Official Ceton Echo Extender Info Thread - Page 117

I know when I find an issue, I'm much more likely to report it to the company if I can't tell if they're working on it (or acknowledged it) than if I know they're working it.

Most of the switching time has to do with the display having to lock onto the new timing on the video input.

I am not going to debate the rest of your comments, but 30 years in the engineering industry, with very big name companies. Your right, this is my first time on this side of the fence, usually it's been me holding the beta for others and by others I mean companies not individuals. Dealing with U.L. and SQA departments is part of my daily job. I think I am over qualified to pass judgement on this, but that's my opinion.

I have definetly been vocal about this on this forum, but I would not have been if it were not for all the hype by Ceton prior to all of this. They led alot of people to believe they were way ahead of where they were. That's their bis., but if they ran into trouble they should have back peddled a bit and toned it down. I mean DTS made a formal anouncement about the Echo supporting DTS. Really, that's par for the corse with small comanies, I think not.

I will have to agree with this, FW is always subjective and always one byte away from success.

And BTW, "pampered" really? I hope you feel better now.

This was "Accepted" as Bug #279 18 days ago. I think ceton is/was working on it. Soon we will know the results, I guess.

So the switching is only a function of how fast the TV can lock on and nothing to do with how face the device feeding the TV can sense a change in frame rate and switch the output? I think maybe both are contributing to how long this takes.

I'm sure they both contribute, but I think the vast majority is on the display end.

The news release say up to 1080p so I assume it would do both

I do. Its really pretty unfortunate to see people act this way. Its sort of iEntitlement behavior. Beta is a job and work. Its not to showcase a finished product or elevate a selected set of early adopters to royalty status. If all people do is complain and be critical of the company instead of test and report graciously and timely they are not respecting the opportunity or purpose.

You are also probably used to a waterfall process. I'm guessing the software part of this product is using something more agile.

Complain after the product gets released and how any subsequent patches and updates are handled. e.g. call the baby ugly *after* its entered the world.

.

ceton specifically asked that if you saw an issue that was already reported to simply put a +1 in the bug tracker and to add any additional details that you may be experiencing. It was right there in the instructions but people chose to do otherwise which only created more work for ceton to go through the bug reports and close out duplicates. The specific bug report for this remained open and was indictated as "Accepted" 18 days ago. It was not closed. I think that means that they are working on it. Giving status updates of the munitia of what work they are doing on it is rediculous as is repeatedly complaining about it.

if newegg is shipping them, it has been released.

Yes..both are available including others

Actually the Echo is more waterfall, agile implies documentation and an evolving spec. with user stories. Not the case here. Except for this new addition of ICS, and I suspect this forum would be the user stories though.

Who said Newegg is shipping them? The listing was posted on Newegg in error and it's been discussed in depth in the beta forums.

FYI - the new firmware is out. I downloaded it to my Echo at lunchtime right before I headed back to work. I didn't have time to do any sort of evaluation, but it did appear to play 1080i material much smoother than before.

As for Ceton not responding to issues about the Echo, I'm seeing posts by various folks from Ceton in these forums, at the Missing Remote, and in the Ceton beta forums as well as the bug tracker. That's quite a bit of territory to cover just to give you a warm fuzzy. Suffice it to say that I believe Ceton is working hard to resolve whatever bugs are being reported in concert with getting more features incorporated into the firmware.

I had two orders from newegg- an order of two echos and an order of one. The order with two arrived today- I went home @ lunch to play... I hooked up one, but WMC isn't able to connect to it. Not sure if I have a firewall issue or something else. I'll have to play with it more tonight.

Anyone know if Extenders can be linked without the WMC GUI? I wrote down my code and I can remote desktop into my HTPC from work....

My HTPC's firewall is completely turned off, so I don't know why it wouldn't be working. I have a wired ethernet network w/ a gigabit switch connecting everything...

The Echo definitely downloaded and installed new firmware- it rebooted 2-3 times before it displayed the code. I can successfully ping the echo from my HTPC. The firmware version had the numbers 11 27 and 2012 in them (not sure the exact string- I'm back at work....)

I will probably try to get my 2nd echo working tonight before I spend too much time on the 1st one. My 3rd one (separate shipment from newegg) will arrive tomorrow.

BTW, mine came from Newegg's New Jersey warehouse...
Edited by pnkflyd51 - 11/28/12 at 10:36am

I have a UPS tracking number for my Echo. Does that count as 'shipping'?

Hmm. so I jumped the gun on cancling my preorder. Now 1080p support is announced I'm feeling like maybe the Echo will work out for my needs. The whole problem has been with lack of communication about what to expect. What I was hoping for is a unit that can replace STB's from the cable company AND be able to stream high quality ripped movies. A home run for me would be that it also could do Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Vudu apps + more in the future: basically a Roku + high quality streaming + TV (live and recorded).

pnkfyd51 said. he got just got two of them from newegg.

it is a released product.

No it can't. You must have access to the 7MC gui to do this.

Thanks. I'm not finding much online regarding why an Extender "cannot be found". I've got a simple-as-can-be wired gigabit ethernet network. I've got the firewall turned off on my WMC HTPC. Everything online has to do with troubleshooting wireless networks or opening firewall ports...

I rebooted my HTPC and it detected the Echo and asked if I wanted to do the setup routine. But then when it gets to the checklist of 4-5 items to do the connect, I get a "Cannot locate Extender" error. Oh well, I'll play with it tonight after the kids are in bed...

All development processes are interpreted by different companies in different ways. Each team can actually interpret and work differently even on the same project.

The "agile" approach that many companies like to say they do is not really agile at all. A lot of companies use the old waterfall method which does work for some companies, however I am not a fan at all of this process.

Waterfall is usually 3 parts:
1.) Huge up front documentation & design
2.) Hand it off to developers and they code away until it is done
3.) Hand it over to test & validation

(repeat steps 2 & 3 over and over until the product is perfect by T&V)

Between each step the project is basically thrown over to the next team, which to me is why they call it waterfall.

Most companies now try to implement SCRUM process which is an "agile" approach. The great thing about SCRUM is that you can actually implement it any way you see fit and I personally love because it is a blend of All 3 categories making up 1 team. So each team usually has someone from design, development and test. You pick out top features that are most important based on various things. Usually you can work towards goals of new deliveries every 1-3 weeks, which is pretty neat. There is a lot more to it than that obviously, and this isn't the forum for that.

In case people were wondering what these terms meant.

The primary focus of the beta was to get feedback from users and to solve as many high priority bugs and implement new features as well. We got a lot of feedback and have been working as hard as possible to close out as many items as possible that are reported with also doing a lot of other items as well that might not actually be visible to the end user, but is overall extremely important in the experience. The goal and main focus was always on the core Extender functionality of the echo.

The beta invite stated it would have 1080p by release, so where's the lack of communication?

The other things you mention were not so clear, though but it looks as if they will be forthcoming. I'm at work and won't be home for 7 or 8 more hours so I'll just have to read about what's going on with the release f/w today and if it supports HBR mkv's now with that 1080p support.

This is mostly a guess, but I think my TV is responsible for most of the delay. I get similar delays when I switch from inputs on my AVR. I'd still probably find 1 second jarring enough that I wouldn't do it unless video quality was much better. So, maybe it would be a good workaround until 1080i is fixed, but I probably wouldn't want to do it in the long-run.

(By the way, if memory serves, I think we have similar TVs. I thought you had the Samsung LN46A650, while I have the LN46A630).

That is correct on the TV but it is the 40", not the 46".

I've never really timed it but I use automatic frame rate switching all the time. My "native" frame rate on my HTPC is 60fps for smooth Live/Recorded TV playback but MadVR senses the frame rate or more accurately, reads it from the metadata of the mkv, and switches automatically. This is usually completed well before the first studio logo is splashed across the screen and then I'm in 23.976ish heaven.
Edited by Sammy2 - 11/28/12 at 11:06am

FYI, the new firmware is live now. Just upgraded. Not seeing 1080p output on my Echo yet. Need to download the WMC plugin to see how to change settings.

Once you installed Echo settings plugin, you can now configure audio, video settings as well as a few other stuff. For video resolution, you get :
* Auto
* 720p
* 1080p
* 1080i
* 480p

For whatever reason, maybe related to my LCD monitor, Echo defaults to 720p when I use Auto.

For Audio, I now have choice to bitstream AC3. When I did that, all I can hear from my PC monitor's speaker is lound digital noise (I'm using a PC monitor to test right now via HDMI). So I guess Echo is not checking the EDID info to see if it can pass AC3 or not. Will check it out on my HT system later.
Edited by Foxbat121 - 11/28/12 at 11:37am

Did you install the WMC Plug-in too? The settings are in there.

EDIT: I guess you figured it out so my post would make no sense now..
Edited by Sammy2 - 11/28/12 at 11:23am

Your response gives me the impression you may not have had many real world experiences with agile development.. That's ok. Its just more often the case that it's not text book. Truly, agile is ...http://agilemanifesto.org/ . Sorry to go off topic. I really don't know what Ceton is following.

Is Echo getting ICS or ICS app support through something like Alien Dalvik?
Edited by EAS - 11/28/12 at 11:40am

I have my UPS tracking number, and UPS says I'll get it tomorrow. Note: I'm part of the beta program, and I'm happy enough with the Echo that I ordered another one for my other TV.

Did they leave it at your door or was it signature required? The reason I ask is mine is scheduled for Thursday delivery, and both my wife and I work late on Thursdays. I'm hoping mine will be there when I come home.

So, is there any DTS bitstreaming with the new firmware?

And where are you located exactly?

They left it w/o any signature required. I forgot that I had also ordered two different types of furnace air filters (which are pretty large...) When I drove into the driveway, I had a huge pile of boxes- my first thought was - what did my wife order!?!? Turns out it was all for me!

Nope, waterfall it's much much easier when dealing with U.L., an evolving product isn't thier best friend.

BTW, I like what's under yor avitar "Master of None", how exactly do you get one of those antway?
Edited by skybolt - 11/28/12 at 11:46am