Verizon TV Guide questions
HBrown
Newbie

A have a couple questions about the TV Guide from Verizon.  I've just switched over to Fios from DirecTV (with Tivo) and I'm not very pleased with the searching & guide functions and was wondering if there are settings I can change so I'm happier with my service.

First Question:  A lot of shows don't give the description of the specific episode on the guide; only a general idea of what the show is.  Why is that when I know for certain that information is available?  This is very frustrating.

Second question:  When searching for a show to record, I'd like to be able to see the channels they appear on and the air dates first instead of having to go further and further into the folders to see which channel & episode and then see the air dates and most of the time they are out of order.  Is this an option I can change?

Off subject question:  Where can we submit suggestions for improvements to DVR box functions?  I'd like to be able to see upcoming episodes when I'm looking at my shows in the "series manager" section and lots more that make the DVR more like Tivo....:-)

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Re: Verizon TV Guide questions
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

@HBrown wrote:

A have a couple questions about the TV Guide from Verizon.  I've just switched over to Fios from DirecTV (with Tivo) and I'm not very pleased with the searching & guide functions and was wondering if there are settings I can change so I'm happier with my service.

First Question:  A lot of shows don't give the description of the specific episode on the guide; only a general idea of what the show is.  Why is that when I know for certain that information is available?  This is very frustrating.

Second question:  When searching for a show to record, I'd like to be able to see the channels they appear on and the air dates first instead of having to go further and further into the folders to see which channel & episode and then see the air dates and most of the time they are out of order.  Is this an option I can change?

Off subject question:  Where can we submit suggestions for improvements to DVR box functions?  I'd like to be able to see upcoming episodes when I'm looking at my shows in the "series manager" section and lots more that make the DVR more like Tivo....:-)


1. the reason that the info is missing is because of the company that verizon uses for it program information. Unlike Direct TV's service, the service that verizon uses does not provide as much detail. Probably the number two complaint right after the info being incorrect altogether

2. I havent seen the option to change this. I dont think it exists.

3. Right here. Verizon Employee's do monitor these boards and report suggestions upwards.

TIVO is the elite and yes we all want to see it go closer to them.  Smiley Wink

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Re: Verizon TV Guide questions
Reaper
Enthusiast - Level 3

@HBrown wrote:

I'd like to be able to see upcoming episodes when I'm looking at my shows in the "series manager" section and lots more that make the DVR more like Tivo....:-)


You can always buy a Tivo and use it with FiOS. (There's plenty of info regarding using Tivo with FiOS on this forum.)

(I for one despise Tivo. It's all a matter of taste though.)

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Re: Verizon TV Guide questions-when can we expect a better one???
HBrown
Newbie

When can us Verizon customers expect a better guide?  Now that I've posted, over & over I see that the guide is horrible on all sorts of websites, forums and reviews all over the internet.  I waiting to switch to Fios until the DVR recording capacity was increased, but did not know I should have also looked out for this....almost 2 years of people complaining??  Surely there is something in the works.

Is there anyone on here from Verizon that can answer when a better guide will be released???  I see lots of forum user discussions but no one from verizon putting in their 2 cents??  I've only had the fios for 14 days and am now looking into buying some Tivo boxes but if anyone can confirm there may be light at the end of the tunnel?????

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Re: Verizon TV Guide questions-when can we expect a better one???
Reaper
Enthusiast - Level 3

@HBrown wrote:

I waiting to switch to Fios until the DVR recording capacity was increased, but did not know I should have also looked out for this...


Has the recording capacity been increased? That's news to me.

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Re: Verizon TV Guide questions-when can we expect a better one???
Justin46
Legend

@HBrown wrote:

When can us Verizon customers expect a better guide?  Now that I've posted, over & over I see that the guide is horrible on all sorts of websites, forums and reviews all over the internet.  I waiting to switch to Fios until the DVR recording capacity was increased, but did not know I should have also looked out for this....almost 2 years of people complaining??  Surely there is something in the works.

Is there anyone on here from Verizon that can answer when a better guide will be released???  I see lots of forum user discussions but no one from verizon putting in their 2 cents??  I've only had the fios for 14 days and am now looking into buying some Tivo boxes but if anyone can confirm there may be light at the end of the tunnel?????


If you have not looked at the new Verizon Blog that Eric Rabe has here at the Verizon Forums you might want to take a look at this series of posts:

http://forums.verizon.com/t5/Verizon-at-Home-Blog/Introducing-the-Verizon-at-Home-Blog/ba-p/53971#co...

Several other forum members and I have posted a number of times about the Guide data issue. No solutions at this time, but I think it is positive that Eric is now most definitely aware of the issue. At least we can continue to hope for improvement....

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416, IMG 1.6.2, Build 08.58
Keller, TX 76248

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Re: Verizon TV Guide questions-when can we expect a better one???
HBrown
Newbie

From when they first came knocking on my door a few years ago is what I meant.  Two years ago when they were knocking my door down every other day, the recording capacity was something like 2 hours HD or 20 hours standard which for my household was not good.....

I have what everyone else has....85hrs. SD or 21hrsHD.... or so they tell me....sure seemed to hit 50%plus full in just a matter of days.....

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Re: Verizon TV Guide questions-when can we expect a better one???
HBrown
Newbie

Justin,

Just checked it out....maybe it'll push things along faster but it seems the main response from verizon people is "we're giving you all these wonderful widgets!" instead of "I hear what you are saying and understand it and we'll do our best to improve it".  Even his response was more like 'yeah, we're working on it'.  No details, just a very prompt response that an update will include richer information. 

Looks like you've done a lot to look into this and have been the customers voice as I've seen you post on several site through my hours of research today so thanks.  Hopefully they'll invite you to come hang with the program developers someday!!!  Or maybe they can just subscribe to Tivo for a month and try to get minutely close to what they've done.... 🙂

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Re: Verizon TV Guide questions-when can we expect a better one???
Justin46
Legend

I agree, no committments, and no time frame. And I would certainly like to see both, I have had FiOS TV for nearly 4 years and have been putting up with the poor Guide data all along. But I think Eric is an influencial Verizon executive, and I am hoping he can and will carry the message to those who can fix the data issue, a message I suspect very few if any other executives have previously seen. Eric seems to be a good guy, he and I have exchanged PMs, and he had a super nice lady in his department give me a call to help resolve an issue I had with my most recent bill.

Back in January of this year I sent an email to the Verizon CEO with links to some of the same threads and received 4 phone calls from several Verizon folks wanting to understand and help me with my issue, but not one of them was given or shown the list of web links I provided, they had no idea what I was unhappy with. Just unbelievable! And of course no solution.

Anyway, I think for sure Verizon executives are now aware of the issue. I don't know why no visible action has been taken, but I suspect it may be contractual, perhaps Verizon did not insist on strict enough performance targets as they should have. As I understand it, there are two major guide data providers, Tribune and someone else. Unfortunately Tribune is in bankrupcy I think, so there may not really be any good options available to Verizon.

Just one simple example of the garbage FYI Television supplies to Verizon: I am in North Texas, currently watching the Texas Rangers game against the Seattle Mariners on FSN SW. But you know what the info provided says?

  MLB Baseball 

  Original Air Date: 07-30-2009

Now how long ago was the major league baseball schedule set? When did FSN SW decide to show this game? Even the local newspaper knew who was playing. The game is live and they don't know the day before who is playing???? Just really inept.

As to your comment about me being invited to meet with the program developers someday, I would absolutely love to do that. Back when I was working a part of my job for about 12 years was to evaluate new software (mainframe) and give the developers suggestions on how to make it more user friendly, identify bugs, improve the documentation, etc. I think I could really give them some good advice, but what are the chances of that ever happening?  

Oh well, to try to look on the bright side, it can't get much worse, can it????  Smiley Very Happy

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416, IMG 1.6.2, Build 08.58
Keller, TX 76248

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