FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
ronsemrod
Newbie

Verizon seems intent on selling me ALL of their 2000+ channels. Frustration is high here. There is no way to make the channel guide display only the channels I get. THIS IS {word filter avoidance}!!! navigating the channel guide is an exercise in pure frustration. Do I really have to memorize all of the channels I've purchased?!?

Add a menu item to the favorites list that will enable me to view/add only the channels I've purchased. Otherwise, when my contract is over, I'll be chaniging prividers.

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Re: FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
prisaz
Legend

Use the favorites button all the time, and do not use the guide button. You can customize the favorites, and have one that only includes "Subscribed Channels". The second favorites can be used for the channels you like the most. I started using the favoites button and rarely used the guide button. Without showing all the channels in the guide, you would have dificulty getting to channels that are free at times. Like free HBO or Stars weekends when they are trying to get your subscription. It doesnt mean you need to subscribe or that Verizon is doing it to push all the channel on you, it is just the way it works. Use the favorites button as suggested and I am sure you will start to enjoy your Fios more. I wish my Tivo had the same favorites features, but I do like my Tivo used with a cable card. Here is a link to a posting that has very helpful information in regards to exploting the favorites button features.

http://forums.verizon.com/t5/FiOS-TV-Technical-Assistance/Exploiting-FiOS-TV-Favorites/m-p/9935#U993...

Re: FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
nXt1
Contributor - Level 1

Yep, changing how the guide and favorites button react when you push them, solves this issue.

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Re: FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
ffxva
Newbie

Too bad...  I found that out today when they installed FIOS TV for me.  My 8 year old DISH Network box has an automatic favorites list called "All Sub" that only shows the channels that are available in my package.  I hoped that the FIOS DVR would be more advanced.

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Re: FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
BrianC
Contributor - Level 3

I felt the same way when I left Dish Network, but once I set up my favorites, then that feature didn't really matter.  There are pros and cons to each TV provider and this one ended up not being a big deal since the favorites were done.

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Re: FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
cpontani
Newbie

How about a channel lineup online/pdf that's in NUMERICAL ORDER??? 

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Re: FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
ekem015
Specialist - Level 1

Just hit "by channel number" on the website...

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Re: FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
matcarl
Master - Level 1

That doesn't help the pdf which is not in numerical order but used to be!

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Re: FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
MiMeQu21
Contributor - Level 3

I must say, I have to agree with the original poster.  While you can use the Favorites button, what it doesn't take into account is when Verizon adds a channel, deletes one, or changes the channel number for a channel you get.  I used to have Directv.  They had a Favorites button.  They also had a function where you could select only channels you subscribed to.  The advantage of this was that when Directv made changes, it would update in your system if you had selected to only view channels you subscribed to.

You may be thinking that it is no big deal to go into your Favorites and adjust as needed.  But that assumes that you get the message of channel changes from Verizon on time.  I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I don't get an indication when I have a new message. 

First off, I don't know why Verizon can't have an indicator light on the STB for new messages.  Every other cable company I had gave you an indicator light.  If some customers don't want the light, you can give those customers the option of shutting that function off in their Menu features.

I have read in other posts that when a new message is sent to your STB, you should see the word "NEW" next to your messages option in the Menu function, and you should also see an envelope icon next to it.  I don't get those on my STB.  The only way I have found out about channel changes is when I have checked the local weather channel to see that day's weather and I have seen the messages scrolling at the bottom of the screen.  I will then go into my messages and see that I have had a message sitting there for about two weeks, but I never was given an indication of it.  For some reason I don't understand, after you read the message, you have the option to save it as a new message.  Then, and only the, will I see the word "NEW" next to the message option and then, and only then, will I see an envelope icon.

If there is something I need to do to activate the "NEW" feature and the envelope icon, please post here and let me know.

That is my main beef with the Favorites system.  It does not compensate for changes made to the channels lineup.  That, with the fact that for some reason I don't get indicators that I have a new message waiting for me to tell me of channel changes, makes it more tedious.  If Verizon would give the option to filter out channels you don't get, any changes would be taken into account when they occur.  Or, at the very least, they could do a better job of letting customers know of any new messages, either by an indicator light or by improving how they show there are new messages waiting.

Re: FIOS Channel Guide is virtually useless
Justin46
Legend

MiMeQu,

A few comments:

1) I agree that the Favorites feature does not provide any way to automatically recognize and include new channels. However, Verizon very rarely adds new channels to FiOS more than once or twice a year, if that often. So to me it is really a very minor inconvenience that those channels do not appear automatically; in fact, I really prefer that they don't as I much prefer to be selective in what I add. But I do want to be notified when new channels appear.

2) Most of the time when Veizon adds channels, I get notified multiple ways: snail mail, email, and a message on the STB. So even if one or two of those methods fail, I still find out. Plus, if Verizon adds a channel, you can be sure it will be posted here and at other forums within minutes of it appearing. Smiley Very Happy

Another source to keep up with who has what channels is here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1058081

This chart is updated normally once a month.

3) The is a Message (or Msg) indicator light on all of the STBs except the DCT-700. You may have to look closely, but it is there. And I have actually seen it on, long ago. Verizon chooses not to use the Message indicator light now. Why? Well, the semi-official Verizon answer can be found in the At Home Blog here:

http://forums.verizon.com/t5/Verizon-at-Home/FiOS-TV-We-Hear-You/ba-p/153005

From the blog (my bolding):

__________________________________________

Justin:
  
Our standard practice is to provide a message the morning something new is made available.  The last several years have shown that timing to be the most effective moment for the largest portion of our customers.  In some cases we wait until the next day before promoting something for operational reasons.
  
In 2006 we introduced Message Center to communicate changes / additions to FiOS TV through the Interactive Media Guide.  When a message was delivered to the set top boxes Message Center also turned on the message light on the set top boxes.  Many customers called to report a problem as a result of that light.  After several weeks of increased calls, we decided to disable the light and all the calls ceased when we sent messages to the set top boxes. 
 
Joe
__________________________________________
By the way, I encourage you to read that entire blog, there are some good comments and suggestions in there.
4) The new message indicator in the Menu works fine for me, on all of my STBs (one QIP6416, 2 x QIP2500). I don't know why it doesn't work for you. So even though you don't see it, many (most? I don't know) customers do see it. Maybe you want to ask some of your neighbors or friends who also have FiOS TV if they have the same issue, maybe it is a local (VHO) issue.
Anyway, no matter what you or I want, Verizon is going to do whatever it is going to do. Hopefully they listen, at least on some issues. But one of the things I have found after almost 5 years with FiOS TV, Verizon does not move very fast.
__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7.1, Build 09.97
Keller, TX 76248