[CompiledMonkey]

I came from FIOS and I really feel the D* guide is lacking in usability compared with FIOS. Here are some of my gripes that I would love to find ways to adjust or see software patches for in the future:

1. Flipping through the channels under the guide is slow. With hundreds of channels, and even ~100 on my favorites list, it takes too much time to get through them one by one. I like the feature with FIOS where I can hold down the directional button and it speeds through the channels, only catching up the detailed information about the selected channel once I've stopped scanning.

2. If I'm going down through the channels in the guide, the selected channel is always the last item in the list. I would much prefer to keep the selected channel centered in the list so I can easily scan with my eyes to see what's "upcoming" as I scan the guide. This problem is only made worse by having such a slow guide. I often go past something I'd be interested in.

3. While not as important as the above two, I would really like the ability to view more than a single line of information about the selected channel. I realize the detailed information is at the top of the screen but it would be more helpful to at least have enough room to display the full title inline. For example, if it's a 30 minute show for "Here's my awesome TV show", you'll only see a fraction of that title in the listing. You'd need to continuously move your eyes from where you are in the list to the top of the screen. With so many channels, this becomes prohibitive.

4. I'm sure there's a way around this but I've yet to figure it out. I'm new to the service so I don't know any of the channel numbers yet. When I'm in the guide and want to quickly get from, say channel 610, to somewhere closer to the front, I can't do that. If I enter an incorrect channel from there it just does nothing but inform me of an incorrect channel number. It would be nice if the guide knew the closest actual channel based on my input and took me there. I've also noticed that if I do hit an actual channel, it changes the channel completely and hides the guide. When in reality I want to continue viewing the guide, only quickly move to a channel somewhere else in the list.

 

[boba]

I guess you need to go back to FIOS or accept what you have purchased. D* isn't going to change just for you to a FIOS system. Take it or leave it that is what it is.

 

[veryoldschool]

Channel up/down should move your through a "page" at a time. You may already be doing this, I don't know.
When I enter a [good] channel number, it simply moves me to that part of the guide.

 

[AirRocker]

I guess you need to go back to FIOS or accept what you have purchased. D* isn't going to change just for you to a FIOS system. Take it or leave it that is what it is.

Whoa... no need for that... He didn't come in here slamming DirecTV or anything... I think he constructively voiced his dislikes and suggested some very nice possible future improvements...

 

[CompiledMonkey]

Wow. I'm not simply trying to complain or say one is better than the other. I'm trying to make suggestions on usability I've found positive in the past and how D* could improve their offering, in my opinion of course.

 

[r0b0tic]

I have a HR20-700, and when in the guide use the channel down button, and it moves 6 at a time, instead of the arrow down 1 at a time you use. In addition, when I input a non-channel number, it takes me to the nearest real number in the guide.

 

[CompiledMonkey]

Channel up/down should move your through a "page" at a time. You may already be doing this, I don't know.
When I enter a [good] channel number, it simply moves me to that part of the guide.

I don't think I'm utilizing any paging feature. I think that would help a lot. I've been using both the D* remote and my Harmony. Neither of which have paged anything for me. I'll look into programming this into the Harmony tonight. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[bwaldron]

I guess you need to go back to FIOS or accept what you have purchased. D* isn't going to change just for you to a FIOS system. Take it or leave it that is what it is.

That's harsh, isn't it? I didn't see anything in the original post that warrants nastiness.

To the O.P. regarding #4: you can navigate in the guide by entering a channel # without changing channels if you don't hit select/enter afterwards -- and entering a non-existent channel takes me to the nearest existing channel in the guide (at least on my DVRs).

 

[CompiledMonkey]

I have a HR20-700, and when in the guide use the channel down button, and it moves 6 at a time, instead of the arrow down 1 at a time you use. In addition, when I input a non-channel number, it takes me to the nearest real number in the guide.

When you enter the non-channel number, do you hit "enter" in the bottom right of the keypad, or the select button in the center of the directional pad? I want to say I've been using the select button in the center of the directional pad. Which could definitely be what I'm running into.

 

[bwaldron]

When you enter the non-channel number, do you hit "enter" in the bottom right of the keypad, or the select button in the center of the directional pad? I want to say I've been using the select button in the center of the directional pad. Which could definitely be what I'm running into.

Don't hit either -- wait just a little while for the channel number to "take."

 

[CompiledMonkey]

Thanks for the positive feedback everyone. Finding a better way to quickly navigate will surely make my wife happier. I'll give these suggestions a go tonight and see how it works out for me.

 

[r0b0tic]

Don't hit either -- wait just a little while for the channel number to "take."

Bingo...

 

[veryoldschool]

I guess you need to go back to FIOS or accept what you have purchased. D* isn't going to change just for you to a FIOS system. Take it or leave it that is what it is.

Not to jump on you, but cut the "newbies" some slack please.

 

[syphix]

I thought I read that DirecTV is working on a new GUI...I forget when they said it, but it was AFTER the "new" white GUI was released...

Maybe this thread will be read by the developers and some of your suggestions worked in.

 

[Upstream]

CM -- As others have mentioned, some of your issues are addressed by using Channel Up/Down (instead of the arrow up/down) to page through the guide, and by keying in a channel without pressing enter or select to jump directly to that channel (or the nearest channel) in the guide.

Although the DirecTV interface is different than Fios, I am sure that you will soon be comfortable using it.

 

[hdtvfan0001]

User guides are all about personal taste, so "better" is in the eyes of the beholder.

I'll take 3-4 times the HD channels any day over a favorite button to press....

 

[mdavej]

I don't think I'm utilizing any paging feature. I think that would help a lot. I've been using both the D* remote and my Harmony. Neither of which have paged anything for me. I'll look into programming this into the Harmony tonight. Thanks for the suggestion.

You don't have to program anything. CH+/- IS Page+/- while you're in the guide. You can also turn off scrolling in the D* setup to speed things up.

 

[sore_bluto]

Turning off the scrolling feature will speed up the guide as well.

 

[RobertE]

Wow. I'm not simply trying to complain or say one is better than the other. I'm trying to make suggestions on usability I've found positive in the past and how D* could improve their offering, in my opinion of course.

1st :welcome_s

2nd You'll learn quick on who's posts to read and who to put on your ignore list. That response was unwarranted.

3rd Everyone else pretty much has things covered to address your concerns.

 

[webby_s]

Turning off the scrolling feature will speed up the guide as well.

How is this done? It must be in the setup page somewhere?

I guess my only "gripe" or "wish" would be channel logos. Say you are in the guide and instead of ESPNH for ESPN HD have the logo of ESPN. Logos are all over the screen when you are on a specific channel and I think everyone has gotten used to seeing them, so if they were in the guide (not just the info on the top of the screen) it would come in real handy. That's my $.02:icon_cool