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Live Pause - "Sky are working on it!"

SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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Just off the phone to Sky about this bloody issue again.

An engineer called at my home today and did a forced download of software which fixed the problem again temporarily.

But of course, it's back again tonight in all its glory.

Got through to an obviously hacked off call centre person who said Sky "were aware of it" and would be working on a solution. Of course this could just be more bullshit, as days ago they wouldn't even admit there was a software problem. The person concerned admitted they'd had "hundreds, maybe thousands of calls" about it. He wouldn't give me a timetable for when it would be fixed, but typical for the Sky staff i've spoken to couldn't really give a toss aboout it and just wanted me off the phone.

Does anybody else out there have any information/updates about this?
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 42
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    I've had this problem too since the s/ware was updated.
    Its an intermittant fault. Last week I could not pause or rewind Sky Sports 2. tonight it was VH1.

    I use this feature almost every day, so it is a pain, I was going to do a full reset but I have about 60hrs of stuff I need to watch first. :mad:
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Don't bother with the full reset, it only fixes it temporarily.
    For a quick fix either switch it off at the mains, or rebuild your planner. Just as effective as master reset, and just as temporary!
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    timeytimey Posts: 19,379
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    but typical for the Sky staff i've spoken to couldn't really give a toss aboout it and just wanted me off the phone.
    Well, let's face it, what else could he do? He had said that Sky were aware of the problem and were working on it. He, personally, could not do any more at that stage.

    Obviously Sky are having problems with this and cannot estimate when it will be sorted out. Either that or they are just not telling the call-centre staff about it. Either way the people in the call-centre are probably unable to do anything about it at that stage apart from logging another complaint.
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    timeytimey Posts: 19,379
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    Don't bother with the full reset, it only fixes it temporarily.
    For a quick fix either switch it off at the mains, or rebuild your planner. Just as effective as master reset, and just as temporary!
    I did that over a week ago and the problem hasn't come back (yet).
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 27
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    Just off the phone to Sky about this bloody issue again.

    An engineer called at my home today and did a forced download of software which fixed the problem again temporarily.

    But of course, it's back again tonight in all its glory.

    Got through to an obviously hacked off call centre person who said Sky "were aware of it" and would be working on a solution. Of course this could just be more bullshit, as days ago they wouldn't even admit there was a software problem. The person concerned admitted they'd had "hundreds, maybe thousands of calls" about it. He wouldn't give me a timetable for when it would be fixed, but typical for the Sky staff i've spoken to couldn't really give a toss aboout it and just wanted me off the phone.

    Does anybody else out there have any information/updates about this?


    It's not that sky staff don't give a toss- the superiors that be do not update them enough of the problems and staff only become aware of the full story when calls come through.

    They have probably only been told themselves "they are working on it" so give them a break they may work for sky but dont deserve the abuse they get
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 42
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    Don't bother with the full reset, it only fixes it temporarily.
    For a quick fix either switch it off at the mains, or rebuild your planner. Just as effective as master reset, and just as temporary!


    Thanks GlasgowBhoy.
    I have done what you said on many occasions, and yes its only a temporary fix. :cry:

    Will certainly not be doing a FSR now. Cheers
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 100
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    Besides the dodgy pause button, I am experiencing other problems too. Perhaps some people out there would check these problems for me !!

    I record ch510 every night for the main nbc news from the US ( ya I know I'm sad ! ) If I'm at home I watch it live too. I've noticed that if I program another recording while watching the news live, I first of all get a program clash message, then if I do nothing, the channel changes to the new one to be recorded ! The only way I can watch ch510 is through the program planner delayed and it gets worse - I'm then asked for my perental control PIN. That's the other problem I have. The perental control should only come into play if I lock a recorded program or channel or for a rated program before 8pm. For some reason I have to put in a PIN for this program 24 hours a day. I get the same result for other programs recorded on Sky News - thanks
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    I have sympathy for the call centre staff, but the guy's attitude was poor last night. End of a long shift perhaps.

    You have to realise this was my third call to them and only now are they acknowledging the problem that everyone raised last week is software-related. I have little patience for people giving me BS, but that is all Sky have done this week.

    All they had to do was admit this problem was their fault and say they were working on it. They've now done so a week too late IMO. I just want my Sky + box working properly again, is that too much to ask?

    I don't think it's unreasonable to be given a timeframe either.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 342
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    Although I can not condone the poor service from the call centre staff, I can understand part of it, I worked for itv digital before the went under, the call centers are the first to hear of a problem from the customers, they then escalate it to a manager who after multiple calls should pass it on the technical dept. probably via email, they then do what ever they do, generally the call centre is the last to be told officially that a problem does exists and as for a repair time they will have no idea at all.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 154
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    I wonder what their stance will be next week for me when I complain again....my box is out of warranty and they want to charge £65 for visit...worked fine before the update, so if they admit it's their fault what will they do for me??? still charge £65!!!! be on a good money earner there if the do that a couple of times a year.

    Just did FSR and works OK now but lost louds of stuff. What if it happens again?
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Engineer visit didn't help me. He did a forced software download, but the problem contunually returns after a wee while.

    They tried the 65 charge scam for me too, I had to fight with them to get them to send someone free. If you insist they will do it for free (did for me), but not sure what good it'll do you. They need to fix the software bug.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,725
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    Hi,

    noticed this problem on my pacev2 box last week, did the reset at the mains trick and it returns sometime latter.
    I was getting woried it was just my box, im quite glad its not just me that has this problem
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    I don't think it's unreasonable to be given a timeframe either.
    It is unreasonable. Call centres are in no position to give a time to fix for a bug.

    ie. they have no idea if the bug has been identified.

    If the bug has been identified does the fix have a knock on effect somewhere else in the code.

    Is the fix so complex that it requires major re-testing of the entire software on PVR1,2,3,160 and HD models...?

    One software application I wrote has been running for two years and I still find bugs that have been there since day one but only reared their head in certain conditions under certain loads..
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 99
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    When you call, ask to speak to 2nd tier support, if you are lucky you may speak to someone like JJ or if you are unlucky you may get someone who blames the broadcasters epgs for messing things up! Just speak to customer services and then you get through to developer support, who admit they have 70 odd boxes with this issue and they have a sky employee with the same problem. The work around is not to live pause! :yawn: Oh well, my calls been escalated so I see what happens.

    My issue, still happens
    http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?mode=hybrid&t=278319

    Thanks sky for breaking my box again
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    I'm sorry BackstagePass, but this isn't a problem that only a handful have experienced. Anything remotely approaching a rigorous testing process would have identifed it quite quickly.

    If they don't know when they can fix it they either owe subscribers compensation, or they should roll back the epg software to the version that actually works.

    Some programmers think it's OK for their code to screw up because they see code devleopment as a science; trial and error. Fine when you're at uni, but this is a service that people are paying their hard-earned for. Excuses won't do.
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    PsychonautPsychonaut Posts: 573
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    If they can't act quickly to patch seriously flawed software then they need to consider reverting to the prior software.
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Of course it's poor service but Sky don't have to give a damn.

    People are either paying for Sky+ or for premium packages just so a box they already bought actually functions - until they start cancelling in droves there's no reason for Sky to give a sod.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 515
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    Psychonaut wrote:
    If they can't act quickly to patch seriously flawed software then they need to consider reverting to the prior software.

    What I find incredible is that this software was in testing for fookin ever - people on this forum had it for weeks before it was generally distributed to all users - we had screen shots, and speculation on when it would be deployed, etc.

    And yet no one spotted that live pause / rewind was broken.

    You would have thought that this would be one of the features they would have tested to destruction.

    Worse, no one mentioned or complained about the over zealous and broken (i.e. you can't disable it) PIN protection, or that it uses the same PIN code as for Box Office bookings.

    Next time Sky, why not just push the software out as soon as you've compiled it - your testing process and beta programme are obviously seriously flawed, so why bother spending the time and effort on it?

    :mad:
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 515
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    Some programmers think it's OK for their code to screw up because they see code devleopment as a science.

    Perhaps they think this because they studied

    Computer Science

    at university ....... ;)

    I agree with the sentiment of your post however.
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    wiggis wrote:
    Perhaps they think this because they studied

    Computer Science

    at university ....... ;)

    I agree with the sentiment of your post however.

    Oh I know why, and in that context thinking that way is perfectly fine, but its the customers who are important now, and they should make sure their efforts don't damage a wonderful service, which this debacle has IMO.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 370
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    Its hard to believe that sky's flagship product is broken, but the real truth is sky don't really care about this, as long as honest subscribers are paying good money to them. Up until a month ago I couldn't give a toss if it worked or not, because I didn't pay for it as I was staff, but now I've moved onto great and wonderful new things I pay the full cost of a sky+ subscription and to be honest it stinks to pay for something that doesn't work. Someone should start a petition of disgruntled subscribers who are clearly not happy with a broken service and threats should be made in the masses, as its a well known fact sky don't care if 1 or 2 threaten to leave the service, but if a few thousand left maybe then they will take notice.
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    timeytimey Posts: 19,379
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    Sky will have to care though if the Live Pause/Rewind feature does not work as this is a central part of the benefit of having Sky+. If they cannot resolve this people will cancel - I know I would - and it will hit them in the pocket. Sky+ is good but without one of its core functions people are going to go elsewhere.
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    What has really suprised me is how much having Sky + has altered my viewing habits. I suppose I didn't really realise it until this problem occurred, but the live pause enhances viewing considerably.

    Being able to rewind because you miss a piece of speech, or an incident during a match; that's what Sky + is about. the recording thing is good, but live pause is the icing on the cake.

    This is why Sky have screwed up royally. If you've been a Sky + user for a while then live pause is part of the furniture now. To know it's no longer there like it was is very frustrating and ultimately means your enjoyment of the system is spoiled.
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Sky will have to care though if the Live Pause/Rewind feature does not work as this is a central part of the benefit of having Sky+. If they cannot resolve this people will cancel - I know I would - and it will hit them in the pocket. Sky+ is good but without one of its core functions people are going to go elsewhere.

    Put people don't cancel and where will they go? Sky have been able to build a situation where they have total control over the equipment people use.

    If you want their channels you use their hardware. So they really can afford not to care.
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    timeytimey Posts: 19,379
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    Put people don't cancel and where will they go? Sky have been able to build a situation where they have total control over the equipment people use.

    If you want their channels you use their hardware. So they really can afford not to care.
    Maybe - maybe not. All I am saying is that without live pause/instant rewind I would be cancelling. I would miss channels but I am not prepared to pay for half a service. It all depends on how many others feel the same. If Sky just ignore the problem it will get people's backs up.
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