Software update for Panasonic TV

[Jeff Layman]

For the first time since we bought out TX-55CX680B TV at the end of 2016
Panasonic have updated the software. But what have they updated? I
couldn't see anything on Panasonic's website or on DigitalSpy. I'll
search the net later using the new software version number to see if I
can find anything, but why do companies update without telling you
what's going on? Are they just adding new spying features they don't
want to tell us about, or is that being overly critical?

Anyone else had an update come through?

--

Jeff

[Andy Burns]

Jeff Layman wrote:

> For the first time since we bought out TX-55CX680B TV at the end of 2016
> Panasonic have updated the software. But what have they updated?

"Jul. 31, 2018 Ver. 3.251 Improve system stability."

<http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/tv/download/fw/eu_2015/down_eu_uk_cis_02.html>

[Jeff Layman]

Thanks for that. I see it was a 131MB download.

Mind you, I haven't noticed problems with "system stability", so am
really none the wiser.

--

Jeff

[David Wade]

More likely remove spying features. GDPR makes it so much more expensive
if caught.

[Max Demian]

On 02/08/2018 08:07, Jeff Layman wrote:

My Sony TV, when it was connected to the Internet, occasionally used to
update its software, with zero perceptible change. It was always a cause
of anxiety while it was doing it, in case it ended up "bricked" (or
rather "slabbed")

Lots of software likes to update itself, sometimes reducing functionality.

Why can't they get it right in the first place?

It's just one of many modern inconveniences we've been persuaded to get
used to, together with intrusive pop-ups on websites you have to "agree"
to. (The latter seems to result from the latest EU diktat that's
supposed to protect out privacy.)

--
Max Demian

[tim...]

"Jeff Layman" <jmla...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:pjuajv$9q6$1...@dont-email.me...

my TV got updated to add the "replay from start" feature to the EPG, which
is now the new "must have" option for all TVs

have you gained this functionality (a symbol added to the current programs
on the EPG)

tim

[tim...]

"Pamela" <inv...@mail.com> wrote in message
news:XnsA93284D...@81.171.92.183...

> On 11:28 2 Aug 2018, tim... wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> "Jeff Layman" <jmla...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:pjuajv$9q6$1...@dont-email.me...
>>> For the first time since we bought out TX-55CX680B TV at the end
>>> of 2016 Panasonic have updated the software. But what have they
>>> updated? I couldn't see anything on Panasonic's website or on
>>> DigitalSpy. I'll search the net later using the new software
>>> version number to see if I can find anything, but why do
>>> companies update without telling you what's going on? Are they
>>> just adding new spying features they don't want to tell us about,
>>> or is that being overly critical?
>>>
>>> Anyone else had an update come through?
>>
>> my TV got updated to add the "replay from start" feature to the
>> EPG, which is now the new "must have" option for all TVs
>

> Is that on BBC and ITV?

I think that it is

> Who is providing the video streams?

iPlayer (etc)

tim

[Dave]

On 02/08/18 08:11, Andy Burns wrote:

Thanks for the heads-up. Now installed on my 40CX680B, though I can't
see any obvious difference.
--
Dave

[R. Mark Clayton]

On Thursday, 2 August 2018 11:26:52 UTC+1, Max Demian wrote:
> On 02/08/2018 08:07, Jeff Layman wrote:

SNIP

>
> My Sony TV, when it was connected to the Internet, occasionally used to
> update its software, with zero perceptible change. It was always a cause
> of anxiety while it was doing it, in case it ended up "bricked" (or
> rather "slabbed")

This can happen to Apple devices, especially if there have been third party repairs (e.g. replacement screen for ££ not £££).

>
> Lots of software likes to update itself, sometimes reducing functionality.

A classic example of this was Samsung Galaxy S7. In mid 2017 it was updated from Android 6 to Android 7 (Nougat) resulting in the loss of internet calling, Wi-Fi calling, 4G calling and probably DLNA, although the deletion appear to be Samsung action rather than unannounced features in Android. I bought one in the autumn and it took months to get the crippled phone replaced [with an S8].

>
> Why can't they get it right in the first place?

Millions of lines of code, changing specifications to radio interfaces, new features wanted - it ain't easy.

[Brian Gaff]

Is it a smart model?
Some issues with wifi have been known on some tvs for a while. it would be
nice to see all tvs updating their smart tv apps to allow one to play AD
from web sites.
Brian

--
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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
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Note this Signature is meaningless.!

"Jeff Layman" <jmla...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message

news:pjubm0$f2s$1...@dont-email.me...

[Peter Johnson]

On Thu, 2 Aug 2018 11:28:42 +0100, "tim..." <tims_n...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>
>my TV got updated to add the "replay from start" feature to the EPG, which
>is now the new "must have" option for all TVs
>

My Panasonic PVR has just started doing that but the revised firmware
was released on 25 April. I'll have to look to see if the Sony TV does
it.

[Geoff Pearson]

In article <pjubm0$f2s$1...@dont-email.me>, jmla...@invalid.invalid
says...

I had the July update. I'd been hoping for one as my new 40EX700B kept
powering off when using iPlayer and had to be rebooted.

[Jeff Layman]

It has been available for me for the past couple of months, although not
on the EPG but onscreen when I tuned to BBC2. (I mentioned this in
passing in relation to the red button waiting problem in a post "Please
wait..." on 18 June.) For the last week or so it's been available on
BBC1 and BBC4 as well.

--

Jeff

[Jeff Layman]

Yes, it is a "smart" model.

--

Jeff

[Jeff Layman]

On 02/08/18 11:26, Max Demian wrote:
> On 02/08/2018 08:07, Jeff Layman wrote:
>> For the first time since we bought out TX-55CX680B TV at the end of 2016
>> Panasonic have updated the software. But what have they updated? I
>> couldn't see anything on Panasonic's website or on DigitalSpy. I'll
>> search the net later using the new software version number to see if I
>> can find anything, but why do companies update without telling you
>> what's going on? Are they just adding new spying features they don't
>> want to tell us about, or is that being overly critical?
>
> My Sony TV, when it was connected to the Internet, occasionally used to
> update its software, with zero perceptible change. It was always a cause
> of anxiety while it was doing it, in case it ended up "bricked" (or
> rather "slabbed")

Interestingly, a message popped up that I would not be able to use any
apps until the update had installed. Then, as you say, you wait while
the update takes place and hope it all goes smoothly. I was waiting for
Sod's Law to arrange a power cut during the "Do not turn off your TV
while updating" onscreen warning!

--

Jeff

[Vir Campestris]

On 02/08/2018 11:26, Max Demian wrote:
> Why can't they get it right in the first place?

How long have you got?

It's software. It's insanely complicated.

Andy

[Indy Jess John]

Complicated, I can accept. But *insanely* complicated? It is a control
operating system with a few dozen functional routines, hopefully
documented sufficiently that there is no dependence on the person who
wrote it. One thing I learned from working in a software development
environment is that change is normal.

The real answer is that things change, whether it be new types of
hardware, functional standards, or user expectations. Also, the testing
budget is finite and thus unlikely to be sufficiently exhaustive to find
the more obscure bugs.

There is also the competitive element of each product being able to be
described as sufficiently different from similar products from other
trade marks that there is a marketing advantage that can be exploited.
Reliability improvements by correcting bugs that are discovered in due
course is part of that scenario.

Jim

[Vir Campestris]

By the standards of a SW engineer - no, it's not insane.

Compare it with, say a house. There aren't a million bits in a house,
but there can easily be a million lines in a project. So for ordinary
people it's insanely complicated.

If Max was in SW or any related work he'd understand that.

Andy

[Max Demian]

I was. Some software engineers take a pride in the obscurity of their
code and have been known to delete explanatory comments. They certainly
don't want to document it externally. And the sales team (who have
overall control of the company) introduce modifications which
destabilise the programs and don't allow enough time for it to be
re-tested (which in any case becomes tedious for the nth iteration).

--
Max Demian

[Johnny B Good]

That's just the usual measure taken to enhance job security. :-)

--
Johnny B Good

[Vir Campestris]

In that case you should have known better. All non trivial programs have
bugs.

> That's just the usual measure taken to enhance job security. :-)
>

It doesn't last long.

Andy