New Subscriber Questions

[ImNotDave]

I am new to FiOS and I have a few questions...

1) How do I program the remote so that as I navigate through the channels it only goes thorugh channels I am subscribed to?  It is a REAL pain in thebutt to have to continually press the channel up/down key to get past channels I do not get.  I have discovered hwo to fix the guide so it only lists my subscribed channels but i cannot get the channel up/down to do similarly.  I need to get this fixed for both a full set top box and the lesser digital adapter box.

2) This is kind of a hard one to describe.  I hate the wya the guide has the currently selected channel in the middle of the list of channels currently on the screen and then expands it mid screen to show details.  I MUCH prefer a simple clean continuos list of channels and the detail expanded at the bottom.  Having the guide jump around (for lack of better term) as the channels scroll through that middle expanded position is terrible for someone with poor vision.

3) Is there a way to use my TVs PIP feature?

4) If I have my own M-Card cable card can I use it with FiOS and thus not have to pay the monthly fee for renting one from Verizon?  If so, how do I go about getting this set up?

That is all for now.  Thanks!

[jmw1950]

1). I am unaware of any simple way to do what you want. What I did was to create a favorites list that only contains the subscribed channels, and then select that list, and 'flip by favorites' in the settings menu. That way the channels you 'flip' through are just the ones you have subscribed to. You can still go directly to other channels by entering the channel number in the remote, but channel up/down will give you only the channels in the favorites list. I doubt this feature is available on the digital adapter box.

 3). Picture in Picture requires a second program source. While the DVR's all have two tuners, they are only able to output one of them at a time. If you want to use Picture in Picture, you will need another cable box of some sort unless you can live with just the handful of clear QAM channels on the cable feed and your TV has a QAM tuner.

4).I don't believe that there are any M-Cards for sale legally. So it is doubtful that Verizon would allow you to use your own even if you could find a way to get one.

[ImNotDave]

Thanks for the feedback.  That really sucks that you can't scroll through only yoru subscribed channels.  Taht is VERY VERY annoying.  As far as the digital adapter box, is there no way to set up a favorites list with them?

[tns]

Note this is a peer to peer forum, so you are getting answers from other users.

Actually they added the feature awhile back for STB/DVR's  to only view only subscribed channels.  But not digital adapters.  But I think favorites works better as it also gets rid of certain other channels you feel you never want to see, e.g. phoney VOD channels (its easier to get to them through the vod menu), shopping channels (unless you really want them), spanish channels (assuming you don't happen to speak spanish), and other channels you don't care for.

[ImNotDave]

Thank you for your input.  I did realize that this is user to user but I appreciate you taking the time to ensure I was aware.  As far as favorites go, is there a limit to the number of favs you can set?  Also is that only a feature of the STB and not the digital adapters?

[tns]

There are 2 favorites list.  In each you can choice any or all of the channels to be in the list.  A feature of the DVR/STB but i don't think the the digital adapters.

[ImNotDave]

Thanks again.  I have been able to get the remote to remain in 'subscribed only' mode for a while now.  I am not sure what it is I am doing differently though (the remotes for VZ are extremely confusing an dcounter intuitive  to me).    At some times when I put the remote into subscribed mode, it seems to go back to all channels for some reason, yet recently it has remained. 

[tns]

You also need to look to set two other things (used to be one other thing). 

in Menu, settings, television, last viewed guide state.  Enbable it.

And if using favorites, also set ,menu, settings, favorite channels,favorites button.  Set toggle flip by favorites.

[ImNotDave]

Yeah I have the first one set already.  I actually figured that oen out on my own.  That does great for keeping the guide at subscribed.  The scrolling through channles seems a bit odd though.  It LOOKS LIKE that the red button at the bottom of the trmote ahs two purposes that are conflicting.  IF the channel you are on has an HD version, that button takes you to the HD channel.  If it does NOT have an HD version, that red button takes you out of subscribed mode and put you back in all channels.  So if I am on a channel and press the red button thinking I will go to the HD version of that channela nd there is none, I have now taken myself out of subscribed mode.  That is a VERY stupid assignment of buttons IMHO.  Not sure if that is how it is supposed to owrk but it seems to be what is going on here.