[iptv-users] Minerva 4

Thu Feb 25 17:31:42 EST 2010

John,

We started out on Minerva 2.1.  We had a rough time getting to Minerva  
3.2, lots of issues, but now that we're here, it's very stable and  
consistent, and has been for over a year now.  The problems that we  
are seeing, though, Minerva is kind of balking on helping us with  
because we are not at 4.0.whatever.  But, we are hesitant to move to 4  
because 3.2 is stable and customers are now finally feeling  
comfortable with us.  So it's kind of hard to consider fixing  
something that really isn't broken, to get assistance with isolated  
problems.

Also, does anyone else ever ask Minerva for features, and if so, have  
you been successful in seeing those features developed and deployed?   
I have a list of feature requests dating from as far back as early  
2007 that I haven't yet seen added.  Here are a few:

1. Guide display adjustable *per stb*, so that a small 13" TV and a  
46" HDTV can have different numbers of lines and columns in the same  
household
2. Ability to sort guide data by channel name rather than channel  
number.
3. Ability to make copies of channel lineups in the back office, to  
make creating new lineups easier.
4. Ability to see VOD space available in the back office.

I don't really think that these requests are out-of-line or would be  
extraordinarily difficult to program, and I think that they would be  
received Minerva's customers very well, but I just don't see any  
forward movement on any of them.  Also, I don't see the "whiz-bang"  
capabilities that being on an IP platform allows being developed by  
Minerva either.  It's really disappointing that we have these  
wonderful IP networks that we could do so much with and we aren't  
taking advantage of them in order to provide a better, more intense  
experience than traditional cable can... We're just keeping up with  
the cable industry, not exceeding it, like Minerva promised us so many  
years ago.

As much as I dislike Micro$oft products, it may be the only one out  
there that can provide "coolness" and new ideas.  It's really kind of  
depressing.

Sorry about the rant... I didn't mean for it to turn into that...

Alex

On Feb 25, 2010, at 3:37 PM, John Watson wrote:

> Rick,
> So far we are very pleased as well. The issues that we have seen  
> with the 4.0 SP1 client were very small. But having come from the  
> Myrio environment, we decided that we would never again subject our  
> customers to any bad experience that we could avoid.
>
> John Watson
> Network Engineering
> Valley Telecom Group
> (520) 384-8974
>
> There's no place like 127.0.0.1
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: iptv-users-bounces at puck.nether.net [mailto:iptv-users-bounces at puck.nether.net 
> ] On Behalf Of Rick Kerr
> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 12:25 PM
> To: iptv-users at puck.nether.net
> Subject: Re: [iptv-users] Minerva 4
>
> John,
> We did go through those initial Minerva 4.0 issues after moving from  
> Myrio 3.7; but since upgrading to the 4.0 SP1 release, the system  
> has stabilized greatly.
> We still have about 1500 of the old Amino 110's; and are using using  
> another 300 or so ADB 3800 and 5810 set top boxes for HD and DVR.
> Coming from where we were last year at this time to where we are  
> today, we are so far very pleased.
>
> Rick Kerr
> Panhandle Telephone
> Guymon, OK
> 580-338-2556
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: iptv-users-bounces at puck.nether.net [mailto:iptv-users-bounces at puck.nether.net 
> ] On Behalf Of John Watson
> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 12:24 PM
> To: iptv-users at puck.nether.net
> Subject: Re: [iptv-users] Minerva 4
>
> Alex,
> We moved from the Myrio 3.7 platform to Minerva 4.0 and have had  
> relatively few issues with it. The only caveat is that we are still  
> running the older 3.2 software on the set top boxes, both Amino and  
> Entone. There were some issues with the 4.0 clients that we were not  
> willing to subject our customers too, so we opted for the older  
> client when we cut into service last month. Those issues have since  
> been fixed on the 4.0 SP1 HP1 client, but we have not yet deployed  
> it. We intend to wait and let others discover any new problems.
>
> Feel free to call me if you have any specific questions or concerns.  
> While far from an expert, I am opinionated <grin>.
>
> John Watson
> Network Engineering
> Valley Telecom Group
> (520) 384-8974
>
> There's no place like 127.0.0.1
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: iptv-users-bounces at puck.nether.net [mailto:iptv-users-bounces at puck.nether.net 
> ] On Behalf Of Alex Moen
> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 8:10 AM
> To: iptv-users at puck.nether.net
> Subject: [iptv-users] Minerva 4
>
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
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>
> Has anyone upgraded to Minerva 4 yet?  Experiences you'd like to
> share?  Advice?
>
> We're getting pressure from Minerva to upgrade; their answer for any
> problems we're seeing is "Upgrade to 4... No one's having any problems
> with it... It's stable!"
>
> Thanks!
>
> Alex
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