Verizon Improves FiOS TV Search UI

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The FiOS TV guide has grown stale these last few years as Verizon turned its attention to all things wireless. However, while I await the next-gen version of FiOS service, I’m happy to report that Verizon has made a few short-term tweaks to improve the existing interface.

My favorite in the IMG 1.9.6 update (just five months after the 1.9.5 update) is the change to the search screen. Instead of having to scroll to every letter I want to type in, Verizon now lets me use the number buttons on my remote as alphabet keys just like old-style texting. (Or current-style if you haven’t given in to touch screens yet.) Example: you press the “2” button once for “A”, twice for “B”, and three times for “C”. This may not sound like a big deal, but searching for anything was terrifically painful before, and the new interface definitely speeds up the process.

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Also new in the latest update: a new channel info bar, a setting to let you auto-tune to HD channels, and free FiOS Quantum upgrade ads!

According to FiOS_feed on the FiOS forum hosted by DSLReports, the 1.9.6 update is for Cisco set-tops only, but 1.9.7, which is scheduled for later this year, will download to both Cisco and Motorola boxes.

5 thoughts on “Verizon Improves FiOS TV Search UI”

  1. There was an option before in one of the setting screens to enable numeric entry but it wasn’t the default. It looks like now they’ve made it default. Seems like the main “feature” of the last few updates has been more ads :(

  2. Massively off-topic on what I think will be a slow thread: (And I always respect the webmaster going forward if he objects to specific user-behavior.)

    “Roku ‘Adding 90+ Channels Every Month … how many are good?”

    Probably a rather small percentage. But the long-tail can be useful in the OTT box wars. That’s why everyone wants an Apple TV app store. And that’s why Lawler’s piece on the Fire made it seem much more interesting than previously.

    (Though Amazon’s ultra-openness strategy may be even better than Roku’s ‘let a thousand flowers bloom, but not sideloaded’ strategy…)

  3. Most of the Fire apps I sideloaded wouldn’t work with the remote. Of course, being real Android, I assume the Amazon app floodgates will open soon and we can skip the hackery. Yes, I see value in the long tail — it’s why the original non-net Netflix did so well. But boy is there a ton of crap on Roku. Wish they had a way to better organize and perhaps offer suggestions of “A list” apps.

  4. I thought I bought Elvis” That’s the way it was” and I can’t seem to find it. I also cannot search for it what’s going on?

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