New Shaw Gateway Experience

[Barnes]

The latest update has eliminated the skip-rewind lags but I have noticed more communication problems with the gateway and the portals. The system stays responsive and changing channels or stopping and restarting a recording brings it back to life so no big deal.

Now that the majority of the bugs have been worked out, hopefully we will see some feature rollouts.

The remotes do drain the batteries quick because of the backlighting especially if you have two big dogs and a kid who like to sit on remotes.

[OldDutch]

The system is still buggy, a quick look on Digital Home will show that. Lots of issues with random reboots, recordings not happening, etc.

What ever happened to DLNA? Or recording from you iPhone?

I dunno, it appears that Shaw doesn't really have a good handle on software development for this. Most of the bugs are minor, but we are in year 2 of this thing and basic stuff is still getting flushed out. In addtion, it seams new bugs are getting introduced that should be cought in testing.

I'm not upset I got the Gateway, I'm sure its better than Telus. However, despite the Shaw hype machine, it's not a great solution on its own, even if the competitors suck.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

The system is still buggy, a quick look on Digital Home will show that. Lots of issues with random reboots, recordings not happening, etc.

What ever happened to DLNA? Or recording from you iPhone?

I dunno, it appears that Shaw doesn't really have a good handle on software development for this. Most of the bugs are minor, but we are in year 2 of this thing and basic stuff is still getting flushed out. In addtion, it seams new bugs are getting introduced that should be cought in testing.

I'm not upset I got the Gateway, I'm sure its better than Telus. However, despite the Shaw hype machine, it's not a great solution on its own, even if the competitors suck.

Blame Kermitology!

Honestly though, Shaw took a long time deciding which technology to use for the Gateway. There were a couple options IIRC and it wasn't that much after they decided that it started being tested.

You can have cheap, low on bugs, or fast to market. Pick 2 of those if you have a good team, but you certainly cannot have all 3.

If you can't handle the bugs in new systems from Shaw or Telus, then don't be an early adopter. Personally with Shaw, the minor problems I face are a small price to pay for what I get.

[Kjesse]

I've had the gateway since near launch in Calgary. I like it but by now I'm not so happy with the speed of the menu. I recall its quicker than the motorola menu, but still this system should be faster.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Rathji

You can have cheap, low on bugs, or fast to market. Pick 2 of those if you have a good team, but you certainly cannot have all 3.

If you can't handle the bugs in new systems from Shaw or Telus, then don't be an early adopter. Personally with Shaw, the minor problems I face are a small price to pay for what I get.

I agree with what you are saying, but how early is early? It's been over 1 year since it launched, and still has bugs like random reboots, you do not subscribe messages, and missed recordings.

When I got the system last July I rolled with the punches. However, I think a year is sufficient to make the product rock solid. Maybe I ask for too much.

It just appears to me that they don't sufficiently test anything with this system. They should have waited, but I am sure the margin loss to Telus forced the executive to rush.

Anyways, as I said, I like the system overall. However, I have given up on it being anything more than a slight above average media centre. Better than Telus but not something I overly suggest to friends to get.

[Rathji]

I think Shaw rushed it to market, that is for sure. I agree that it shows on the software end of things.

[wooohooo]

I got the new Shaw gateway... 3 HD receivers + 1 PVR, and 3 computers hooked up not doing anything like downloading. Well anyways, I'm connected wireless on my macbook, and wired in on my desktop. I have a third computer that I use but it is so darn slow on my network. It takes forever to load websites, and get a 'cannot connect to DNS' occasionally and cuts out everything.

Anyone have problems with this? My macbook and desktop run speeds perfectly fine, and my 'slow' laptop runs fine everywhere else.

[Rathji]

How is 3rd computer connected? Are you using the Shaw supplied wireless? If so, what router/modem do you have?

Set to get network settings automatically?

What are the results from speedtest.net?

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by Rathji

How is 3rd computer connected?
Wireless
Are you using the Shaw supplied wireless? If so, what router/modem do you have?
Yup, it's built in router. Cisco DPC3825 (is that right?)
Set to get network settings automatically?
Ping 29ms
DS - 2.61 Mbps
US - 1.88 Mbps

I tried the speedtest on my macbook and got
Ping 17 ms
DS 23.98 Mbps
US - 2.38 Mbps

*both computers were side by side doing the test

What are the results from speedtest.net?

Do you think this is a problem with my computer? Or somehow it's not communicating properly with the router?

My friend has a house in Edmonton with the same router and they all get spotty reception/super slow connections too. Do you think it could be the router?

[Rathji]

If one computer is connecting with wireless fine and another is connect poorly, I would be more inclined to think there is an issue with the computer rather than the wireless.

Does the other (slow) computer support wireless N? If it is just G then there might be enough interference to mess with it while leaving your N signal strong enough to still function. I assume the mac does, but that would depend on its age.

[Lt.Spears]

Just got my Gateway yesterday, is the remote typically so unresponsive? Mine seems to be annoying to use sometimes, like ill hit guide... nothing happens, hit guide again... finally pops up.

What the hell?

[GreatWhiteEbola]

You may have to wait for an update...

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Lt.Spears

Just got my Gateway yesterday, is the remote typically so unresponsive? Mine seems to be annoying to use sometimes, like ill hit guide... nothing happens, hit guide again... finally pops up.

What the hell?

Don't use the guide. Use the channel listing from the menu. The guide is unusable.

[Lt.Spears]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Don't use the guide. Use the channel listing from the menu. The guide is unusable.

Why? Due to the Lag?

[Old Yeller]

Guide works fine for me... there might be the odd time I have to hit a button twice or the guide won't come up properly but that's very infrequent.

I'd hardly call it "unusable".

[GoinAllTheWay]

Guide works fine for me too. As OY says, it may not snap into place right away all the time but it's totally useable.

I was under the impression we would get notificatons about system updates in the messages window yet all the messages I've recieved so far have to do with upcoming specials on VOD, haven't seen a single message regarding firmware despite the fact there seems to have been an updated recently.

How are you guys getting info on updates and fixes?

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

How are you guys getting info on updates and fixes?

I am assuming the responsiveness issues that Lt.Spears is having, are due to the fresh install and the equipment being on the shelf during recent updates, purely speculation on my part.

[Lt.Spears]

KK, thanks guys.

Anyone know if i can change the time on my box? Last night it was showing 1 hour behind (like was saying its 8pm when its really 9pm). All the programming was fine, just the time was wrong.

Thanks!

[Old Yeller]

They had to release a patch to fix daylight savings time issues on the Gateway... maybe you don't have that patch yet?

That was Arris, not Shaw's issue by the way and it really made me shake my head. I mean how can a company forget about daylight savings time.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Blame Kermitology!

Don't even get me started..