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new .TV (pets, recipe, etc.) and Viacom channels not in zap2it or Tivo guides

So, it's been about a month since the new .tv channels came out and two days since the Viacom HD channels were introduced. And zap2it.com, Tivo, etc. all still don't list ANY of the new channels in their programming guides.

I've opened cases with Tivo. With Zap2it. With Verizon. Everyone points fingers saying it's the other's fault.

In the meantime, for the .TV channels that got added a while back, if you go to zap2it, or Tivo, you get "loor633" for channel name and "to be announced" for guide info for pets.tv. You get "loor599" for Cars.tv. You get "loor674" for MYDestination.tv. Etc.

And for the Viacom channels, you also get nothing. Just blank space with "to be announced" for programming info.

From what I understand, Verizon needs to tell Tribune that their channel lineup has changed. And Tribune, Zap2it and Tivo all claim that Verizon hasn't done that. Verizon, of course, is silent on the matter and the "fiber solutions center" says there is nothing they can do right now and that channel info for the .tv and Verizon channels might get added to online guides in a few MONTHS!?!?!?!?!?!?

Why does this seem to be a problem with Verizon's lineup and no one else's? When I had Dish, Zap2it would have updated listings within 2 hours of new channel additions. When I had Charter, both Zap2it and Tivo had channel guide info for new channels usually the day BEFORE the channel was added. But Verizon doesn't seem to provide Tribune with new channel info / guide data at all.

Having had FIOS for less than two months, I'm not happy. I'm almost certain the goal is for Verizon to get me to dump my lifetime Tivo service and instead pay them $15.99 for their DVR. But trust me -- I'd rather go back to Charter first.

Message Edited by skierrob2 on 06-24-2009 10:44 AM

Comments

philhu

Well, as mentioned elsewhere, the car.tv, recipe.tv, etc WAS correct on Tivo for a few days after launch. The channels were not showing listings, but the names were right.

It really bothers me when Verizon people think of us as 'cattle' and when we complain, they 'put us down' for complaining.

Saying pgm data in a FEW MONTHS when all it would take is ONE PHONE CALL TO TRIBUNE (Verified with Tivo Tech Support TODAY). I put yet another trouble ticket in at TIVO today about this).

On the new channels this week, I do tha by Monday. Those are major channels, and the data will be readily available.

Justin46

I do not understand why you folks are blaming Verizon for this. Please give me a moment to explain my theory.

First of all, I have been for a long time a very dissatisfied user of the FiOS Guide data. So dissatisfied that late last year I sent an email to Verizon's CEO expressing my dissatisfaction, and providing examples and pointers to various forum threads discussing the problem. I received maybe 4 or 5 phone calls about the issue, no resolution, but I was told the procedure for the FiOS Guide was this:

Each channel (say ESPN, whatever) develops the data, and sends it to FYI Television of Grand Prairie, TX (in the DFW area). FYI gathers the schedule info from all of the channel providers and once a day sends that data to Verizon. Verizon then inputs the data to the Guide and bingo, we see it, good or bad (lots and lots of bad IMO). I have no way to know if this is really the process, but this is the way it was explained and it makes sense to me.

Now, lets talk about one of the other guide providers for the Tivo or whatever. It seems to me that a very similar process would have to take place: channel to guide data collector to actual guide data provider (maybe the last two are one and the same?).

Now, where would Verizon be in this process for the other guide data providers? Seems to me nowhere, it should be the responsibility of the channel to notify the data provider that the channel is now on FiOS, what the channel name and number is, etc.

I am sure you will disagree with me, but where am I wrong? It seems to me you should be complaining to the channel providers, not Verizon.

(jumping into the foxhole....)

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

skierrob2

It is Verizon's job to tell Tribune and the other guide providers that new channels are now on their system. This has NOTHING to do with guide data.

Right now, Tribune has NO CLUE that Verizon has added channel 690 and that channel 690 is Comedy Central HD.

Until Verizon tells them that channel 690 is Comedy Central HD, Tribune will never place it into the guide for Verizon FIOS.

Likewise, until Verizon tells Tribune that channel 633 is Pets.TV, Tribune will never list channel 633 as Pets.TV.

I hope that clarifies things.

prisaz

I say exactly what Justin says. It is not Verizons responsibility to tell other services that their guide has changed. If the channel providers want people to view their programming on FIOS , they should tell the guide provider that FIOS has their channel. Not Verizon's fault.

skierrob2

Prisaz,

So you are saying it is Travel Channel's responsibility to tell Tribune that The Travel Channel is carried on channel 67 on Charter Communications Long Beach, and on channel 128 on Comcast New York, and on channel xxx on Verizon FIOS?

I would think that would be each cable provider's responsibility.... not the Travel Channel's responsibility.

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