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. 

[Soxfan1432]

As the title states. The updated guide/UI is by far the worst I’ve very used. It’s always freezing and you can’t look at the mini guide while watching the full screen. All you see is what’s playing now and one movie ahead. Put the old system back. This new one is laggy and freezes constantly as well. Who designed this piece of trash anyway? Who needs a huge movie art picture instead of the **bleep** guide info. And where is the darn time located in the mini guide? 

[michlin]

It is that bad. After more than 20 years with Verizon, and previously BellAtlantic I an leaving for Xfinity. I've had it. In the more than two months since they released this kluge no attempt has been made to fix it.

[spm1060]

**bleep** beyond belief.  Worst thing ever.  It would be different it was an improvement but you have removed the best features and it is soooooooooo slow to respond.

[bristollucy]

I wish more customers would spend the time to complain. Maybe then we'd get some relief. As it is now, not enough people are complaining, so they just sit on their salaries and do nothing.

[mycrowsquish]

This upgrade has been so bad and so little has been done to fix this, I'm looking at my options to get rid of FiOS. A shame to lose customers because the user experience on your cable box is so terrible.

What I've determined is this bad upgrade added way to much flashy graphics. the STB is not capable of handling it because the CPU, memory and graphics processor is not fast enough. This should have waited for a better STB. This is like getting an iPhone upgrade on old hardware.

A lot of it was unnecessary. I do not want to see an on screen timeline when I press pause, jump forward or back 30 seconds. This can spoil a show or movie as I now know how much time remains. I'd rather be surprised.

But here's the slowness of these heavily graphic overlays. It takes up to 5 seconds to get the STB to respond (and sometimes you must press the button again):

• Pressing Pause
• Pressing jump forward 30 seconds
• Pressing jump back 30 seconds
• Pressing "OK"
• Pressing "info"
• Pressing Guide and sometimes there is an extra 5-10 second wait for the guide to fully populate.

These should be instantaneous operations. Something I get if I use a Roku, YouTube online, or any other streaming service.

Also, if I hit Ok on the DVR to get information on a show I'm watching, it remains on the screen for a LONG TIME. If I press Exit, I'm now prompted if I want to exit to live TV. That's bad too. That's why I hit stop or a new channel. I'd never exit from there and only want the overlay to go away now.

there are just too many overlays that hide too much of the screen, have too much graphics, remain too long on the screen and don't provide any value.

I'm hoping other post, complain and threaten to leave the service. Maybe then Verizon will do something.

[bristollucy]

You are the one thousand and ninety-eighth person to complain. We aren't even a .001% of Verizon customers. So why should they care?  Truth is they don't care. We can suffer or move on. Moving on is a tough choice. But there are options for the guide like Roku, Alexa, even new smart TVs. Just does **bleep** me off that one of the best features of Verizon was that guide. Oh well, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[Flyerguy90]

Just wanted to add my voice to this.  The new UI system is absolute and utter garbage.  I thought I'd give it some time to catch up, but it's just as inept and difficult to use as it was in Sept.

SO MANY problems with this thing, while so many GOOD FEATURES that were in the old system (and were very effective) are now gone.

In actuality, I did call tech support back in Sept and complain about the removal of time stamps in DVR recordings, and that it was UNACCEPTABLE when you have 2-3 hour recordings.  Lo and behold, a week or 2 later they magically updated the system and gave us an hourly timeline (and actually labeled it as "new").

But yes, THE BIGGEST issue right now by far is the SLOW SPEED.  Everything takes forever.  Every button push.  I've tried getting all new remotes.  No change.  It's like the poster above me said, there's clearly not enough cpu power to drive this new UI.

I wonder... Does anyone who works at Verizon realize what we USED to be able to do with the DVR system and live TV?  Did NONE of the tech's who designed this have any access to the old system and it's capabilities?  Because it sure seems like Verizon hired the WRONG people to be in charge of this new system.  It needs to be fixed.

[Athenea]

The top line of this issue says "SOLVED".  Complete and utter fraud.  It is not solved - not even worked on that we can tell.  The DVR in general, and the GUIDE in particular are the worst implementation I have ever seen.  Since no one at Verizon appears to be listening, not sure what escalation is available other than voting with our feet ... With all of the interest in dropping cable TV for streaming outlets, you'd think they might pay a little attention to something other than their navel.

[bristollucy]

There should be a million voices. Sadly, there are not.

[Kalik1]

I'm in VHO5, using the FiOS One box and received the 7.8 update...everything is working fine but one of the new features is not working...when using the Guide the 2 hour skip ahead feature is not working...I'm using the older remote and not the newer voice remote

I tried unplugging the cable box, going into the Settings and resetting the box and it still doesn't work...anyone else having this issue and is there a way to fix it?

[clem21]

Fios IS listening, that's why they posted a solution, to get people to click on it to see that they are working on it. It takes a while for a huge company to turn around software that was long in development, and has been put in place to facilitate future upgrades to the system. It **bleep** that it didn't work out of the box, but I know engineers are working on fixing the bugs, and 7.8 is just the start. And I am NOT employed by Verizon, or anyone for that matter.

[bristollucy]

REALLY?

[clem21]

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@bristollucy wrote:

REALLY?

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REALLY!

[stingme]

Also, since debut of this new guide and all of it’s issues, the guide listing freezes constantly!!

[PaQuilter]

We’ve had Fios since it first became available in our area of Pennsylvania but this last update has really tried our patience.  It lags so much, the guide is hard to read and Hubby is not happy with the changes.  He wants me to cancel our service.  We hoped that by now Verizon would have fixed all the bugs from the Sept 2020 update but it looks like no one is listening to all of our complaints.  I’m just glad I haven’t renewed our contract again.  It’s a shame too because Fios was the best for years.  Looks like 2021 is going to be the year of many changes.

[WaltN]

Hmm.  So there's a 7.8?  Is this reserved for FIOS TV One?  I still have 7.5 and it's late December.  I have the Arris 1100 multi-room DVR.  Agree with all that the OP and others have said that this update is trash and does not appear to have been tested.  If it WAS tested, it must have been tested by the developers.  Either that, or Verizon decided to use their customers as testers.  I won't itemize the issues; already been done.  I'm just a bit shocked and disappointed that a company the size of Verizon would foist this off on its customers in this condition.  It will cost them in the long run.

[F_PK]

Don't count on the 7.8 update to see much improvement. I had to go into the system info to see that INDEED, I had THAT update. You really couldn't notice the difference. The TIME LAG, repeated button presses, unanticipated occurrences, STILL HAPPENING!  Of course, we all can see Verizon's vision here. The few postings from subscribers that have switched / upgraded to FIOS ONE tell the story. Magically their issues are minor, if any. Verizon simply wants to coerce users to upgrade FIOS ONE (for an additional increase cost - OF COURSE) to get a satisfactory TV service. DISGUSTING!

[clem21]

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@F_PK wrote:

Don't count on the 7.8 update to see much improvement. I had to go into the system info to see that INDEED, I had THAT update. You really couldn't notice the difference. The TIME LAG, repeated button presses, unanticipated occurrences, STILL HAPPENING!  Of course, we all can see Verizon's vision here. The few postings from subscribers that have switched / upgraded to FIOS ONE tell the story. Magically their issues are minor, if any. Verizon simply wants to coerce users to upgrade FIOS ONE (for an additional increase cost - OF COURSE) to get a satisfactory TV service. DISGUSTING!

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Whether intentional or not I believe the majority of the lagging issue is due to increased graphics load from the new guide. The 1100 boxes have older and more limited processors and ram compared to the Fios One boxes, kind of like trying to run Windows 10 on an XP certified box. It MIGHT work, but you are going to run into issues. Like Microsoft and Apple, you are being forced to finally upgrade in order to have a good experience with the system. I doubt there will be a way to improve the experience on the older hardware and still move into the future with graphics, 4K, and HDR programming. Not trying to excuse anybody, but just trying to point out it isn't unusual with tech advances.

[Avalanche01]

Having read through & followed this discussion from the beginning, would at first like to agree with the comments regarding the ridiculous lag times, the removal of previous features, and the overbloated & unnecessary ad screens that the set top box simply doesn't have the juice to handle. They might as well just add the Microsoft Windows spinning wait cursor to the middle of the screen to complete the effect.

Having said that, I'm just amazed at the absolute gall of marking the thread as "solved." Next, in all these pages I think I saw one comment from a moderator; that to the effect of "we're working on it."

I just have to wonder, when the Verizon execs go home, do any of them actually have Fios so that they're subject to how horrifically their service has declined? All the investment in infrastructure negated by a poorly implemented upgrade? There must be at least one of them absolutely livid.

So now that I own up to date intelligent tv's that readily switch between Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock, Disney+, CBS All access or any other app I want to add (the options for which appear to multiply daily), why am i paying $300/month for terrible service? Honestly, I must be the idiot!

[Newguideconcern]

The only big grip is no colors...even on Fios One! No lag, all channels have logos. The older boxes must not have enough horsepower for the new stuff. Bring back the colors!!!

[bristollucy]

I guess there is no chance that I'll upgrade if the Guide colors are still missing.