Bright House update in need of fine-tuning

They claim the update was necessary for them to get the bandwidth they need for more HD channels. So now that the software update is finally done, let's see how long it takes them to add enough national HD channels to compete with Dish and DirecTV. I can live with a few quirks if it gets me more HD content. But, it had better be quick, at least a press release saying what HD channels will be added on what date, or I'm switching to satellite.

BTW, Orange and Seminole counties should be thankful that they waited to "upgrade" you. Those of us in Brevard got slammed a couple months ago. It's been ugly. But, one helpful comment: Keep rebooting the box every few days when you have 15 minutes to spare for a reboot! There have been a couple software fixes that get applied apparently only when the boxes reboot.

There are some new HD channels that are being added. Directv and Dish use MPEG-4 which takes much less bandwidth. Next generation Cable boxes from Cisco can support MPEG-4 but it will force everybody to get a new box if Brighthouse wants to use MPEG-4. The next generation boxes do run Mystro ODN much better. They can even render Mystro in Widescreen. I don't work for them but Mystro does support SDV which allows for more HD channels.

Have had Bright House (nee Time/Warner) for 20 years, no problem.
This has been my experience today with the upgrade:
My box was down when I turned it on this morning at 6AM. It just keeps recycling Mystro every 5 minutes or so. Called them at 6:15AM and they said wait until 7:30AM. Talked to them again at 7:35 and said it "flashed" on their PC screen it would be longer. So I left the box on all day. Get home at 6 this evening and still the McSame. This time I waited 25 minutes on hold. When I explained it had been all day, and she said she knew and that was what all the other calls were about. I asked how much longer and she couldn't say. I asked to be refunded a days service on my next bill; after 5 minutes clearing it with her manager she got the OK to do that credit. So definitely start asking for your money back if you get this problem.
Whatever you do, don't take it out on the Customer Service person...they're going through hell too, all due to the ineptitude of Bright House management. 9:59PM and still no TV. Bummed.

Another way to get HD is to upgrade the network to 1 GHz. Eventually 3 GHz may also be on the table. 1 GHz would require new boxes but it could offer a ton of bandwidth. I also know that getting rid of analog cable is another good way to add more HD. They can also add more Internet bandwidth. Phone bandwidth can be added. I could see brighthouse deleting expanded analog or get rid of it all together.

A few companies have made DTA's which are cheap and very simple cable boxes for analog cable subscribers to still get their shows without having a more fully featured digital box. Also they could put it new traps and not encrypt the digital channel. A lot of new TV's have a clearQAM tuner that can get unencrypted digital channels. New traps would be needed so that people won't abuse the system. It's possible for more HD. TWC and BHN are getting more HD though it might take time. The things that I have mentioned are great steps they can take. Some might not like losing analog but if it can get us more HD and better internet would be great.

Mystro is ok but still they should improve it. There will be improvements later on. I highly recommend getting new box if you had it for several years. I've had it and I have gotten used to it. I still prefer a version of Passport that offers all the features TWC offers. Still missing some key Passport features.

tom wrote:

bob, if it's not too late, don't get that box!

Too late BH installed it yesterday. I watched my first baseball game last night in HD, it was unbelievable. It is different from my old DVR box, and we'll see if I start having problems.

We have made the decision to pull the plug on Brighthouse. Going back to plain rabbit ears, save the money, and read more books. They are like the Windows XP to Vista switch. Some idiot decides to change an already good thing to a crappy thing. And whats with this comic book font that they replaced the very professional looking guide with. Brighthouse, enjoy your future, I am not in it anymore.

I hate this so-called upgrade. I have a second tv on basic. It has the old menu which is far better than the new one. I was knocked off three or four times last week trying to watch a turner classic free movie. The menu is slow and does not flow smoothly. Very choppy. I don't ask for much but for $160.00 a month would like better than this. I've tried Direct TV and didn't like it. Have they improved? If this is the wonder of digital give me back the rabbit ears.

Anybody who wants to go antenna can buy online content to fill in the gaps. Make sure you get a VHF/UHF antenna since some digital channels are going back to VHF.

Worst "feature" yet:
I use to delete my shows from the DVR after watching it, immediately start hitting up or down to select a new show in the dvr guide and hit select to watch it.
Now, when you confirm delete, it shows the banner from the channel thats on...the focus is the banner, so when i hit up down, it doesn't go through the menu, but advances the banner. Lame

Series recording is also wacky..i chose record all new episodes...if those episodes are one 2 times(like the daily show) it records both.

Biggest problem for me is setting a series to record on a cable channel. Lets say I want to set the series to record Ghost hunters at 4am well if I say tape this show it wants to know if I want new and repeats or new only. Well a lot of times the later showings of a show are "repeats" so I get in series recording it records every time that show comes on tv.
Old system let you set the specific time you wanted to tape a show.

Yeah John W also sounds like he works for Bright House. John you are an idiot. Why should I use tvguide.com when I am paying all this money for a channel guide in the first place.

Do us a favor and not post on here like you are a customer.

John W wrote:

I do miss the keyword search but the new features far outweigh that. Caller ID on-screen is amazing, as is the ability to search for OnDemand programming. It gives me so much more value for the things like HBO/Cinemax OnDemand that I'm already paying for. I also like the display on the DVR that shows me the percentage of hard drive space remaining.
In the past few years, Bright House has consistently delivered innovative and cutting edge technologies into our homes. For example the voice quality on their Digital Phone product is by far and away better than ANY phone service -- VoIP -OR- landline! And who would have thought even just 5 years ago that one day we would be able to have a 15MBps internet connection in our homes?
My suggestion? If you really need to do a keyword search, use tvguide.com . I am sure these are some things BHN will fix in time.
And NO I DO NOT work for Bright House!!! I am just a very satisfied customer!
John

I have lost the last 5 minutes and in some cases the last 15 minutes of programming.

Also the guide is slow, and in some cases after watching a program you can't rewind on the channel that comes up after watching a DVR program. You have to switch to another channel and get switch back for it to work.

This software is horrible and Bright House is completely irresponsible for even suggesting this upgrade.

They knew about these concerns a year ago because they tried giving me a new box. I had to call and yell, and call and yell some more before a technician brought out a box to me with the old software.

It is completely possible for some of us to continue with the old software and they can roll out this badly designed software to others.

If you want someone to complain to I contacted the VP of New Services at their corporate office in Syracuse, NY. They then contacted someone in our local office who called me.
Call your complaints into Brenda Pennington, four 07 two 15 8827...she is available mon-fri 9am-5pm. Enjoy.

We need to do something to get their attention and only way to do that is go to the top therefore contact the following
Jennifer.mooney@mybrighthouse. com
VP Corporate and Govt. Affairs
What we need to do is but together complaints against their franchise here in Central Florida and file it with the state, that way when they are up for renewal our voices will be heard.
Also contact:
Kristi.Kramersmeier@mybrightho use.com
VP of New Product Development.
After all she is the one responsible for this swell guide.
http://www.mybrighthouse.com/newsroom/article...
Interestingly enough they just promoted her... for rolling out this horrible software. Kudos Kristi.

I have experienced almost all of the aforementioned issues. I actually experienced losing the last 5 -10 minutes of a recorded show on the old software as well as the new software versions. It mostly happened on NBC shows in the 10:00 - 11:00 time period. I have 2 HD DVR boxes and as of this past weekend both started to pixilate more than usual. It's like a 'glitch in the matrix' when it happens. Very annoying. Not to mention that the full description of the show is no longer there when you hit info. Might be time to go back to DirecTV.

Update - 01/2009. BH DVR software still stinks. Terrible. They should be ashamed.

BuyMyMonkey wrote:

Update - 01/2009. BH DVR software still stinks. Terrible. They should be ashamed.

I have Brighthouse without the DVR. It sucks as well. Is Microsoft this Mystro crappy software? It is slow and crashes often. I am looking into switching to satellite or UVerse. In either case I will have to pay for a lot of programming I do not want. Maybe rabbit ears is the way to go. F them all!