Comcast XFINITY TV → Re: [X1] X1, to get or not to get...cost?

ahh come on dude we don't even know what S26 gives us and pretty sure the X1 guide won't run on the Cisco RNG200N boxes.

I think I also read somewhere that the RNG boxes would get X1 at some point. I'll post that if I see it again.

S26 info is on the comcast site (features, locations and what not) »forums.comcast.com/t5/Xf ··· /1501473

The new features are being launched on a rolling basis, market by market and will continue into early 2013. Once I have updated and confirmed schedules for the next areas I will be able to post that information in this thread.

So, what’s new? For starters, DVR Manager, Caller ID to the TV and full use of the XFINITY TV app.

Details on these and some other new features are below:

DVR Manager: From the internet and the Xfinity TV app, customers can: set recordings, view/modify scheduled recordings, view completed recordings, modify series priority lists, etc.
»xfinity.comcast.net/mydv ··· /how-to/

Caller ID to the TV See who's calling, right from your TV and PC! Comcast Universal Caller ID takes the guesswork out of incoming calls. »www.comcast.net/callerid

Xfinity TV Application: The ability to use your iPad to change channels.
»www.xfinity.com/help/int ··· -tv-app/

HSN Shop-by-Remote: A convenient, new way to make HSN purchases simply by using your remote. »www.comcast.net/newguide ··· 0110.pdf

Request for Info: Know more, save more! Introducing an easy way to request valuable coupons and info from advertisers simply by using your remote.
»www.comcast.net/newguide ··· tion.pdf

Ready Remind and Ready Record: Now you can conveniently set program reminders or recordings directly from certain TV show and movie advertisements.
»www.comcast.net/newguide ··· cord.pdf

and also (further on)

There are several customer facing issues resolved in this guide release as well, including the following:

- DVR Boxes losing functionality of 15 second rewind and 5 minute skip back after being online for a significant period of time.

- DVR over-recording issues with New and Repeat episodes

- Not Authorized messages appearing on authorized channels

- HD Pass through working with HDMI cables

- RNG 200s only: When watching live TV, pressing rewind may rewind all the way to the beginning of the buffer and bring the customer back to live TV.

- RNG 200s only: Audio /video occasionally cuts in and out after swapping channels.

- RNG200N's only: Video momentarily blacks out while watching TV.

Comcast is making the decisions on what guides it will deploy not me. I am just posting links to those decisions. Of course, Comcast has changed plans and delayed schedule dates. For instance, Houston was supposed to get On-Screen Guide 2.0 last summer, but this was delayed several times and now Comcast has decided to skip On-Screen Guide 2.0 and go directly to the X1 guide in Houston and most other SA/Cisco areas that don't already have On-Screen Guide 2.0 except New Mexico.

I got the S26 Guide update in December and some of the bugs that were supposed to be fixed are not such as the audio cutting in and out on the Cisco RNG 200 N. Also, I now sometimes get a message saying DVR services are not enabled. I have to reboot to fix this. I haven't tried most of the new features so I don't know if they work without bugs.

You are correct that X1 doesn't currently run on the Cisco RNG 200 N, but Comcast has plans to release a version that does sometime in the future.

I do hope everything works out.
How did you hear about Comcast pushing out the possible X1 compatible interface for the Cisco RNG200N?

The following excerpt is from Comcast's Ted Hodgins, Sr. Director, Video Product Development - Navigation, in Media & Entertainment, "New Guide for Scientific Atlanta Cable Boxes" blog:

quote:

---

. . .

On-Screen Guide 3.0 (the X1 Experience) is rolling out to many new Comcast areas in 2013.

Our expectation is be able to deliver this new experience onto several of our newest cable boxes that are already in homes, including the Cisco RNG 200. That is expected in mid to late 2013.

. . .

Ted Hodgins replied to comment from Bob Jurgensen | December 4, 2012 8:29 PM

»blog.comcast.com/2010/05 ··· nt-67770

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Here is another link stating that Comcast will take the X1 guide to existing RNG settop boxes. Please note this is at least 7 months old.

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

The following is an excerpt:

quote:

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Cable Show 2012: Comcast To Take X1 Guide To Some Existing Set-Tops, Too

By: By Todd Spangler May 21 2012 - 3:56pm

. . .

But at some point, Comcast plans to deploy the X1 guide and applications to set-top boxes based on Broadcom's BCM7420 system-on-a-chip. The MSO has 7 million to 8 million such boxes in the field, which conform to its RNG 150 gateway specification, Werner said, adding, "It remains to be seen how fast we move on those."

. . .

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I found another bug with the S26 Guide and the Cisco RNG 200N DVR. Sometimes a scheduled program will keep recording past its end time. One time it didn't stop for about a half day and didn't record the other scheduled shows. Another time it recorded for 3 and a half hours and only stopped recording when 2 other shows started. The show was the NBC nightly news which is only a half hour long.

This is interesting. »forums.comcast.com/t5/Xf ··· e#M63740

The link you posted says RNG boxes but doesn't specifically say if they are Cisco RNG boxes, Pace RNG boxes, or Motorola RNG boxes, all which have different components.

From what it's been said, Comcast is just gonna skip over Guide 2.0 and go right into X1 since Guide 2.0 was just a stop gap I guess.

Yes, for most areas. I think the areas that have On-Screen Guide 2.0 will keep it until that area gets the X1 Guide. New Mexico may still get On-Screen Guide 2.0, but Houston, Texas won't.

Maybe if New Mexico was in the middle of the project to roll it out but as far as I was told the project won't be rolling out anywhere else I kind of wish there were hard dates for distribution though but oh well.

Ted's quote states Cisco RNG boxes because it is in a SA/Cisco blog, but in other posts he has stated that both Cisco (RNG) and the newer Motorola DCX STBs will support the X1 Guide in the future.

The following excerpts are from Ted Hodgins.

quote:

---

. . .

The newer Motorola DCX series of boxes in some markets are scheduled at some point in 2013 to get the new X1 guide (also known as On-Screen Guide 3.0).

. . .

The long term plan is to get all of our newest cable boxes (regardless of hardware manufacturer or geography) onto a common more advanced on-screen guide starting in 2013 to provide a more consistent experience. Thanks for your patience.

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

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Please note how vague the statement is.using "some" and "starting in".

yup
I'd love to know when we can see a Netflix app on the X1 interface.

If the temperature in hell is above 32 degrees, I wouldn't hold my breath...

So pretty good then right?

Give Ted a heads up »forums.comcast.com/t5/Xf ··· 5#M63936