O Canada! > Canadian > Rogers > [TV] NextBox 2.0 / Whole Home PVR Install experience

[TV] NextBox 2.0 / Whole Home PVR Install experience

reply to LazMan
No - the physical work (swapping the 3 boxes, adding the MoCA filter, and breaking out the internet line) - took maybe 45 minutes...

The rest of the time, he spent on the phone with his support people, trying to resolve an issue with the HD-PVR not taking the updated software - apparently internal support's answer for everything is "Swap the box", too - installer had to change boxes 3 times, before support said they didn't know what the issue was, and that they'd try to push the update overnight instead... And each box swap means 15 mins for it to boot, etc...

I do feel badly for the installer - he was a piece-work contractor, and either he, or his company, was loosing money on this job, for sure. He was quick and professional with everything HE did - that Rogers couldn't make the software side of it work, is all on them...

reply to JAC70

reply to LazMan

The MoCA filter prevents the signal from the MoCA STBs from leaking back out into the neighbourhood's cable network. Especially with WHPVR it would prevent your neighbours from accessing your WHPVR system and vice versa. It would be placed where the cable provider's network enters your home.

reply to LazMan
Well, still no developments on the Whole-Home PVR portion - still doesn't work; but I did get a voicemail from Rogers, saying that the free PVR-extender is backordered 2-3 weeks, and will shipped to me when it comes in...

Really?

According to the call centre, I was among the first to order; and I was the first live service installed in the Barrie area, according to my installer - there were 2 previous "test" installs... And there's a 2-3 week back-order for the extender. So I guess Rogers had next to none in stock to start with?

Oh, and icing on the cake - my SD box stopped working yesterday - "This box is not authorized" - so apparently it was dropped from my account, too... It's just in my bar, and only gets used for parties and sporting events, but still.

I know being an early adopter isn't always a smooth ride; but this has been a complete joke...

Call Centre would have no idea whether you're the first one to order. You might have been the first WHPVR order for that particular rep, but there's no way for that rep to know you were one of the first orders considering there are thousands of reps and they are scattered throughout different call centres in the country.

reply to LazMan
True - although since a call centre manager, and 2 other agents came on the line to help take the order; I'm feeling pretty confident that it wasn't exactly a well practiced process yet... Add's weight to the agent saying I was one of the first to order, in my mind, anyways...

Either way, I ordered on the day of the commercial launch; and was installed 3 days later - there's no reason why Rogers should have a 3 week backorder on a promo item on a new product launch...

reply to LazMan

The "PVR-extender" (aka: branded external hard drive) is not a new product. The backlog may have nothing to do with the whole home PVR roll-out.

Ummmm, yes it is. Its an newer model. Hence why the Rogers website doesnt have any until after april. its not the old extender, this is a new one. so, it is a new product, or refreshed at least.

reply to LazMan
So I had the guys come to my house last week. Booked a day to work from home and the guy came at 10:30am, left my house just before three.

First thing was, the guy was not clear on what i had requested done. Second, he had none of the MoCal filters required so set up the boxes and then called around to find a tech in the area that had one. Came back an hour later with his supervisor.

Got it all set up and the HD PVR wouldn't update with the new software. Meanwhile he had to do some rewiring so that internet and home phone weren't on the same network.

Basically everything was set up but the PVr wouldn't update. The tech guys were real nice, the problem is this thing wasn't ready, they were given one process, the centers were given a different process meanwhile glitches were still coming up during install that was changing the process.

I finally got the update later that night and it's working. Only problem is the slowness of the guide in reacting. I also don't like the inability to pause live tv on the non-pvr box.

I had an almost identical experience last week.

1st technician replaced 2 of my boxes but seemed to have no idea what Whole Home PVR even was. After nearly an hour getting bounced around to various folks on the phone it was determined that the MoCa filter wasn't installed and that the "Whole Home PVR" was not added to my account yet.

A few days later the 2nd technician came out and installed the filter and made sure I was ready, but he said he couldn't stick around til it worked because sometimes it takes 30 mins or more to start working.

After 60 minutes it still wasn't working so I called in and again there was mass confusion. Spent a full hour this time on the phone while a very nice customer service rep worked with a tech support guy to get things ready on their end. Shortly after that call things started looking up. I have 1 HD PVR and 2 HD boxes...1 HD box was talking to the PVR and the other one isn't, and that's where I am today.

I also agree with the comments on the new IPG:
1. It's painfully slow sometimes
2. The FAV button used to advance to your next favourite channel, but now it just brings up a guide to browse all your favourites. Really hope they revert to the old behaviour soon. The FAV button used to be the primary way I browsed.
3. Not being able to pause/rewind live TV on the 4642 boxes is frustrating. I actually gave up my extra PVR boxes thinking this was going to work since the Whole Home PVR advertising says "Pause rewind and play live TV any time you want." and doesn't include any footnotes about it being only on the PVR box itself. I think I'll be replacing one of my 4642 boxes with a PVR since I use this feature all the time.

Overall, I am regretting my decision to be an early adopter. This launch was clearly premature.

reply to LazMan
Still no joy at this end - I actually don't mind the new IPG - seems to work alright... Not super speedy, but I find it usable.

The whole-home portion of the PVR still doesn't work; and I'm finding some oddities on the PVR itself - the "jump-back" button is very delayed; and had some odd behavior when trying to switch between live and recorded programs - things like no sound, or the live program being in slow-motion.

I kind of feel bad for the Roger's guy that called me the other day, to ask how I was enjoying my new services... I was nice, I just suggested he read the notes on my account, and then decide if he really wanted to ask that question... After a few seconds of silence, he appologized for the issues I was having, hoped it would be resolved soon, and made a hasty goodbye...

reply to LazMan
Hi @LazMan, @zo786 and @Newmarket_JT

My name is RogersDarrell. I'd like to confirm if everything is now okay with your Whole Home PVR network.

I've sent you PMs when able to. Please let me know via PM

Thanks! @RogersDarrell

reply to LazMan
RogersDarrel - PM sent...

mozerd - I'm less concerned with compensation, at this point - I want it working... After we make it work, then we can make it right... The actual cost of the service is compariable to what I was paying before - it's more the time that's been spent resetting boxes, being bounced between departments, and generally wasted, that's bothering me.

reply to RogersDarrel
Hi,

PM sent. Thanks for asking

Things still aren't completely working for me. 3rd technician visit in a week scheduled for Thursday night to figure out why only one of my 4246 boxes is working. And yeah the utter confusion about the service is very disappointing. I spent a full 60 minutes on the phone on Sunday and that was the 3rd or 4th call in as many days.

Later...
Jeff

reply to LazMan
Alright - we have several new developments...

It works. There was new software loaded overnight; and the whole-home functions are finally enabled... Checked it this morning before work, and it's good.

Also, have a package from Rogers waiting for pickup at UPS today - I'm guessing the new PVR extender (although, if they sent me a tablet, to make up for headaches, I wouldn't complain... hint-hint-hint )

Still not impressed with the roll-out; but at least it appears to be working now - that's a big step.

reply to LazMan
I live in Newmarket and I'm also having some issue with this whole home pvr. Tomorrow, going to have a 3rd in home visit and hopefully will get someone that knows what they are doing. So far, the 2 rep that came to my house didn't look like they have a clue on what they were doing. The last one, I notice that he used a splitter with the filter and connected the 2 cable connected to the Cisco box. I didn't realized what was done till he left. This mean that in the future, if I would of purchased a new HD box, it wouldn't of been able to connect to the other boxes.

I was also talking to technical support yesterday and they mention that the cable modem is also part of the solution. Not sure if that is true or not but if it is, isolating the 2 cable for the Cisco box to the cable modem cable would be a silly thing to do....