Issue With New Firmware

[outatouch0]

Thanks for the reply CJ, I think Steverion didn't mean the Realtek SDK source code, as we all know its closed source.

I think Steverion meant the source code for the interface, same as the one ASUS is providing for the O!play (can be downloaded from their website).

We aren't expecting Patriot to fix chipset related issues like network speed or HDMI handshaking issues on themselves (the best Patriot can do is pushing REALTEK to provide a new SDK).

That said, we aren't expecting Realtek to get the PBO related fixes done for us, because Realtek isn't going to provide an SDK for the FAN speed settings, or skining the interface or providing movie jukebox or for accessing internet based materials. Those modifications require no changes in the actual SDK but rather some resource dedication for the PBO development.

The problem is customers/potential customers can't help comparing the PBO with some of the competition only couple of months older than the PBO (same chipset so same Realtek SDK issues) but since had seen couple of MAJOR firmware releases (associated with updated Realtek SDKs) and many MINOR firmware releases (fixing minor bugs, introducing improvements and interface bells and whistles)

That said, I would like to mention one more thing, is the "format the HDD after the upgrade or lose your BT/SAMBA cababilities" another Realtek related issue ? because it surprises me that that the P02 BETA was upgraded to an RTM by just renaming it without any modifications done, and I quote your post on the firmware thread:

So the P02 is no longer beta according to Patriot, so is it Final yet ? if so why isn't the format warning issue resolved ?!

And on the same occasion, what about the boodtcode flash DIY update ? for all we know we are still waiting for you to take those picture you mentioned 6 weeks ago, I know you have kindly announced that we can get it done via an RMA request, but what about the DIY ? is it possible ..? not possible, will we ever see those instructions ?! I don't think the community mind if we never saw it (perhaps for the fear that lots would brick their players doing so) its just that we need to be informed.

I would like to thank you again for your honesty and openness in handling those concerns, and I (and I think the community as well) would be interested in hearing back from you regarding what should we expect from Patriot regarding firmware updates (non-SDK related).

Well said - and I think I can safely say you speak for all of us on this matter. This IS the crux of the issue CJ. Sure some wont understand the differences outlined above but such is life. One can only do their part. We expect the PATRIOT name to continue to stand solid and consistent.
Please make no more promises (pictures mentioned above is just one example) that will not be kept. Better to say nothing ahead of time and announce a finished project without preamble.

[VanDaPaul]

Originally Posted by Steverion
Can we get an estimate on when the next firmware release will be? A week, a month, six months? Please give us an idea about what's going on. Is there a newer beta version we can test in the meantime?

I have several Blu-Ray ISO files that are not usuable without the menus.

On the bright side, we are hoping to release a new firmware by March. ....

Can we read this as a commitment that the March FW will finally support BD-ISO men / nav. ?

If not, I have to return the box quite soon.

[Patriot_CJ]

Well said - and I think I can safely say you speak for all of us on this matter. This IS the crux of the issue CJ. Sure some wont understand the differences outlined above but such is life. On can only do their part. We expect the PATRIOT name to continue to stand solid and consistent.
Please make no more promises (pictures mentioned above is just one example) that will not be kept. Better to say nothing ahead of time and announce a finished project without preamble.

We are currently trying to open up the SDK package, however some legal issue is still pending. So will try to keep every one posted.

For new firmware in the works: new UI over lay, added web services and some fixes, ODD drive support (not confirmed)

Hope that helps!

[RamboKid]

Finally have time to calcuate the USB to internal drives throughtput.

For the record:
USB drive = ST31000528AS
Internal drive = WD6400BEVT

A dump of 427GB in 11:15hr resulted in 86.4mbps. I took the PBO time minus 5 minutes to account for setting up the transfer on the GUI.

This is again LOW, that number should be the wired 100base speed (OK, ~76mpbs ). IIRC, USB drive to laptop drive was ~120-130mpbs.

It is more than enough for media playback, but not for file transfer.

BTW, all files and folders get wrong date, year 1999

[pmcd]

Hi,

PBO -> such a nice little device with sooooo much potential. But unfortunately; plagued with bugs. What a shame !!!

It is not as though other media players are problem free. Most of them have problems. This is a fairly new field and I doubt that the companies have the resources to grant all the features that people want for players that cost less than a decent remote.

I really liked my PBO's. The only problem I had involved the noisy fan issue. That is a very subjective issue. Not everyone reacts to noise in the same way. I've had people claim their players were silent and when I actually heard them I couldn't take it. The moment a fan is involved in a small enclosure you have to really be careful.

Apart from the noise issue you'll have a hard time getting a better player for the price.

philip

[phil_12345]

It is not as though other media players are problem free. Most of them have problems. This is a fairly new field and I doubt that the companies have the resources to grant all the features that people want for players that cost less than a decent remote.

I really liked my PBO's. The only problem I had involved the noisy fan issue. That is a very subjective issue. Not everyone reacts to noise in the same way. I've had people claim their players were silent and when I actually heard them I couldn't take it. The moment a fan is involved in a small enclosure you have to really be careful.

Apart from the noise issue you'll have a hard time getting a better player for the price.

philip

Hi,

I do agreed that the PBO is a nice inexpensive little device that function adequately for what it's designed to do; but not stellar. I don't connect the PBO to the network (cable or wireless) so I don't experience network connection issues as other users. I am a pretty patient and forgiven person and most of the time I would try to fix minor issues with PBO before complaining. I did oiled the PBO's fan so that it's almost silent; I even did a hot/cold air channel mod to the PBO to improve cooling; especially with an internal HD (there are pictures of the mod posted here way back).

My BIGGEST beef with the PBO is that it's doesn't auto switching audio mode using optical connection to the receiver. With music video files encoded in various audio format, I have to constantly manually switch audio mode when watching them. With movies is ok because I only do it once for each 2 hours or so; but not 5 minutes music video files.

Granted, the media player field is pretty new. But since Patriot already has a pretty "good" product they should take advantage of it by making it 'better' fast so that there would be no competition. The more time Patriot delay of fixing bugs and/or improve the device, the better is for the competitors. The market for standalone media player is still wide open and I won't be surprise if there are many more comming out in the next few months or so. Therefore Patriot better capture the market before it's getting too crowded.

[maximvk]

After the firware update I see problems with torrent downloads, it downloads 15-20% of the job and then Patriot becomes unresponsive and has to be reset with power switch. After I switch the player back "on" the torrent download starts from the beginnning.
I have 500Gb Scorpio blue inside. Copying files over the network, from external USB drive or connecting the player directly to the PC works with no problem...only torrent is the problem. The firmware I use is P02 (the former beta).

With P01 it's not able to see HDD properly at all!

Did anyone have the same problem?

[Wowbagger]

We are currently trying to open up the SDK package, however some legal issue is still pending. So will try to keep every one posted.

I can sympathize on trying to get permission to open up the decoder chip code, and thus your application.

However, you should have no problem supplying at least what version of GCC, glibc/newlib, Busybox, and so on you are using, so that we could at least create stand-alone applications outside the main app (e.g. porting rsyncd and sshd over).

Do you have a download site for the GPL side of things?