(TWC) Navigator review/comments (NON DVR user, SA 4250HDC)

[DiveFan]

I've been using the new OCAP Digital Navigator (ODN) software on this set top box (STB) for about a month; I can't find a similar thread to bump, so here goes.

The STB itself has been far more stable than any of the eight plus boxes I've had from TWC (probably because it's brand new, but that's another thread). HOWEVER, I'm unimpressed with the ODN feature set for Non-DVR users compared to Passport:

- Channel Switching time is inconsistent. Sometimes it is fast, sometimes Many seconds pass. While browsing the guide I often invoke the diagnostic pages unintentionally (huh?).

- Power On Channel setting does Not work. It always powers up on channel 0.

- New guide provider (TV Guide?) seems much less accurate. Lack of program detail, no movie rating, wrong release years, etc.

- Standby power consumption cannot be reduced. The effing box draws ~15 watts 24x7 a day no matter if turned 'off' or on. Does the STB Power button do more than control the aux power outlet?

- The Find Shows feature (B Key on remote) is incredibly awkward. Think word processing on a cell phone :-(.

- No Sort By Title feature in the program guide. What, you mean invoking Sort by the remote C Key is patented?

- Is the D Key on the remote used for anything?

- No audible 'beep' on Reminder Timer. Huh? I often listen to the STB in another room (using a low power FM transmitter) until time for a favorite program.

- Stupidly short, stunningly brain dead caching for the Program Guide. This is a serious Defect-To-Satellite issue for me. Sometimes only zero to four hours can be displayed before channel decoding *pauses* to load new guide pages. Earth to ODN developers, how about loading more guide pages depending on STB memory? This is 2009, volatile RAM is dirt cheap. You mean ODN can't multiplex a low bandwidth guide update while decoding megabytes of MPEG stream per second? Holy crap!

- Still only Eight Reminder Timer events permitted. Hello, it should take only 1 BIT plus an key value stored in NVRAM. I guess this is for ancient-STB-compatibility.

- NO 'VCR' timer feature. Another serious Defect-To-Satellite issue for me. Mostly I use it to change to my favorite programs automatically, including switching to music channels for sleep and wakeup. No doubt it was left out for anticompetitive reasons.
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So non-DVR users out there, what do/don't you like about Navigator?

[gp-se]

I have the same box, but with Rogers in Canada, what do you have the box set to output? IF you hold info and guide at the same time with the box off it'll run the setup wizard, just choose easy setup and the correct aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3). After that in the options menu (press setup twice) set the output to fixed. That helps speed it up since the box isn't switching from 1080i, 720p, or 480p depending on what channal you watch.
check this for more info: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17719

[DiveFan]

About a week ago TWC downloaded a new version of ODN and some noticeable improvements have appeared:

- the menu colors are easier to read (except for timer events in purple on dark blue background)
- the 'reminder' timer now works as a 'VCR' timer (only), hurray!! You can prevent the auto switching if you're watching one minute prior and press the 'Stay on current channel' key.
- channel switching time is more consistent
- program guide cache increased to about 24 hours
- program guide 'historical' listings are shown back two hours in dimmed text. You can see what you just missed
- TV borders can be set to dark, medium (grey) or light - good for CRTs

Notable deficiencies still present:
- only EIGHT timer events maximum! What the ???
- no timer schedule conflict alerts (like Passport).
- program guide cached to ONLY 24 hours. Huh?
- program search (find) still interrupts program being viewed for too long and Still has idiotic 'virtual keyboard' interface with no quick Sort by Title (like Passport).

FYI I'm using the NTSC RF output for now, no issues with display on older CRT TV. I can set picture size, aspect ratio and resolution independently in STB Settings.

FYI to TWC customers, ODN version can be seen on channel 199 (diagnostics).

[Satch Man]

This post really belongs in the Navigator Forum. Here is a link to it with tons of info and new features now avaliable or coming from our users:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...1#post16198150

Jack