.... and then spend 300 - 500USD for this?
Friends are all buying something where they can put XMBC on it.

What do you want to do when your company is marked with such comments "unstable, no firmware update" all over the internet and the competition is so big now?

I have a bad feeling for the future...

[accident]

(04-25-2012 06:30 PM)Micki Wrote:  I only have a C200 and when friend came over I hard reset my C200 about twice an evening when we wanted to watch a movie.

you should make a thread about this if you haven't.. most likely all you need is a quick factory reset, but it's off topic here..

Quote:I have a bad feeling for the future...

I don't but I'm not brand loyal either.. If a unit works I don't return it.. eventually there's a new unit I want or I need something my current can't do and I find one that can.. with a little luck I feel like I got my money's worth.. with a little more luck, I get some of that back from someone on ebay..

[Dave_D]

I'm passing by the forum now and then but not as diligently when the beta team was active.

The product has met my satisfaction but I'm also honest that I don't like to display any emotional attachments to it unlike other products (like my Apple devices).

If it works, it stays, when it doesn't it goes. Simple as that. No drama required

[Willem53]

emotional attachments to Apple devices.............. what has the world come to

Well this news might get you all fired up then http://malware.cbronline.com/news/apple-...sky-250412

[lordy]

(04-26-2012 02:02 PM)Willem53 Wrote:  emotional attachments to Apple devices.............. what has the world come to

Well this news might get you all fired up then http://malware.cbronline.com/news/apple-...sky-250412

Things will get interesting especially as Apple dont really like to talk to either the press or their customers about such things...

Back On-Topic - I've been fairly content with my hdx,A110 and C200, and there hasnt been much "to do" of late. However with the imminent demise of HTML and new flash GUI, I've been encouraged back here seeing the stuff Vaid and Accident are doing. But as a customer, I'm happy with what I have. (PSU issues aside!). And there is probably nothing to talk about, as what I have does what I need. There was more to talk about when it didn't quite do it

Shame that DTS downmix/licensing is the only reason my A100 is gathering dust. I could work around that, but I'm lazy!

[madasworld]

i bought my pch a100 in may 08 and loved it, this site introduced me to movie jukeboxes and regularly checked for updates and new skins. After trying numerous skins i settled on aeon`s skin and didnt touch it until i upgraded to my A210 at the start of last year. The only problem i have had with my A210 was all of a sudden while watching movies it would just randomly stop and would have to reboot it. worked out it was because i had my network setting set on gigabit rather than 10\100. i was disappointed that it wouldn't run on my gigabit net work but it still plays anything i throw at it. even my 65gig remux mkvs.

the community on here is great for not so tech savvy as myself. i don't post here often but do read a lot of threads that have helped me work things out over the years and i appreciate all of their help. i am usually on here at least 3 or 4 times a week these days.

will i buy another pch or go micro htpc don't know yet.
All i know is i cant live without my movie jukebox.