Filter Channels in Guide
comish4lif
Newbie

I'm a new FIOS customer - today is day 2 - and I'm already frustrated by the channel guide.

Is there a way to filter out the channels in the packages that I have not subscribed to? That is, when I look at the channel, I'd like to only see programs for the channels that I am currently paying for. When I had DirecTV I could do that.

Any help?

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Re: Filter Channels in Guide
Justin46
Legend

The way to do that with FiOS is by using the Favorites function in the STB. Here is a link to a thread that will tell you how to do it:

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

You can also manage your favorties via the internet.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7.1, Build 09.97
Keller, TX 76248

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Re: Filter Channels in Guide
comish4lif2
Newbie

If it's technically not feasible - that's pretty disappointing as I know that at least DirecTV can do it.

As for just making a list of favorites, do you want to come over and program 283 channels into 3 TVs? Can Verizon at least let me filter the channels by package when I set my favorites on the website here?

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Re: Filter Channels in Guide
Justin46
Legend

@comish4lif2 wrote:

If it's technically not feasible - that's pretty disappointing as I know that at least DirecTV can do it.

As for just making a list of favorites, do you want to come over and program 283 channels into 3 TVs? Can Verizon at least let me filter the channels by package when I set my favorites on the website here?


Then go back to DirecTV. Seriously. Because complaining about the way FiOS handles things differently from DirecTV is not going to make things change on FiOS, at least not in the near future (at least as far as I know) and maybe for a long time. You can take the time to accept what it is and use it the best way you can, or you will be unhappy with FiOS forever.

Why would I (or you) need to program 283 channels into 3 TVs? You have multiple ways to set up a Favorites list, pick the method you prefer:

1) On an STB, start with a blank list and add all the channels you want.

2) On an STB, start with a full list and delete the channels you don't want.

And there are two ways to do either of the above:

a) Using the Favorites option in the Menu: Menu ==> Settings ==> Favorite Channels ==> pick one ==> Add All Channels or Add/Remove Channels

b) Use the Options button on the remote to add or remove individual channels whenever you want, to a full or an empty list.

3) For the DVR, use the internet interface.

It really isn't hard, and it really doesn't take that much time, and you will probably only ever do the entire list once on each STB.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7.1, Build 09.97
Keller, TX 76248

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Re: Filter Channels in Guide
comish4lif2
Newbie

@Justin wrote:

Then go back to DirecTV. Seriously. Because complaining about the way FiOS handles things differently from DirecTV is not going to make things change on FiOS, at least not in the near future (at least as far as I know) and maybe for a long time. You can take the time to accept what it is and use it the best way you can, or you will be unhappy with FiOS forever.

Why would I (or you) need to program 283 channels into 3 TVs? You have multiple ways to set up a Favorites list, pick the method you prefer:

1) On an STB, start with a blank list and add all the channels you want.

2) On an STB, start with a full list and delete the channels you don't want.

 ------------------------------

The idea of pointing out that DirecTV does it is to note that the FIOS competitors have this feature and it's technically feasible. In my opinion, I don't know why this isn't the basic setup in the STB. Who wants to scroll through a list of channels that they haven't paid for? If there weren't trees on county parkland between my house and the DirecTV satellite, I'd still have DirecTV.

As for why 283 channels, I admit, I won't watch all 283 chennels, but if I my subscription has 283 channels,  I should be able to add them to my favorites, nevertheless. My choices are to add the 100 or so favorites that I'll watch - one by one. Or, "Add All" and remove the several hundred that I'm not paying for.

If you're happy with that situation, great. But don't jump on others to apologize for Verizon who should offer this basic service as the defualt behavior.

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Re: Filter Channels in Guide
Justin46
Legend

@comish4lif2 wrote:

If you're happy with that situation, great. But don't jump on others to apologize for Verizon who should offer this basic service as the defualt behavior.


I am not jumping on you. And I am not apologizing for Verizon. I am simply pointing out reality. You now have FiOS, you have found something you don't like, itis apparently important to you, and you have come here and complained. That is not going to change anything. PERIOD. What you need to do is decide whether you can live with FiOS the way it is now and hope for a change in the future, or you need to go back to DirecTV.

Seriously, what other choices do you have? Any cable company? Dish? If you choose to stay with FiOS, and I hope you do, then there is a way to accomplish most or all of what you want, that is what I have tried to describe to you. You don't like the procedure, I get that, but that is all that is available.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7.1, Build 09.97
Keller, TX 76248

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Re: Filter Channels in Guide
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

It is technically feasible ... Justin just provided a link to the way it's done on the FiOS network.    Admittedly, it seems to me that the STB's should be able to automatically figure out which channels you subscribe to, but alas that's not the case here.

So, the programming piece on the STB is a one time deal ... I did it (was a bit of a pain) and now I happily only see not only those channels that I subscribe to -- but really only those channels I care about (I killed off all those annoying .TV infomercial, shopping, obtuse sporting events from 3 decades ago, and other type channels).   Both the channel up/down now only go to those channels and by selecting "favorites only" from the guide menu, I see only those channels on the guide as well.

As for seeing it as a feature, sounds like a good topic for the "Ideas" forum they recently opened up.  Suggest it -- I suspect it'll get a lot of votes.   If Verizon is serious about listening to what ideas people come up with, maybe they'll engineer a fix.

Oh ... and before you ask ... Picture in a Picture doesn't work either (another thread).  Another feature common on some platforms that isn't in the FiOS STB solution.

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Re: Filter Channels in Guide
matcarl
Master - Level 1

@lasagna wrote:

As for seeing it as a feature, sounds like a good topic for the "Ideas" forum they recently opened up.  Suggest it -- I suspect it'll get a lot of votes.   If Verizon is serious about listening to what ideas people come up with, maybe they'll engineer a fix.


Someone already did

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Re: Filter Channels in Guide
GaryDoug
Specialist - Level 1

The reason Verizon does not make it easy to eliminate non-subscribed channels from the guide is easy to explain:

It's marketing.

 

Haven't you noticed the "one-button-click" subscription application that pops up on the screen when you select a non-subscribed channel?

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Re: Filter Channels in Guide
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Thanks matcarl ... I saw that just now and went and "voted" for it.

.. and I suspect garydoug is right on the money.   "What?  You aren't receiving this channel we happen to offier?  Press here to subscribe!  We'll make it easy!"   A marketing pitch behind every non-subscribed channel.   

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