New Look Back Feature

[Islandguy43]

Coming to a TWC system near you.

Time Warner Cable lets subscribers view shows they couldn't watch live up to three days later | ZDNet

 

[mike123abc]

But, you have to watch commercials, no fast forward available.

 

[shaun-ohio]

yep it sucks no ff or rewind

 

[jayn_j]

yep it sucks no ff or rewind

Kinda see it as too little too late.

It might be a nice idea for someone who doesn't have a DVR, but most of these shows are already on demand where the ff/rew works. In addition, anything on a cable channel is very likely to have another showing in a day or so that can be recorded.

I've tried the start over feature a few times. Often it kicks me back to an SD feed. Even if it doesn't the lack of DVR controls is a killer for me.

 

[Steve Mehs]

It might be a nice idea for someone who doesn't have a DVR, but most of these shows are already on demand where the ff/rew works. In addition, anything on a cable channel is very likely to have another showing in a day or so that can be recorded.

Look Back has been available here for a few weeks now. I've been going through the channels, a few at a time when I think about it and off the top of my head, TW has Countdown w/ Olberman and Rachael Maddow available on Look Back on MSNBC. Not sure if those shows are repeated a few hours later, since I don't watch MSNBC but I know they're not On Demand. I suppose it could be useful for something like these shows. I use Start Over quite a few times. Nice feature to have, I think!

 

[Islandguy43]

But, you have to watch commercials, no fast forward available.

On some of the VOD they are disabling the FF functions too. At least they are only sticking in network commericals like NBC on 30 rock VOD. I only use that if I forget to DRV a show. The DVR still sucks compared to Dish, but the HD offering IMHO is superior.

 

[fayrich]

This to me seems to be a totally redundant feature. It is only now just getting set up to go in the Cleveland area, but from what I see of it, it is just another way of seeing what is already available on "on demand". But very much limited. Also from what I see, it will only be available on channels that have the "start over" feature. A total waste of time if you ask me.

 

[jayn_j]

This to me seems to be a totally redundant feature. It is only now just getting set up to go in the Cleveland area, but from what I see of it, it is just another way of seeing what is already available on "on demand". But very much limited. Also from what I see, it will only be available on channels that have the "start over" feature. A total waste of time if you ask me.

Aimed at folks who can't figure out how to find "on-demand" or possibly going to replace it with the drain-bed version.

 

[Islandguy43]

It is a pain at times too, seeing this press select for enhanced tv. I know how to get it if I want and don't need to be reminded.

 

[Steve Mehs]

On some of the VOD they are disabling the FF functions too. At least they are only sticking in network commericals like NBC on 30 rock VOD. I only use that if I forget to DRV a show. The DVR still sucks compared to Dish, but the HD offering IMHO is superior.

Part of the new agreement with Disney allows TW to finally have ABC and Disney programming avalable on demand but with FFW disabled. Nothing I've watched On Demand so far in the 4 1/2 years I've been back with Time Warner has FFW disabled with excpetion of the test I just did with ABC HD on Demand a few minutes ago.

As for the DVR, I'm not picky, I just want the damn thing to work, that's it. Not all this extra crap people on here generally want. My old POS Dish DVRs sucked. They missed recordings more often than not and had a habit of rebooting themselves at random. I went through about 3 or 4 of them. When through about 8 DirecTiVos (four on each TV) hoping to escape the well documented 'Loss of color' bug that my DirecTV installers said didn't exist. When I first got the 8300HD I fell in love! It was the best DVR I've ever used. SARA looked like something out of the '80s but who the hell cares! Really, I just want the damn thing to record stuff and be able to watch TV without too much difficulty. You know, do what a DVR was designed for. Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, TW releases Navigator which is just too damn cool! Lots of new features that I don't really care about, but enhance the overall experience. Now with Remote DVR here and Multiroom DVR on the way things are really coming along. Things only got better in the Summer when I replaced my 8240HDC with the new Cisco 8640HDC. I love this thing! My uncle, the only person I know personally who still has Dish Network, has 2 722s, he can't stand them, and I personally hate those things. That's a terrible piece of electronics right there. So far I've gotten people to ditch the dish and I reffered them to Time Warner Cable service. But I just can't get my uncle to switch back, no matter how hard I try. Time Warner's DVR just friggen rocks!!!

This to me seems to be a totally redundant feature. It is only now just getting set up to go in the Cleveland area, but from what I see of it, it is just another way of seeing what is already available on "on demand". But very much limited. Also from what I see, it will only be available on channels that have the "start over" feature. A total waste of time if you ask me.

I already posted, not everything that's available on Look Back is available On Demand. And to say it's 'only available on Start Over channels' is a big only. There are now a ton of channels with Start Over enabled and quite a few of the HD channels have it too now. Hell, History International HD was just added here a few weeks ago and that's Start Over enabled.

It is a pain at times too, seeing this press select for enhanced tv. I know how to get it if I want and don't need to be reminded.

It was exactly 4 years ago to the day, November 10 2006 that TW launched Start Over in the Rochester franchise. Along with San Antonio and Charlotte we were the initial test market for it. I honestly can't say I even notice the pop up any more. Never found it annoying at the beginning and still don't.

 

[fayrich]

Well Steve, apparently you have a hell of a lot more "start over" channels in your area than we have here. Plus didn't mention in my previous post how badly their apparent setting up of this "look back" feature is f***ing up all of the channels. Was so bad last night on ABC that I had to go to my OTA antenna set-up to watch our Thurs. night shows!

 

[Steve Mehs]

Yeah we have a lot of Start Over enabled channels. I tried to count them but lost track, considering most if not all of the premium movie channels have Start Over, I'd have to say there are well over 100 of them. Most of the HD channels are Start Over now as well too. Some of them depend on the programming. For instance on Fox News, Fox News Live isn't, but Hannity is. All in all between SD and HD channels, rough estimate, I'd say about 200 total channels are Start Over enabled on the system. No problems here tuning to any channel since Look Back started.

 

[fayrich]

Did you have signal problems with your TW as they were adding the "look back" feature Steve? It has become absolutely terrible here. So bad that it has got me to thinking of throwing the cable out. Last night while trying to watch Dexter on Showtime, the "start over" prompt must have popped up about a hundred times during that hour. The audio and video glitches have become almost unbearable. For the major network shows I frequently have to go to my OTA antenna and set-top box to be able to watch our favorite shows. Don't know if it would even be worth my while to call and complain.

 

[Islandguy43]

Did you have signal problems with your TW as they were adding the "look back" feature Steve? It has become absolutely terrible here. So bad that it has got me to thinking of throwing the cable out. Last night while trying to watch Dexter on Showtime, the "start over" prompt must have popped up about a hundred times during that hour. The audio and video glitches have become almost unbearable. For the major network shows I frequently have to go to my OTA antenna and set-top box to be able to watch our favorite shows. Don't know if it would even be worth my while to call and complain.

I would call and complain and remind them there are other options than just them.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Actually I can't even pin point the date Look Back was added here. All I know is one day a few weeks ago I noticed the usual 'Press Select to Start Over' was replaced with 'Press Select for Enhanced TV' and that's when I noticed it. There have been no problems to speak of recently and, aside from two times, that were my fault, I have not had any signal issues with TW period since I've been back with them.

Maybe something happened to your signal that just happen to coincide with the launch of Look Back in your area. I would call them up and have them do a truck roll to make sure all your levels are good. Do you have internet or phone service with them as well, and if so do you have any issues with those?

Not that it would matter since you're in NEO, a few hundred miles away from my cable headend in Rochester, but I DVR Dexter, but not live as I have too many other things going on, I record it Wednesdays on Showtime Too HD, so I can't comment on Dexter last night.

 

[IPAonTAP]

I have had the press select for enhanced tv for a few weeks now, every time I press select while this is showing, nothing happens. Am I missing something?

 

[fayrich]

All was good last night and so far today. Seems to be an intermittant problem. Still think it has something to do with them working on the look-back feature. Maybe they are done now (hopefully). Also noticed on one of these posts that ABC had been added to "On Demand". I looked and sure enough it was there on the SD version. But not on the HD version. Looked again today and still not there. Wonder why and if it will be added in the future. Now if only they would get Fox too.