We’ve Got a New, Updated Guide Coming to a Cable Box Near You

Jun 13 2012

We’ve Got a New, Updated Guide Coming to a Cable Box Near You

Have you noticed a big change to the on-screen Guide on your Time Warner Cable digital cable box? If not, you soon will.

Time Warner Cable is in the process of launching a new, upgraded Guide on our customers’ digital cable boxes over the next few months.

This new version of Navigator drastically enhances the look and functionality of the on-screen Guide. It’s got improved search and more intuitive navigation features for finding channels and programs by genre, actor and category. One of the coolest new enhancements is the ability to filter the channels that appear in your Guide to just your favorites – no more scrolling through a hundred shopping channels to get to the good stuff!

Here are a few screenshots, first of the favorites-filter, then some others:

As you can see from these images, the Guide features a fresh, clean look with a new color scheme.

Go to Settings>Favorite Channels
Make your selections – it’s a simple toggle, just press “select” once to favorite something, press it twice to de-favorite it.
Then apply the filter and hit the “Guide” button twice, then select the “favorite” filter.

You’ll see only your favorite channels in the Guide from then on.

In addition, some of the user interfaces have been renamed to simplify their functionality, such as the “Access Menu” changing to “Find Channels”, “Find Shows” changing to “Search” and more.

There are also improvements to the TV remote functionality – the “A” button looks up channels by category and the “B” button lets you search by show or movie title. Pressing “SELECT” can be used when watching a channel to see if enhanced features such as Start Over, Look Back or On Demand are available.

If you’ve haven’t received the new Guide yet, newspaper advertisements will be placed just prior it being launched in your area. Customers with an email address listed on their TWC account will also receive an email notifying them when the Guide is coming. Whether your digital cables boxes have the Guide yet or not, you can visit twc.com/Guide to learn more about its changes and increased functionality.

Categories: Carolinas, Content Delivery, Cool Stuff, Digital Cable, New York City, Northeast, On Demand, Product Launches

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74 Responses to “We’ve Got a New, Updated Guide Coming to a Cable Box Near You”

Sick Of TWC
Aug 15, 2012
at 3:10 pm

What a “CROCK OF BUNK”!! The Start Over – Look Back feature worked before this freakin so called upgrade…but what kind of upgrade actually breaks the feature? Only with Time Warner Cable! What a load of crap! If you call them the service people will actually lie…then I they sent a techie to change the box..it still didn’t work. Just Ridiculous! Fios? Please come to my neck of the woods!
Larry
Aug 16, 2012
at 12:06 am

Absolutely unacceptable channel change speed, incredibly slow guide. Each “upgrade” kills performance even more (and yes, I have had TW check my box and the connection and they say it is A-OK).

When I go to the OnDemand channels it takes several minutes to load the stupid commercial video and I cant navigate through the shows until that loads.

I feel like I am living back in the days of Windows 95 on a 386 computer when I try look up anything in the guide.
Chris the Frustrated
Aug 16, 2012
at 12:17 pm

This comment is directed to Mr. Jeff Simmermon, who apparently works for TWC and reads these comments.

I have been with TWC for over 25 years and have seen it all.

TWC problems started when upper management decided they didn’t want to pay license fees for the excellent firmware that came with the various set top boxes. That firmware worked beautifully, and it was elegant, fast, and efficient code. As it should be.

So TWC hired the most “cost effective” people they could find to write new software. Ever since, TWC customers have suffered. We have suffered with lost functionality, snail slow response times, hard drives that fill up and crash. We have suffered with innumerable software updates pushed into our boxes in the middle of the night with not even a peep from TWC giving us notice or what was being fixed. And now we suffer with a new color scheme that may look good on an iPad or Android but looks horrible (IMHO) on a TV.

Mr. Simmermon, sometimes management just has to realize that if they want to play with the big boys like Slingbox, Hulu, Netflix and Roku, it’s going to cost them.

An IPad or Android or tablet is not a TV. So please don’t force feed customers one color scheme in the name of “consistency.” Consistency is great, say at a burger joint with golden arches, but not when you dealing with hand held devices and 60″ flat panel displays.

Here’s a simple example of TWC management missing the mark. When I’m fast forwarding through commercials, and I press PLAY because my program starts, the “brakes” don’t work and I end up skidding through my program. Then I have to rewind again to start from the beginning. This NEVER happened with the original firmware that came with my Pioneer box. But ever since TWC loaded their own firmware, it ALWAYS happens.

Mr. Simmermon, please tell TWC management to stick with their core business, cable TV. Leave the software and firmware to professionals. It may cost you a little on the bottom line, but your customer base will appreciate it.

And here’s a final tip: if TWC begins to provide a top quality product with speedy functionality that works and a eye pleasing user interface, may gain some market share instead of lose it.

Good luck trying to convince Mr. Glenn A. Britt, TWC’s Chairman and CEO. Maybe you should bring a few of these blog posts to the next board meeting so he can read them.
Tami Cox
Aug 17, 2012
at 3:56 pm

The cosmetics are horrible! I have MS and can’t even see what is on the guide. I am not the only one with medical conditions!!! Come on TWC! Focus on the inportant things! Our cable goes out at least once a month, I agree with the probs with the DVR.
John
Aug 18, 2012
at 7:02 pm

No new interface to be found here in Los Angeles! Why so slow TWC?
Marvin Morriss
Aug 20, 2012
at 5:26 pm

I dont see anything wrong with the guide the way it was.I pay alot for cable like everyone.we all watch the same old movies over and over for the last 15 years.This is bad.We pay big money for reruns.TWC says they have no control because they buy movies from another company.DUH!….we or twc should have control of what they show.Good deal for twc,they just buy whatever the company forces on them.That is just not good bussines.another thing is the package deals.we should be able to choose the channels we want and pay only for thoose channels.so what if there is all those channels under starz,cinemax and hbo they all play the same shows and we pay for all of them.Something has to be done about paying for reruns.I have told this to several tech’s before and just ignore me.I have been a loyal customer for along time and if things dont change soon,i will have to move along to another company.
USAF Chief Fox
Aug 21, 2012
at 8:02 am

I absolutely agree with AND have experienced what “Chris The Frustrated” posted on 16 August 2012. DO NOT CHANGE THE GUIDE!

There is one resource we have as continually unhappy, ignored TWC custimers. THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. File a complaint! It’s easy to do and you WILL get a response not only from them ( with continued follow up calls) but from the better TWC CS and techs. I had to do this and WILL SO AGAIN if they insist on mores cheap changes..
Mike
Aug 21, 2012
at 9:51 pm

Does anyone have any positive feedback?
michael marshall
Aug 22, 2012
at 11:58 am

Same old twc, high prices, poor service.
Sharon Pitstick
Aug 27, 2012
at 10:16 am

This new guide is absolutely horrible for my husband and myself. I have macular dgeneration and I cannot see white on a blue background! There simply is not enoough contrast. I could see the old TV guide perfetly. I am begging you to at least offer the option of being able to have the old yellow and black format back. I pay alot of money for cable and now cannot read the guide. I am not the only one-there are alot of people out there with macular degeneration & other visual problems that this blue & white will not work. PLEASE GIVE US BACK THE OLD FORMAT!! Sharon Pitstick
M. Hopp
Sep 09, 2012
at 7:37 pm

I have a problem seeing the black guide also. But more annoying is the fact that it takes forever to move up or down or across in the guide. Everything seems to freeze up. I went into the Time Warner store and got a new remote control. It seemed to work better at first. Now a few days later, the guide is freezing up again. I’m ready to quit Time Warner after many years of being happy with them. This new guide freezing up will probably give me a heart attack from the stress.
JoePit
Sep 10, 2012
at 5:52 pm

Every recent innovation from TWC seems to be worse than the last. This newest format takes the cake. We complained to TWC that the TV changes channels on its own; is slower than Ramadan; and looks like hell. A technician was scheduled to come out, but of course, never made it. One day I’m switching to ATT or Dish.
Victoria L Ley
Sep 10, 2012
at 7:51 pm

I used to be able to change the “color” sceme on the guide whenever I couldln’t read the item in “hightlight”. Not only have you taken that option from me, but now I am forced to get up and look directly at the screen, close-up, since I can’t see the lettering in turquoise/white, rather than the highlight really being highlighted by GOLD!…I’m sick of the “new changes” and higher prices. Please bring back the option of changing the color sceme whenever the CUSTOMER is wants, we’re not all in our early 20′s anymore.
catherine mick
Sep 11, 2012
at 6:17 pm

new format is terrible, how do I go back to the old format>
Nate G.
Sep 16, 2012
at 1:15 am

I can see how the new guide is difficult to read for some… I do not have any trouble reading it though.

As far as performance (i.e. response time for button pushes) it is noticeably faster. Especially the DVR controls react better than they have. NOW let’s just pray that the intermittent “unable to fast forward + freezing” issue does not randomly reappear!!!!! I don’t know if it’s a placebo effect, but I think the hard drive is now more efficiently space allocated. I swear it is saving more shows than it did before the update. Example: my 2 1/2hr Formula 1 program from a week ago is still there, where it normally is deleted by Wednesday. Could just be luck of the draw from this past week’s show schedule not filling up my DVR as fast.

I agree with what’s been said in the previous posts about software performance leaving lots to be desired. I pray this update solves the majority of the excruciatingly painful issues!

ALSO… please pull your head out of your arses and make HDNet (and HDNet movies) available again!!! Even if it’s available as a “premium” channel… I WOULD PAY EXTRA FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Tim Taylor
Sep 17, 2012
at 12:02 am

The update is an abomination. Time Warner Cable execs should be fired for allowing what is an archaic remote control/guide speed. There’s literally NOTHING improved about the “NEW” guide, unless you count infuriating input feedback from the remote. F U Time Warner. You absolutely suck, and every post divulging the impossibly bad update is SPOT ON.
Frustrated in Cincinnati
Sep 21, 2012
at 9:28 pm

Just found this site tonight. Have been going round and round with TWC about my new cable box. Actually, it has been replaced 3 times due to locking up while stepping through the channel guide. Tonight, the customer service person on CHAT finally gave me some good advice. He said that they have tried every thing that can be tried for me already and maybe I should switch to another provider. Thanks TWC! I guess I’ll take your advice.
Beth f
Sep 22, 2012
at 9:23 pm

I can only see my favorite channels on the guide–which is really annoying! and no clear way to change it back so that I can see all the channels. Just b/c they’re not my favorite doesn’t mean I don’t EVER want to know what else is on. I also have found the interface to be S L O W. it takes forever for the channel to register if you are scrolling through. Can you hire someone from apple to figure out an intuitive guide and operating system? Please!
MG
Sep 23, 2012
at 10:51 pm

I dislike the upgrade completely. My worst complaint is the amount of time it takes me to record a show or look through the guide. Everything freezes, including the show I am watching. It’s very frustrating. If its not broke, why fix it? And the fact that my bill went up 25 each month for two moths straight is ridiculous. I am considering dropping TWC as well. No one is willing to work with me to lower my bill. You should be ashamed.
Suggestion
Sep 25, 2012
at 8:14 pm

Call and request/demand nicely for a credit. I just got $15.00 credit for the horrible service/DVR problems, and they told me to call back again next month if it continues (which we all know it will unless something is done quickly). Hopefully enough people will demand credits/refunds that they are forced to address the issue sooner than later.
Joy
Sep 25, 2012
at 11:46 pm

I too am having problems with the guide freezing up, even with 2 new remotes that I recently exchanged . Very frustrating!
Jon
Sep 27, 2012
at 1:53 pm

The upgrade is a horror show. The software has gone from slow to unbelievably slow. You press a button and nothing happens and you’re not sure if you pressed or not. But the worst is the search function which has gone from slow to absolutely unusable. It is now slower then the worst dial up internet provider of 20 years ago.
JS
Sep 30, 2012
at 3:48 pm

All the comments are correct regarding the new interface:

1. The colors are terrible
2. The response time is way too slow. I have tried changing batteries in the remote as well as rebooting the cable box. Nothing seems to work.

Unfortunately FIOS is not here yet. But, I am so frustrated with Time Warner that I may be considering Direct or Dish.
Brian R
Sep 30, 2012
at 10:26 pm

My cable box is so slow after this upgrade and any button press takes literally minutes to go through. Ive replaced my box 3 times this year alone. The service is expensive and unacceptably poor. Fix my slow box please or im taking my money elsewhere, and it looks like im not alone. Do you even bother reading these?