Any further Time-Warner "Navigator" software news?

[LoadStar]

It's interesting that we all agree that the screen shots are the same as what we have now (with possible exception of the color, which could be an artifact of the TV set being photographed and/or the camera itself)... yet Jack hails it as "moving away from the Beta look of the current guide that looks like it came out of a High School Computer Education Final Exam Project" and commenting that "it LOOKS slicker."

I don't mean this as a knock on you, Jack, honestly. I just find it interesting because I've never understood the comments from many posters, not just yourself, that the Navigator interface looks amateurish ("like a Commodore 64" was a way one poster described it). The reason I never understood was because I've been seeing the interface that looks like the above all along.

Which, of course, leads me to wonder: what were people seeing previously? Did it look that drastically different than what I was seeing that would cause them to describe it as amateurish? Or was it simply people just complaining because it was _different_?

[Jack 1000]

I compared the screen shots to my guide and I see no difference either.
Have a question for Jack. Do you have the SA8300HD or the SA8300HDC?

I have the SA8300HD.  I believe those screen shots were taken from an MDN (no C) box.  The link was taken from the AVS forums and I think the picture was originally taken from somebody in one of the Carolina states.  The TWC Navigator San Diego residents, according to the forum is getting an upgrade next month.  Based on that forum, they actually have a new division President who is amazingly on the ball, and seems to respond to e-mails, phone calls, and is even appointing someone to watch the forums:

Here is a link to the San Diego Board:

http://hdtv.forsandiego.com/messages/2/2.html

Posting this type of information will allow us to gage new Navigator versions in other markets.  Once again variables such as where you live, the type of box you have, and the levels of PR communications at the local division can influence roll-out, and even to this day, stability. (although stability is way better than it used to be.)

Now I see a difference in the color.  Do MDN and OCAP Navigator versions have different looking guides here in Wisconsin as of now?  My MDN box as an all blue on blue background, where blue is the dominate color on the grid and Search screens.  The pictures of the upgrade to me at least show some red and green as highlight prompts on channels selected and in the columns of information to make the text and graphics stand out more.  The San Diego forum has copied those pics and users say it looks nicer than what they have.  My MDN Navigator has always been the dark blue/light blue screen throughout the guide.  I see better graphics in those pictures, but if that is the ONLY thing, it's not going to mean much.

Jack

[Jack 1000]

It's interesting that we all agree that the screen shots are the same as what we have now (with possible exception of the color, which could be an artifact of the TV set being photographed and/or the camera itself)... yet Jack hails it as "moving away from the Beta look of the current guide that looks like it came out of a High School Computer Education Final Exam Project" and commenting that "it LOOKS slicker."

I don't mean this as a knock on you, Jack, honestly. I just find it interesting because I've never understood the comments from many posters, not just yourself, that the Navigator interface looks amateurish ("like a Commodore 64" was a way one poster described it). The reason I never understood was because I've been seeing the interface that looks like the above all along.

Which, of course, leads me to wonder: what were people seeing previously? Did it look that drastically different than what I was seeing that would cause them to describe it as amateurish? Or was it simply people just complaining because it was _different_?

Good post!

I really don't know how the very very first Navigator guides looked.  Yea, I remember the C-64 comparisons and I think that many people came up with the comment because TWC was trying to market this thing as "WOW!" and than when "WOW!" in reality turned to "*****" and "F**k" with all of Navigator's early problems from the initial rollouts in Lincoln Nebraska and those early tests around January-March 2007 on some boxes here in Milwaukee as well, people were pretty outraged and the guide just did not look "modern" to them.  That's how those comments came about.  I still think that Passport's Guide looks nicer and actually think that this "new" guide's colors "look" closer to Passport.  However, notice that I have "look" in quotes, because until we physically see the changes in our homes and have a chance to evaluate them, we are still basing data on a picture, and I certainly agree that camera distortion can be an issue.

I agree that most of Navigator's early complaints were based on two things.  Exactly as you said above, the early versions were different and extremely unreliable.

Jack

[LoadStar]

Well, this is definitely illuminating. I unfortunately had to exchange my 8300HD box, and all they had were 8300HDCs. Now I can see there is a definite difference between the MDN and ODN interfaces. The differences are slight in many cases, but overall they give the MDN version a much smoother appearance.

The pictures linked to above looked like what I had on the 8300HD, which is why I was confused.

[Jack 1000]

Well, this is definitely illuminating. I unfortunately had to exchange my 8300HD box, and all they had were 8300HDCs. Now I can see there is a definite difference between the MDN and ODN interfaces. The differences are slight in many cases, but overall they give the MDN version a much smoother appearance.

The pictures linked to above looked like what I had on the 8300HD, which is why I was confused.

Thanks Loadstar,

Did you get any new features like Keyboard Category Search? (I know that's probably a dream........Damn!)  How is your IPG different?

Jack

[LoadStar]

Thanks Loadstar,

Did you get any new features like Keyboard Category Search? (I know that's probably a dream........Damn!)  How is your IPG different?

Jack

Functionally, it's almost the same. Two notable differences:
1) On ODN, at 5 minutes prior to the next time slot, the guide automatically displays the next time slot. For example, at 11:55, you see the 12:00 time slot instead of the 11:30 slot. (This is how Explorer Echo behaved.) On MDN, the guide insisted on staying on the 11:30 time slot right until it turns to 12:00.

(A positive result of this:
- on ODN, if it's 11:55, the guide displays the 12:00 programs. Pressing SEL to select one of these programs will actually tune to the selected channel.
- on MDN, if it's 11:55, you actually have to switch to the 12:00 programs yourself; if you were to press SEL at that point on one of the 12:00 channels, you get a list of recording options instead of tuning to the channel. You would actually have to backtrack to the 11:30 time slot then press SEL to actually tune to that channel. Really, really annoying.)

2) There doesn't appear to be a way to re-prioritize season passes on ODN. On MDN, you could move them up or down to reprioritize them.

Appearance-wise, it somehow feels a little "simpler." Without having the MDN box back to compare them side-by-side it's hard to give concrete examples, and I don't want to compare to the screen shots shown above in case they weren't accurate to what we actually had here. It's definitely similar, but some of the interface elements are a little flatter on ODN than on MDN.

[Jack 1000]

Features Added!

We now have an expanded sports list and what appear to be more browsing choices under the "B" Find Shows Category.

Jack

[Jack 1000]

FYI:

When I was following the Lin TV/TWC debate affecting the Fox Cities regions of Northern Wisconsin, I got into some discussion of Navigator, and a poster said that in the extreme Northern areas of Wisconsin that TWC STILL has Passport up there!  So I wonder what their plans are for roll-outs to Green Bay and surrounding cities?

I told them that Navigator has gotten a lot better, but that people still miss a lot of the functionalities of Passport.  I anticipate between 1st and 2nd Quarter, 2009 Navigator will be rolled out there.

Also,  do you know when we are supposed to be getting Start Over added to our boxes?  I can't see TWC putting Start Over on those boxes that still have Passport, although they did add Caller ID on TV to Passport boxes during the transition from Passport to Navigator for Digital Cable and Digital Phone subs.

Anyone know a Northern Wisconsin time-line for Navigator or the addition of Start Over to our current boxes?

Jack

[Jack 1000]

Strange Navigator issue tonight:

I was watching a DVR recording and noticed that the sound on the right side of my headphones was lower than normal.  (I normally listen through the headphones)  In playing a DVD the same issue seemed to be happening.  Than Tru TV channel 49 had a Please Wait Message as I was scanning through the channels.  Nothing too strange their but under my Audio Settings (I have an 8300-HD (No C) DVR running Mystro Navigator) they showed to use the Variable Range for listening through the set-top box and Fixed for listening through a sound system.  Didn't those used to be reversed?  Is TWC experimenting with some new sound range or feature on Navigator.  It now says to use Variable Sound instead of Fixed for controlling to the box.  In other words, the default setting was changed on its own.  

After Tru TV came back, I noticed that the sound had to be turned up to about 1.5x louder than what I usually have it set. Oh yea, and my box volume is up all the way.

Anyone else having sound issues?

Jack