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tlhIngan

join:2002-07-08
Richmond, BC
kudos:1

1 edit

New High Def Guide Sucks...?

So I saw that Best Buy (as well as Visions, London Drugs, Future Shop, etc) are having the DCS3200-M for sale for $100, so I picked one up. At the very least, to pick up the new MPEG-4 channels we can get on one of our newer boxes but not the older ones.

Two things.
1) The thing is slower than molasses in the antarctic. I thought Shaw's boxes were slow to begin with, but man these ones you can grow old without seeing a moment of TV.
2) The new guide and combined HD listings really suck - especially if you have older boxes with the old channel lineup - suddenly the channels don't line up anymore and it's confusing as well. Especially when switching between boxes.

The first I can solve thanks to third party DVRs that can be far more patient than I can be (and have their own guide listings so browsing is not so painful).

The second - I really can't. Is there any way to get back the old guide or at least the old channel lineup? Remembering that the high def channel is now back over the old SD one isn't fun, and when you switch back to the old box (which have DVRs), it just really messes you up.

Of course, if I were to guess, Shaw's doing it to force us to use the crappy DVRs versus a third party by offering screwed up guide listings, but still.

Guess I'll have to hunt for an older box with the older guides and channel lineup.

The boxes went back to the store - a sale isn't worth it given the crappy slowness and the new guide just clinched the deal. That and other little things (like no way to have the channel/clock display, either one or the other) really didn't endear me to these new boxes Shaw is putting out.


molfert

join:2002-02-19
Calgary, AB

Point #2 you can shut off that feature if you don't like it. But I agree the guide is slow as hell.


kevinds

join:2003-05-01
Calgary, AB
kudos:1
reply to tlhIngan

2) Are you talking about the HD-Overlay, you enter the SD channel number, and get the HD version, there is no way to turn this off.

No, you can't convert the new DCX3200's to the old guide, some of them have the old guide, but not many.

Gateway or DCX3400's, the older DCX3200's, most of the Pace models, to get a good guide, and be able to see all the stations
--
Yes, I am not employed and looking for IT work. Have passport, will travel.


tlhIngan

join:2002-07-08
Richmond, BC
kudos:1

Yeah, the HD overlay sucks.

Hell, I would go for the "enter the old HD channel number, it'll switch to the right one automatically" behavior (e.g., Discovery HD is 272, enter that and get 42, fine).

I suppose if you're a NEW user to Shaw it's handy. But if you've got a mix of old boxes and have been punching in the 2xx range for HD channels for years to suddenly have to re-learn them, it's annoying. And TV is annoying enough.

Hell, there's a good reason to want SD channels as well - if you're wanting to record a lot, the SD channels take less space on the DVR. Perhaps to catch some marathon on TV - last thing you want is to fill the entire thing with half the episodes and run out of space.

What's especially bad is no online TV listings have this new "screwed up" channel guide - they all show the standard Shaw numbers of HD in the 2xx range. Guess I should get in touch with the Tribune and TV Guide folks to create the "Demented Shaw" channel line-up where HDs are really in another spot. Because you'd never know otherwise as none of them show the HD overlays as HD channels. (And yes, the guide companies are constantly altering their lineups as cable providers change their channel numbers, so they tend to want people to call in updates)


kevinds

join:2003-05-01
Calgary, AB
kudos:1

That and SD stuff on HD channels, both recording and people who stretch/fit the picture to the TV.

New to digital terminals, maybe not necessarly new to Shaw?
--
Yes, I am not employed and looking for IT work. Have passport, will travel.



AnonShaw1

@shawcable.net
reply to tlhIngan

Head to »www.shaw.ca/personal/television/···istings/

Click the "Download the Personal TV Channel lineup" PDF. The numbers highlighted in blue are the HD channels, it should show both the original 200 number and the overlay number.


tlhIngan

join:2002-07-08
Richmond, BC
kudos:1

Still doesn't fix the fact that no one other than Shaw's crappy slow-ass guide is the only one with correct channel numbers, and providers like TV Guide and Zap2It (which are MUCH FASTER) don't have the overlay/demented channel lineup.

The overlay guide is useless for two reasons. One is it's slow so paper listings (or online) are faster. And two, none of the alternative guides have the overlay/demented lineup.

A bonus third reason - If you;re using a mix of old and new boxes, good luck. Perhaps it's easier to just reactivate my old standard def boxes and use them as the channel lineup will be the same. And heck, I get faster guide data!

Though, I couldn't find the PDF - I need that to send to the Zap2It and TV Guide folks so they can create new lineups for Shaw (it's the fastest way to create new lineups).

I will admit, between the price hikes, the new useless guide is a great way to justify cutting the cord - alternative service providers for the content are faster and just as difficult to use as the new guide.



bucko2012

@sasknet.sk.ca

go for it cut the cord, it will be lot better content. shaw don't care one way or another.