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TheDoc46
join:2010-06-08

TheDoc46

Member

Comcast's low res iGuide - is there any hope in sight ?

I hate the new guide so much that i'm thinking of pulling the plug on Comcast. Just so I don't have to look at the clunky 80's xga style graphics any more.

It's such an eyesore.

I've been holding out for what I consider far too long now for an updated 16:9 higher resolution guide.

That guide is un-useable as far as I'm concerned. The other day the wife and i were sitting in front of the TV trying to figure out what to watch, it just became a chore to go through the abbreviated txt, cos it was too stretched out over 16:9.

It wouldn't be so bad if they left it like the old SARA guide, where it was a 4:3 overlay over our 16:9 sets. At least it wasn't painfully stretched out, like it is today, with no option to reduce it.

I'm pretty sure those at Comcast have no idea given they think this is acceptable. People visiting from Europe come over all the time and see this and all say WTF... Is this some kind of joke. I'm embarrassed to tell them, sorry but this is Comcast a company that's supposed to be at the forefront of technology.. Welcome to the USA.. This is how Comcast operates.

Anyway is there any hope in sight. I love the HSI, and pulling the plug on the cable will mean my HSI will go up in price.. So if there's hope in sight, I'd rather hold out.. But come on Comcast, its been what 18months now, since this crap was rammed down our throats.

andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

andyross

MVM

If you search around, there is a new X1 guide. It's currently in beta testing in limited areas to new subscribers only...
NeoandGeo
join:2003-05-10
Harrison, TN

NeoandGeo

Member

I recently came back to Comcast and was disappointed to see that they still have the same guide from the 90's.

swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME

swintec to TheDoc46

Premium Member

to TheDoc46
I was in a home over the weekend that had Comcast and the guide was horrible. I believe it was the iGuide. I am sure it does what it needs to but geesh. You would think given Comcasts size, they would develop their own in house like TW has.
NeoandGeo
join:2003-05-10
Harrison, TN

NeoandGeo to TheDoc46

Member

to TheDoc46
The best thing about the crappy guide is the Xfinity commercial with Sofia Vergara. The sexiness stops once you see her using the ghetto looking guide in the swank house she's in.
RalphKramden
join:2007-01-10
Newtown, PA

RalphKramden to TheDoc46

Member

to TheDoc46
said by TheDoc46:

I hate the new guide so much that i'm thinking of pulling the plug on Comcast.

...People visiting from Europe come over all the time and see this and all say WTF... Is this some kind of joke. I'm embarrassed to tell them, sorry but this is Comcast a company that's supposed to be at the forefront of technology.. Welcome to the USA.. This is how Comcast operates.

I'm always intrigued when people here say they will cancel because of the guide. For me, a better guide is roughly number 304 on my list of important features, but hey, that's me.

However, you are on the right track when you speak of canceling. Make yourself heard by closing your wallet. Keep paying your bill and there's little incentive for Comcast to spend money on a new guide, more channels, or whatever your hot-button may be. As is the case with most people, corporations behave as they are motivated to behave. Your money is what motivates Comcast, not the comments of Europeans.
Russ6
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX

Russ6 to TheDoc46

Member

to TheDoc46
said by TheDoc46:

I hate the new guide so much that i'm thinking of pulling the plug on Comcast. Just so I don't have to look at the clunky 80's xga style graphics any more.

It's such an eyesore.

I've been holding out for what I consider far too long now for an updated 16:9 higher resolution guide.

That guide is un-useable as far as I'm concerned. The other day the wife and i were sitting in front of the TV trying to figure out what to watch, it just became a chore to go through the abbreviated txt, cos it was too stretched out over 16:9.

It wouldn't be so bad if they left it like the old SARA guide, where it was a 4:3 overlay over our 16:9 sets. At least it wasn't painfully stretched out, like it is today, with no option to reduce it.

I'm pretty sure those at Comcast have no idea given they think this is acceptable. People visiting from Europe come over all the time and see this and all say WTF... Is this some kind of joke. I'm embarrassed to tell them, sorry but this is Comcast a company that's supposed to be at the forefront of technology.. Welcome to the USA.. This is how Comcast operates.

Anyway is there any hope in sight. I love the HSI, and pulling the plug on the cable will mean my HSI will go up in price.. So if there's hope in sight, I'd rather hold out.. But come on Comcast, its been what 18months now, since this crap was rammed down our throats.

There is hope but it will take a long time before it is available to most Comcast users. See the following thread:
»New Guides for SA/Cisco Areas (Info from Ted Hodgins Blog)

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf to andyross

Member

to andyross
said by andyross:

If you search around, there is a new X1 guide. It's currently in beta testing in limited areas to new subscribers only...

And from what I think I heard, also requires new equipment which is a dealbreaker for most people who save recordings.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

very lame directv was able to add a HD guild to there older boxes and had a much faster roll out.

cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
·PenTeleData
ARRIS SB8200

cypherstream to TheDoc46

MVM

to TheDoc46
Your preaching to the choir TheDoc46!

I've been pushing for this for ever. I ended up moving and where I move the cable company uses the same ugly, outdated software. I decided to go with DirecTV.

With DirecTV I can play my DVR recordings in any room. I can even play it on my Computer with DirecTV2PC. I can control any receiver with the iPad app, set recordings and even watch some live streaming channels on the iPad. The DirecTV DVR has 16:9 high resolution graphics up to 1080p. It features YouTube, Pandora, and other TV Apps like sports scores, weather, horoscopes, social TV (post to twitter and facebook), etc... There's high resolution poster art and even pictures of actors and actresses in the extended info. You can select an actor and actress and see what other movies they are in coming on in the next two weeks. The VOD screens are all high resolution graphics and each VOD channel is branded with it's own backgrounds and color schemes. The DVR hard drive is 500GB and HD is recorded in MPEG4 which is at least a 30% improvement over MPEG2 in terms of how much "space" an HD show takes up on the hard drive.

I wouldn't consider going back to cable unless they made the UI better. The UI is how you interact with the service. If they make it horrible to find something to watch, might as well not watch anything. They also would have to organize the channel lineup better and offer to hide or eliminate SD duplicate channels. I love how when I want channel 10 in HD, I simply type 10 and it's in HD. No more HD prompts to switch channels, or odd dual channel lineups to remember. So simple even the wife and in laws can watch HD!
Russ6
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX

Russ6 to Mike Wolf

Member

to Mike Wolf
said by Mike Wolf:

said by andyross:

If you search around, there is a new X1 guide. It's currently in beta testing in limited areas to new subscribers only...

And from what I think I heard, also requires new equipment which is a dealbreaker for most people who save recordings.

"Cable Show 2012: Comcast To Take X1 Guide To Some Existing Set-Tops, Too
CTO Werner Says MSO to Deploy Cloud-Based Interface to RNG 150 Boxes"

By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 5/21/2012 12:56:19 PM

»www.multichannel.com/art ··· _Too.php

andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

1 recommendation

andyross to Mike Wolf

MVM

to Mike Wolf
said by Mike Wolf:

said by andyross:

If you search around, there is a new X1 guide. It's currently in beta testing in limited areas to new subscribers only...

And from what I think I heard, also requires new equipment which is a dealbreaker for most people who save recordings.

DVR's are NOT for long-term storage. They are for time shifting. If you want to keep something for a long time, make your own copy, if you can...
mariod
join:2009-06-16

mariod to cypherstream

Member

to cypherstream
I have no idea why you're shilling for Direct TV here.
LoveHD
join:2011-07-31
Detroit, MI

LoveHD

Member

Dish Network has the same concept for a more organized channel lineup. If that's "shilling," I'll gladly join cypherstream and TheDoc46 in saying Comcast needs to step up.

cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA

cypherstream to mariod

MVM

to mariod
Guy has a problem with it and I offered a solution.

I don't care if he goes DirecTV, or heck gets the Hopper from Dish Network. Hell, maybe Verizon Fios is available too, who knows.
TheDoc46
join:2010-06-08

TheDoc46

Member

well they should at least make an option so that the whole thing is not spread out entire the whole 16:9 screen.

Also they should lessen the BS with all the 'new' and NOT make a hd version for marketing reasons only. Any of their new guide video's feature a hd version...

The real deal is this crap..

Comcast are the worst company in human history.
Russ6
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX

Russ6

Member

The next guide is the S26 Guide and should start being deployed after the Olympics. It is similar to the current S25 guide but includes interactive features and remote DVR scheduling (myDVR Manager). On-Screen Guide 2.0 and the X1 Guide use a 16:9 display. These guides are in very limited use but should become more available over the next several years.

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf to andyross

Member

to andyross
I know that, you know that, but they don't know that, nor care.
Mike Wolf

Mike Wolf to Russ6

Member

to Russ6
»Re: New Guides for SA/Cisco Areas (Info from Ted Hodgins Blog)

No plans to rollout Guide 2.0 for existing equipment.
Russ6
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX

1 recommendation

Russ6

Member

said by Mike Wolf:

»Re: New Guides for SA/Cisco Areas (Info from Ted Hodgins Blog)

No plans to rollout Guide 2.0 for existing equipment.

That is correct, but the article I linked to is about the X1 Guide.

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf

Member

ok.