What happened to star information on movies?

[graphixart]

First it was bad enough that FiOS doesn't supply any star ratings as they really can help in choosing movies, they now don't even include the names of stars in movies. Sometimes I'm not sure about a name of a movie but can identify it by who's in it, but now there's no longer star info, at least on my STB. Does anyone know anything about this and whether it's permanent? They have to know that this makes for a poor customer experience. Are they that clueless?

[lasagna · Accepted solution]

This was recently discussed on this thread.  The cast information, when provided by the service from which Verizon receives the channel guide information, is available on the full screen info display (press info twice on a movie or other selection) to see the full description and cast information.

[graphixart]

Thanks! I didn't know that clicking again would show more info (which is actually a third press of Info). It's a bit quirky as the extra cast info doesn't always show, sometimes it will if I use the "Full Info" on the left, but now that I know that the cast info is probably in there somewhere I'll keep trying. Thanks again.

[Keyboards]

It's 2 clicks if in the guide, 3 if while viewing the show in question.

[tns]

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@Keyboards wrote:

It's 2 clicks if in the guide, 3 if while viewing the show in question.

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Actually full info is not available on DVR recordings, only live view.  So it is annoying that stars are often missing in the basic info.

[Keyboards]

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@tns wrote:

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@Keyboards wrote:

It's 2 clicks if in the guide, 3 if while viewing the show in question.

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Actually full info is not available on DVR recordings, only live view.  So it is annoying that stars are often missing in the basic info.

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Nevr said it was available during DVR playback, but when LIVE viewing.  OP never mention DVR playback just that it wasn't available on their STB so that is why I answered the way I did

[lasagna]

Part of me thinks that if you're recording something on your DVR -- you probably should already know that you want to watch it regardless of who's in it?!?   Of course, I have myself occasionally watching a show and wondering who a particular actor is when I can't place their name/face.   But then, I have internet and IMDB for that.   🙂

[lanelle1]

FIOS is not providing the cast/star info for the movies.  Clicking twice doesn't work anymore---if it ever did.  What's happened?

[Justin46]

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@lanelle wrote:

FIOS is not providing the cast/star info for the movies.  Clicking twice doesn't work anymore---if it ever did.  What's happened?

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I just checked a number of channels showing movies and the cast info was available on all of them. I checked several Starz and Showtime channels, plus FX and Universal (the only free channels I happened to see that had movies right now), and all were fine.

Where are you located? I am in North Texas, perhaps it is a local issue. Or maybe you are not clicking far enough; when I am just viewing the movie it takes 3 clicks to see the cast info, only 2 clicks when in the Guide.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP7232, IMG 1.8, Build 02.54
Keller, TX 76248

[lanelle1]

Just called FIOS  to ask and was told that's just the way it is as part of their "changes" to "improve" the guide.  Since they used to do it for years, I don;t see it as an improvement but just another way to provide less service.  The cast members are an important part of movie watching decisions and should be available for all movies since they are provided for "on demand" and "pay for view".  Is there any reason for this other than "that's just the way it is"?

[Justin46]

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@lanelle wrote:

Just called FIOS  to ask and was told that's just the way it is as part of their "changes" to "improve" the guide.  Since they used to do it for years, I don;t see it as an improvement but just another way to provide less service.  The cast members are an important part of movie watching decisions and should be available for all movies since they are provided for "on demand" and "pay for view".  Is there any reason for this other than "that's just the way it is"?

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Lanelle,

Please provide specific examples of movies that do not have cast info.

1) You said this before, I checked, and all of the movies I looked at clearly had cast info.

2) I just checked again, about a dozen or so movies, on a variety of channels, included in my package and premium, and all had cast info.

3) I went to VOD and looked at a number of movies, multiple suppliers, and all had (somewhat limited) cast info.

4) I do not happen to have any movies currently recorded so I could not check that, but as someone said earlier, if you recorded a movie didn't you know who was in the cast before you recorded it?

So, I plain and simple do not undersand your statements. Again, you need to provide specific examples.

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, Internet, and phone user
QIP7232, IMG 1.8, Build 02.54
Keller, TX 76248

[lanelle1]

OK Justin, July 30, Thursday---all premium channels--I press the favorites button to bring up the guide and scan channels 340 thru 431 which include Starz, Encore, Show, Movie channel, HBO, Cinemax and a few others.  I see the title and brief description of a movie I want more info on, so I press the INFO button and it switches to description mode but still has no cast members.  If I press the INFO button again, it goes back to the guide mode and I can scan farther down, but no matter which channel I go to in the guide mode, there are no cast or "Stars" listed.  However, on Sunday, June 26, the first couple of cast members were listed on all the movies.  So, what's the answer?  Is my remote different than everybody else's?  Am I really that "special".  Thanks and Aloha.

[Justin46]

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@lanelle wrote:

OK Justin, July 30, Thursday---all premium channels--I press the favorites button to bring up the guide and scan channels 340 thru 431 which include Starz, Encore, Show, Movie channel, HBO, Cinemax and a few others.  I see the title and brief description of a movie I want more info on, so I press the INFO button and it switches to description mode but still has no cast members.  If I press the INFO button again, it goes back to the guide mode and I can scan farther down, but no matter which channel I go to in the guide mode, there are no cast or "Stars" listed.  However, on Sunday, June 26, the first couple of cast members were listed on all the movies.  So, what's the answer?  Is my remote different than everybody else's?  Am I really that "special".  Thanks and Aloha.

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Sorry for the delay in responding, have been up at our lake house in Cooke County north of you, unfortunately no FiOS up there.....

OK, Lanelle, July 30, Thursday

1) I cannot hit the Favorites button to get the Guide because apparently I have my IMG configured differently, but....I do not have 340, etc, in my Favorites list as I have an HD TV and STB so I have 840 there, etc, so I hit the Favorites button to change to view all channels.

2) I hit the guide button to view the channel Guide (all channels)

3) I type in 0340 to get to channel 340

4) I hit the Info button and get the rather abbreviated Program Information screen, no cast info (program is Residend Evil: Afterlife)

5) I hit Info again, I see the Full Info screen, contains cast info and complete summary of program

6) I then went to 431 and did the Info, Info button pushes, get the Full Info screen, cast info, etc.

7) I randomly went down the channel list and looked at several other channels, all worked as they should.

Now, you and I are in the same VHO, so our experience should definitely be exactly the same. But obviously it is not. I have no idea why it isn't. What model STB are you using? I no longer have any SD STBs so I cannot do any testing on one of them.

Somewhat off topic - Question: Any reason why you (apparently) do not use the Toggle Flip by Favorites setting for the Favorites Button and Favorites1 (or Favorites2) for the Flip by Favorites setting? At least for me, makes using Favorites in the Guide much easier.

I wish I could explain why we see different things, but I can assure you it works here, the cast info is available, and I am only about 20 miles away......I guess the gremlins are hard at work in Denton.....

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, Internet, and phone user
QIP7232, IMG 1.8, Build 02.54
Keller, TX 76248

[sdistefano11725]

I don't like this "improvement" either.  I am a former Optimum customer and I liked the info their guide provided...rating stars and more accurate program descriptions with cast names whether the program is live or recorded.  I don't like the abbreviated program descriptions that Verizon provides...seems unnecessary and most times the abbreviation is silly.  They should just have 1 description.  There are even times when the episode description of shows I watch regularly are inaccurate. Also I saw that Si TV has LA Law on Wednesdays at 9 p.m.  Their website shows this yet Verizon's guide doesn't.  I posted this on Facebook and they insist it's still on. 

Verizon please make improvements on your guide.  Please listen to what the customers want!!!

[Vibra64]

Verizon tech support on the phone SUCKS!!!! I too have lost the Cast and Crew. When I hit Cast and Crew, I get a message that "the information cannot be displayed at this time" I have 3 FIOS boxes. Happens on all 3 boxes and on all channels. This was working fine up until about 2 months ago.

I called Verizon "tech support" HA HA Support? They reset on my boxes. No good. They did not know squat.

[lanelle1]

If you checked the guide on Sunday, the cast members are available.  I'm also in North Texas (Denton) and on my remote the rest of the week the cast (or stars) is not available unless you go to search and spell out the movie.  But, if you are browsing by the favorites button or the guide button if you press info once the description appears without any cast or stars---if you press a second time, it goes back to browse position.  If I'm doing something wrong, please let me know what it is.  And, if it can and is provided on Sunday, why not the rest of the week?  Seems silly---so no Kudos from me.

[LawrenceC]

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