TELUS TV Feature Updates - Ongoing

[Optik-Kate]

Dear Neighbours, 

We’re experimenting with different formats to assure you we’re listening and working on improvements to the TELUS TV platforms. We have frequent releases designed to tackle the platform's immediate and long-term stability, and we’ll do our best to keep this thread up to date with each new release to celebrate our wins together.

Please note this is not an exhaustive list; minor customer-facing fixes and non-customer-facing backend work are not included. 

Q4 2024: (note: had to remove previous updates due to character limits on post)

• Zoetrope Previews: See exactly where you're skipping on Live TV, recordings, and On-Demand. Enjoy fullscreen previews when fast-forwarding or rewinding, so you never lose your place. (Thumbnail preview coming soon)
• Fast Forward and Rewind Speeds: Control your scrolling speed with ease:
  • 1x: Scroll at 2x speed.
  • 2x: Scroll at 8x speed.
  • 3x: Scroll at 24x speed.
• Picture Quality Improvements: Most non-sports channels now stream in 1080p (high-definition) for sharper images, with a backup at 720p. Sports channels now uses 720p at 60 frames per second (fps) to keep fast-moving content smooth and prevent display issues—further picture quality improvements to come.
• Recovery After Internet Outage: Your digital box will now automatically resume live TV content as soon as the internet connection is restored.
• Improved Guide on Apple TV: Navigate your TV Guide effortlessly with enhanced performance and no freezing issues.
• Automatic Playback for Recordings: Binge-watch your recorded content with ease as the next recording in your playlist automatically starts playing—no need to press a button!
• Enhanced Restart and Lookback Logic: Enjoy seamless transitions between Restart and Lookback programs for uninterrupted viewing.

Q3 2024:

• Bulk Delete for Recordings: You can now delete multiple recorded episodes simultaneously, making managing your recordings easier.
• Episode List Access: When playing a recorded episode, you can see a list of all other episodes from the same series directly in the player.
• Binge-Watching Made Easy: Enjoy seamless binge-watching of recorded episodes, as they now play sequentially without any interruptions.
• Order Cloud PVR Directly: You can now order Cloud PVR service directly from your set-top box for added convenience.
• Start from the Beginning: Easily start recordings and VOD (Video on Demand) content from the beginning, even if you joined late!

Regards,

Your Friendly Neighbourhood TV Product Development Team.

[Rocky3]

My condolences to those that have 15 year old equipement that works being retired. Of course they have had the option to update and chose not to. 

Coincidentally I received my Telus bill today and was reminded I have multiple discounts which were used to gain my subscription and which will expire in 1-1/2 years. Just saying.

[kjb5000]

Again - just fix the picture quality please. That’s probably the most disheartening disappointment of the new system.

[Montell]

Yes I'm generally ok with the new system (I did complain in this thread or the other one we don't get free previews like MLB extra innings still, yet my parents do on the old optik, seems like an easy fix but unresolved yet, not sure why customers don't get free previews on this platform ever).

I use the app mostly on my nvidia shield (that to me is the future, the app working well on fire stick, apple tv, android, anything the customer has) but I do agree the picture should be an easy fix, I'm hardwired and using fibre and it looks like the new system is bitrate starved compared to the old optik system on fibre and there's more compression. I have been on the system for a year and it's still the same (4k looks fine but regular HD looks worse). That's probably the number one complaint is picture and also likely one of the top things customers look for with a cable provider.

[kjb5000]

That was like me in the fall - I never received the free preview of NHL Centre Ice

But yeah pic quality is very sub par

[broadcastguy]

This is my biggest beef with the TELUS service overall. The only channels that have looked exceptional are the 4K channels, because they’re getting the bandwidth they deserve. The HD channels have always been inferior to Shaw/Shaw Direct. I visit my parents and always notice immediately that their picture quality is superior.

With TELUS, they’ve always catered to the lowest common denominator (the DSL customers) and encoded the channels at a lower bitrate. I thought fibre customers would eventually get what Verizon FiOS customers have experienced since they launched their TV over fibre product in 2006, offering HD at about 17 Mbps. I believe TELUS encodes at about 5 Mbps tops, but that may have changed.

Anyway, best of luck to customers on the new platform going forward!

[kjb5000]

I honestly don’t even think the 4k channels in the new platform are getting the bandwidth they deserve.

[broadcastguy]

That doesn’t surprise me. I was referring to 4K on the older 4K boxes. I’m still using the Arris equipment I obtained in 2016.

[kjb5000]

Ah. I find the older Optik fine especially the 4k
But this new stuff … no bueno

[bimmerdriver]

It makes no sense for the 4K channels to not be given copious amounts of bandwidth. After all, even the lowest tier of fibre has lots of bandwidth and many people are on higher tiers with massive amounts of bandwidth. I think no one would object if a single 4K channel used much more bandwidth, as long as it was rendered properly by the equipment.

[PaulB_]

What do customers with owned 330 boxes do when the Optik TV is phased out?

[A-B]

If/when anything such as that occurs, we'll be sure to let all of our customers know!

[Dave68]

When will we be able to see and use profiles? I did get a chance to set up a couple of profiles but have never been able to use them or find out where to access them.

[KHR]

Hi @Dave68 

Profiles are live in the TELUS TV+ app and on the TELUS TV Digital Box. If you've set them up, the first screen that you get when you power on the set-top box or launch the app should be a profile selector (see image from iOS). A few details about how profiles work:

1. they each have their own unique list of recordings (set, watch, edit recordings independently of other profiles)

2. they each have their own unique watch list with bookmarks (you can pick up where you left off independently of other profiles)

3. Recommendations are profile-specific so they depend on viewership history within the profile

4. Favourite channels/series and movies are profile-specific

5. Maturity rating filters are profile-specific

6. Purchase PINs are set at the Admin profile level and apply to all profiles 

7. On Demand purchases are available across all profiles (but may not show up or be playble depending on the maturity filters applied. For example, an 18+ movie will not show in a Kids profile)

It's worth noting that profiles are not supported if you have legacy Optik TV equipment; 4K PVRs and 4K wireless digital boxes.

[Dave68]

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately I do not receive this screen either on the TELUS TV+ app or on the TELUS TV Digital Box when they first start up.

[viperdiablo1]

Until you setup another profile the Telus tv app and digital box will automatically boot into the admin (default) profile. You would not get a profile selection screen. When on main menu screen the profile logo is top right of screen. If you click on that (mine by default was a butterfly logo ) , you will see an option to add profile. Once another profile is created when you turn on digital box or Telus tv app you will get the option to select the profile to use.

Hope this helps.

Get Outlook for iOS

[Dave68]

I already setup two profiles. I also do not have a profile icon on the app.

Thanks,

Dave

[KHR]

There might be something strange going on with your account that a technical support agent might need to resolve if you're not seeing profiles on your devices.

[Dave68]

Here is a screenshot of the app

[viperdiablo1]

Sorry I was thinking you were talking about the Telus tv app on tv not phone. None the less on the Telus app on my iPhone I have the profile icon bottom far right next to the recordings option . Not sure if you are using Android phone or maybe need to update app if on iPhone.

Get Outlook for iOS

[viperdiablo1]

Just started using the Telus tv app on appletv . Is there no previous channel option ? I know it’s on the Telus android box and the android tv app. Seems ridiculous to have to scroll through every channel ( even unsubscribed) in the live guide to go back to a previous Channel.