new .TV (pets, recipe, etc.) and Viacom channels not in zap2it or Tivo guides
skierrob2
Enthusiast - Level 2

So, it's been about a month since the new .tv channels came out and two days since the Viacom HD channels were introduced.  And zap2it.com, Tivo, etc. all still don't list ANY of the new channels in their programming guides.

I've opened cases with Tivo.  With Zap2it.  With Verizon.  Everyone points fingers saying it's the other's fault.

In the meantime, for the .TV channels that got added a while back, if you go to zap2it, or Tivo, you get "loor633" for channel name and "to be announced" for guide info for pets.tv.  You get "loor599" for Cars.tv.  You get "loor674" for MYDestination.tv.  Etc.

And for the Viacom channels, you also get nothing.  Just blank space with "to be announced" for programming info.

From what I understand, Verizon needs to tell Tribune that their channel lineup has changed.  And Tribune, Zap2it and Tivo all claim that Verizon hasn't done that.  Verizon, of course, is silent on the matter and the "fiber solutions center" says there is nothing they can do right now and that channel info for the .tv and Verizon channels might get added to online guides in a few MONTHS!?!?!?!?!?!?

Why does this seem to be a problem with Verizon's lineup and no one else's?  When I had Dish, Zap2it would have updated listings within 2 hours of new channel additions.  When I had Charter, both Zap2it and Tivo had channel guide info for new channels usually the day BEFORE the channel was added.  But Verizon doesn't seem to provide Tribune with new channel info / guide data at all.

Having had FIOS for less than two months, I'm not happy.  I'm almost certain the goal is for Verizon to get me to dump my lifetime Tivo service and instead pay them $15.99 for their DVR.  But trust me -- I'd rather go back to Charter first.

Message Edited by skierrob2 on 06-24-2009 10:44 AM
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philhu
Contributor - Level 2

Well, as mentioned elsewhere, the car.tv, recipe.tv, etc WAS correct on Tivo for a few days after launch.  The channels were not showing listings, but the names were right.

It really bothers me when Verizon people think of us as 'cattle' and when we complain, they 'put us down' for complaining.

Saying pgm data in a FEW MONTHS when all it would take is ONE PHONE CALL TO TRIBUNE  (Verified with Tivo Tech Support TODAY).  I put yet another trouble ticket in at TIVO today about this).

On the new channels this week, I do tha by Monday.  Those are major channels, and the data will be readily available.

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Justin46
Legend

I do not understand why you folks are blaming Verizon for this. Please give me a moment to explain my theory.

First of all, I have been for a long time a very dissatisfied user of the FiOS Guide data. So dissatisfied that late last year I sent an email to Verizon's CEO expressing my dissatisfaction, and providing examples and pointers to various forum threads discussing the problem. I received maybe 4 or 5 phone calls about the issue, no resolution, but I was told the procedure for the FiOS Guide was this:

Each channel (say ESPN, whatever) develops the data, and sends it to FYI Television of Grand Prairie, TX (in the DFW area). FYI gathers the schedule info from all of the channel providers and once a day sends that data to Verizon. Verizon then inputs the data to the Guide and bingo, we see it, good or bad (lots and lots of bad IMO). I have no way to know if this is really the process, but this is the way it was explained and it makes sense to me.

Now, lets talk about one of the other guide providers for the Tivo or whatever. It seems to me that a very similar process would have to take place: channel to guide data collector to actual guide data provider (maybe the last two are one and the same?).

Now, where would Verizon be in this process for the other guide data providers? Seems to me nowhere, it should be the responsibility of the channel to notify the data provider that the channel is now on FiOS, what the channel name and number is, etc.

I am sure you will disagree with me, but where am I wrong? It seems to me you should be complaining to the channel providers, not Verizon.

(jumping into the foxhole....)

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

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skierrob2
Enthusiast - Level 2

It is Verizon's job to tell Tribune and the other guide providers that new channels are now on their system.  This has NOTHING to do with guide data.

Right now, Tribune has NO CLUE that Verizon has added channel 690 and that channel 690 is Comedy Central HD.

Until Verizon tells them that channel 690 is Comedy Central HD, Tribune will never place it into the guide for Verizon FIOS.

Likewise, until Verizon tells Tribune that channel 633 is Pets.TV, Tribune will never list channel 633 as Pets.TV.

I hope that clarifies things.

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prisaz
Legend
I say exactly what Justin says. It is not Verizons responsibility to tell other services that their guide has changed. If the channel providers want people to view their programming on FIOS , they should tell the guide provider that FIOS has their channel. Not Verizon's fault.
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skierrob2
Enthusiast - Level 2

Prisaz,

So you are saying it is Travel Channel's responsibility to tell Tribune that The Travel Channel is carried on channel 67 on Charter Communications Long Beach, and on channel 128 on Comcast New York, and on channel xxx on Verizon FIOS?

I would think that would be each cable provider's responsibility.... not the Travel Channel's responsibility.

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prisaz
Legend

@skierrob2 wrote:

Prisaz,

So you are saying it is Travel Channel's responsibility to tell Tribune that The Travel Channel is carried on channel 67 on Charter Communications Long Beach, and on channel 128 on Comcast New York, and on channel xxx on Verizon FIOS?

I would think that would be each cable provider's responsibility.... not the Travel Channel's responsibility.


I do not work for Verizon, but it would seem logical that if I had a channel and allowed someone to carry it, I would tell people where to find it. Since Verizon provides it's own channel guide from FYI, why should they be responsible for telling every other guide provider where to find programs on their system? I may be dead wrong, but Verizon is the only one that could confirm that since they are providing the channel on their system. Based on what Justin said he was told, you can believe it or not. I also do not like Verizon guide, I can't schedule a series with it, and get only new programming, it seems to want to record everything and use up the little drive space it has. But it sure beats paying hundreds for a DVR and then monthly guide charges. Unless TV is that important to you.

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philhu
Contributor - Level 2

The reason that FIOS or the cable provider is supposed to notify the 2 other guide providers, and yes, there are only 3, and Verizon uses one of them, is that until they do, the listings in ALL the newspapers will NOT list their channels, TV Guide will not list the channels, etc.  It is to FiOS benefit to notify the providers.  They have in EVERY OTHER CASE and I am sure they will in this case too.

I used to work foTivo, years ago, and it is ALWAYS the cable provider that must call to have a station added.   Tribune, etc cannot travel all over the country looking for new cable stations is stupid.  If there were standard cable channels for these services, then it might be feasible for them to do as you say, BUT SINCE THE CABLE PROVIDER SETS THE CHANNELS, HOW THE HECK IS TRIBUNE OR WHOMEVER SUPPOSED TO KNOW THE CHANNEL NUMBER OR WHEN IT LAUNCHES ON XYZ CABLE?

I had our local channel 7, that added RTN as 7-2, call Tribune.  And it was added ALL tivos, sunday papers THE NEXT DAY!

Get with the program, this is definitely FiOS needing to make 2 phone calls.  And it is to their benefit.

I will call Tivo to report the new channels today though, that will filter through

Ok, Tivo/Tribune called for .TV AND new Viacom channels as a Nationwide rollout, case #12051160, fixed within 2 days

Problem solved

Message Edited by philhu on 06-25-2009 06:26 AM
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skierrob2
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thanks, Philhu.  Unfortunately, I've called Tivo three times and sent email to Zap2it twice regarding the .tv channels and we still don't have correct listings for them.  😞

Hopefully we will soon.

Robert

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skierrob2
Enthusiast - Level 2

Finally got guide data for the Viacom channels.  But, just like the Verizon guides, it is off by 3 hours in Califronia (IE... what is playing right now at 4:30 pm in California is what was in the guide at 1:30 pm).

Example:  Comedy Central is showing a Brady Bunch movie at 4:45 pm as I type this.  But the guide says Comedy Central should be playing Scrubs and that the Brady Bunch movie was at 1:30 pm.

In other words, Verizon is feeding us the west coast feed of the channel but guide data is for the east coast.

Robert

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