has patriot completely given up on the box office?

[nfsuw]

well im sure a lot of the users that used to be here have jumped ship by now, but has patriot jumped ship too? the true potential of this box is enormous, but it doesnt seem like patriot really cares. i was looking at the change log of one of the direct competitor boxes, the asus o!play... and they just keep adding new and useful features.

heres a changelog of their most recent firmware (that even comes with a source...)

O!Play HDP-R1 firmware update (For NTSC TV system user)
Internet service:
1. Over 20,000 internet radio stations
2. Over 100 internet TV channels
3. Flickr
4. Picasa
5. Weather
New functions:
1. Add BD iso navigation and subtitle identification
2. Add BD/DVD direct play by folder
3. Add hue and saturation tuning in video setup menu
4. Add Brazil language support
5. Add power saving function in system setup menu
6. Add My shortcut edit function
Fixed bugs:
1. Fix UPnP bug: wrong data information
2. Fix Timezone setting bug: can't stop issue
3. Fix Clear key does not work when key in encrypted string
4. Improve JiPin 8042 HDMI compatibility

correct me if im wrong, patriot staff... but it looks to me like the company itself has jumped ship...

[RxBandit]

The O!Play HDP-R1 firmware sounds amazing!

The internet tv chanels is what sounds the coolest to me...

Wish I had an ASUS haha

I wander if you could flash the pbo with the HDP-R1 firmware, the only thing that concerns me in doing that is the pbo remote wont work. Im a broke college student so a harmony remote seems unlikely...

[kuri]

^ Yeah, me too. In hindsight, I should have picked up the Asus.

I was originally attracted to the PBO with its internal hdd design, so it'd look more clean with my existing setup, but with network speed problems and the like, I end up copying files from my USB stick most of the the time anyway.

[Abaddon]

It does seem as though nobody is listening on the forums anymore. Perhaps Patriot wasn't prepared for the amount of software support expected by us end users. I'll very likely be selling my PBO on Ebay unless I hear news of something amazing on the horizon.

[Korbis]

It does seem as though nobody is listening on the forums anymore. Perhaps Patriot wasn't prepared for the amount of software support expected by us end users.

If that's the case they should release the hardware design to the public and let us write firmware for it to correct their problems.

[JPMG]

Let see, you have a box you can turn on and plays almost anything out there.
And it plays what it is listed to play (some list formats, but don't actually play them).
The unit hit the market, about Nov-Dec of 2009, but already you think Patriot is dumping it? Hmmm .... why?
Because there is not a firmware update every week?
Because every post does not get a reply from the company?

It does what it is supposed to do (OK, the GUI is a bit clunky).

Networks speed is OK ... I'm playing BluRays (25GB-30GB) from a server with no stutters or problems. But I did realize that you can't reliably get data that fast with wireless, so I just connect with a cable.

If you REALLY think the other box is great, read their forums and support area ... they have their share of complaints and whines.

Now if you really want to play every possible format and have every possible bell and whistle ... then just build a HTPC.
That is, a decent mobo, fast CPU (cuz the lifting is not done in hardware), a bunch of RAM, disk, decent video card, then find, load, tune, configure all the codecs, then add your apps and *POOF* it will do what you want.
But I doubt it will be as small, start up as fast and be as stable.
And way more that $100 or so the PBO costs.

Trust me ... I have multiple MCE boxes to do esoteric stuff, and they all require care and feeding.

If you want to go faaaast .. get a Corvette (but you can't carry much cargo).
If you want to carry a lot, get a dumptruck (but don't street race).

I like the PBO, it's a decent dumptruck

Cheers!
... M ...

[wigout]

JMPG-

Some people have been sitting on the forums with expectations rising since the launch of the device, and that's a hard thing to understand from an outside point of view.

Not me, however- I got my pbo a month or so ago and think it's the portable's bee's knees. Wish recovering to firmware was easier to trigger, however.

-wigout

[JPMG]

Well I feel for them if they have been waiting with their expectations growing.
Like you, I just got two about a week ago and have been digging into them.

I think it's slicker than a wet frog, it does what it does plus has some tuning options. Fast, portable and functional. I still like the GUI on the MCE box ...BUT... that is a full blown PC.

With that said, I think the box and ones like it will flourish if they open up the sofware and the real linux tweakers get into it.

For example, look at the Linksys routers.

There is an entire cottage industry around fixing/tweaking/tuning the router software to turn it from a basic box into a full blown robust router. So much so that when the company tried to halt it (by reducing the memory and other tricks) there was such a backlash they finally released a version designed for tuning. And LInksys uses it as a marketing tool.

But the real issue is that I think Patriot was not aware of the real lifecycle cost for a hardware/software solution, this is not a RAM chip they can slam out the door and move on to something else. That is the time/cost to maintain the software, plus the testing to insure that new features do not break old features. It took many LARGE sofware companies that depend on SW for their revenue many years to figure that out. Some didn't and died.

On the bright side, software design/development/testing is now a somewhat known process. Thus Patriot should be able to come up to speed in short order.

Cheers!
... Mike ...

[The Globule]

On the bright side, software design/development/testing is now a somewhat known process. Thus Patriot should be able to come up to speed in short order.

Cheers!
... Mike ...

You would think so...

[pthomas82]

I've had my unit for about a month now - Loving it!

As you said, what do you want it to do?

Me - I wanted something to play MKV files... and HOLY CRAP it does it!

Picture looks sweet on my 50" so im pleased as punch.

lol if the people wanted something crazy - should have got a popcorn hour c-200.. however , for budget quality - you cant beat the PBO!