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.

[starchoice]

@Optik-Kate, I guess you haven't seen my post on "restart". Seems like getting the existing features working should supercede developing "enhancements".

Restart/Resume Not Working 

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@Optik-Kate wrote:

• Enhanced Restart and Lookback Logic: Enjoy seamless transitions between Restart and Lookback programs for uninterrupted viewing.

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By the way, I had my third technician visit tonight trying to solve the problem with no success. Does the development team just come up with an idea which is executed by a development team? Where is the technical support when it's not working? These problems and glitches appear to be beyond the scope of your technicians.

[Timmah2]

Is there an ETA when the closed caption size issue will be fixed. Doesn't matter the setting they are huge and white on black.

[TELUS_Support]

We don't have a timeline on this specific issue, but our team's aware and will have an update asap.

[Optikal_Speak]

How about recording issues?

No way to extend time unless you record the proceeding program that has nothing to do with what you actually want to record. Gets even more ridiculous (stupid) with series recording. 

Speaking of...series recording requires you to choose first run and reruns otherwise it will not set series on first run only, which renders that radio button selection useless period!

Coupled with the 90 day auto delete restrictions, fun fact, if you didn't have it record every bloody run of the program series it would not  consume a 1000%+ more space....duh!

Can you guys get it together once and for all? 

This **** is brutal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Optikal_Speak]

I see my cr(o)p word choice was autoflag edited (****). 

S'pose I'll get banned now? No worries will be looking for alternate provider soon. 

The old adage..."better the devil you know"...time to test it. 

[TELUS_Support]

Which specific programs or types of programs are you trying to auto extend?

[Optikal_Speak]

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver always cuts off 3-4 mins before end. The preceding program and trailers are seemingly always eating up 7-10 mins of the recording start. 

Otherwise anything you schedule requires selecting first run and reruns option or it says no programs scheduled. 

Everything about recording is a real pain. Never used to be!

[TELUS_Support]

Thanks. We've forwarded your info off to our team, and will advise when we hear back.

[RCrow]

I thought I would add my $0.02...

Previously I lived in a rural location with Shaw Direct. I could go into a recording and set the time before and after to record a program. I could set football games to record 30 minutes after incase the game went into overtime.

I realize that would be a bit of work to add to the Telus box but even if recordings start exactly 1 minute before and 1 minute after the show time would be a good temporary fix.

[TELUS_Support]

Thanks for the feedback. We'll pass it on to our Optik team for sure.

[Pete1161]

While on the topic on every other  PVR I have previously used there is always the option to select how many recordings to keep.  Because I normally record news type programs I only want to keep the latest episode.  I have found that once the number of recordings gets too large it slows down bringing up the recording list on the Apple TV.  Before there was the option to delete multiple recordings I had 150 episodes of some shows.  I would imagine this takes up a lot of space on the Telus side as well.  I now go and delete recordings every few days but this is kind of a pain - it would be much easier  to have the cloud PVR limit the recordings to a user specific amount.  Thanks

[Optikal_Speak]

Managing recordings is the least concern at this point. 

From my perspective, not the least bit interested in recording reruns neither. 

Having the function to choose the option is fine.

The fact is the option to choose 

• first run only   

does not work. When selected it doesn't recognize the program's schedule whether it's daily or weekly broadcast. 

Requires one to default to the 

• first run and reruns 

hence, adds to the cleanup maintenance and more specifically eats up unnecessary storage space.

[Optikal_Speak]

 

[Rocky3]

I see you get duplicates recoding on the same day as well. Yes I have found many reruns are treated as first run.

Now just checking scheduled and recorded Tracker just started with one recorded show of new season. Is this a spring break delay and it shows no scheduled in next 12 days. We shall see

Other shows as well 

[Optikal_Speak]

Another recording gremlin... Unbelievable!

I have a series recording for Pat McAfee Show on TSN 901. It's often preempted by other sports events. Yet occasionally it broadcasts on another channel TSN 904. 

Would be convenient (asking too much?) for it to record on "any channel" (ala "anytime once per day").

And to add to the frustration (madness) when you try manually setting a one time record on the alternate channel (i.e outside the Scheduled Series Reording) it responds 'Recording cannot be set"

Brutal!

[TELUS_Support]

Additionally, on the new Optik platform live sporting events are auto extended already (60 minutes for all live sports events, 90 minutes for tennis).

[Optikal_Speak]

 Unfortunately, one minute pre/post recording will not cut it for a lot of programs. 

[Optikal_Speak]

Here's another recording one to ponder. 

I have a series recording for Pardon The Interruption on TSN. 902. It's a 30 minute program.

Interestingly, it commences 2 and 1/2 mins prior to and ends 1 hr after program is over. Total recorded time is 1h 32m.

Not complaining, just saying, as I can't set any start/end parameters as you know.

Pointing out as an example, as it appears programmable start/end parameters are not a difficult, upgradable function. Worth checking into, as to,  the how/why it's automatic for this particular program, channel and/or timeslot?

Have not noticed on any other scheduled recordings.

[KHR]

All recordings have 2 mins added pre and post, live sports have 60 mins added past the scheduled end time (90 minutes for tennis). It looks like PTI is flagged as a live sports event by our guide data provider, so 1h32 tracks.

Programmable start and end times at a global level are relatively easier; at the individual user level they are somewhat more complicated. As such, the team does try to proactively identify shows that historically run long (Golden Globes, Oscars etc.) and add post-time. We also retroactively add post-padding to unforeseen overruns (SNL 50th anniversary special).

[Optikal_Speak]

Thanks for the reply and insight on that score. 

Re your comment: "Programmable start and end times at a global level are relatively easier; at the individual user level they are somewhat more complicated."

Is there any development consideration, either in play or future contemplation of, for user customization of programmable start and end times, à la the Legacy PVR functionality?

If so, any ETA on update of same?