I signed into this community just to complain about the new guide.

[ColinTripp]

The guide has always been lacking. Nonsense colors, showing channels that I can't access, too many clicks to get to any real info about shows, the list goes on. So after having FIOS down for a large portion of today I get home from work and see this crappy new guide. In preview mode, it is too wide for my standard tv. Then when I open it up the text is smaller (didn't think that was possible). It hurts my eyes to look at it. I can't figure out how to get to show info. The preview screen is so small it us useless. You have failed Verizon. Why did you do this and why didn't you send out some kind of guide to the guide. No one watches your stupid verizon how to channel. Please go back. I know you probably spend a lot on this "upgrade" but please don't make your users pay. Please don't be this stupid again.

Regards,

Colin Tripp

[nascar]

In Menu... Settings... Television and Video Settings... You can change the look of the guide and the sizing to fit your TV properly. 

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ColinTripp wrote:

The guide has always been lacking. Nonsense colors, showing channels that I can't access, too many clicks to get to any real info about shows, the list goes on. So after having FIOS down for a large portion of today I get home from work and see this crappy new guide. In preview mode, it is too wide for my standard tv. Then when I open it up the text is smaller (didn't think that was possible). It hurts my eyes to look at it. I can't figure out how to get to show info. The preview screen is so small it us useless. You have failed Verizon. Why did you do this and why didn't you send out some kind of guide to the guide. No one watches your stupid verizon how to channel. Please go back. I know you probably spend a lot on this "upgrade" but please don't make your users pay. Please don't be this stupid again.

Regards,

Colin Tripp

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[BrianC]

Unfortunately, this menu setting isn't available on the SD box (at least not the 2500).

[nascar]

I don't know cost differences in your area but I would strongly consider an HD box regardless of TV going forward.

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BrianC wrote:

Unfortunately, this menu setting isn't available on the SD box (at least not the 2500).

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[BrianC]

$4/month difference between SD and HD boxes in Tampa last time I checked.  But that was a little over a year ago.

[Bendu]

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@nascar wrote:

In Menu... Settings... Television and Video Settings... You can change the look of the guide and the sizing to fit your TV properly.

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no it doesn't

on my 42" LG LCD it only ever shows in 4:3. I cannot get a full screen.  

[nascar]

You probably don't have a 7 Series box then.  You will need a 7 Series if you want the full HD guide.

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@Bendu wrote:

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@nascar wrote:

In Menu... Settings... Television and Video Settings... You can change the look of the guide and the sizing to fit your TV properly.

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no it doesn't

on my 42" LG LCD it only ever shows in 4:3. I cannot get a full screen.  

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[dethscul]

This is exactly the problem I have...I've got a Motorola 62xx.  You can't resize thru Menu... Settings... Television and Video Settings.

4:3 display on a 65" Samsung...can't tell you how much it sucks not being able to fix this!

If I call Verizon can I swap for a Moto7xxx?

[nascar]

Absolutely. Or find a Vz store near you if one exists and swap it in person. 

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dethscul wrote:

This is exactly the problem I have...I've got a Motorola 62xx.  You can't resize thru Menu... Settings... Television and Video Settings.

4:3 display on a 65" Samsung...can't tell you how much it sucks not being able to fix this!

If I call Verizon can I swap for a Moto7xxx?

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[bafooya]

I have a 7232 hooked up to my 55" 16:9 and the HD guide is awesome, however on my 7100P1 hooked up to my 42" 4:3, the SD guide is horrible.

Seems like the old guide was catered to 4:3 TV's and the new one to 16:9s... Looks like I'm gonna have to upgrade the 42" sooner than I planned....

[williamj1]

nascar,

Thank you for the information about needing a 7 series box to get a full screen HD guide.  I have been scouring this site since they did our "upgrade" (NOT!) the other night and saw the info about going into Menu...Settings....TV and Video and played around with several combinations, but nothing changed the size or clarity of the guide on my 3 or 4 yr old 36" Panasonic LCD HD TV. 

We have 4 6414xxx HD DVR boxes attached to 4 HD widescreen TVs and the only one that looks halfway decent is the 2 yr old  42" Samsung (I think LED) 1080p TV.   So, from what I gather from all the posts, then, is that you need a 7232 box and a 1080p TV that's no more than 2 years old in order for the guide to look readable and not give one eye strain and a headache.  Is this correct? 

If it is, then it appears that the programming and management bozos at Verizon (and I think it's fair to call them that given all the negative posts I have read on this 1.9 IMG starting back in June) have created this new system for the huge minority of customers that have this combination of equipment.  The rest of us seem to have no choice but to switch to another company or suffer with the painfully horrible functionality and visibility of the new version. 

It would seem fair, if this is indeed the case, that those of us in the majority that do not have the required new-fangled equipment, should have the ability to go back to the previous version of the IMG so that we, too, can once again enjoy watching TV.   I have explored the new version and it does not have any new features that I can use or would ever want to use and on top of that the graphics are the pits all the way around.  If you find my other posts you will see my list of grievances.  I LOVED the old guide and DVR system and found it to be very clear, functional, and efficient. 

Also, I want to thank you, and another poster that was a 1.9 tester, for stating that you tried to make it clear to Verizon that the color combination of blue and gray would cause people difficulty.  It makes me really angry that at least 2 of you clearly stated this and yet they ignored your feedback.  I, too, am a system designer and I would be fired if I ever implemented a color scheme or system that was this poor and received this much negative feedback.  If they didn't listen to you testers, then will they really listen to all these comments from their customer/user community??!!  Wishful thinking on our part if we think they will.

Thank you, again, for trying, and please let me know if they equipment combo stated above is correct.     

[nascar]

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@williamj wrote:

nascar,

Thank you for the information about needing a 7 series box to get a full screen HD guide.  I have been scouring this site since they did our "upgrade" (NOT!) the other night and saw the info about going into Menu...Settings....TV and Video and played around with several combinations, but nothing changed the size or clarity of the guide on my 3 or 4 yr old 36" Panasonic LCD HD TV. 

We have 4 6414xxx HD DVR boxes attached to 4 HD widescreen TVs and the only one that looks halfway decent is the 2 yr old  42" Samsung (I think LED) 1080p TV.   So, from what I gather from all the posts, then, is that you need a 7232 box and a 1080p TV that's no more than 2 years old in order for the guide to look readable and not give one eye strain and a headache.  Is this correct? 

Get the black 7 series boxes if you can.  Don't quote me... But I believe you can swap the 6 series to 7 series free of charge if you can do it at a local Vz store.

If it is, then it appears that the programming and management bozos at Verizon (and I think it's fair to call them that given all the negative posts I have read on this 1.9 IMG starting back in June) have created this new system for the huge minority of customers that have this combination of equipment.  The rest of us seem to have no choice but to switch to another company or suffer with the painfully horrible functionality and visibility of the new version. 

It would seem fair, if this is indeed the case, that those of us in the majority that do not have the required new-fangled equipment, should have the ability to go back to the previous version of the IMG so that we, too, can once again enjoy watching TV.   I have explored the new version and it does not have any new features that I can use or would ever want to use and on top of that the graphics are the pits all the way around.  If you find my other posts you will see my list of grievances.  I LOVED the old guide and DVR system and found it to be very clear, functional, and efficient. 

Also, I want to thank you, and another poster that was a 1.9 tester, for stating that you tried to make it clear to Verizon that the color combination of blue and gray would cause people difficulty.  It makes me really angry that at least 2 of you clearly stated this and yet they ignored your feedback.  I, too, am a system designer and I would be fired if I ever implemented a color scheme or system that was this poor and received this much negative feedback.  If they didn't listen to you testers, then will they really listen to all these comments from their customer/user community??!!  Wishful thinking on our part if we think they will.

Thank you, again, for trying, and please let me know if they equipment combo stated above is correct.     

Indeed we complained about the fonts, colors, and contrasting used.  It is better than what it was if you can believe that.  I've had 1.9 since December so I saw many iterations.

I hated 1.9 at first (had old 6 and 2 series boxes) but after a month there is no going back to 1.8.  1.9 has too many useful features I need.  You may change your mind when you get new 7 series boxes and connect them to HD TV's.

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[williamj1]

nascar,

Thanks for the reply and info.  I'll call about swapping the boxes, but I read somewhere else in here that only new customers who don't have boxes yet or customers that have had 6 series boxes over 4 years were even eligible for the upgrade due to volume needed and it would cost $40 per box to get that upgrade.  That would cost me $320!  I'm not willing to spend that, but I'll look into it.

Thanks, again.

[nullsoldier]

I agree with certain aspects of your complaint, and I posted my own in another thread. Who ever developed this did not do much usability testing and backwards compatability testing on older models. I can't even begin to fathom how this was released to consumers.

[ragsralph]

I agree too - this is a huge mistake on Verizon's part - unreadable gray type against a light blue background - features missing - fewer options but new features that are silly - like do I care what I deleted on the dvr? That is, if I could read it without having to stand in front of the tv!
Bring back the old guide for those of us who want it.

[PsUMattDE]

Dear God-

These complaints are laughable.

The beta-testing team (including me) have enjoyed this software for over 6 months now - and have helped tweak it to where it is now.

Can't wait to read more of these humorous posts.

[BrianC]

I'm happy with the new guide and some of the features on my HDDVR, but I will agree that the color choices and contrasts are more difficult to see on a smaller SDTV.  Not really a big deal to me.  I can still read it okay.  I have yet to figure out what features are missing that people keep talking about though.  The overall look and feel is way ahead of D-TV and our local cable company.

[juice421]

Matt, I have to agree with some of those that are disliking 1.9.  In two key areas I agree, specifically the readability of the guide. 

While it has gotten a tad bit better, the light color scheme just doesn’t provide the contrast that's really needed for EVERYONE to enjoy the guide.  I warned them that there would be many complaints if they kept to this light color scheme, and I was right.

Secondly, I do agree that the guide’s usability or user experience could use some polishing as well. It’s not as bad as the readability issue, but it still could use some improving. Such as  in the VOD menus, you can drill down many many layers. Also, to get to full info takes three clicks, and when you get to it, it’s no different than the previous menu!  Also the bottom bar on most canvaes needs some improving. No one in my house knew how to access the “options” that’s depicted with a ? beside it. They were looking around for a ? on the remote, which obviously there isn’t.  Likewise with the search, it’s kinda bare and the way you have to scroll over to get to the results isn’t very smooth or simple.

But overall, 1.9 is a huge improvement over 1.8.  I like1.9 on the whole, but it has a long way to go before I can say I’m very happy with it.

[ColinTripp]

Matt,

The bottom line is this guide is NOT an improvement for many users - whether you agree or not.

[JohnCF]

Anyone who has a Motorola 7232 with the new software who wants to trade for one that still has 1.8 let me know.  I'm sick of waiting here in the DC area to be last to upgrade.  Dish Network, the garage operation of content, can push out updates over satellite in two weeks, meanwhile VZ needs 6 months over monster bandwidth.  Insane and frustrating beyond belief.  Of course, even if I trade, VZ will most likely kill my dvr...

[mphare]

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@JohnCF wrote:

Anyone who has a Motorola 7232 with the new software who wants to trade for one that still has 1.8 let me know.  I'm sick of waiting here in the DC area to be last to upgrade.  Dish Network, the garage operation of content, can push out updates over satellite in two weeks, meanwhile VZ needs 6 months over monster bandwidth.  Insane and frustrating beyond belief.  Of course, even if I trade, VZ will most likely kill my dvr...

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They'll at least roll it back to 1.8, and who ever got your old 1.8 will get the update to 1.9 anyways.