A few observations on this release (
updated):
1) Seems
vastly more stable than the "
v2.4.xxx" betas when playing DivX/XviD files.
2) Occasionally, at the end of playing an ".avi" the screen remains blank instead of returning to the menu and the screen saver never kicks in. The server software needs to be restarted as it has become unresponsive/crashed.
3)
Frequently, after playing an ".avi" or ".mp3" and then shutting down the MVP the server software needs to be restarted before the MVP can connect to the server.
3.1)
Frequently, after playing an ".avi" or ".mp3" and then shutting down the MVP the MVP needs to be rebooted,
and the server software restarted, before the MVP will connect to the server.
4) Occasionally, when restarting playback of a "stopped" ".avi" playback resumes from the very beginning of the file and no "resume/restart" dialog box appears.
5) Still cannot play the audio track of ".avi" files if the audio has been encoded as mono MP3.
6) Still cutting off the last 20-30 seconds of mono MP3 audio files.
7) Still "chirping" during playback of a small percentage of VBR or ABR encoded MP3 audio files.
Still occasionally swapping around tracks 1 and 6 (
usually 1 & 6, sometimes 1, 7 & 11) when listing audio files by ascending track number (
the default behaviour).
9) Still treating playlists as folders (
not really a bug as such, rather A MAJOR PAIN IN THE ARSE!). Effectively renders playlists useless!
10) Still not positioning the picture on the screen correctly if the ".avi" is encoded in a "non-standard" resolution. Pircture is centralised horizontally but displayed much too far up the screen!
11) When playing an ".mpg", picture often shifted up the screen somewhat.
12) Picture noticably darker than with previous software releases.
Regarding points #3 & #3.1, I've done some digging and it appears that when these problems occur "mvpstart.exe" is maintaining an open
incoming TCP connection from the MVP even though the MVP has been powered off! This same problem also affects "hcwsms.exe" occasionally, trhough not as often.
This is becoming
VERY annoying as pretty much 75% of the time when I try to turn the MVP on I end up having to restart the server software and reboot the MVP....this has never happened with any of the previous releases.
Point #7, considering the alleged software engineers at Hauppauge are profoundly deaf and deny the existence of this problem I very much doubt it'll
ever get fixed!
Point #10, come on guys, screen positioning is the simplest thing in the world to work out. It's
way past time this was fixed once and for all!
A worthwhile upgrade, stability wise. Otherwise the sort of half-hearted, shoddy release which Hauppauge have been fobbing us of with for the past couple of years - and which merely reinforces my decision never to waste my money on another Hauppauge product ever again!
TTFN - Pete.
