What happened to the Player you showcased?

[djfirestorm]

Ok I am severely disappointed. I use to own a Pivos and it was fantastic, only it did not have Android and was slow. My brother in law got it off me. So I searched the internet and found all the promo previews and videos of your new "Alpine" player. Sporting support for an internal hard drive, and a robust remote. I purchased it from NCIX who obtains the info from you...only to find a what the **** is this? The remote is unusable as the buttons are so *** **** hard to press because of the credit card style remote. Have any of you tried even using one of those remote for any length of time, they hurt the hands! No HDD support...ok I can live with that...if it would read my Western Digital 2.5 inch 160GB hard drive in a External USB 2.0 enclosure!!!!!!!!!!! This thing is freakin useless, it only has enough power for flash drives!!!!!!!!!! And here is the real big one: I tried using a hard drive that has its own power supply....NOTHING!!!!! WTH is this you sold us when you promoted a 100% different product? I know I am raging...but seriously, I am returing this to get a NIXUS Fusion 500 that is the same Android, only with a functioning remote.

About the remote: You said that customers wanted it...since when would customers want a BluRay replacement device that cant even navigate a BD Image? If you read any comments on your competitors, the HUGEST complaint is the CRAPPY REMOTES!!!!!!

The ONLY thing that would make me happy is if I could even buy a compatible matched remote for it...if you made an upgraded remote, then I would be satisfied with the current market price of this.

[djfirestorm]

Just to add to your comments on the other users review:

IF YOU WANTED A CHEAPER MARKET PRODUCT, THEN DO NOT NAME IT THE SAME AS THE "HIGHLY VERSATILE" ONE YOU PROMOTED. This should have been called the Alpine-Lite and then you would not have mad customers like me who are very unlikely to support future products from a company that misrepresents its products.

[Patriot_Ben]

Hello djfirestorm,

I’m sorry to hear that you were disappointed in the product. We had a few prototype versions of the product that was showcased. The unit has been through a few revisions since the release and has been designed as entry-level. As far as the naming scheme and product placement, our Alpine is intended to be our level Android Media Player device. The next will be our PBO Core XT etc.

We’ll be glad to get you out a larger remote if the included one is an issue. Please send an e-mail to rma@patriotmem.com with your full name, address and phone number and a copy of the invoice. Our RMA Department will be glad to ship you this remote.

In regards to your WD HDD issue, have you tried both usb ports? If the drive is external-powered, make sure that the adapter is plugged in as well. As far as the Blu Ray Iso, can you tell me what container is being used?

You can check with Mediainfo
http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download

We’ll be glad to troubleshoot this if you can provide a small sample file (to support@patriotmem.com).

We have also released a firmware last night. This firmware targets fixes for MP4, but feel free give this a try to see if helps.
http://patriotmemory.com/software/alpine/Alpine.Firmware.20120330.zip

If the issues persist we’ll be glad to replace the unit for you as well.

Let me know if you have any other concerns or questions.

[djfirestorm]

Perhaps I was too harsh about it, I just got so frustrated when my HD didnt work and pressing those buttons is very hard when you have arthritis in the fingers. I am happy with how you are willing to help me with those needs, and it defiantly makes up for my disappointment for the most part...but no internal HD support is a bummer. If I can get a nicer remote, and you plan on releasing a more robust player (Core XT) then I may keep this one for a portable one to take on the road or to a friends house. Again sorry for being so enthusiastic about what I hate about it vs. what is good about it. The navigation issue is just lack of buttons on the remote, some blurays use the red yellow green buttons and the included remote does not have those at all...I perhaps was not clear with that I guess. I will get in touch with your rma department and get a bigger remote to which I am very appreciate of. Thanks.

[Patriot_Ben]

Not a problem. Yes please work with the RMA Department, they'll be glad to get you the larger remote which should be a little easier to work with.

We welcome and appreciate all feedback (whether good or bad). Let me know if you need any further assistance or had any further concerns. :)

[funkybudda]

Not a problem. Yes please work with the RMA Department, they'll be glad to get you the larger remote which should be a little easier to work with.

We welcome and appreciate all feedback (whether good or bad). Let me know if you need any further assistance or had any further concerns. :)

just bought this few weeks ago, and the remote is definitely an issue for me. Is it too late to request for a larger remote from you guys?

[BagFace]

I had requested another remote, but nothing ever came of it. Ditto the special A/V cable. Or at least not to date.

It also turns out that you cannot use the A/V port for audio and the HDMI for video simultaneously. This thing is crippled so audio and video together ONLY out of the HDMI port. (or use the old composite connection and stereo)

The old one you could do that (split RCA audio and HDMI video) and I used it with my old legacy receivers, but can't with this thing - you have to have an HDMI unit to get decent picture and audio.

The old ones are great units. I am sorry to say this thing is sitting on a shelf since I got it. Practically useless for me.

I was a strong supporter of the original PBO and I thought it was great, so great I have 3 of them. This unit so far is a huge disappointment and a waste of hard earned cash (I bought it on line).

[gwcphoto]

I'm having some troubles too. I requested the remote on the 3rd of May and never even received a response let alone a remote. It's really a pain, because even though I have a Logitech Harmony remote, it can't learn the signals from the little remote, as hard as i try the remote is just unreliable. Also, the Harmony database doesn't yet have the Alpine codes already in place.

This unit may be one of the most frustrating things I ever bought. I didn't own a PBO core prior to this. A lot of people say it was great, but I won't be giving Patriot the satisfaction of buying yet another Patriot product to replace the crappy Patriot product that was sold to me.

Unfortunately I gave this product too long of a chance to get things right (bought it the 12th of April), so I won't be able to return it now.

Advice:
-Work on only one firmware at a time. If the stable firmware is lacking so much in features and functionality, there should be ZERO time spent on a special 'matrix' alpha firmware.
-Actually WORK on the firmware.. When was the last time a new stable version came out? Nearly two months ago. That's unacceptable for firmware in such a state, and a product so fresh.
-USE the product! Take it home. If you're not red with frustration you're not using it enough. Then, with that fiery passion get back to work on that firmware.
-Respond to your RMA requests for the large remote, it's the least you can do given everything we've dealt with.
-Offer frustrated owners the option of RMAing the entire unit for a PBO Core.
-Offer advice on how to get people set up with other remotes.

Make it right, Patriot.. Make it right.

[lordmayo]

Hello djfirestorm,

I’m sorry to hear that you were disappointed in the product. We had a few prototype versions of the product that was showcased. The unit has been through a few revisions since the release and has been designed as entry-level. As far as the naming scheme and product placement, our Alpine is intended to be our level Android Media Player device. The next will be our PBO Core XT etc.

We’ll be glad to get you out a larger remote if the included one is an issue. Please send an e-mail to rma@patriotmem.com with your full name, address and phone number and a copy of the invoice. Our RMA Department will be glad to ship you this remote.

In regards to your WD HDD issue, have you tried both usb ports? If the drive is external-powered, make sure that the adapter is plugged in as well. As far as the Blu Ray Iso, can you tell me what container is being used?

You can check with Mediainfo
http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download

We’ll be glad to troubleshoot this if you can provide a small sample file (to support@patriotmem.com).

We have also released a firmware last night. This firmware targets fixes for MP4, but feel free give this a try to see if helps.
http://patriotmemory.com/software/alpine/Alpine.Firmware.20120330.zip

If the issues persist we’ll be glad to replace the unit for you as well.

Let me know if you have any other concerns or questions.


Hey patriot_ben is that firmware version - linked to above - more recent than the matrix fw that you have
under the 5/25/12 link? or is the above link a modification of the stock fw?

I get the impression that there are two parallel fw conversations in play. The file names could be a bit more descriptive.

[Patriot_Ben]

Hey patriot_ben is that firmware version - linked to above - more recent than the matrix fw that you have
under the 5/25/12 link? or is the above link a modification of the stock fw?

I get the impression that there are two parallel fw conversations in play. The file names could be a bit more descriptive.


lordmayo,

Actually this is a very old post. That firmware is essentially what we have now as version 0.1.0 but did not support the larger PBO remote.

Please refer to 1.1.0 here for the latest stock firmware:
http://patriotmemory.com/support/driversp.jsp

[Patriot_Ben]

For those that have requested the remotes but have not received it, I apologize for the inconvenience.

Please allow me to ping the RMA Department to see what is going on.

[Btcoma]

I've received mine; took about 2.5 weeks. Thank you!


For those that have requested the remotes but have not received it, I apologize for the inconvenience.

Please allow me to ping the RMA Department to see what is going on.

[ne1scott]

As an update to a major item mentioned in this thread, the PBO CoreXT has been cancelled.

Response by:Technical Support
Posted on: May 03, 2012
Reply:
Hi NE1scott,

Unfortunately, the CoreXT project was cancelled. We will not be releasing the CoreXT.

For now, our media player out in the market is the Alpine.

Are you having issues with the Alpine? Can you clarify what you mean when you say it falls short specs wise in many categories?

Let me know how it goes.

Thank you for choosing Patriot Memory!
-Pt2

[lordmayo]

As an update to a major item mentioned in this thread, the PBO CoreXT has been cancelled.

Response by:Technical Support
Posted on: May 03, 2012
Reply:
Hi NE1scott,

Unfortunately, the CoreXT project was cancelled. We will not be releasing the CoreXT.

For now, our media player out in the market is the Alpine.

Are you having issues with the Alpine? Can you clarify what you mean when you say it falls short specs wise in many categories?

Let me know how it goes.

Thank you for choosing Patriot Memory!
-Pt2

yeah well finally theyre making sense. how can you start planning the next product when you have a half baked one with your name attached to it. even in the half baked one there are two versions of firmware, neither of them stable and one that continues as an Alpha release out into infinity.

[funkybudda]

yeah well finally theyre making sense. how can you start planning the next product when you have a half baked one with your name attached to it. even in the half baked one there are two versions of firmware, neither of them stable and one that continues as an Alpha release out into infinity.

agreed, so far all of us that bought the PBO Alpine is pretty much guinea pigs to test the market, thank god I still have my WD TV Live.

[lordmayo]

agreed, so far all of us that bought the PBO Alpine is pretty much guinea pigs to test the market, thank god I still have my WD TV Live.

well when that next Alpha comes down from mount olympus in the year 2025 AD we will be able to tell whether these guys are joking or if they're ready for prime time.