Sept 2020 Fios DVR and Guide Update

[Scott804]

This week Fios pushed out interface updates for their TV services. After nearly 3 hours in chats, I was finally told that there is no way to roll back updates once loaded and they base new update options based on posts in the forum. Below are my complaints that they will only fix with enough support on here, if you have the same issues, please mark the post. 

1. They removed the chapter function for recorded programs on the dvr (the up arrow that would allow you to move to any 10 min marker in a program).

2. The new Now and Next function causes latency when switching channels. Even after setting it to 0 seconds. 

3. They removed the ability to view a single channel lineup in the tv guide. In the past I would just hit guide a second time to see the next 5-10 shows on a single channel. 

4. Finally, I just find the prettier guide view harder to actually read and process. Not sure if it is the number of channels,  dark screen, or just that it is too busy.  Turning off the background video helped a little, but not much. 

[JimJanetBoston]

I set up an account here simply to add our voice to those of others regarding the new Guide.  The new Guide is terrible for all the reasons others have described, notably for us the omission of color-coding for movies and sports, and the poor-quality visual resolution that makes detailed information such as show/movie plots almost impossible to read even if a customer has normal-range vision.  Worse yet in the update is the lack of customer choice (other than dropping Fios and subscribing to another service):  the new Guide format is the only, default option, so we customers are stuck with the results of a corporate decision in which we had no input.  My advice to Fios:  Fine to update the Guide format, but at least add to the update the option for customers to retain their former Guide format or adjust the new Guide format to better suit their individual preferences.  There's a lot of collective wisdom in customer comments.  Hope you're paying attention and heeding the guidance.   

[Eh21]

I find the new guide sluggish 

I liked the color coding.  

When I called fios, the csr advised they had a year of focus groups. 

I am glad I found a way to fix the "last channel" button fiasco.  Why would they do this and not give us a choice?

[dodzter1]

So VZ claims they had a whole YEAR of focus groups eh?  First off, never heard about these focus groups. Second who got invited? Third after a whole YEAR this is best they could come up with? Sounds like baloney to me. I don't believe they had focus groups. 

[JerryB2]

I run my dvr media box through my audio receiver. Since the update i can no longer see the volume bar on the tv screen, wth?  Anyone know how to fix this? 

[PGNYC]

This lousy update is where you decided to spend money, you can’t see the show you are watching anymore while searching. You can’t change the view of the guide. The guide is also hard to read. 

why? 

[xsarabella]

After taking to Twitter to complain about how disgusting the new guide is, I found 12 pages worth of complaints here and I just had to create an account. We need to let Fios know exactly how bad they messed this **bleep** up. It’s absolutely horrendous. I don’t know who got paid to design this and worse, who approved this, but it is garbage. You can’t even read the guide because the text is so awful, then instead of the live video of the channel you were watching before bringing up the guide, they replaced it with a PHOTO from the show itself, and then put the video BEHIND the guide so you can’t even see it. THAT DOESNT MAKE ANY SENSE FIOS! 

It’s bad, it’s REALLY bad, and so many people are not happy. WHY did you feel the need to do this? We pay way too much money to be this unhappy. Fix it or offer us a setting so we can change it back to OUR preferred view, not yours. 

[VinSel]

They didn't spend money to improve the service.  Obviously, they farmed out the guide to a cheap, off-the-shelf produce to increase their profits, then fool us by calling this an "upgrade".

[TomGMiner]

As others have said in the thread you closed the new Channel Guide released in Sept 2020 is worse decision made - as mention categories used to be different colors which made it easier to find what one was looking for ie: movies in red. With everything black and white I find myself getting lost as I scroll, removing the PiP in the upper left for the channel you were watching while looking through the guide helped with not losing track of what you were watching, this whole outlook to what's on next after the current broadcast on the channel after you select to watch is just annoying. 

[Mheadforever]

The update is HORRIBLE! It's enough to make me cancel fios all together.

--First off, the TEXT IS SO SMALL I CAN'T READ ANYTHING: channels, words, etc.

--The colors and lack of graphic clarity also make it incredibly difficult to read. Who designed this interface???

--you can't sort out channels you dont watch.

--i don't need a guide taking up my whole screen. I liked the quick access bar on the right.

--no picture in picture. **bleep**?

--i upgraded my boxes this year just to avoid this updated guide...and now you forced the update to all.

If this doesn't revert back, I'm done. Switch it back Verizon, and listen to your customers. It wasn't broken.

[ari221]

This update should be rolled back asap. It is confusing to use and response time is slower the the old system.

You have killed a good guide and info option. 

[sasquatch2]

Miss being able to view a single channel’s lineup in vertical mode (like one could do by pressing Guide 2x). IMO, this is a big fail for Verizon. 

I also miss chaptering of DVRed programs. 

[judaspriest1]

totally agree with the comments already made.  this change is garbage and there is really nothing that I like about it...literally zero improvements with a whole host of negative changes. I had used the up and down arrows to get a smaller version of the full guide. could watch tv with this while I looked at other channels or looked into upcoming shows. 

Please VZ.....give us the option to revert back. 

[Derek110]

This is utterly horrible.   Please fix.

[Shhnappa]

This has got to be the worst attempt at advancement I've ever seen. This actually takes us back so many years. It wasn't broken!!!! You charge us enough, then you decide to make stupid changes like this. I would list all of the pitfalls of this update, but there are already 12 PAGES OF THEM!!! You dont understand what customer satisfaction is all about. You need to ROLL THIS BACK, but for me, it's too late. I have given my hard earned money for 20+ years to you people, BUT NO MORE, you have lost a customer over A VERY STUPID UPDATE!!! It really is that simple

[Yvonne1028]

I created an acct just to make this complaint. It is that bad. This reminds me of the awful TVs in hotel rooms with the awful guide on those TVs. 

Where's the color coding for movies and kids programs. That was great. I was upset already when they got rid of the cast info. But this... this is awful. Now you can't keep watching the program while you search for other things to watch. It's hard to read. 

There isn't ONE thing good I can say about this update. Please do something about it!!!!!

[Tigger21]

I too just created an account to complain about the new guide. We are 72 & 80 and set in our ways. We were able to easily record a week's worth of programming using the guide double tap to scroll through the hours of any channel with the channel button. Now it is impossible. Once we even get info on a program there is no way to return to where we were in the guide. I was a software engineer for 28 years and did lots of development and testing, right down to the user manual. No one could have tested this version. It is complete garbage. It is unusable and Verizon should be ashamed of itself. 

[NYsoundwaves]

I called Tech support to see if I could fix it with setting but the tech guy was very nice but seemed surprised of my issue.

I hate the new look, not just because it takes up half the TV screen but because it make changing channels so slow now and harder to surf.

Verizon, at lest give us the option to say we want it or not.

The reasons to cut the cord are stacking.

[NEC1]

It's clear Verizon did zero user testing on this new guide rollout.  It is truly the worst designed I've ever encountered.  Why do we have to have 1/2 of the screen telling us for 5 seconds what we're watching AND what's on that channel in the next 2 hours??????  Why are ALL program types the same, so instead of knowing red means movies, etc.  we have to click to see "is that a move or a show"???   WHY???  Oh but wait.  They have filters.  OK.  Have you seen them???  Pathetic.  

Verizon - LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS FOR ONCE.  RETURN TO THE OLD GUIDE NOW!!!!!!!!!

[FDot1973]

I have to agree with all that has been said so far.  My two biggest issues with this change, and I've only had it for a few hours now are:

1. The lack of Chaptering for DVR'd shows.

2.  The "new" guide lists all channels as being "TV".  If I don't know the number of a particular channel, I have to scroll through them all separately and highlight each one to see what channel it is.

I did read on a different thread that the Chaptering option was supposed to be listed under the DVR settings, yet it clearly isn't.  I would rather hear that Verizon is working on fixing that issue than hear that they are mystified as to how that happened.

[ROCKJAN]

the guide is so TERRIBLE!

[GoldenOldie]

The old guide was much easier to see, navigate and deal with. There should be an option to return to old guide. Bland, dissapointing, and frustrating to keep being thrown back to the ‘new guide check it out ‘page.  Why you didn’t do a trial run, will never understand. Could have saved us grief.