DVR Failings
jteam4
Enthusiast - Level 1

As a recent convert from Dish Network, we are not impressed. We were already customers of Fios internet and phone, and switched for the bundle saving and ease.

I new I was no longer going to be able to view recordings on my IPAD - was only a 'nice to have' anyway - but this DVR has been attrocious. The first one died within weeks, and we had that replaced - but are still left with a variety of issues:

No defaut time extension for every program - only for a series?  you would not believe how many endings we have missed.

No 'extra' extensions for sports programs - again leaves the customer with a bad feeling.

Guide keeps jumping back to ALL CHANNELS - its bad enough you sprinkling the VOD channels inbetween the subscribed ones, but at least let me keep that view permanently.

Unwatchable recordings - I even called one in to support out of frustration: but I have had at least 5 programs that show a full time recording - but will only play 10 or 15 minutes of it! They will not play, jump or speed past the spot. I write this as I watch 75 minutes of a 90 minute soccer match with no sound track!

So when we watch it - the picture is good: but the whole family is losing patience with this rubbish box - although the VOD service has enabled us to watch some of the recordings it has messed up.

Realisticaly - the number of times I have had to secure the missing recording from another source is preparing us for the day when we 'cut the cord' and do away with cable altogether.

Do not know where else to report this - Tech Support say they are resetting my box, but I have already missed the program I wanted to record - are all Verizon DVRs this bad?

Rob

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Re: DVR Failings
retiredme
Specialist - Level 1

Hello Jteam4, and Welcome to FIOS. As a previous Dish client, I understand that there are some compromises and a new learning curve whenever one switches providers (I really miss my VIP622). You are not alone in noting some of the DVR shortcomings, as a search of these forums will reveal many others with similar issues. Truthfully, it seems like the issues rose after the recent IMG 1.9 upgrade, and there is a revision in the works now which will hopefully remedy some of these problems. Regarding the recording times, you may or may not know that one can extend/modify the times either with the "record with options" prompt, or later with the "recording manager" feature in the recordings menu (DVR button). Handy for sports-related delays. The guide reversion to "all channels" is something others have mentioned as well, and some (not all) were able to fix it in the settings menu under "enable last state". I have had to reset mine a couple of times.  Unfortunately, the botched recordings are also a frequently reported item and hopefully are being addressed in the forthcoming (?) revision. Until then, many are also trying to catch the missed episodes on VOD as well. Many here on the forums are hoping that these issues quickly become a thing of the past - maybe there will be T-shirts: "I survived IMG 1.9".   

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Re: DVR Failings
jteam4
Enthusiast - Level 1

Thanks for the sympathy.

I have a couple of other questions - when you go to watch the latest episode of Show X on Tuesday, when it should have been recorded on Monday night - and its not there - what do you do? Since I can not review the schedule history to see that the channel decided to feed us another repeat this week, I am left to wonder if the DVR messed up ? Again I currently need to look somewhere else to 'help out' my DVR.

Finally, if I decide to record the remainder of a program that I am watching, wouldn't it be nice to ask me if I want to keep the  20 minute buffer that it already has recorded ready for me to backup?It is annoying to record the last 5 minutes of a show, and then have to fast forward 20 minutes when you want to watch it.

Any news on 1.20 or 2.0 delivery? Not sure how much more TV I can miss.

Rob 

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Re: DVR Failings
retiredme
Specialist - Level 1

You are right about some of the system's shortcomings. Keep in mind that many of the programming glitches, such as missed shows, are due to faulty guide data provided to VZ by a company called FYI. Many on these forums have wanted a change to the guide data provider for some time now due to constant inaccuracies; you can search the forums for these discussions. A faulty guide can render the wonders of a DVR moot. When a show is missed, you might try VOD, but that may take a while to show up, if at all, because VZ gets VOD offerings from the supplier (CBS, FOX, Disney, etc).  The "Search" feature can help by showing if repeats or multiple screenings will take place. As a last resort, a missed show can often be found at the website of the source, CBS, Fox, Disney, etc. The inability to backtrack in time within the guide has been mentioned before, but I am unaware of any intent to modify the guide to enable this feature. I usually end up double checking whether the DVR will record by hitting the "DVR" button on the remote and looking at the daily schedule of recordings; then, if one seems to be missing, I go looking for answers (repeat, show in hiatus, etc). Did I mention I miss my VIP622? 

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Re: DVR Failings
jctTexas
Newbie

I am having the same problems with recordings you mentioned.  A problem you didn't mention that I have been having is the DVR records several minutes of the program then stops recording.  Several minutes later it starts recording the same program several minutes after the end of the first leaving me with two recordings of the same program but with a gap of several minutes between the recordings.

Also often (more than sometimes, less that frequently) the recording is there but the DVR will not advance to skip commercials or jump to a segment.  When you try either the playback stops and brings you back to the beginning of the recording.  It is very frustrating to see the recording there but have no way to advance through it.

I hope these are just software errors and I hope Verizon is aware of the problems.  Is there an official board to post these problems?

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Re: DVR Failings
Wondering_in_MA
Enthusiast - Level 1

For what it's worth,  I upgraded to a 7232 a few months ago and the box was just about unusable as far as recording anything.  I had very similar if not the exact same problems mention here.  I complained loud and long and the 7232 was replaced with another 7232.  That instantly corrected all my problems.  So in my case it was a hardware problem.  I do get the occasional recording jitter others have mentioned with 1.9.  I saw it with 1.8 but I think more so with 1.9.

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Re: DVR Failings
prisaz
Legend

@retiredme wrote:

Hello Jteam4, and Welcome to FIOS. As a previous Dish client, I understand that there are some compromises and a new learning curve whenever one switches providers (I really miss my VIP622). You are not alone in noting some of the DVR shortcomings, as a search of these forums will reveal many others with similar issues. Truthfully, it seems like the issues rose after the recent IMG 1.9 upgrade, and there is a revision in the works now which will hopefully remedy some of these problems. Regarding the recording times, you may or may not know that one can extend/modify the times either with the "record with options" prompt, or later with the "recording manager" feature in the recordings menu (DVR button). Handy for sports-related delays. The guide reversion to "all channels" is something others have mentioned as well, and some (not all) were able to fix it in the settings menu under "enable last state". I have had to reset mine a couple of times.  Unfortunately, the botched recordings are also a frequently reported item and hopefully are being addressed in the forthcoming (?) revision. Until then, many are also trying to catch the missed episodes on VOD as well. Many here on the forums are hoping that these issues quickly become a thing of the past - maybe there will be T-shirts: "I survived IMG 1.9".   



Wait. A 1.9 is just a tremmor. Wait for 2.0 after 1.91 fixes everything.Smiley LOL Sorry I could not resist. But 1.9 added many features and complicated things by doing so. They slowed the roll out some what to field all the calls until customers could get used to it. The strike in the spring of 2011 helped slow things a bit. There was a big change adding the HD menu, and many did not like the contrast. I had Dish at one time, went back to DTV, and have been a loyal FiOS TV since launch. There are going to be trade offs with any change. That is what change is. I do hope for a few bug fixes soon. I have had to switch back to subscribed channels way to many times, even though I have set enable last state. I believe it is the reboots that happen at night. But that is a wild guess.

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Re: DVR Failings
jurysout
Newbie

Yeah, so far I'm wondering if I made a mistake switching from DirecTv.  This DVR starts late and cuts off the end of every show. Never had this problem with DirecTv.  We record a lot and we are often recording multiple shows so manually setting a bunch of shows is just a royal pain.  If they would just let you change the clock by 2 minutes, you would be fine.  Still haven't unhooked my DTV so we'll see.  

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Re: DVR Failings
Justin46
Legend

@jurysout wrote:

Yeah, so far I'm wondering if I made a mistake switching from DirecTv.  This DVR starts late and cuts off the end of every show. Never had this problem with DirecTv.  We record a lot and we are often recording multiple shows so manually setting a bunch of shows is just a royal pain.  If they would just let you change the clock by 2 minutes, you would be fine.  Still haven't unhooked my DTV so we'll see.  


Yes, sometimes recording misses the start or end of shows. Just the way it works for now. Two options that I know of:

1) Record the shows as "series" even if they aren't. That way you are given an option to adjust the start and end times right up front. The downside is that the entry will remain in your series list until you delete it.

2) Select the program for recording, then go into the DVR Schedule and click on the program, at that point you are given the opportunity to adjust the start and end times. The downside here is that it takes two steps, select it, then adjust it.

Neither of the above is a good alternative, but at least they do provide ways around the problem. Hopefully Verizon will add the ability to either a) adjust the start and end times for a single recording when you select it to be recorded, or b) add an option to define a standard time adjustment to be applied to all single recordings. Or add both and let us choose Smiley Happy

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, 25/25 Internet, and Digital Voice user
QIP7232, QIP7100-P2, IMG 1.9
Keller, TX 76248

Re: DVR Failings
Rumblepuff
Newbie

Still have the dish boxes in my house and I am about to hook them back up.  Aside from my STBs constantly resetting when I try to watch something the DVR software is HORRIBLE!  I have 2 choices, create my own home theatre PC (HTPC) and use the cable card or just switch back to dish.  I have a sad feeling that I will be cancelling in my 30 day window.  Verizon tech support has been to my house 3 times replacing things with no changes.  3 times in 10 days.  Not to mension the lag on the box software OH THE LAG!  If anyone has used a dish box, the scrolling is almost instant.  I remember a bit of lag on direct TV, but my fios internet is fast, my STBs are like on dial up.  Hours on hold for support, but call billing or if you want to buy something from them and its an instant.  Sorry, just had to rant.

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