Jack1000
03-17-2007, 02:25 PM
Guys,
I understand that Time Warner Cable over the course of the next several months will be upgrading its Passport Guide software to Navigator Software on all of its digital boxes. I have heard from inside sources that Time Warner for years has had to pay a leasing fee to Passport to run their software on Time Warner boxes. Well, it turns out that Time Warner doesn't want to do that anymore and is designing the new Navigator Guide "in house." This means that all features and functions will be streamlined and controlled by Time Warner Cable.
The other reason for the change is consolidation. Time Warner wants the boxes to be able to run additional features like caller-ID on TV, more interactive Video-On Demand Services, on-line polling, and several other services in the future.
This move has NOT been met with positive responses. Many customers are complaining that the new guide is slow and unresponsive, often requiring a reboot several times a day. Lincoln Nebraska, the first to get the new guide has fielded over 5000 complaints! It seems that most of the problems are related to the new DVR software being installed on the DVR boxes. The non-DVR boxes seem to be fairing a little better. But the overall change has not gone as well as expected. Some Time Warner Cable affiliates are delaying the upgrade a better version of the guide is released. I was scheduled to be upgraded in January, according to a letter from the company President. My box, a Pioneer, went through a series of number downloads between 4-5 am. But the upgrade didn't take. I still have Passport on my 5 year old digital box and am very happy with it.
I don't like the idea of Time Warner changing something that isn't broken! For those of you already with the new guide, how did the upgrade go for you? Did your cable box accept it ok? Is it good to unplug the box for about 10 minutes, plug it back in and allow the system to reboot if you have a problem with the upgrade?
What I am really looking for is, who or what determines when it is time to upgrade the boxes, and how long should the upgrade take for the customer?
Jack
I understand that Time Warner Cable over the course of the next several months will be upgrading its Passport Guide software to Navigator Software on all of its digital boxes. I have heard from inside sources that Time Warner for years has had to pay a leasing fee to Passport to run their software on Time Warner boxes. Well, it turns out that Time Warner doesn't want to do that anymore and is designing the new Navigator Guide "in house." This means that all features and functions will be streamlined and controlled by Time Warner Cable.
The other reason for the change is consolidation. Time Warner wants the boxes to be able to run additional features like caller-ID on TV, more interactive Video-On Demand Services, on-line polling, and several other services in the future.
This move has NOT been met with positive responses. Many customers are complaining that the new guide is slow and unresponsive, often requiring a reboot several times a day. Lincoln Nebraska, the first to get the new guide has fielded over 5000 complaints! It seems that most of the problems are related to the new DVR software being installed on the DVR boxes. The non-DVR boxes seem to be fairing a little better. But the overall change has not gone as well as expected. Some Time Warner Cable affiliates are delaying the upgrade a better version of the guide is released. I was scheduled to be upgraded in January, according to a letter from the company President. My box, a Pioneer, went through a series of number downloads between 4-5 am. But the upgrade didn't take. I still have Passport on my 5 year old digital box and am very happy with it.
I don't like the idea of Time Warner changing something that isn't broken! For those of you already with the new guide, how did the upgrade go for you? Did your cable box accept it ok? Is it good to unplug the box for about 10 minutes, plug it back in and allow the system to reboot if you have a problem with the upgrade?
What I am really looking for is, who or what determines when it is time to upgrade the boxes, and how long should the upgrade take for the customer?
Jack