Rogers → Nextbox - worth switching to?

I currently have Bell TV Satellite, and unfortunately Bell Fibe is not yet available in my area (they won't tell me when it will be available). I used to have the 9220 (I think that was the model number) - it was the original HD PVR with the 2 room function. I loved that model as my 2nd room would go to my master bedroom. Once they swapped out the PVR units with the free upgrade, I no longer have the two room option (I have an HD PVR in living room and regular PVR in the bedroom)...I'm sure many others have had this horrible swap out with Bell.

So with that being said, I was considering to switch to Rogers with the Netbox Whole Home option. I've seen a few reviews online of people saying when it first launched that the PVR was buggy. I'm just wondering if Rogers has worked out the bugs by now...and if anyone out there has the Whole Home PVR setup with Rogers if you would recommend it or not.

Thanks!

The Whole Home function works as advertised for the most part. If you have a LOT of recordings like I do, sometimes certain recordings do not show up on the non-PVR boxes unless you reboot. Other than that it works fine.

Also the Whole Home PVR works a bit differently compared to Bell Fibe. You can only record up to two shows at the same time, you'll need a second PVR on the network if you want to record 4 shows at the same time like Fibe. Also, you cannot pause Live TV on the non PVR boxes like you can on Fibe.

However, be aware, the guide and some of the user interface elements will be slower than what you're used to. Also if you're a night owl, the system might pose some problems. It likes to do "software updates' randomly at 2AM and your box will either lock up or spontaneously reboot while you're watching something. The only thing that will stop it, is if you have a scheduled recording during that time period.

I have one non-PVR NextBox in the house... I freakin hate it. Its slow as molasses. And while the guide is nicer and widescreen, it's only nicer to look at really, as it doesn't give much extra info than on my old 8300HD PVR or 3250HD boxes that I also have.

You can revert back to the old guide. I'm going to do it soon... Not even going to bother with my recordings even though they'll all get deleted.

how? wouldnt it just re-push the newer firmware?

No it would not. Just call customer care or tech support and they'll push the old firmware to you.

The Nextbox firmware is slow, inefficient and buggy as hell. The consensus is that Rogers has given up and is waiting for the next-gen hardware to make it all better.

You can read about the trials and tribulations of Nextbox users in this thread:

»www.digitalhome.ca/forum ··· page=102

Compared to the Bell PVRs, the NextBox will be a big disappointment. I got the NextBox PVR and receiver about 3 months ago and still hate it. All the stories about bugs and the bad interface are true. Don't do it.

I don't know. I have the next box 2.0 for almost a year now and don't have any problems.....only time it's ever gone down is when Rogers updates the firm ware which is usually during the day or at night.

It works, but barely. Its the most mind numbing, head banging off the wall crap you will find. I was with a group of people who first got this thing about a year and half ago. It was hell.

It has gotten better, but, its still very slow and buggy. For whatever reason, you will experience a crash and reboot, or, it will just freeze, and you rip the power cord out, and reboot.

Your shows will end early, or cut off the last minute or so. If you aren't recording the next show after the one you recorded, a good chance you will miss that last minute.

When Rogers allowed email support, I was able to often get my firmware bugs to the people in charge, and even got telephone calls for more details, now, welcome to IM chats with idiots who tell you to do the things you already did, and then tell you to phone in, and enter telephone hell with more Rogers idiots.

It will only record two shows at once, and should you consider watching something in another room, be prepared for the interface to playback something recorded to be slow. I mean 90 year old, mall walker slow.

Read the forum linked above, in other posts, its pretty detailed. Some issues have been resolved, while others are hit and miss on the user. If you do get it, whatever you do, don't let the tech leave your house until you verify EVERY BOX works. Change channels, access your PVR etc from every box!

Ugh, these blasted Nextbox 2.0's. The software absolutely sucks. I've counted 20+ bugs, most of which have not been fixed in over a year.

I have two PVR's and one regular HD box, (both Cisco), and they are absolutely horrid. The hardware is ok, but the programming is really bad.

For example... Often when I try to go to channel 312 by typing in the numbers, the Nextbox will add its own SELECT where it feels like it, so it will try to change to channel 3, then to 12. It is highly repeatable. I found that if I press SELECT once or twice before typing in the channel number I can circumvent this bug.

The software likes to update at 2am, and when this happens, you usually lose whatever program you were currently recording. Booting up takes 5 minutes before you can change channels or do anything other than change volume. Sometimes the boxes become unresponsive to input from both the remote and the front control panel. When this happens, sometimes it will fix itself after some odd time - 5 minutes, 30 minutes, etc, but often it's just faster to power-cycle and wait the 5 minutes for it to boot back up.

Not sure who's worse in this - Rogers and their crappy tech support, or Cisco and their crappy programmers. I have been told it's Cisco that is doing the programming, but don't quote me on that. I wouldn't at all be surprised though, I have no idea how Cisco survived this long.