I am a little OCD, so I expect a few "waste of time" posts... but I will proceed anyway...
There are a bunch of little things that I would like to see on the Directv on-screen guide. I much prefer the current guide over any guide I have seen, but I think these are some needed although minor improvements:
1. Logos.
Put logos in the guide. The colored icons break up the monotony and i think it would make it easier to read. I think it would make it easier to find channels. Keep them up to date, and add the missing ones, including AM21 subchannels. Make it look like the guide online, 2 rows. Show 5 channels at once, but dont repeat the last one when you page up/down. At least make it an option to turn on/off. This would also make it easier to know what locals are which. It is surprising that people don't realize that W/Kxxx is CBS, Fox, etc. The logo might help.
2. Remove HD in the channel name
Move the HD out of the name and put it next to the channel number I would use the "HD" indicator that is used next to shows. It looks cluttered the way it is now.
3. "Upcoming:"
It should never say "upcoming: pregame". That does not help anyone. Re-name the "Pregame" to "---- @ ------ pregame" or something - make some indication of what the upcoming program (usually game) is.
Gray out the "upcoming" message, in other words, make it look like how the DNS channels look to most people. That way, you can still see it, but it isn't the first thing that catches your eye. It makes the current programming stand out more than the upcoming.
For example: 645 and 645-1 are FS Carolinas. Usually, it says
Upcoming: Pregame
I would like to see
Upcoming: Hurricanes @ Rangers pregame (grayed out)
Then, when the game is actually on, have it in white so it's easier to see that it's live.
4. 1.5 vs. 3 hours
A lot of folks to come from Dish whine about the 1.5 hours in the guide. Why not make it an option? I dont care, personally, but why not make more people happy?
5. AM21
I think the channels in the AM21 should look the same as the others. I dont mind the -1, etc, but WRALDT2 is too much jibberish. WRAL2 is fine. Or THIS/METV/TCN, etc... Something that is readable! For the 500th time, update the database, get rid of 2 DMA info limitations, allow all AM21s to scan. It can't be that hard.
6. Format
Allow for specific-channel formatting. For example: I have my receivers set to pillar box because stretching to fill a screen out of aspect ratio should be illegal. However, there are some channels, usually locals, that are SD 16x9. WGHP2 is an example, locally. Now, it smushes the picture into the middle of the screen, including the pillar bars that WGHP adds to the prgramming (on 8-2, their local news, displaced Fox Saturday football, and some commercials are 16x9). I have to manually change it to stretch or something. I would like some setting somewhere to always display certain channels in proper aspect ratio. (example: set 8-2 to "original format," set 5-2 to "pillar box," and set 374 to "crop" to satisfy the specific channels broadcast style. "Just scan" doesn't work if the channel doesn't flag itself as 16x9. (This would all be solved if all channels are consistent, but that's another discussion altogether). 293 shows up correctly SD 16x9. Somehow, the few other non-4x3 SD channels should be able to, as well.
7. Update all the extras
On-demand triangles, HD indicator, etc are sometimes inconstant. Figure out why and fix it.
8. Favorites lists
Allow more favorites lists. Put locals in the filters (there is news, sports, etc on locals, too!). "All channels" should do just that - show all (HD and SD duplicate) channels. "Channels I get" can get rid of SD duplicates.
9. Banners
On/off option. Man, the banners are stupid. I wouldn't even mind the PPV banners if they were attached to ch. 1100. I would probably add them there, just for reference. The PPV in the 100s is annoying, so I have it all hidden, but I wouldn't mind it all listed somewhere else.
That's my rambling for today. Have fun, everyone.
There are a bunch of little things that I would like to see on the Directv on-screen guide. I much prefer the current guide over any guide I have seen, but I think these are some needed although minor improvements:
1. Logos.
Put logos in the guide. The colored icons break up the monotony and i think it would make it easier to read. I think it would make it easier to find channels. Keep them up to date, and add the missing ones, including AM21 subchannels. Make it look like the guide online, 2 rows. Show 5 channels at once, but dont repeat the last one when you page up/down. At least make it an option to turn on/off. This would also make it easier to know what locals are which. It is surprising that people don't realize that W/Kxxx is CBS, Fox, etc. The logo might help.
2. Remove HD in the channel name
Move the HD out of the name and put it next to the channel number I would use the "HD" indicator that is used next to shows. It looks cluttered the way it is now.
3. "Upcoming:"
It should never say "upcoming: pregame". That does not help anyone. Re-name the "Pregame" to "---- @ ------ pregame" or something - make some indication of what the upcoming program (usually game) is.
Gray out the "upcoming" message, in other words, make it look like how the DNS channels look to most people. That way, you can still see it, but it isn't the first thing that catches your eye. It makes the current programming stand out more than the upcoming.
For example: 645 and 645-1 are FS Carolinas. Usually, it says
Upcoming: Pregame
I would like to see
Upcoming: Hurricanes @ Rangers pregame (grayed out)
Then, when the game is actually on, have it in white so it's easier to see that it's live.
4. 1.5 vs. 3 hours
A lot of folks to come from Dish whine about the 1.5 hours in the guide. Why not make it an option? I dont care, personally, but why not make more people happy?
5. AM21
I think the channels in the AM21 should look the same as the others. I dont mind the -1, etc, but WRALDT2 is too much jibberish. WRAL2 is fine. Or THIS/METV/TCN, etc... Something that is readable! For the 500th time, update the database, get rid of 2 DMA info limitations, allow all AM21s to scan. It can't be that hard.
6. Format
Allow for specific-channel formatting. For example: I have my receivers set to pillar box because stretching to fill a screen out of aspect ratio should be illegal. However, there are some channels, usually locals, that are SD 16x9. WGHP2 is an example, locally. Now, it smushes the picture into the middle of the screen, including the pillar bars that WGHP adds to the prgramming (on 8-2, their local news, displaced Fox Saturday football, and some commercials are 16x9). I have to manually change it to stretch or something. I would like some setting somewhere to always display certain channels in proper aspect ratio. (example: set 8-2 to "original format," set 5-2 to "pillar box," and set 374 to "crop" to satisfy the specific channels broadcast style. "Just scan" doesn't work if the channel doesn't flag itself as 16x9. (This would all be solved if all channels are consistent, but that's another discussion altogether). 293 shows up correctly SD 16x9. Somehow, the few other non-4x3 SD channels should be able to, as well.
7. Update all the extras
On-demand triangles, HD indicator, etc are sometimes inconstant. Figure out why and fix it.
8. Favorites lists
Allow more favorites lists. Put locals in the filters (there is news, sports, etc on locals, too!). "All channels" should do just that - show all (HD and SD duplicate) channels. "Channels I get" can get rid of SD duplicates.
9. Banners
On/off option. Man, the banners are stupid. I wouldn't even mind the PPV banners if they were attached to ch. 1100. I would probably add them there, just for reference. The PPV in the 100s is annoying, so I have it all hidden, but I wouldn't mind it all listed somewhere else.
That's my rambling for today. Have fun, everyone.
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