FiOS Update
I have had FiOS for a month or so and I am finally getting used to things. I had some frustrations with the guide, but overall I like the service. When I got home last night and flipped on the TV, everything changed.
Verizon must have been hard at work at updating the guide to their FiOS tv. There has been some major rethinking in the UI and Design of the system. The guide is now full of information. It may be a little overwhelming at first, but I think I might get used to it fairly quick. In the center of the guide, there is a magnified listing of the current channel. While moving up and down the channel listings, the next or previous channel will become magnified. See the screen shot below as an example.
Another big addition to the guide is the ability to page up and down. I know, every other cable box in the world does that, but for some reason FiOS never did. This was a real pain in the ass.
The FiOS main menu has changed too. The menu sections are now represented by icons and are clearly labeled. The menu just seems to flow a little better. Below is a screen shot of the main menu.
Another major change is in the Video On Demand section. This section has more of an Apple Front Row or Windows Media album view feel. FiOS now displays the cover of the DVD for browsing. This is much more intriguing the just having the name of the movies in a list. Below is a screen shot of the On Demand menu.
Verizon FiOS just stepped up their game, so what are you going to do now Comcast? I want some heated competition in this space. Now that Apple is attacking the On Demand space with iTunes Movies and Apple TV, there is going to be some fun soon. If only the shows on TV got better, then we would be talking.
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January 19th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Verizon FiOS…
A few days ago Verizon FiOS upgraded the entire UI on their TV guide. It was a tad overwhelming af first, but the changes are phenomenal. I feel that the controls on this new UI are better and much easier to navigate then the previous. Check out Jeff …
January 19th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
I have had fios tv since last summer. This week they installed the new giude and it SUCKs. It its too big it makes the picture small while you are looking to see what is on next. It also only lets you see 1 1.2 hours of time. You cannot delete the channels you Never watch from the guide list. It jumps 1 hours at a time thru the guide making it hard to record on the 1/2 hour marks. They seem to be promoting the channel logo more then anything. Lots of dead space on the screen. WANT OLD PROGRAMMING GUIDE BACK OR THE CHOICE if not they are as bad as comcast
January 19th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I do agree that I wish I could see more of the guide, especially since I have a 52″ HDTV. But to say it is worse than the old guide and or worse than Comcasts is wrong. Though it’s not perfect, it kicks the old guides ass. Just give it some time.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
How is the picture quality compared to Comcast?
January 24th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
I used to have issues with comcasts picture freezing all the time. It got real annoying. So far Verizon is great compared to my comcast install. To be far, comcast had some major issues with my towns system. But after a year, they never fixed it. Soon as Verizon came around, I hooked it up.
May 26th, 2008 at 10:15 am
I changed over to FIOS thinking it would be an improvement over ComCast. Well, for me, it isn’t. For one thing, the browser no longer lists the performers in the movie descriptions. This is amateurish. Have you noticed that the remote is not user friendly to the men who surf who, as Seinfeld pointed out, always want to see what else is on tv. (a) type in the channel number <4 digits and you get a pause of 2-3 seconds, (b) of course you can hit OK (enter) for immediate access, but the problem is the key pad is at the bottom of the remote and the OK button at the top. Unless you have big hands or are dextrous you almost need 2 hands. (c) Which brings me to the 4 digit channel input. Sure you get immediate access by typing in four digits, for example, ESPN-1 on channel 60 would be accesses by hitting 0060 and wah-lah you go immediately to ESPN-1 (Northern NJ). Problem is the last channel button does not work after 4 digit channel hopping. Have to remember where you were. These may seem minor, but they add up to a lesser viewing experience using FIOS than I remember with ComCast.