I have been a DTVN customer since day one, and I really like it. I did the pre-pay when it first came out to get the Apple TV even though I already had one, so I gave the extra one to my mother because she was on a Gen. 3 ATV. I love being on the GoBig package for $35 with free HBO for life (as long as I never change my plan or cancel the service.) The picture is way better than cable, which obviously cable boxes STILL cannot broadcast in 1080p (1080i is the highest the TW|Spectrum boxes my grandparents and mother have) which is just utterly ridiculous in 2018. Think how long it will take cable to broadcast in 4k!!! I am beta testing as well, and I agree with everyone that the new guide interface is just not optimized at all.
1. When you try to scroll fast, like others have said, you sometimes lose the "highlighter" of which channel you are on and have to restart the guide...definitely needs to be fixed. The one good thing about the guide is obviously now you can see what is actually playing on each channel. For example, when you go on to ESPN, it now will tell you which teams are playing against each other and give a little description like "The #5 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2) take on the #8 ranked USC Trojans (11-2) in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic." It gives the summary of tv shows/movies as well, not just sports.
2. I have found it easier that if you want to scroll from say a channel that starts with "B" to "H" it is easier to use the side scroll on the Apple Remote to just skip through C-G channels to get to HBO say. It is WAY easier than trying to scroll through each channel at once.
3. Really, in my opinion, all they have to do with the guide is work on making it as fluid scrolling as the guide on the non-beta DTVN App. Everything else with the guide is pretty much okay with me, except they really need to implement a way to "go back" to the channel you were watching previously. I mean, just put a icon on the guide that allows a "go back" feature or do something with the remote, like a quick double click of the remote take you back to the previous channel. I am sure these developers/engineers can figure a way to add that.
EDIT: Thinking about it, I guess in a way it does have an icon because when you push "Menu" on the Apple Remote and the "Watch Now" interface comes on, it has nine of the latest channels you have watched, with the most recent ones being front and center and the ones watched the least you have to scroll over more to see. So it is definitely a quicker way than using the guide to scroll to the last channel you were on.
4. I am not having the issues that some of you are having with the DVR. When I record a show, it records it from the start, all the way to the finish. I have not experienced any early recording of the show that was on prior or any cutoffs before the show ends. That is beta software for you though! I agree with what many of you about the DVR not being ready for primetime yet as it has some big flaws still. When you record a series, it will literally record all the episodes that air (which that part is right) but then it will record any reruns. I am recording "Chain of Command" on NatGeo and when I went into my DVR tonight I had three of every episode which is just eating up my DVR space for zero reason. I put a bug report in about that, and I am sure many others have as well.
I really cannot think of much more as I am super tired, however, I do think AT&T/DTV will be able to get this polished up by LATE SPRING, not any earlier. Guide speed/fluidity and DVR are the major things that need to be fixed, in my not so important opinion. I am definitely staying with DTVN though, as I am saving about $75.00/month by ditching the cable box and home phone from TW|Spectrum and keeping the internet through them because I have no choice as in my condo building it is wired for Spectrum only AND Spectrum is the only internet provider in my city which is ridiculous. I pay Spectrum $70.00/month for 300/25 internet (only service I get from them) and obviously the $35.00/month for DTVN so $105.00 total vs. the $183.00 bill I was paying when I had cable/phone with then TW.
I will gladly take that $78.00/month, $936.00/yearly of savings and invest that in Apple products and what not, haha.
Edit #2: One thing that really has me mad is that in my area I have zero local channels. DTVN said they were rolling out in a lot of new markets this past fall 2017, well I did not get any. I know for a fact my local CBS station is available to stream as I can get it through CBS All Access, however, I am not paying them just to watch my local news which is garbage anyways. CBS All Access does have a tier with less commercials but I believe it is double what the "normal" tier is, which is $5.99 I believe. I am in a pretty big market, because I am in a city right on the New York State Thruway in-between Syracuse and Albany. It makes no sense to me that even Albany and Syracuse do not have local channels last time I checked. How are all you guys with local channels, I am curious how many of you get some, and how many get all. Thanks for any input on that!
Have a good one guys!
