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Missing Features (why I won't yet recommend FiOS TV)

Hi all,

I wanted to post here in hopes that Verizon hears my complaints and does something about it. I don't know if there is a bug / feature reporting tool they have publicly available, so I'm using this forum.

Overall, we love everything about Verizon. Great service and support, great internet speeds and up-time, super sharp TV picture, responsive modern UI! Love it.

I would recommend everything to my friends and family except the TV service, and this is because the DVR is missing some basic functionality. Here are the things I want to see fixed added before I'm willing to recommend Verizon TV to others (DirectTVs DVR is better in this regard, but unfortunately we can't get a signal at our new place)

Missing features:

1) Extend an active recording

-- This is a deal breaker if you are a sports fan. Once a recording has started, there is no way to extend it. I've seen post saying "just subscribe to the series with a custom end time", and "just record the show after it". These are lame work arounds. This is pretty basic functionality. A better work around would be for Verizon to allow me to set a custom stop time when I start a single recording. Why isn't this an option??? It's clearly able to handle setting a custom end time when setting up series recordings, how is this different?

2) Can not pause an on-demand show

-- I can not see paying for any on-demand shows without this functionality. Have you ever watched a movie straight through without needing to pause the DVD? With TV shows, if you watch it live they show enough commercials to fit in a quick bathroom break or make popcorn, whatever. With on-demand, there are less commercials (this is good), and that makes it harder to take a quick break... Further, if you have kids... you NEED a way to pause to, um, deal with the kids on occasion. I can understand wanting to disable FFwd (to disable skipping commercials), or Rwnd (to disable someone trying to play a pay movie multiple times), but Pause??? come on... Add the ability to pause, and it may be enough for me to cancel my Netflix subscription, and give my money to the Verizon on-demand service instead...

I'd love to hear from a Verizon employee on at least #1. This is my number one complaint. I'm a sports fan and this is killing me... Is there an ETA on fixing this? Some where better for me to voice my concern? Like I said, #1 really prevents me from recommending Verizon TV to anyone. I love everything else, so missing this one this is a real shame.

Comments

JNTDPT

wow, I had no idea you could not pause on on-demand show! that is a bummer.

to add to your list of disappointments:

I really hope that FiOS eventually lets me use my PIP feature on my television set; it was frustrating to learn that for now I cannot use that feature (and it does show on the remote--so I'm hoping it WILL happen).

Justin46

@JNTDPT wrote:
wow, I had no idea you could not pause on on-demand show! that is a bummer.
to add to your list of disappointments:
I really hope that FiOS eventually lets me use my PIP feature on my television set; it was frustrating to learn that for now I cannot use that feature (and it does show on the remote--so I'm hoping it WILL happen).

You can pause many on-demand shows. It depends on the provider, not Verizon. For example, I just went to the Starz HD folder and started (and paused) a movie multiple times, and did the same thing with the Movie Channel. But apparently some of the TV networks are disabling the Pause (and FF and Rew) options, to make sure you have to watch the commericals I suppose.

PIP feature on your TV? Verizon has no way to stop you using that feature if it is built into your TV, you just need to have two connections to your TV. However, if you are referring to a PIP feature in the DVR, then no, there is not one. The PIP button is on the remote of course, if you have selected the DVR then pressing that button causes the light on the DVR to flash, but nothing happens. If you select the TV, pressing the PIP button does not cause the DVR to react, so I would think that it might make the TV respond, but since my TV does not have PIP built-in I can't tell. There have been strongly held differing opinions expressed whether that will ever happen with FiOS or if it is even possible with the current DVRs. I have no idea, I would like to see it, but????

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

CSimpson

Regarding #2, I had the same complaint and posted it a few weeks ago: http://forums.verizon.com/vrzn/board/message?board.id=FiOS_TV&thread.id=10519

Not only is "Pause" very useful, but I'm finding that "Rewind" is almost as useful for when you might miss a certain scene of a show and wish to rewatch it. It angers me so much that VOD is being ruined over such a stupid little thing like this. If I was Verizon, I wouldn't even bother posting content from providers who wish to lock out these features. I'm now resorting to just downloading the shows I want to watch from torrents. Commercial-free and I have total freedom to pause/rew when I need to.

ILikeFIOS

Here are features I'd like to see added:

1) For a one-time recording, it should allow me to protect it before it records. Right now, you have to wait for it to finish recording to "protect" it.

2) Allow me to search for a particular keyword/actor and let me set a series recording based upon that keyword.

3) External storage

Message Edited by ILikeFIOS on 06-06-2009 07:28 PM

jmcohen231

Justin seemed to hit it on the head with your questions.

Controls for on-demand are disabled for ABC, NBC, and CBS only I believe. This is due to the networks request, not verzion.

The PIP feature is dependant on your tv, and you'll have to have additional source inputs to get your tv to display PIP.

Rosa

I also will not recommend Fios TV. The channel/program guide is useless as well as paying for outdated movies on the movie package. I will list the problems and hopefully Verizon will review and possibly correct or update these issues.

BIOS TV

1. Program/Channel Information Guide

Not Informative - No year or actor listing with very limited program story information.

Incorrect Program Listing - Guide has listing of a program or movie and when you select the program to watch it has a

different program/movie on the channel. Cyberspace TV?

2. Movies included and provided basic subscription

Limited

3. Optional Purchase Packages: HBO/Cinemax, The Movie Package

99% Outdated movies (from the last century and beyond).

Very limited movie selection for ON Demand, no new movies added/scheduled for long periods of time and again

movies are old and outdated.

If Verizon ever decides to update FIOS TV to meet public standards in the very near future then I will renew my contract otherwise I can not see spending my money on inadequate subscriptions. My Fios bundled was installed in May 2009.

Thank you.

Rosa

spacedebris

@Rosa wrote:
I also will not recommend Fios TV. The channel/program guide is useless as well as paying for outdated movies on the movie package. I will list the problems and hopefully Verizon will review and possibly correct or update these issues.
BIOS TV

1. Program/Channel Information Guide
Not Informative - No year or actor listing with very limited program story information.
Incorrect Program Listing - Guide has listing of a program or movie and when you select the program to watch it has a
different program/movie on the channel. Cyberspace TV?
2. Movies included and provided basic subscription
Limited
3. Optional Purchase Packages: HBO/Cinemax, The Movie Package
99% Outdated movies (from the last century and beyond).
Very limited movie selection for ON Demand, no new movies added/scheduled for long periods of time and again
movies are old and outdated.

If Verizon ever decides to update FIOS TV to meet public standards in the very near future then I will renew my contract otherwise I can not see spending my money on inadequate subscriptions. My Fios bundled was installed in May 2009.

Thank you.
Rosa

1. This is upcomming. When looking at the guide it gives a basic description, but if you hit info it gives a more detailed description. actors and dates are something in the works. As for the wrong show, this may or may not be a Verizon issue. Sometimes Verizon's guide is just wrong. But more often than not, it is a problem with the channel not verizon. If the channel said they would have show "a" on and that is what verizon put on their guide, then the channel had a change or problem with the show at the last minute, it would not have been communicated to Verizon so they were expecting to show "a" but ended up broadcasting show "b". I live in an area where fios tv is not available yet and I have Direct TV. Same thing happens there. We notice it especially on cartoon network ourselves, I record pokemon for my nephew and about half the time they will have "the adventures of flapjack" instead. Its not a problem with Directv's guide, its a problem with cartoon network in my case. This is not to say that the problem you are seeing is not a verizon issue in some cases. but in a lot of cases, its a problem with the channel itself and there is nothing verizon can do in those instances

2. There are several movie channels included in the base packages. I.E. AMC, TCM, Bravo, etc. Things like showtime, IFC, Encore and such will always be extra.

3. Content on the movie packages is in no way controled by Verizon. This complaint needs to be sent to those channels themselves. Verizon has no say in the content on the channels.

Message Edited by spacedebrismark on 06-24-2009 10:50 AM

dbfios

re: movie information on the Guide - unless I'm not doing it right, I can't see the date of movies shown on TCM, but could see the dates for movies on that channel when I was on DTV (just switched to FiOS two weeks ago). So, in this instance, it doesn't seem like it's the provider who isn't making the information available (and yes, I did scroll down to see more info on the guide)

jamieva

#3 is bogus. HBO is the same whether you watch it on Comcast, Fios or Directv. HBO provides the content, the cable company does not hand pick the programming. I'm not quite sure why this is that hard of a concept to understand.

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