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. 

[mattdaddy72]

Couldn’t agree more with each point. The new interface is god awful, and will actually cause me to rethink cutting the cord. I have always been a big fan of Fios, but now only I feel the need to keep their Internet service.

The value of their tv service - over and above an equivalent set of channels from streaming service(s) - is in its ease of use. Not having to use multiple guides; having a good remote (with capabilities like now-deprecated chapter indexing); with very low latency...  all added up to something I always thought was worth some extra money compared to streaming services. 

Not the case any more unfortunately. How on earth did this pass required testing??

[Smittyxyz]

I agree with the previous post entirely. Taking away the chaptering function was a big mistake, and not being able to see the single channel guide is a real inconvenience. Hitting the guide button twice allowed you to see all shows for a single channel now you get partial descriptions when scrolling through in a few hours of segments. This latest update was a huge mistake and needs to be rolled back as soon as possible. This has me reevaluating and looking at satellite TV and or optimum

[bob550]

This update virtually makes Fios TV unwatchable! We have the Arris VMS1100 multi-room boxes, and the delays experienced just to display the info screen and guide make for a very frustrating user experience.  I've rebooted the box multiple times but any improvements are only short-lived. I've also found that I cannot quickly page-down or up through the guide by holding the page-up/down button as I used to be able to do. I can only think that Verizon's ultimate purpose is to force subscribers to upgrade to their Fios One. Well, that ain't happening!

[JCN1908]

If anybody thinks roll-back is coming you can furgetaboutit... Too many careers are invested in this monster now.  At best, fixes will dribble out a couple times a year until FIOS TV is killed off completely, or at least the Quantum STBs.  Does somebody out there have the history, with version numbers, saved so we can estimate our time in purgatory?  And has anybody seen a README.TXT of what these releases attempt to fix?  Nah, that would only be from a reasonable and normal tech company.  Also I just got an email pitch from them about how great their 5G Ultra-Wide Band will be, so we can all see where this is going.

My suggestion for future testing focus groups would be select from the top 25 executives at VZ.  I wonder how many actually have FIOS in their own (multiple?  Long Island, Upstate, Cape Cod) homes?  Are the toddlers and tweens therein registering any unhappiness with the new Guide:  "Daddy, can you fix this?"   "No Suzie, this is why I shorted my stock holdings... Sorry..."

[2poodles1]

Last night, I missed the football game because I couldn’t readily figure out which game was live and which was taped.  I no longer use the guide.  I’ve memorized the channels I use the most and the shows I like and just select those. If they’re not on, it’s Netflix or Amazon Prime.  

[mtwatts]

Hi.  Since the recent graphics update when I skip forward or reverse back it displays the progress bar and program information.  Is there a way to turn that off, or can you please include that in future updates?  It a nuisance, especially when watching sports.   Also, has ability to select where to go in a recorded program by 10 minute increments gone away?  It doesn't seem to work any more.  Thanks. 

[trucktech]

Whoever came up with this idea as being an improvement needs to be fired. At least the old way you had a couple different options to get to the guide. With this set up, you can't see the program that's on because the guide takes up the whole screen and trying to set up a series to record is almost impossible. You need to put it back. Verizon continues to raise prices with poorer services.

[BGB32110]

@Menton11

I don't believe you for one minute.

You more than likely work for Fios.

Nobody in their right mind would like this garbage of a guide.

Whoever designed this should be fired.

There is so much lag in this that it is unusable.

Even the last one had lag but not as bad as this one.

This guide is so bad I am getting rid of Fios and going with Cox or Comcast.

[BGB32110]

I totally agree with you.

Comcast, here I come.

[cornwells]

OMG, I have been a customer for 20+ years but I am thinking of leaving over this upgrade. Who let this product out the door?? The old guide was colorful and pleasing to look at. Shows were color-coded; movies in red, series show in blue and sports green, I believe.... But the worst travesty by far is the removal of the chaptering!  Where the hell is the chaptering ??? Unbelievable, who in their right might approve this upgrade? Fire your software release manager!!

[LongtimeuserNJ]

I've made other comments complaining about the new guide.  A few more things I have discovered have been broken some of which I have not seen comments about...

- In the old guide you used to be able to go to the right on a channel and hit enter to get to THAT CHANNEL's on-demand section... not any more. Now you can only get to the top level of the on-demand system even after a few extra button presses.

- When watching a recording, there is no way to consistently see how far along you are; "Info" just brings up the description (with HUGE poster) but no progress, "play/pause" pauses even when you don't want to do that, and "ok" about half the time exits out of the recording.

- There is a pretty wide margin on the left side of the guide before any information starts, yet the right side bleeds off the screen.

- When in an "info" screen it is not clear how to go back to where you were; "info" does not do it, sometimes the back arrow does but not always.

- Losing the live channel when in the guide is still a major downgrade

- no channel description is a huge problem when logos disappear or are too small to see

- Unacceptable frustrating lag when entering channel numbers directly

- Overall sluggishness doing almost everything.

- We don't need slow loading still poster art everywhere taking up sooo much space

- Bad readability on the guide

- Banners take up too much space and stay on too long

- When starting to watch a recording by pressing "play" in the recorded list the progress bar AND info bar both appear on top of one another when the recording starts to play so you can't see either one or the program itself

[ejrnyc]

Xfinity DVR and Guide run circles around this horrible downgrade! Did anyone bother to do UI testing? This has to be a setup for another upcharge. I just can't imagine any competent project manager pushing this out to millions of customers. The phone app has a better response time, but nothing compared to Xfinity's interface. Ugh, this may be the straw that makes me jump on the streaming wagon.

DirecTV TiVo's from 20 years ago had a better guide and functionality. 

[Longislandviewe]

Thanks for the tip on xfinity! I am going to look into it and pray I can get it in my area.

[dodzter1]

Those of you thinking of switching to Comcast/Xfinity will probably be disappointed. Especially if your reason is due to the guide. I was thinking of switching myself until I visited my mother. My mother has Comcast. Back in July she got new upgraded boxes. I hadn't really looked at TV at her house to notice anything. Well I went to her house today for a visit and looked at her Comcast guide to compare to Fios. Well what do ya know. It's basically the same crap Fios stuck us with. She also lost her colorful, user friendly guide. Hers is now slow, clunky and mainly black and white.

SO NOW WE KNOW WHY VERIZON/FIOS DID IT!!! Typical Verizon, they think they need to keep up with Comcast or keep up with the competition. Even if it means copying their crappy guide. It appears Comcast switched to the new guide format first. Verizon thought they had to "keep up".  I doubt there was any testing as was stated. Go to Comcast's forum and search for "upgraded guide". You'll see the same complaints we have voiced here. VERIZON, Comcast's customers don't like it either. So copying them was a foolish endeavor. Just because one company does a thing doesn't mean it's a good idea. Dare to be original Verizon. Don't be a lemming and walk off the same cliff. Better for you and your customers to keep what's working well for you.    

[Prosndinc]

It's obvious Verizon could care less what their paying customers think.   Some "brainiac" decided that change for the sake of change is good.   The only thing this change brings is complaints from customers who hate it!

[clem21]

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@Braintree wrote:

It's obvious Verizon could care less what their paying customers think.   Some "brainiac" decided that change for the sake of change is good.   The only thing this change brings is complaints from customers who hate it!

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If anybody was thinking of changing to AT&T U-Verse, like Comcast don't expect a user friendly guide. No way to tell TV show from movie from sporting event. The PIP window shows the chosen channel programming, not the tuned programming. It is quick though. The Info button gets you a full screen info page, with tabs for cast and crew and audio language. Also has options to record show, series or more showtimes. No option to change info to a partial screen or banner. So Verizon did not use ANY of the U-Verse graphics for its new update.

[LL110]

Do not like the new Fios upgrade. 
I do not see how to skip to live TV when viewing a program in delay. Is that no longer possible?

fast forward and skip on prerecorded program is slow and unstable. 
ability to access guide programming by using down arrow key and fast forward through upcoming shows was very useful and is no longer available. 

More of a downgrade than upgrade!

[LL110]

Correction, you can advance through the day’s programming by using the down arrow on the remote, but only for that day. To go beyond that you need to go to the guide. 
i still cannot understand why the “skip to live tv” has been disabled. Also, the ability to skip ahead by large time intervals on prerecorded programming was very useful but no longer available. 
Does anyone know how to skip to live tv when in a delayed mode?

Is there anyone in the Fios R&D department with any influence who actually reads these posts? Are we just preaching to the choir?

[Shelly1213]

I agree this is horrible.  I hate it. It makes me want to switch providers.  The only thing they put back that does  make sense is when you skip 30 seconds ahead the bar shows up so you know how much you have left like it used to be a year or so ago. They changed  that the last update and you wouldn’t know when you were at the end of the recording because it wouldn’t show it would just go to the genres filter so stupid

they need to put it back to the way it was the guide is so hard to read and I just had a fast forward (so slow might I add because you can’t go faster than eight)  a 2 1/2 hour show to get to the end of the last five minutes I just wanted to watch

PUT IT BACK 

[Janny2]

Don't know whose idea it was to change the guide but it is terrible. No longer color coded, smaller display and current channel now in background but not visible. Whatever were you thinking? If it ain't broke,  don't fix it! Give us the old guide back!!

[Boo-new-guide]

The update is TERRIBLE!

1. Remote is sluggish

2. Harder to read titles and identify type of content with no color coding

3. Small screen of what you’re currently watching in the top left of the guide is gone
4. No option to go back to the old look and feel (HORRIBLE decision)

5. Guide is now overcrowded with too much imagery. The older version with the simpler layout was much better.

Verizon, please fix this! At the very least, give us the option to go back to the old look and feel.  Absolutely terrible update.  You’ve managed to make TV watching unpleasant in the time of COVID...well done