When I first heard about the mix channels & interactive weather I was pleased. I remember we also had interactive weather channel before too (492)
I played with my moms Dish Network 6 way mix channel during the election. It was pretty cool. The thing is Directs mix channels fall way short of Dishs.
While I like the idea of the mix channels, the audio options blow. On my D10 recievers I have to hit menu & then cycle through audio options 1-9 to hear each screen. The thing is that you have to even get into the menu function & the menu screen is on top of the mix channels! What good does that do?
With my Tivo I have to hit info, then scroll down to audio & then cycle through English1-9 The same thing with an even bigger menu screen covering the mix channels. Basically for me it's either watch them or listen & not be able to see.
When Dish did their mix channels all you did was use your keypad to highlight a box around that channel & the audio automatically came through. It was a MUCH better, simpler, quicker approach.
Also, I think if you highlight a screen & get the audio to change to that station it would be cool to be able to hit 'ok" or "select" & the TV would Jump to that regular channel. Yeah it makes me sound lazy but that would be a nice feature. Almost like when you click OK or select in the guide & it jumps to that channel.
Anyway I called Direct & asked them how easy it would be to allow users to do that. She said it was something that could be done as far as from a setup/software standpoint. I explained how the mix channels are a good idea but far too cumbersome to make useful. It's easier to just punch in ch.202 or ch.360 than it is to open up a menu of audio options. I told her I'd rather have another "real" channel or two added instead of mix channels that are to involved to be useful. She said my suggestions sounded like good ideas & would forward them on to develepers or something along those lines. She added if enough people want something changed we might be able to get it done. So I guess if you want easier to use Mix Channels (I do) that would actually be useful then call & tell them. With the big tragedy in Asia it would be nice to see Newsworld Int. added to the mix & be able to cycle sound to that small screen easily & instantly. Then if you say Fox has the best coverage of it just hit OK or select & be taken there.
I don't want to sound like I don't aprreciate Direct's effort. I just want to be be functional in the easy way most Direct stuff is.
I played with my moms Dish Network 6 way mix channel during the election. It was pretty cool. The thing is Directs mix channels fall way short of Dishs.
While I like the idea of the mix channels, the audio options blow. On my D10 recievers I have to hit menu & then cycle through audio options 1-9 to hear each screen. The thing is that you have to even get into the menu function & the menu screen is on top of the mix channels! What good does that do?
With my Tivo I have to hit info, then scroll down to audio & then cycle through English1-9 The same thing with an even bigger menu screen covering the mix channels. Basically for me it's either watch them or listen & not be able to see.
When Dish did their mix channels all you did was use your keypad to highlight a box around that channel & the audio automatically came through. It was a MUCH better, simpler, quicker approach.
Also, I think if you highlight a screen & get the audio to change to that station it would be cool to be able to hit 'ok" or "select" & the TV would Jump to that regular channel. Yeah it makes me sound lazy but that would be a nice feature. Almost like when you click OK or select in the guide & it jumps to that channel.
Anyway I called Direct & asked them how easy it would be to allow users to do that. She said it was something that could be done as far as from a setup/software standpoint. I explained how the mix channels are a good idea but far too cumbersome to make useful. It's easier to just punch in ch.202 or ch.360 than it is to open up a menu of audio options. I told her I'd rather have another "real" channel or two added instead of mix channels that are to involved to be useful. She said my suggestions sounded like good ideas & would forward them on to develepers or something along those lines. She added if enough people want something changed we might be able to get it done. So I guess if you want easier to use Mix Channels (I do) that would actually be useful then call & tell them. With the big tragedy in Asia it would be nice to see Newsworld Int. added to the mix & be able to cycle sound to that small screen easily & instantly. Then if you say Fox has the best coverage of it just hit OK or select & be taken there.
I don't want to sound like I don't aprreciate Direct's effort. I just want to be be functional in the easy way most Direct stuff is.
