We know that the stream+ has many known issues and that they are being worked on. How can one tell if something has been taken care of and do we have an estimated time on anything ? Do we have to wait a few months or weeks etc ?

Yes, one of my units started exhibiting this behavior.

Are you sure the microSD cards are not fakes? If you got a good deal on them and purchased online from an Amazon or eBay seller you have a good chance they are not actually the stated capacity or quality. You can do a full format (not a quick format) and then try to write to the card to capacity as explained in this article (complete with links to test files to write).

Yep - same issue, same card. Though mine has a reboot issue too. Im assuming that my unit reboots during recording and so I only get a partial recording. Mine will reboot when doing something as simple as changing settings - but its random; sometimes after 5 mins, sometimes after 5 hours.

Have you physically been watching the TV during the failed recordings? Could be its rebooting - mine is going back for repair/replace.

It's getting to be that time where you that have received a Stream+ and are still having troubles with it pack it up and return it before your 30-day return period ends.

I know that even if they fix the bugs, it still won't make it as a good DVR in my home. I'm sticking with my DTVPalDVRs and DVR+s. They've proven very reliable in the long run.

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" Per Nick Chalco from Google, please send feedback through Live Channels option only within the app, do NOT use the option to send through Google Play Store. They do receive this feedback, and it is very useful in determining the cause of these issues."

Does anyone know how to change the feedback settings? I must have set them to use Google Play always since I don't seem to have the option to choose method within Live Channels.

The way I think 80-90% of folks would see it is: you have one advertised product feature (OTA recording) with a bug so serious, it essentially doesn't work at all. You have another feature (audio) which does work, but at a lower quality (stereo vs. DD 5.1) than it should.

If you're right that fixing the audio bug is a "quick thing," while fixing OTA recordings is much more complicated, then you're also right that it would make sense to do the quick fix and at least check the audio bug off the list. But if not (and face it, there's no way for us end-users to know), and if Google or Technicolor has to prioritize (and they may not have to - it's quite possible these bugs will get assigned to different developers or teams, so they can be worked on in parallel), well ... I respect your opinion, but I'd be willing to bet you're going to get outvoted on which issue needs attention first.

Especially if you're having an issue that isn't a recognized bug common to all the Stream+ units (and isn't due to other hardware such as a bad or fake SD card). If it's a bug, you could hang on and hope they fix it, especially if you got it for the "bargain" price of $99; but if it's rebooting randomly, not recording, or having some other problem that only a few other units are experiencing, face it: you're going to need to replace it. Send it back while you can; you can always buy another, even if you have to wait a couple of months to get it.

Using the Feedback function of the Live Channels app, should one ever expect a reply from someone? Has anyone on the group received any communication at all after sending Feedback?

You've probably got a better chance of getting a substantive reply back from Live Channels than from Channel Master.

I don't care about receiving responses, or what ever. I just want results, and am willing to be patient for good quality results. If Live Channels 1.7 is released this month, and corrects any thing,.. And by fixing something, doesn't cause any other issue, it will be a progression forward. There are been few corrective releases reported at Nvidia tv GEFORCE forums, that didn't include new issues. The release that supported many new tuners, also disabled the 5.1 pass through.

I'm known to be a fair guy. I'm sure they don't decide priority by flipping coins., I have faith that they will do what is best for Google, foremost, and, if that also resolves customers issues,.. yea!!!

I've spent more than $99 in 30 minutes on a lunch date, for 2, with no alcohol. I'm not going to worry too much about it. My ancient Boxee TV cost $79 and recorded OTA to the cloud dang near perfectly. That was 10 years ago, so they gotta be able to do this in 2018, come on.

+1 - I had the option of a refund or my defective unit repaired. For $99 if I can get a working BASIC DVR with app support, Im happy. I chose repair, I think CM will come through in the end.

I should add that CM have been VERY responsive via email with my hardware issue and even sent me a prepaid label to send the unit back in for repair. For $99, that's pretty good service.

An iView, a ViewTV, or a Mediasonic box and a Firestick and you've got a much better BASIC DVR with app support combo. That setup will cost less than the S+...and both the boxes and the Firestick have a good reputation of operating as advertised straight out of the box. Plus, with the DVR you are not chained to the internet for your guide. You did say BASIC DVR.

Hey, that ViewTV looks kind of cool for $35 "must not be tempted, must not be tempted....."

One thing I've learned over the years is, if possible, always record anything you don't want to miss on at least two different DVRs. Murphy's Law guarantees that, sooner or later, something will go wrong with at least one recording - and it will be the episode you really wanted to see....

I probably take that to a ridiculous extreme, with a HW-150, an iView 3200, a DTVPal, a DVR+ and a PC with WMC. (The latter two also double as streamers; the DVR+ for Sling TV, and the PC for what little else I stream.)

But if you record OTA, it seems quite reasonable to have both a ViewTV and a Stream+, and to record your most important shows on both.

You are invited to join the Live Channels Beta.

This will give you early access to new version of the Live Channels app.

To join tell the Google Playstore you want to be a tester at
https://play.google.com/apps/testing...gle.android.tv

Please provide feedback in the Live Channels Beta G+ community

The Live Channels team will post a notice when a new version is available and highlight the changes.

Your feedback is important to us. Please use this community to discuss any issues with the BETA you may find.

Awesome Nick! Thanks for opening this up for testing. I'm sure you'll get a lot of feedback from this community. :-)

Got my $99 credit from CM to my PayPal account today. This Stream+ didn't meet any of my needs.

Bye...see you all when CM comes out with a real DVR.

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Being an early adopter isn't for everybody, and I'm glad CM honored their promise to accept your return.

Personally, I am excited to be part of the beta program to help a new product reach its potential. Since Live Channels is used on other devices it should prove beneficial for more than just the S+ owners.

I left my two $99 units sitting at the UPS store yesterday. Being an early adopter definitely wasn't a badge I was seeking, I was seeking a unit that worked. CM "honored" the return most likely because they advertise a 30-day return policy. The email I got back from them was curt and to the point, there was no "We're sorry it did not work out for you...." or "We value your business...", etc.,. They did make sure to tell me the cost of shipping would be on me....$20. I also did not see anywhere on the CM website about if you purchased one of the S+ units that you would be a "beta" tester. I put down my hard-earned money for units that worked and that was not plagued by problems, problems, and more problems.

This may have been my last Channel Master purchase...first the 7777HD lost in a shoot-out with Antennas Direct Juice amp while I've got an old CM7777 vhf/uhf port preamp that is still working fine. I feel that the S+ was released prematurely and the DVR+ killed prematurely...the S+ apparently was not ready for consumer sales and not ready to replace the DVR+. CM is currently just grasping at straws and pointing at Google when it's plans don't work out well...passing the buck. That is somewhat sad for a company that was looked upon at one time as the standard that other television accessory (antenna, preamp, connectors, etc.,) companies were compared to.

At the current price of a S+ $150, the cost of a cheap 1TB USB hard drive (if they successfully work over the long run with the S+) at $50, the total is $200. That is a two-tuner box, with a throttled guide, iffy recording and storage, a reportedly weak receiver, no Amazon and no Netflix, and the other miscellaneous problems that people are having. When TiVo has a decent sale (a couple of times a year) a new Roamio OTA has been at $299 with 1TB of storage, Netflix, and Amazon already there. When the sale comes up again I'll probably be going that route.

I really was hoping the CM S+ would be just what I was looking for for my two daughters, but straight out of the gate all of the problems that are being reported tells me that horse stumbled badly. Oh well.

Hi, Nick. Thanks for the opportunity.
Just ran the update. First thing I noticed was the DVR log. Failed recordings now do show up there.
Found a previously scheduled recording had failed with a "System Error Code 0" trying to record from standby.
Never showed up before, they just disappeared.
Have scheduled a recording and will see if it now works.
Failed shows now also show up in recordings list, but the older recordings that weren't playable
still can't be played back.
Was hoping the new software might reset the feedback settings but still can only send feedback via Play Store
(I'm pretty sure I changed the default settings).

Looking forward to further testing,

John

I decided to start fresh, and performed a factory reset before the update. I guess that's why I don't see a DVR log anywhere. I'm setting up some recordings, and will check later.

Prior to the Factory Reset, and Update, I had been checking the available memory as New recordings were added, and older recordings became unplayable,... I'm pretty sure those unplayable recordings are, gone baby gone.

The numbers reflected that after a certain point, the available storage stayed about the same even with new recordings being added every day.

Hopefully we will get different results after update. During the weekdays, all my recordings are past 11.pm, so I'll be keeping track of available storage daily and see what develops.

Any body notice obvious differences in this update?

I think clearing the Cache and/or Data in the Live Channels App should clear the settings in the Send Feedback setting so that you can select to send in Live Channels instead of GPS. Those 3 options are confusing, Feedback, Send Feedback, Google Play Store.

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I'm not trying to troll the thread, I swear! But I thought you all might like to know that the $130 AirTV Player (made by Technicolor, like the Stream+) has upgraded to Android 7 and now has Edit: beta DVR capability. But before those of you who sent back your Stream+'s go buy one, make sure you understand the differences:

• AFAIK the AirTV player only supports a single tuner, not two. That would of course limit your DVRing vs. the Stream+. Also, its tuner is a separate "dongle" that plugs into its USB port, not built in.
• Edit: Valyard has posted that a Stream+-like version with two built-in tuners is in the works. However, the price of the new version is unknown. Valyard also posted that once the DVR is out of beta testing, AirTV plans to require a subscription to use it, like that other DVR I won't name but whose initials are T-I-V-O. (To be fair, at least that other DVR has a no-subscription "lifetime" option, at least for OTA.)
• You can buy it without the tuner for $99, but then of course it's basically just another Android streaming box.
• The AirTV Player OTA capability is provided via its Sling TV app. I'm not sure but I don't think you can use local channels with it unless you have Sling TV.
• Like the Stream+, the AirTV Player records OTA shows to "adopted" (i.e., encrypted) storage. No idea whether the workarounds you all have discovered for the Stream+ will work for the AirTV Player, especially since a different app is doing the recording.
• While I don't care much for the Stream+ remote, the AirTV remote is worse IMO - it looks like a toy!
• On the plus side, the AirTV Player does have Netflix, and it claims to support 4K (obviously via streamiing only, not OTA). Don't know about DD 5.1 but I'd think it's likely. Edit: Just been informed, no DD 5.1; sorry. That may be a bug as with the Stream+ though; maybe even the same bug?

At this point, all I know is the DVR capability exists; not whether it's any good! Still, it might fill a niche for some who were disappointed by the Stream+'s weak DVR capability and lack of Netflix.

I think that's about all I'll have to say about it here. If any of you want to discuss it further, there's a thread here: https://www.avsforum.com/forum/39-net...es-2017-a.html

I wasn't aware that CM advertised the Stream+ as a "beta" device and invited customers to pay for the privilege of being beta testers.

Technically, only the new version 1.7 of Live Channels is a "beta" product. Most Stream+ owners have a "stable" version, unless they intentionally downloaded v1.7 beta.

But given the number of issues that have been discovered in the "stable" version, I'd say the confusion is understandable.

No one said that they did. I accepted an invitation to help, and that is what I have chosen to do. You may choose differently.

Anyone who mail-orders an unproven technology product should implicitly expect that there will be bumps and bruises at launch. Many preorders haven't yet shipped, but we have had two program updates already with another already promised that fixes the 48-hour bug. I can stand the initial heat and have decided to remain in the kitchen.

The Stream+ is a new baby. I hope enough users will decide to help the baby grow instead of simply dismissing a product that probably was released too early. Hopefully we can contribute toward seeing it become a mature and stable device. We have a right to complain about bugs, and I do. Google Live Channels has asked that willing users help squash the bugs, and that's okay by me.

This product never should have been released in its current state

I regret only buying one DVR+ when they went on sale. It's 85% of my Tivo at 25% of the cost. Oh well. I bought the HDD 250, still the best DVR ever built, at a closeout too, and regretted not buying the HDD 500 on the shelf next to it.....

It appears every Stream+ owner is experiencing the unplayable older video issue. Some owners were unaware as, they watch recordings next day, and delete, or just never attempted to watch video more than once.

Hopefully, the unplayable video issue will be fixed and included In the Beta before released as a final version.

I am seeing no difference whether using sd card, powered USB 3 SSD, or USB 3 thumb drive. The videos are great quality, complete, but eventually unplayable.

I continue to Record my late night series, watch following night and delete. It's actually usable for me.

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I can play recordings from last week without issue. 32GB microsd card and 2TB USB fantom drive.