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GUIDE IN 4:3 ON HD BOX?

Is it just me, or is it not possible to set the guide to HD 16:9 even on an HD receiver connected to an HDTV???

I have an HD Home Media DVR and an HD Receiver and I can't fgure out a way to change it. Is there a way? Who would design an HD box that only uses a 4:3 guide???????

Comments

matcarl

You can't adjust it, that's the way it is.

BorderDog

Are you certain? I can't believe that! Again, who would design an HD Receiver with a 4:3 guide??? {please keep your posts courteous}

Is it something a software update can fix or will it require new hardware???

Message Edited by KaLin on 10-30-2008 07:35 PM

KenAF

As noted in other threads, Motorola boxes cannot currently support both 4:3 and 16:9 guides. Providers must choose one. For backward compatibility, all cable companies currently use 4:3 guides. Remember, some people have 4:3 HDTVs and others are using the HD DVRs on non-HDTVs.

Motorola is working to address this limitation, but from what I've heard, it sounds like only the newer boxes (either the 7216 or something newer) will have the memory to support both 4:3 and 16:9 guide options when that capability is made available next year.

Be aware that no other cable provider in the United States offers a 16:9 guide. Demos have leaked out showing Tivo's next-generation 16:9 UI for their cable boxes, but even they use a 4:3 guide with the current interface. DirecTV uses a 4:3 guide as well, though they are also working on a 16:9 version. Dish Network is the only provider with a functional 16:9 guide available today.

When I say 16:9 guide, I'm referring to a guide that actually takes advantage of 16:9 to provide more information. DirecTV uses a 4:3 guide with a 16:9 background, which is not a true 16:9 guide.

Message Edited by KenAF on 10-30-2008 07:34 PM

armstrda

I'm pretty sure that Dish Network has a true 16x9 guide that gives more horizontal data than the 4:3 version.

KenAF

Yes, Dish Network has one. And they are the only one. But as alluded to above, others are working on it.

BorderDog

Perhaps the DIRECTV guide was 4:3 on a 16:9 background, I can't say for sure. In either case, it was a much better design: easier to read, easier to navigate, accurate information, MORE information. When a show is in progress (i.e. almost always) on the Verizon receivers you can't even see the title of what is currently showing! Most of the time I can't even find the year/cast on a movie! You can't select a channel and see what is on that channel for the rest of the evening, you can't jump to a specific date/time on the guide... The list goes on and on.

It's actually quite sad because the internet/phone are excellent. It looks like I will switch back to an internet/phone bundle before my 30-days are over and drop the TV. The receivers/guide are truly inferior to other services and ruin the FIOS experience.

KenAF

BorderDog wrote:
Perhaps the DIRECTV guide was 4:3 on a 16:9 background, I can't say for sure. In either case, it was a much better design: easier to read, easier to navigate, accurate information, MORE information. When a show is in progress (i.e. almost always) on the Verizon receivers you can't even see the title of what is currently showing! Most of the time I can't even find the year/cast on a movie! You can't select a channel and see what is on that channel for the rest of the evening, you can't jump to a specific date/time on the guide... The list goes on and on.

It's actually quite sad because the internet/phone are excellent. It looks like I will switch back to an internet/phone bundle before my 30-days are over and drop the TV. The receivers/guide are truly inferior to other services and ruin the FIOS experience.

If you aren't satisfied with the FiOS' Motorola DVR, you can always buy the TivoHD. TiVo's program information is as good or better than DirecTV. I've seen the TivoHD sell for as low as $199, which isn't far off the price of DirecTV's HDTV DVR. TiVo now sells a 1TB version too, although it's still cheaper to buy the 160Gb model and replace the stock drive with a ~$140 1TB Western Digital WD10EVCS; instructions for that are available at the bottom of this post.

Message Edited by KenAF on 10-31-2008 04:55 PM

BorderDog

Now I know why Verizon is offering the DVR free for a year...

Thanks for the info. I had Tivo with DIRECTV until it became outdated and I couldn't get the new HD channels. I loved it. I'd love to have it again, but with buying the Tivo, $12.99/month to Tivo, plus paying for the cards from Verizon I think it would end up costing more than switching back to DIRECTV or DISH. I can get the "new customer" deals with them now. Also, don't you lose Video on Demand services with the Tivo?

Verizon reps have never honestly responded to any of my postings or any I've read on the same topics. My question is do they even acknowledge there are serious issues with the guide? Do they understand how many people are unhappy with it? Are they even addressing ANY of the issues? If so, which ones and WHEN will there be changes/improvements???

To me their silence says: "It is what it is. We don't care. Like it or leave it."

[Deleted User]

BorderDog wrote:

Verizon reps have never honestly responded to any of my postings or any I've read on the same topics. My question is do they even acknowledge there are serious issues with the guide? Do they understand how many people are unhappy with it? Are they even addressing ANY of the issues? If so, which ones and WHEN will there be changes/improvements???

To me their silence says: "It is what it is. We don't care. Like it or leave it."

Hi BorderDog,

This is a peer-to-peer forum, meant mostly for the exchange of ideas and tips between members. While there are a couple of tech support people who occasionally post here, this issue may not be within their realm of expertise. We have forwarded many of the forum suggestions and concerns to the appropriate parties for review. Verizon is listening and we value your feedback, even if we can't always respond directly.

JKennedy

You can't talk HD and aspect ratio synonomously. They're not the same.

However, even look at some of the HD channels. Some are not are not HD content, but SD content boadcast in HD and some even go as far as to molest 4:3 AR into 16:9 which drives me nuts.

A good example is CNBC-HD. It's a 16:9 HD frame so they add more "stuff" to desplay, but the actual broadcast content,displayed in the frame is SD. Of course that's not a Verizon issue.

The only benefit I see in having a 16:9 guide is that they can take advantage of the extra real estate and add more information or more fluff stuff.

BorderDog

The "only" benefit is extra real estate? You don't think that is a major benefit?

With a true wide-screen guide maybe you could actually see the FULL title of what is currently showing, plus the next 3 or 4 hours after it, or whatever would reasonably fit. Now it is cramped, difficult to read, and marginally useful at best. Most of the time you can't even read the title for what is showing, forget about what is next.

VERIZON REPS

In regards to this being a peer-to-peer forum: fair enough. Can you provide me an email link for comments/complaints/suggestions? Thank you.

Justin46

I agree with JKennedy, I care very little whether the guide is 4:3 or 16:9. I watch the TV to watch the programs, not look at or scroll through the guide. If I want to look more than an hour or so forward, I just scroll forward, if I want more detail about the program, I just hit the Info button (twice if I want the most detail).

A 16:9 guide would be a little nicer I guess, but for me, this is much ado about nothing, I would much prefer that Verizon focus on signing up a new guide data provider that would provide accurate guide content, or provide a DVR with a larger hard drive, for example.

Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
IMG 1.6.0
Keller, TX

BorderDog

I could not agree with you more about getting a new guide provider with accurate content info.

I could not disagree more about not caring whether the guide is 4:3 or 16:9.

Of course you watch TV to watch the programs, but how is it you find those programs that you want to watch??? By looking at and scrolling through the guide, of course. Have you ever used a DISH network guide in 16:9? Light-years beyond what Verizon has.

Having an HD guide is like watching an HD channel. Once you know how much better it is than SD you hate to go back.

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