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HTC is very clear that this fix is not a driver for Imageon hardware lying dormant in some handsets

Many HTC owners have been upset at the poor performance of some HTC devices when it comes to video playback. DailyTech reported in January that some HTC owners had banded together and were threatening a class action law suit if the poor video performance issue wasn’t addressed.

One stated goal of the HTC owners was to get a driver from HTC for the ATI Imageon video acceleration hardware present in certain HTC handsets that was not being utilized. HTC spokesman Eric Lin told DailyTech that HTC is releasing a fix that will dramatically improve the video performance on the Touch family of devices and the TYTN II/Tilt, Mogul/XV6900 devices.

This fix will be in the form of software update rather than a new ROM image. HTC is very specific in pointing out that this fix is not a driver for the Imageon hardware locked away inside the Qualcomm chipset in the devices in question. For a reason why HTC won’t release a driver for the Imageon hardware, Lin provided DailyTech with this official statement:

HTC DOES plan to offer software upgrades that will increase feature functionality, over the air wireless speeds and other enhancements for some of the phones being criticized, but we do not anticipate including any additional support for the video acceleration issues cited in customer complaints. It is important for customers to understand that bringing this functionality to market is not a trivial driver update and requires extensive software development and time.

HTC will utilize hardware video acceleration like the ATI Imageon in many upcoming products. Our users have made it clear that they expect our products to offer an improved visual experience, and we have included this feedback into planning and development of future products.

To address lingering questions about HTC's current MSM 7xxx devices, it is important to establish that a chipset like an MSM7xxx is a platform with a vast multitude of features that enable a wide range of devices with varied functionality. It is common that devices built on platforms like Qualcomm's will not enable every feature or function.

In addition to making sure the required hardware is present, unlocking extended capabilities of chipsets like the MSM 7xxx requires in-depth and time consuming software development, complicated licensing negotiations, potential intellectual property negotiations, added licensing fees, and in the case of devices that are sold through operators, the desire of the operator to include the additional functionality. To make an informed decision about which handset suits them best, consumers should look at the product specification itself instead of using the underlying chipset specifications to define what the product could potentially become.

The Imageon video acceleration hardware is present in the devices in question, however, it appears that the reason no drivers were provided has to do with licensing issues.

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Unlucky
By Proteusza on 2/21/2008 12:47:25 PM , Rating: 2
Looks like HTC owners got a big middle finger in response.

To those people who own these phones, was the presence of the ATI Imageon chipset marketed as a central feature of the phone? Did they advertise and not deliver? If thats the case, any amount of time and money would be worthing avoiding the lawsuit that could follow.




RE: Unlucky
By cigar3tte on 2/21/2008 1:05:52 PM , Rating: 2
From what I understand, people assumed the use of ATI Imageon based on the fact that it uses Qualcomm 7200.


RE: Unlucky
By JonnyDough on 2/21/2008 4:38:33 PM , Rating: 1
I feel bad for anyone who feels they got gypped, but one should never assume. It pays to be an educated consumer, and to ask questions. Those that don't will perhaps be sorted out eventually, through natural selection.


RE: Unlucky
By leexgx on 2/21/2008 4:44:49 PM , Rating: 2
thay did fully state that the 7200 would have hardware acceleration, but did not say it may not be used at Any point when consumers got there HTC, so customers got shafted that way due to an hardware part that is Part of the HTC thats not been turnd on so every thing runs in software mode

you ever tryed useing windows XP or vista with no video driver installed its not fun, HTC playing video with out this can be slow


RE: Unlucky
By Broken on 2/21/2008 1:06:21 PM , Rating: 1
IE

We (Qualcomm) not only infringed on patents of Broadcomm's, we also infringed on ATI's Imageon device, but we don't want to get sued by them too so we are not enabling it. So sorry.


RE: Unlucky
By gsleon3 on 2/21/2008 2:37:07 PM , Rating: 2
The short answer is no.

However, they did market the device based on the chipsets full capabilities & even touted it's hardware acceleration properties.

Classic bait & switch. They specifically said it (paraphrased) "has the advanced MSM7200 series processor, which allows for hardware acceleration!"

So they touted it & even omitted the fact that it was not activated. Why talk about what the chip you use can do, knowing very well that it won't?


RE: Unlucky
By matthewpapa on 2/21/2008 5:58:52 PM , Rating: 2
Personally, I am never buying an HTC device again. I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way. They really screwed us. What htc did to us is the equivalent of marketing a desktop computer that contains a graphics card, but does not not make any use of it. If you saw these specs for a new laptop:

11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe US/EMEA/LA/ANZ
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T7250 (2.0GHz 800MHz 2MBL2)
NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M (256MB Open GL)
80GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
etc etc etc

would you not assume that the laptop comes with hardware acceleration? After all, this is merely a list of what hardware comes with the machine, and throughout my many years of buying technological devices I have never had this happen to me before. I think its pretty underhanded to make a device with such great hardware only to release it nerfed by not having the proper software.


RE: Unlucky
By aGreenAgent on 2/21/2008 8:48:39 PM , Rating: 2
Some people are misunderstanding the complaint customers are making.

The new model of phones have similar specs as the old model of phones, mostly just the new versions of the same line of hardware. Problem is, the old ones perform significantly better - even in just normal windows usage. The *assumption* that people are making is that it's the unused video acceleration chip not even being used for 2D or anything. It could be a multitude of problems, and if HTC isn't just screwing with us, then this patch fixes it.

One major example is that video can be unwatchable on the new models, and people confused this for people complaining that games don't run well.


RE: Unlucky
By techyguy on 2/21/2008 11:56:42 PM , Rating: 2
Yes, they were falsely advertised. I have an ATT tilt, based on the Tytn II. It was categorized by "ATT and HTC" as being the Most Advanced Multimedia PDA Phone Ever.

When I try to take a picture at 3MP. I get about a half frame per second, on the screen, when trying to line up the shot. Even changing the camera into 3MP requires cycling through many format options, and that takes seconds of waiting in between each change. (Changing to 3MP could take as many as 6 to 8 cycles) Just trying to take a picture of my pet facing the camera is extremely tedious, as the camera's video function needs a few seconds to process even the simplest of camera shots.

You can be sure I am following the class action suit.

Other than the extremely laggy video function, it is a very good phone. Just like an ultra mobile notebook.


RE: Unlucky
By therealnickdanger on 2/22/2008 11:36:00 AM , Rating: 2
Hmm, I bought my Touch a couple weeks ago. It plays every video I've thrown at it without breaking a sweat. I don't recall seeing any ATI logos on the box either... I think this whole thing is blown out of proportion. This phone kicks serious arse for multimedia.


RE: Unlucky
By catchwater on 2/24/2008 10:39:10 PM , Rating: 2
HTC tout the TyTNII as "More powerful than any mobile communications device you've seen before" (http://www.htc.com/product/03-product_tytn_II.htm)... Clearly it is not, if their own, earlier products outperform it.

Indeed, HTC admit this themselves - HTC Support emailed me to say that "These devices do still provide a rich multimedia experience comparable to that of most smartphones" (my italics) - if it's only comparable to most smartphones (and slower, by implication, than some) then it clearly cannot be "more powerful" at all.

To the average consumer, this is all the evidence that's needed that this product does not deliver as advertised. Discussion of what was stated, implied, or reasonably to be assumed from the technical specifications is probably muddying the waters here. It's much simpler than that - they said it's more powerful than anything else, it's proven to be untrue, they've admitted so themselves: case proved m'lud, it's false advertising!


If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging
By Ajax9000 on 2/21/2008 9:31:01 PM , Rating: 3
Misleading marketing does not go down well with consumers, regulators, or courts/tribunals and it seems to me that HTC is digging itself into a deep hole here.

There has been comment that just because the device has the hardware, that doesn't mean there is a commitment to enable it. One analogy was with PC, motherboards -- just because the chipset may support (say) SPDIF out, doesn't guarantee that there will be an SPDIF port/header. So just because Qualcomm promotes an advanced feature in its chipset marketing, doesn't mean that the device will support it, let alone the service provider.

This is basically what HTC claims in the above press release.

BUT, as was pointed out in http://www.dailytech.com/Article.aspx?newsid=10393... HTC ( not Qualcomm) promoted the advanced features. HTC has issued at least one press release (http://www.htc.com/press_room/03-press-070905.htm ) in which they go well beyond merely saying this chipset is used -- they quote Qualcomm so as to explicitly list advanced features of the chipset, and in the next paragraph note that they have released ten products based on these chipsets.

That Lin's new statement now says "unlocking extended capabilities of chipsets like the MSM 7xxx requires in-depth and time consuming software development, complicated licensing negotiations, potential intellectual property negotiations, added licensing fees, and ... " arguable puts HTC in the position of implying that their earlier claims were misleading.

Just to reiterate that point -- on September 5, 2007 HTC ( not Qualcomm) highlighted the advanced features of the chipsets and then immediately associated those with its products. Lin's new statement disassociates the advanced features of the chipsets from the HTC products. IMNSHO this is not a clarification, it is a contradiction, and a contradiction that implies that their earlier claims were misleading.




By JamRockaz on 2/22/2008 12:40:45 AM , Rating: 2
your comment should get at least +4 rating


By forcedalias on 2/25/2008 9:52:03 AM , Rating: 2
Well put... Their press release stating those features is the damning evidence we needed.


When
By bldckstark on 2/21/2008 12:42:27 PM , Rating: 2
When is the fix coming out? The byline reads next month, but the story has nothing about the actual fix, or when it will be released.




RE: When
By bpurkapi on 2/21/2008 1:17:35 PM , Rating: 2
It's a psychological fix! That way folks are less likely to sue now that a fix is on the way...


RE: When
By forcedalias on 2/25/2008 9:54:29 AM , Rating: 2
They'd think that wouldn't they? Too bad for them it ain't true, lawsuit would still go ahead - www.htcclassaction.org


Mogul?
By erwos on 2/21/2008 1:16:17 PM , Rating: 2
HTC needs to stop releasing support for features months after they promise them. I'm still waiting for an official ROM for our Mogul that has real GPS and EVDO rev.A support.




RE: Mogul?
By VooDooAddict on 2/21/2008 3:03:41 PM , Rating: 1
I've waited to buy it till after that support shows up.


RE: Mogul?
By h0kiez on 2/21/2008 3:22:37 PM , Rating: 1
It's out there (has been for a little less than a month_ and is supposed to get official next month. I just downloaded it and it's very nice. GPS works great with Google Maps and Rev-A is nice where available. You don't have long to wait, and it you don't mind doing a little work, you can get it now.


They missed my boat
By morton on 2/22/2008 6:29:23 AM , Rating: 2
Was hanging out for the Touch Cruise to hit Singapore. I even sent an email to HTC Asia asking when it would be released here. The response I received didn't inspire me with confidence - basically didn't even come close to answering that one simple question.

Then about three weeks before it did arrive here, I read the original blog regarding this video/driver issue. Needless to say, upon release, I didn't go out and buy one.

What really changed my mind wasn't the fact that HTC may or may not have misled with its advertising - it was the perceived apathy the company gave to its customers' complaints.

So now I'm awaiting the realease of the X1 - let's see if S/E does it a little better.




RE: They missed my boat
By catchwater on 2/25/2008 8:23:36 PM , Rating: 2