We've just made the UltimateTV® service experience even better with the latest upgrade from Microsoft. From time to time we deliver service upgrades to subscribers and these upgrades take place right over the satellite so you don't have to do a thing.

It's our way of responding to what you, our customers, tell us you like and don't like. Read on to see what we did for our Spring 2002 release, and watch this page in the future to learn about new software upgrades as they become available.

Here are some new features that will improve your UltimateTV experience:

Better Performance

We've significantly improved the responsiveness of UltimateTV. With this latest upgrade, you can navigate from TV Home, to My Shows, to the guide, etc., more quickly than before.

Automatically record programs that match your interests

UltimateTV service can now be set to always be on the lookout to record programs that interest you. You can set UltimateTV to constantly search for and record programs about general areas of interest such as "cooking" or "tennis," or for very specific programs that air infrequently, such as The Wizard of Oz. As the program guide gets updated, Auto-record is always checking to see if there's a program that matches your criteria, so you never miss a program you want.

To learn how to setup an Auto-record, click here.

More control over the shows you like

Now multiple shows of the same title are grouped together in My Shows. For example, all 'Friends' episodes can be found in one convenient place with each episode called out by name. You can also specify how many episodes to record within each group. This makes it easy to always have just the most recent nightly news or exactly three episodes of that crazy purple dinosaur at all times.

Easily manage upcoming recordings

The new UltimateTV service gives you several new ways to keep an eye on your upcoming recordings. You can now easily view a list of upcoming recordings in the order in which they will be recorded. You can also review and update your recording preferences whether they are part of a recurring series or an Auto-Record. You can also see how much recording space you have used.

Find exactly what you're looking for

In addition to searching for specific programs by title or type, you can now use over 30 new options to refine your search to get a more accurate match for the show you want to watch. For example, you can now set UltimateTV to search for "Cher" and "movies," and even search by specific audio/video formats (Dolby, black and white, letterbox), time of day (morning, afternoon, etc.), date, ratings (MPAA and TV ratings), and channels.

To learn how to narrow your search, click here.

Upgrade Common Questions 

 What is an "Upgrade"?
 Your DIRECTV™ Receiver with UltimateTV® service can receive automatic software upgrades from time to time that bring you new services and features.

 How do I receive my software upgrade?
 There's nothing you need to do to receive the upgrade. It will be sent to your receiver over the satellite.

 Why is there is an upgrade message on the TV screen when I turn on my receiver?
 This message confirms that your DIRECTV Receiver with UltimateTV service has successfully downloaded the software upgrade. To return to your regular service, simply choose Done at the bottom of the screen.

 Where do I go for help when using the new features?
 Any time you need help with a feature, press HOME on your remote control and choose Help from the bottom of the screen.

 If I purchase a new DIRECTV™ Receiver with UltimateTV® service, will I receive a software upgrade?
 Yes. When you set up the receiver, it will automatically download the latest service upgrade.

 Can I tell if I already have the latest version of software?
 Yes, you can check that your version is the latest by looking at the System Information screen. From TV Home, choose Settings, then System Test, and finally System Info. On the System Information screen, look for "Client SW" (that's techno jargon for "software"). It should say 3.5 - the update that was released in April 2002.