Complaint about poor support [RESOLVED]

[motobarsteward]

I have two HVR4000 cards in my XP setup running in service mode. Since upgrading to V7, I can no longer see or use the DVB-S channel on the second HVR4000. I reported this issue to SageTV shortly after V7 became available. George requested logs, which I supplied. Since then, despite a couple of requests into George, I have had absolutely no response. I have been waiting 6 weeks now, I think!

The thing that urks me a little is that, in the mean time, I have paid for the upgrade!

Is anyone else having problems with lack of support?

Also (unlikely) does anyone else have a similar problem to me and has either worked out for them selves how to fix it or has had SageTV tell them how to fix it?

[mickp]

Originally Posted by motobarsteward

I have two HVR4000 cards in my XP setup running in service mode. Since upgrading to V7, I can no longer see or use the DVB-S channel on the second HVR4000. I reported this issue to SageTV shortly after V7 became available. George requested logs, which I supplied. Since then, despite a couple of requests into George, I have had absolutely no response. I have been waiting 6 weeks now, I think!

The thing that urks me a little is that, in the mean time, I have paid for the upgrade!

Is anyone else having problems with lack of support?

Also (unlikely) does anyone else have a similar problem to me and has either worked out for them selves how to fix it or has had SageTV tell them how to fix it?

I haven't had any issues with support though haven't yet had any cause to call for official tech support. On the one occasion I've interacted with Sage Tech Support it was an issue with a tuner problem iirc which was personally an professionally sorted by George via the forum.

Working for a smallish software company myself, I'd urge patience as I expect that each and every Sage employee is doing their utmost to deliver on your expectations. As you've pointed out in your own post, you're possibly the only person reporting this particular issue and triage being what it is...

It is usual to expect issues during a beta phase of product development, though as you point out you've already paid for the Beta. I find the Sage policy re: paying for beta versions unusual to say the least and don't realy buy the statement that (parraphrasing here) "we charge you for the beta so that we don't have to inconvenience you at a later time by forcing you to update to a non time bombed version". Given the number of updates that are typically distributed and installed during a Sage beta phase along with the relative triviality of applying a final gold version this seems transparently contrived and silly.

I think the ~1yr (or however long it was) continuing access to the RC that Microsoft granted for Windows 7 worked hugely in their favor. I'm sure that Sage have good reasons for requiring payment to run a beta version, I just don't understand what these might be.

I hope you get the dvb-s issue sorted soon.

Mick.

PS: Is it the lack of feedback or the issue not yet being resolved that is most annoying? As I mentioned above I've not yet lodged an official tech support issue with Sage. Do they have a helpdesk system which allows you to review the status and actions taken on your issue?

[darcilicious]

I don't have the problem you're experiencing but I have contacted support several times in the little over one year that I've been using SageTV and their responses have always been timely and overall considerate, professional, and helpful. I would give them a 9 out of 10.

[motobarsteward]

I would normally be inclined to agree with you all. It's just like they are ignoring me with this problem. I am hoping that this thread may draw some kind of response.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by motobarsteward

It's just like they are ignoring me with this problem.

Perhaps its because of that annoying red nose

I've had very good response to issues - something is not right about the no response from them. Wonder if it got lost in the shuffle somehow.

[Opus4]

First of all, when using a beta, you should not be contacting support; you should file a bug report.

Second, the usual reasons not to hear from support are either SageTV did not hear from you or you did not get their reply. Spam filters are the usual reason for you not to receive email from SageTV.

- Andy

[vexhold]

Doh, Andy beat me to it.

Version 7 is Beta...

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by vexhold

Doh, Andy beat me to it.

Version 7 is Beta...

Correct, but that is also why I feel they shouldn't have required an upgrade license. Having to pay for it diminishes the ability to reasonably use that 'xxx is Beta' excuse.

[JetreL]

Originally Posted by motobarsteward

Is anyone else having problems with lack of support?

I have used their support function a time or two as well as their bug submission tools and I personally didn't like the delay with answers. (I am actually pretty impatient with these types of request anyway) But the great thing is the Sage's Forums. It's really an active community with people who really want to help.

Originally Posted by Opus4

First of all, when using a beta, you should not be contacting support; you should file a bug report.

and

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Correct, but that is also why I feel they shouldn't have required an upgrade license. Having to pay for it diminishes the ability to reasonably use that 'xxx is Beta' excuse.

Andy, I agree with Fuzzy on this one, not to mention that I didn't know that support was not offered w/ the betas. While my issues are typical pretty menial I would think some dialog should be offered when I have to pay to play.

[Brent]

fwiw no one is required to pay for the beta. Beta participation is voluntary (but get to try out cool new features) & all are welcome to wait for SageTV 7 to escape from beta. Just thought I'd get that out there

But don't forget that by participating in the beta and filing a bug report (or request) you have a unique opportunity to shape the final version before it releases from beta. I would prefer to not pay until it was out of beta too, but it didn't stop me from doing so... I'm just too impatient to wait

[Opus4]

The point of filing a bug report when issues are found in a beta is to get the issues reviewed and, if needed, fixed while the beta is being worked on.

- Andy

[bastafidli]

What I find supper annoying is that there is no way to track status of your issues. People are generally ok with longer response time if there is a way to check status and possibly see progress. It is little suprising, since otherwise I find Sage to be super friendly to their users, therefore the lack of official public bug tracker is quite surprising.

For the lack of better options I always just write the defect as topic in the forum and when submitting defect I submit link to that thread.

[tmiranda]

My thoughts:

- Support has always been really good. It might take a day or two but I always get an answer.
- Having a way to track your submission would be a welcomed addition.
- The terms for paying for the beta were very clear. If you do not want to pay to participate in the beta then just wait until the release version.
- I wish it was made clearer that once you DO upgrade to the beta there is really no way to downgrade, unless you use an old wiz.bin.

Tom

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Having to pay for it diminishes the ability to reasonably use that 'xxx is Beta' excuse.

Originally Posted by JetreL

Andy, I agree with Fuzzy on this one, not to mention that I didn't know that support was not offered w/ the betas.

I think you guys may be missing Andy's point. He's not making excuses or saying that betas aren't supported; he's pointing out that the people who handle beta support are not the same people as regular tech support. Use the beta bug report form to get in touch with the beta support people. If you use the regular support channel for beta issues, you'll be talking to the wrong people and your issue may not get addressed in timely fashion.

[JetreL]

Originally Posted by GKusnick

I think you guys may be missing Andy's point. He's not making excuses or saying that betas aren't supported; he's pointing out that the people who handle beta support are not the same people as regular tech support. Use the beta bug report form to get in touch with the beta support people. If you use the regular support channel for beta issues, you'll be talking to the wrong people and your issue may not get addressed in timely fashion.

Heh, you are right, I didn't get that from his post because he didn't say that....

It's really not a big deal. I REALLY like their product and have been satisfied with their support. Someone has mentioned having a ticketing system for support request. I think that would be help with the delay and anticipation of getting an answer for the status of a support request but overall they have been more than helpful with any question that I have ever have. Not to mention they make a really great product too! Anyway if they don't answer me I am almost certain someone on the board can and that's where I normally start anyway.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by GKusnick

I think you guys may be missing Andy's point. He's not making excuses or saying that betas aren't supported; he's pointing out that the people who handle beta support are not the same people as regular tech support. Use the beta bug report form to get in touch with the beta support people. If you use the regular support channel for beta issues, you'll be talking to the wrong people and your issue may not get addressed in timely fashion.

Well, I wasn't responding to Andy's comment, bt vexhold's simple 'Sage 7 is Beta'.

[doc]

changing the subject, back in Sage v6 you had to do a registry import to get the HVR4000 to recognise the DVB-T and DVB-S tuners.

In V7, I think its this same registry fix that causes the problems.

I uninstalled v6, deleted the registry key
HKLM\Software\Frey Technologies
then installed v7, and then during source setup it asked if its an HVR4000 and if so asks if you want to set up the DVB-T or DVB-S tuner.

You might be able to just delete the registry values that the reg import puts in, but I haven't tested that.

This might not make any difference, its just a thought.......

[radiopaque]

Originally Posted by motobarsteward

Is anyone else having problems with lack of support?

Sorry to hear you're having problems here...
I personally have had great experiences with support from George! So I can't complain...

[motobarsteward]

Originally Posted by Opus4

First of all, when using a beta, you should not be contacting support; you should file a bug report.

Second, the usual reasons not to hear from support are either SageTV did not hear from you or you did not get their reply. Spam filters are the usual reason for you not to receive email from SageTV.

- Andy

I think this was what I did, Andy. George replied quickly after me filing the report asking for logs. There was bit of a delay in me sending them because I was away. Any way, it has been a couple of months and I've heard nothing and George has not replied to me last email. I do check my spam box regularly and once i've sent an email to a domain, it goes onto the white list.

A ticketing and tracking system would be very useful.

[motobarsteward]

Originally Posted by doc

changing the subject, back in Sage v6 you had to do a registry import to get the HVR4000 to recognise the DVB-T and DVB-S tuners.

In V7, I think its this same registry fix that causes the problems.

I uninstalled v6, deleted the registry key
HKLM\Software\Frey Technologies
then installed v7, and then during source setup it asked if its an HVR4000 and if so asks if you want to set up the DVB-T or DVB-S tuner.

You might be able to just delete the registry values that the reg import puts in, but I haven't tested that.

This might not make any difference, its just a thought.......

Thanks for the suggestion but I tried this.