Music Choice Widget

I just got a new VMS 4100 STB and am experiencing a problem with the widget for Music Choice opening when I switch to 1849 Music Choice. I know to hit "exit " and the widget will disappear until the next time I tune to 1849, but this is a daily inconvenience. How can I turn off this widget ? Since previous posts from 2021 refer to the problem why has Verizon not provided a solution?

Accepted answers

clem21

@Synthd0rk
wrote:
Same problem here. We have elderly disabled individuals and they rely upon these channels to listen-to while they received medical treatments. The app is problematic for us because when it auto-switches to it the volume jumps very loud and we lose control over it which can be very jarring even on quiet instrumental channels.

It seems like upon tune the default version of the channel is SD and then when it switches to the app the channel is HD? This along with the dynamic animated advertising in the general menu system have provided real challenges for these users since they are NOT amenable to the newer voice controlled remotes and need to be able to use the older FiOS RF style.

A volume control fix might solve the issue or if the app could be blocked by a parental control. Does anyone know of a fix for the volume issue?

You could try changing the audio output for the box to mono instead of stereo or surround.

Main Menu > Settings > Audio & Video > Audio>Audio Format.

You could also try setting the Dynamic range setting to heavy.

Main Menu > Settings > Audio & Video > Audio>Dynamic Range

And possibly set the Audio Passthrough to disable.

Main Menu > Settings > Audio & Video > Audio > Audio Passthrough

All comments

dexman

I can't find a way to disable the Music Choice widget. Other widgets can be blocked under the Parental Control menu, but that particular one is not listed.

fiosgrowner

I, too, think the Music Choice widget should be able to be blocked under the Parental controls. If Verizon needs an excuse for doing so, they should just think about the potential for explicit or suggestive lyrics on certain channels. The individual channels can be blocked but I suspect that can be bypassed by using the app.

dexman

For me, tuning to a specific channel is preferable to the using the built-in app.

But, as they say, Your Milage May Vary (YMMV).

fiosgrowner

On my Fios TV 1, tuning to the specific channel launches the Music Choice widget. One has to hit exit and wait for 10 seconds or so to have the channel actually start playing. That's why there's a desire to get the widget disabled.

Synthd0rk

Same problem here. We have elderly disabled individuals and they rely upon these channels to listen-to while they received medical treatments. The app is problematic for us because when it auto-switches to it the volume jumps very loud and we lose control over it which can be very jarring even on quiet instrumental channels.

It seems like upon tune the default version of the channel is SD and then when it switches to the app the channel is HD? This along with the dynamic animated advertising in the general menu system have provided real challenges for these users since they are NOT amenable to the newer voice controlled remotes and need to be able to use the older FiOS RF style.

A volume control fix might solve the issue or if the app could be blocked by a parental control. Does anyone know of a fix for the volume issue?

clem21

@Synthd0rk
wrote:
Same problem here. We have elderly disabled individuals and they rely upon these channels to listen-to while they received medical treatments. The app is problematic for us because when it auto-switches to it the volume jumps very loud and we lose control over it which can be very jarring even on quiet instrumental channels.

It seems like upon tune the default version of the channel is SD and then when it switches to the app the channel is HD? This along with the dynamic animated advertising in the general menu system have provided real challenges for these users since they are NOT amenable to the newer voice controlled remotes and need to be able to use the older FiOS RF style.

A volume control fix might solve the issue or if the app could be blocked by a parental control. Does anyone know of a fix for the volume issue?

You could try changing the audio output for the box to mono instead of stereo or surround.

Main Menu > Settings > Audio & Video > Audio>Audio Format.

You could also try setting the Dynamic range setting to heavy.

Main Menu > Settings > Audio & Video > Audio>Dynamic Range

And possibly set the Audio Passthrough to disable.

Main Menu > Settings > Audio & Video > Audio > Audio Passthrough

Synthd0rk

Thank you clem21: something similar to your suggestions worked. The audio settings needed to be adjusted.

Would still be nice to better control over the app's behavior itself.