XfinityTV and Equipment

[TurnerBrewer]

Hello,

I recently switched over to Comcast TV from DirecTV. The low resolution channel guide is making me second guess my decision to switch to comcast.  I have a Pace 110 HD box. Does the guide look the same across all of Comcasts equipment?

Another question - Is there a way to make my Favorite channel lineup the default guide when I display it.

I have the Comcast Digital Economy package with 40 channels. I do not need to see all of the other channels that I do not receive. Dish and DirecTv have had this as a feature for over 10 years. Does Comcast not offer this?

Thanks for any suggestions or comments

[rog286713]

The guide is not the same across all markets.  comcast market is split into two groups.  The pace/Motorola market and the Scientific atlanta Cisco market.   The basic guide is the same yes, it is low resolution not HD and does not fill the screen unless you set the settings in the box to stretch it which then distorts it. 

There is suppose to be a new guide coming out either later this year or next that will fix this issue.  It has always been this way.

There is no way to make your favorite channels only be seen all you can do is set up favorites using the guide, the heart icon allows you to add favorite channels to it when you want to view those channels you access the favorites portion of the guide.   Dish and Directv are the only major providers who provide that type of service.  

[TurnerBrewer]

Thanks for the insight into the guide situation.

Comcast On Demand has a nice interface on the XBOX 360. I was just suprised at how outdated the guide looked on the cable box. I wish Comcast would allow Live TV streaming thru the Xbox 360 like Verizon does.

I believe that TIVO has the programable guide. I guess I could go the TIVO route and try to get a cablecard activated.

[rog286713]

You definately can get a couple of cable cards and a tivo, but remember that on demand is not supported currently on a tivo, that functionality is just starting to roll out in limited markets such as san fran.  If you have an ipad you can use that as your guide and change channels with it.  That function works on many android tabletes also.   There is suppose to be new things coming next year.  

[TurnerBrewer]

I am really trying to like Comcast TV, but the outdated guide is just terrible on my 50" TV. Viewing it thru HMDI makes it even worse.  It has gotten to the  point where my family hates to watch TV. It is a struggle to operate and sort thru the guide.  I have tried to justify keeping Comcast by watching ON DEMAND thru the XBOX 360, but I am loosing faith.  The XBOX 360 interface is welcomed compared to the Comcast  box interface. If only Comcast would stream the TV channels thru the Xbox.  

I don't want to have to struggle with this guide until next year when a "2.0" guide is said to be coming out.

I am going to call Comcast and cancel my TV package today. 

[rog286713]

What exactly are you struggling with in the guide?  The guide is ugly yes but it is very easy and functional to use.  If you have specific questions please post them.  I have had this version of the guide for over ten years and am very proficient in its usage.

[TurnerBrewer]

rog-

My main gripe is that I want the option to set my favorite channel list as the default list.

I only care to watch 15 of the channels that I subscribe to. To access my favorite list I have to press Guide and then the FAV button to access my favorite list. Once my favorite list is on the screen it defaults to the lowest channel # on the list instead of the channel that I am currently watching. Then if I want to see what is on another channel I have to do the same routine again.  I could just push the FAV button and surf thru the channels, but I like to see what programs are coming on later.

I would like to see more than 4 channels on the guide at a time. 

The guide is just very inefficient. For the money that I am paying Comcast I would like a better return on the quality of the product.

Some other dislikes are

The HD quality of the live TV picture is not as crisp as Satellite. Some HD channels look great sometimes, but most of the time they are grainy or pixelated.  My signals are good.

The ON DEMAND HD picture via the XBOX is pretty good. The OnDemand picture thru the PACE box is washed out.

Comcast has a great internet product. They could be rakeing subscribers with the entertainment possibilites that they have at their disposal. Resources that Satellite would love to have.

[rog286713]

Unfortunately the ability to only see what channels you subscribe to is only available through satellite.

To see more than four channels at the same time, you can go to the box menu and then to guide, in there you can set the cell hight to single, then you can get 5 lines of programming. 

I have never seen the picture produced by dish so I can't comment on that.  

Sorry it's not working out for you. 

[TurnerBrewer]

I doesn't bother me that there is a full guide. I just wasnt the ability to make my favorite guide the default guide that displays when I push the guide button. TIVO has done this for years.

[rog286713]

if you press menu the quick guide comes up and then you can arrow over to the heart (favorites) icon.  I know that is not what you want but its another way to access the menu.

[TurnerBrewer]

Rog-

Thanks for that tip. That is better.   That actually takes me back to my Favorite Guide and the channel that I am currently watching within my guide instead of the lowest channel # within the guide.

I appreciate your help...

Do you know when the 2.0 guide will roll out to Pace users in the Atlanta area? If I switch to a different box would I receive the updated guide any sooner?

Thanks,

T.Brewer

[rog286713]

From what I have read the guide 2.0 is coming out in the Scientific atlanta/cisco area first.  you like me are a pace motorola market which is 80% of comcasts footprint.  In atlanta comcast is testing a quad tuner spectrum dvr.  See the link below.  There is also suppose to be some kind of IPTV type box coming out also.

how you might go about getting one of those I do not know.

http://forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-and-Equipment/Comcast-Spectrum-service-and-quad-tuner-DVR-whe...

[JayInAlg]

The quad tuner Spectrum trial is in Augusta, not Atlanta.

[Plagueborn]

Re: New Customer - Pace 110 HD Receiver Channel Guide & Favorite Channels list [ New ]

05-16-2012 12:32 PM

rog-

My main gripe is that I want the option to set my favorite channel list as the default list.

I only care to watch 15 of the channels that I subscribe to. To access my favorite list I have to press Guide and then the FAV button to access my favorite list. Once my favorite list is on the screen it defaults to the lowest channel # on the list instead of the channel that I am currently watching. Then if I want to see what is on another channel I have to do the same routine again.  I could just push the FAV button and surf thru the channels, but I like to see what programs are coming on later.

I would like to see more than 4 channels on the guide at a time. 

The guide is just very inefficient. For the money that I am paying Comcast I would like a better return on the quality of the product.

Some other dislikes are

The HD quality of the live TV picture is not as crisp as Satellite. Some HD channels look great sometimes, but most of the time they are grainy or pixelated.  My signals are good.

The ON DEMAND HD picture via the XBOX is pretty good. The OnDemand picture thru the PACE box is washed out.

Comcast has a great internet product. They could be rakeing subscribers with the entertainment possibilites that they have at their disposal. Resources that Satellite would love to have.

If you only care to watch 15 channels, how in the name of GOD do you not know what's coming on?? it's only 15 channels!  To complain is ridiculous.  I like about 150 channels, now that's something you have to use the guide for. 

Evidently, you need to go back to the VHF/UHF dials......

[Plagueborn]

rog-

My main gripe is that I want the option to set my favorite channel list as the default list.

I only care to watch 15 of the channels that I subscribe to. To access my favorite list I have to press Guide and then the FAV button to access my favorite list. Once my favorite list is on the screen it defaults to the lowest channel # on the list instead of the channel that I am currently watching. Then if I want to see what is on another channel I have to do the same routine again.  I could just push the FAV button and surf thru the channels, but I like to see what programs are coming on later.

I would like to see more than 4 channels on the guide at a time. 

The guide is just very inefficient. For the money that I am paying Comcast I would like a better return on the quality of the product.

Some other dislikes are

The HD quality of the live TV picture is not as crisp as Satellite. Some HD channels look great sometimes, but most of the time they are grainy or pixelated.  My signals are good.

The ON DEMAND HD picture via the XBOX is pretty good. The OnDemand picture thru the PACE box is washed out.

Comcast has a great internet product. They could be rakeing subscribers with the entertainment possibilites that they have at their disposal. Resources that Satellite would love to have.

If you only care to watch 15 channels, how in the name of GOD do you not know what's coming on?? it's only 15 channels!  To complain is ridiculous.  I like about 150 channels, now that's something you have to use the guide for. 

Evidently, you need to go back to the VHF/UHF dials......

[TurnerBrewer]

Comcast equipment and UI are inferior to satellite providers in every aspect. I said nothing of content. Comcast wins with HD channels and OnDemand. I left DirectTv for Comcast in order to bundle Tv and Internet.
Comcast is not as user friendly as the Sat providers. Comcast channel groupings make no sense whatsoever. This is why I have switched to TiVo in the past month. I can remove and rearrange channels to my liking. I now have a superior guide and in HD none the less. As soon as my $69 Blast / Preferred Tv promo is up I will probably drop back to Internet only and go over the air for HD Tv, or maybe the Comcast Economy Tv package.
Comcast can redeem themselves with X1, but they are rolling it out at a snails pace and there are too many bundling requirements.