Moxi ( Motorola BMC90xx ) Q&A and Discussion Thread - Page 304

I'm not following pricing on hard drives very closely, so I don't know.

Is there any reason to expect the price to go up in the near future? Is this an extraordinary promotion that's not likely to be repeated? If so, I'd buy now. But if I expected the price to stay constant or even drop further, I'd hold onto my cash until I actually had 4.1 on my box.

But the upside is that Time Warner Cable is testing 4.1. Hold good thoughts.

Now that is more encouraging. I initially read your post as "TWC hasn't even decided whether they will think about 4.1" If they are testing it then I now have my own rumors to keep me going instead of blind faith Thanks MoxiGuy!

Whoo hoo! There is still hope!!!

-Dan

Yes, there is. But, to be clear, I'm not sure how much hope there is. I can't gauge that. I don't want to speculate or guess.

Would e-mails or phone calls help TWC make the decision? If so, to who?

Gary Einstein

The 4.1 user guide for anyone interested.

http://www.moxi.com/pdf/ug_cable_4-1.pdf

That sound you just heard was a bucket of cold water being dumped over my head.

-Dan

My area is served by the Fond du Lac, WI Charter office and I have been very happy with my MOXI BMC9012, having had it for years with no major issues. My neighbor apparently is having cable installed and I walked over and asked the tech when/if Charter in this area was going to push the 4.1 firmware upgrade. He informed me that they weren't, and that they aren't even distributing the MOXI box anymore. He stated that over the next year or so, users would be switched to a new DVR. He had no information as to which one other than to say it was a Motorola. Does anyone have any further information about this? Frankly, I'm pretty satisfied with my MOXI other than the inability to add more storage space.

Based on what I've seen, I would put more stock in what Moxiguy said a few posts back (i.e. tune in next week).

Quite frankly in terms Charter, field technicians and Customer "Service" reps are some of the most unreliable sources of information out there. People who actually work behind the scenes at local offices, like CharterJames on this board, seem to be the only remotely reliable sources of information from within the company. Even then, the ridiculously different circumstances across Charter (i.e. some areas have full digital simulcasting, some don't, different markets seem to have remarkably different channel lineups especially in terms of HD channels, etc.) make it impossible for Charter reps to speak authoritatively about anything except their own local market.

I agree, I have had some bad info from Charter before but usually they just don't know about what is happening next.

But today I had an interesting conversation:

Ok straight from the horses mouth. I went on the Charter "chat" line and asked the following:

Do you have any information when you might push the Moxi 4.1 update to the St. Louis, MO area?

After he (Daniel at Charter) asked me all my personal info including my address (St. Charles, MO)

He replied: Daniel: Starting on June 4th the system will be pushing the upgrades for the Moxi box. The update may occur for you anytime on or after 06/04.

I then typed: : Excellent. Will the External hard drive capability be automatically enabled?

Charter: Daniel: The notes indicate the feature will be available.

So there you go folks...Looks like the communication at Charter is improving...but we'll see next week.

(also posted on the STL AVS)
pwsher

I went ahead and bought this 99.00 A/R http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?...ular-_-NA-_-NA

Can always take it back if this turns out to be untrue.

My local charter office has a calendar with coupons for 1 free on demand movie each month intil Dec 2007.

Here are the results of my chat which the operator obviously copied and pasted an official documentation.

Amber: I will be one minute please to research for you.

Amber: Starting June 4, 2007, we are releasing a new software version to MOXI DVR customers in selected markets (Turlock and all of the Central Division). Reno, NV is scheduled for June 11th. The new software version is generally known as software version 4.1. With this software release, customers will receive various performance improvements (surfing and searching), new features and enhancements to existing features.


Amber: Performance improvements: SpeedSurf Scrolling through lists is very fast. Channel List in Settings (for hiding channels you never watch) now works as fast as the Moxi Menu. Amber: Speed Search The search tool pops up almost instantly


Me: I am in Tennessee, will I be getting it? where is Turlock and all of the Central Division?

Amber: Thank you for waiting, I was checking to confirm your area for you.

Amber: Yes, this would apply for you.

Me: Does it say anything about external hard drive support? Does it list cities, or just give that region thing. I need to know for sure before I buy an external hard drive.

Amber: I have found: The External Hard Drive feature allows a dedicated drive to be connected to the media center to gain additional storage space for recorded programs. The external hard drive must be dedicated for use with one specific media center only. Using the drive with other media centers, or storing other data will result in the loss of all programs previously stored on the external hard drive. A new card titled External Hard Drive appears in the Settings menu.

Amber: \\u2022Hard drive minimum specifications required: USB 2.0, 7200 RPM, 8 MB buffer.
\\u2022The drive must be connected to one of the USB 2.0 ports on the rear of the media center. The front ports are USB 1.1 only. When connected properly, follow the on screen instructions.

Here are the locations of Charter markets.

http://www.charter.com/Visitors/Abou...ProductItem=22

I just had a chat with Amber also. She confirmed that the entire Central Division will be getting the update next week.

I'm in Southern California. I went to my local Charter office and asked them this morning. The person behind the counter gave me a dumb look and said huh?

I called "customer service" they listened politely and then said huh? oh you want to talk to the internet people.

I may have as well been speaking Latin.

Any one in the So Cal area know anything about Charter's plans??

Wow, that is fantastic if true.

Starting June 4, 2007, we are releasing a new software version to MOXI DVR customers in selected markets. The new software version is generally known as software version 4.1.
Performance Improvements

SpeedSurf
Scrolling through lists is very fast. Channel List in Settings (for hiding channels you never watch) now works as fast as the Moxi Menu.

Speed Search
The search tool pops up almost instantly.


Popular New Features

Time Forward/Change Time Slot
There are two new features in the Moxi Menu available for the Channels card and channel filter cards to view future programming. It is now possible to move the whole program guide forward and back through the two-weeks of programming in blocks of time. Previously, it was only possible to use the On Next (renamed to Coming Up) paddle to view future programming for a single channel at a time.

Use the Change Time Slot card, positioned above the highest numbered channel in the list, to change the currently displayed time. A paddle appears to the right of the Change Time Slot card. From the Change Time Slot card, press the right arrow to enter the paddle. Use the Up/Down arrow keys to scroll to a desired date/time. Press OK to change to the selected date/time.

Alternately, use the following remote buttons to change the program guide for all channels in blocks of time:
Next - each press updates the schedule ½ hour ahead.
Back - each press takes the schedule back ½ hour (if viewing future listings).
Skip - each press updates the schedule 24 hours.
Replay - each press takes the schedule back 24 hours (if viewing future listings).
Moxi - returns the schedule to the current time. (Pressing Moxi again dismisses Moxi Menu.)

Service Messages
Gives Charter the ability to create and schedule short messages for display on the Moxi Menu Service Messages card, which displays in between Settings and About Moxi.
Viewers are notified of new messages by an envelope icon in the lower left corner of the TV screen, and by the illuminated green message light on the front panel of the media center.
When the Service Message card is in center focus, the published message titles display on the vertical axis and some of the text displays on the Info paddle. When a message is selected by pressing OK or Info, an info note and action menu displays with the full text and the options to Delete, Mark as read, or Mark as unread.

External Hard Drive
The External Hard Drive feature allows a dedicated drive to be connected to the media center to gain additional storage space for recorded programs. The external hard drive must be dedicated for use with one specific media center only. Using the drive with other media centers, or storing other data will result in the loss of all programs previously stored on the external hard drive. A new card titled External Hard Drive appears in the Settings menu.
Hard drive minimum specifications required: USB 2.0, 7200 RPM, 8 MB buffer.
The drive must be connected to one of the USB 2.0 ports on the rear of the media center. The front ports are USB 1.1 only. When connected properly, follow the on screen instructions.


Slow Motion
Slow motion capability has been added. To use it, press pause during a program, then press Fwd once. Pressing any transport key (Pause, Play, Rew, Fwd, Stop) will then switch to that mode.
Moxi Menu View Upcoming has been renamed to See All Times. It now appears on the action menu for all programs appearing on Moxi Menu.
Previously, it was only available from select sections of Moxi Menu.
All recorded and recording programs appear in the appropriate Moxi Menu filters when the program guide is in current time.
Previously, recorded and recording shows appeared in Recorded TV only.
The OnNext panel is now called Coming Up. Also, Coming Up is available in all Moxi Menu filters as well as the flip bar. On the Coming Up panel, the page (ch+/-) buttons now moves three programs at a time.
Previously, the On Next paddle appeared only on Channels, Favorites & HDTV.
The Clear button removes a channel from the Favorites category.
Previously, only the Options card could be used to clear all Favorites channels.
Info paddle includes additional information, as applicable: star rating, price, TV rating/movie rating, repeat, year.
The Info Note now includes full title for long titles, closed captioning and secondary audio information.
DVR
Functionality A storage meter was added into the new card Storage & Stats in About Moxi, which shows the amount of space used on the hard drive for recorded shows.
Previously, the viewer did not have access to this information.
Slow Motion in forward play is now available (press pause and then FF).
At the end of a recorded show, it is now possible to dismiss the Keep/Delete note using player controls (Rew, Replay).
Previously, no player controls were possible: Keep or Delete had to be selected.
The user can set the skip button interval using the new Skip card in Settings.
Previously the Skip interval was preset to 15 minutes and could not be changed.
The Recording Options button is now only available on individual or series programs that are recorded or scheduled to record. Now after setting a recording through Record Once or Record Series, press OK and select Recording Options to modify the selected individual recording. Further, if available, select Series Options to modify the series recordings.
Previously changing recording options on scheduled programs could only done from the Scheduled to Record or Series Options cards.
The Recording Options dialog interaction works differently. The current settings appear on the left and action menus/buttons for changes appear on the right.
There is a new Priority tool for series recordings. The viewer can select the priority level to assign to the title.
Previously, a series title had to be moved up or down one level at a time.
When Recording Options are selected for a series or an episode, the Timeslot option which allows the user to optionally select to record episodes at a specific time.
Previously, Moxi determined which timeslot was recorded.
For the BMC9022/Moxi Mate, a new recording starting conflict note allows a user to select which show to interrupt.
Previously, before a recording started the viewer could only choose record/not record.

About Moxi Used DVR storage space and limited technical information, normally accessed through On Screen Diagnostics, is now available on the Storage & Stats card.
There is a new tip on programming the Moxi remote to control additional devices.
There is new information in Remote Shortcuts.
There is a tip on the new Change Time Slot feature.
Flip Bar / Time Bar Parental Controls rating information is now displayed on the Flip Bar.
The Flip Bar is now blanked out when a channel number is entered.
The Time Bar now stays up when pausing a program or viewing photos. To clear it from the screen, press the clear button on the remote.
Previously, the Time Bar would disappear after a few seconds.
Parental Controls A parental controls Lock option has been added to the action menu of all TV listings. This allows the user to set a lock based on the current program's channel, TV rating or movie rating. This can also be used to activate Parental Controls without going to the Parental Controls card in Settings.
The user can configure the auto-relock duration using the Set Relock Timer card under Parental Controls in Settings.
Previously, Moxi would relock after four hours.
The user may unlock one channel instead of all channels by choosing more options in the action menu of the info paddle.
Previously, all channels were unlocked, or all channels were locked.
When available, the TV rating will be used to lock programming.
Previously, some programming was locked because it was either not rated or had a restricted Movie Rating, even though it had been edited for TV.
After 5 attempts to enter an incorrect PIN, there is a PIN lockout for 1 hour to protect against break-in attempts.
When show titles are blocked, the info paddle displays the setting(s) that caused the show to be locked. Pressing OK or Info displays the PIN prompt note, which explains that parental controls must be unlocked and allows PIN entry and other options to modify Parental Controls.
In Parental Controls, there are info notes explaining ratings in TV Ratings and Movie Ratings categories.
The Parental Controls card now displays the basic status of Parental Controls directly on the card in Settings. The status can now be changed quickly by selecting the card and picking the appropriate button. To change additional settings, the user must now select the Settings button.
Parental control ratings on a DVD are supported in Moxi Parental Controls. DVDs that support DVD based parental controls can be unlocked without unlocking all other content. The lock status is not affected by actual ratings, only by the Parental Controls status being on or off.
Previously, the DVD was locked if Parental Controls was on and unlocking the DVD would unlock all content. This is still true for DVDs that do not support DVD based parental controls.
Photos
(Not Available in All Markets) The Photos flip bar displays additional photo information and allows extensive remote interactions.
There are expanded slideshow remote interactions.
It is now possible to select a music playlist from Jukebox to play with a slideshow using the Slideshow Music button in the Album action menu. This requires Jukebox, which is only available with the BMC9022.
Previously, only preset music accompanied a slideshow. This will be unchanged for the BMC9012 and MP12.
It is now possible to upload photos in the background, while watching TV, playing a game, etc.
Jukebox
(Not Available in All Markets) Moxi will now store partially imported CDs.
Previously, they were erased.
It is now possible to create and play a queue of multiple albums and tracks and then save it as a Playlist.
A screensaver displays when Jukebox is playing.
VOD / PPV Resume button renamed to Continue on VOD action menu.
Buy button added to VOD info menu when viewing a preview.
Unauthorized SVOD categories/titles appear in light gray text.
Games
(Not Available in All Markets) Four games are removed: Domino Dementia, Battleship, Bijoux, and Checkers.
Eight new games are added: Ping, Blockbreaker, Code Breaker, Mahjong, Slot Machine, Bowling, Bubble Blast, and 21 Frenzy.
Two games are updated: Solitaire and Tomato.
SuperTicker When SuperTicker is up, the channel can now be changed using the ch+/- buttons or by directly entering channel numbers, without disabling SuperTicker.
In Weather Forecast, all three days appear at the same time.
Weather Forecasts are now available for all cities.
Previously SuperTicker displayed forecasts for the local city only.
Other Differences If an invalid channel number is entered, Moxi now tunes to next lowest valid channel number. If that channel is a VOD launch channel, Moxi will not launch to the VOD menu and will give a not subscribed/check your video connection error message. To launch to the VOD menu, bring up the Flip Bar and press OK or enter the actual launch channel number.
Previously, all invalid channel numbers were ignored.
Closed Captioning is now a full screen application (no mini-TV is present when selecting Closed Captioning options). As with all full screen applications, the viewer is taken back to live TV when they exit. If the viewer was watching non-live media including Recorded TV, the Intro to Moxi movie, On Demand, or Recorded PPV, they will have to reselect the program.
Previously, the mini-TV displayed when selecting Closed Captioning options. When the viewer exited Closed Captioning they were taken back to whatever program they were watching.

Where did ya get that, hotshot? Is it posted, or did you get it in email?

Launch Date(s):

• June 4th Central Division and Turlock

• June 11th in Reno, NV

• Remaining markets targeted release date of July 9, 2007

I'm a little bummed, I've got a 500GB $99.99 WD MyBook drive sitting on my desk and I live in TN so it looks like we are not getting the update Monday.

Don't panic if you don't see the upgrade on Monday, June 4. My understanding is that the listed date is a start date for the process and that it may take up to 9 or 10 days to cover the entire first wave.

Everything you ever wanted to know about 4.1:

The 4.1 user guide for anyone interested. This is very large pdf file. (110 pages)

http://www.moxi.com/pdf/ug_cable_4-1.pdf

I searched it as thoroughly as I could, and it doesn't say when TWC will release it in Southern California, so, in fact, it does NOT include everything I ever wanted to know about 4.1.

-Dan

In fact, this is the only thing I want to know about 4.1

From what I understand from sources I can't reveal the 4.1 rollout was determined by what area of the US had the best baseball team last year. Thus the St. Louis area will be first. I would assume that southern CA should get it right after New York. Although I cannot explain why Chicago will get it at all.

Seriously, do you remember in what order you received 3.2? Since the world HDQ of Charter was St Louis we wern't surprised that it was rolled out here first among the areas. I predict you will have it before the corn is as high as the flag on the fourth of July.

IIRC, the former Adelphia areas of So Cal got 3.2 months and months after everyone else got 3.2. Unless TWC improves on Adelphia's track record for these things (and current evidence shows that they are somehow doing worse than Adelphia, even though we all thought that was impossible) I think it might be about when we establish our first colony outside of our solar system....

I forgot to tell everyone, at our local charter office, they said they just started getting DVR's in again. People are taking back the MOXI and trading in for the 160gb model!

I think I know what you mean but my 9022 Moxi is 160GB.

First Post Alert!

This thread is incredible! Lots of great information. However I have searched and read and have been unable to answer the following: I currently rent a MOXI box through TWC in the LA area. If I want to purchase one from ubid or ebay or wherever, what will I need to do in order to add it to another TV in my house? Is it plug and play? Will I have to call TWC to have them push the programming to the box, or will I need someone to come out to set it up?

Thanks in advance!!
-Matt