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Search party returns to Foxtel EPG

From today the A-Z Search functionality is finally being returned to the Foxtel Electronic Program Guide.

Foxtel is finally sorting out the Search function on its EPG.

A Foxtel spokesperson advises, “From today the A-Z Search functionality is being returned to the Foxtel Electronic Program Guide.

“Over the next week the service will be populated with channel listings providing program search functionality up to 12 hours ahead.”

TV Tonight has been regularly pursuing this issue with Foxtel since January, including requesting an interview over the matter as recently as last week.

Channel listings have begun being added from this morning.

24 Responses

  1. Still when showing the program synopsis through the epg when putting it as I reminder the title is not complete but when it is “To Be Recorded” The Title is complete. I wonder if this is also a known issue.

  2. I checked my Foxtel A-Z last night following this weeks announcement. I managed to see six programs listed alphabetically. I am certainly feeling assured that Foxtel is keeping up its dynamic rate of performance to its customers.

  3. As I’ve had 2 part recordings this week in iQ2, of 2 shows (that are both aired after 12 am) recorded from free to air channels, can Mr. Knox or any reader, please elaborate on whether one can use their own chosen digital recording device to use with Foxtel, if they have Foxtel and their iQ contract finishes after a year. I’d just tell Foxtel, their iQ2 is too unreliable with part recordings and series link dropouts, so they can send a guy out to take it back, as I’d use a TiVo.

    If the answer is no, they’ve set up a monopoly on their own digital recorder only being able to tape stuff from them, that’d be unfair. A reader of this site previously said what’s below, is the cause of part recordings on iQ2.

    – For those that don’t know, Foxtel’s iQ platform’s handling of power interruptions, is a major, largely ignored flaw. A half decent PVR will at the very least, keep an ‘in progress’ recording up to the point of the interruption. An even better PVR will then continue the recording when power is restored (either as a new file, or with a jump in the recording, where the interruption occurred), but not iQ. To its credit, it does recommence a recording, but doesn’t save the part recording up to the interruption. Rather frustrating, when this occurs with only a few minutes to go in the program. What’s worse, is it isn’t limited to power outages. It functions exactly the same whenever Foxtel decide to force download a software update, or just randomly remote reset boxes – resulting in the infuriating error code: ‘Cancellation Code [6]’.

  4. David, looks like the list of Foxtel complaints isnt reducing much. 12 hour A-Z??!! thats just an insult. I prefered it when i thought they were incompetent, now i know they are just taking the p..s.

  5. @John mydoona the foxtel iphone app is awesome isnt it much better than the tv guide on the box love it would be good if they had an app to program a panasonic twn HDD 250gb hard drive

  6. Great return.
    What we need now is for series link to work on all shows.
    Add keyword record and the ability to add USB hard drive expansion and it’s getting closer to the excellant TIVO!!

  7. They need to add the ‘Search’ function which is on my iPhone App which you can type in keywords and find shows.I have ended up using my Foxtel iPhone App more than I use the tv guide on Foxtel,it’s easier and it’s the whole month.

  8. Talking about throwing scraps at the starving! I don’t need to see 12 hours ahead – that I can do myself – I want the entire week. Most people use the A-Z to find second showings of shows (outside of the time shift channels) over the entire week.

    Maybe its still about TV channels not getting enough incentive to allow (let alone encourage) time shifted viewing. I see there is now OzTam records of the new time shifted rating but I am not sure about how seriously TV channels take them at the moment.

    DVRs are a reality that the TV channels can either keep fighting or make change to get the best from.

  9. It is ridiculous that this has taken this long. Almost as ridiculous as needing a fixed home line to order Boxoffice HD movies. Who under 35 connects a fixed line anymore? The HFC cable can’t handle 2 way traffic?

  10. Small baby steps from Foxtel here. I have a grand total of 3 programs listed in my all programs a-z search screen. How hard is it to list an a-z list of all programs on in the next week?

  11. 12 hours is useless. Often if you miss a show you want to find it repeated and not everything as a +2 channel or repeats things with in 12 hours.

    If the channel guide is a week a head, why can’t the search function for it search that??

    Are the programmers too stupid to think to link the two? Or is it based online on internal remembering of programs, not connecting to the central server like the channel guide?

    This just isn’t acceptable or good enough. There’s no reason it couldn’t do this.

  12. I had enquired today on the facebook page but only seem to have answers for the programs and not the technical info so thank you for keeping the pressure on. An interview would have been good because with the interviews you do have depth and can help explain decisions and/or mind sets so it could of answered alot of questions.

  13. there was no reason for it to take this long, i’m sure it couldn’t have been too hard to fix, another glitch that’s bothering me since the re-launch is the articles on sky news active, most of the time when you select a text article nothing happens. this is something i’m sure can easily be fixed it’s just that foxtel can’t be bothered.

  14. Well bravo! It’s taken how many months for them to finally get this done? Good on you David for staying on this… I recently spoke to someone who works at Foxtel (outside of work hours) and she said that she got countless complaints about this but they just never bothered to fix it.

    And while I’m complaining, they say it’s only 12 hours ahead? That’s pathetic! Before it went offline it used to be a few days ahead, which is far more useful. I’ve been pretty let down by Foxtel since the so-called “relaunch”. First the search function, then that horrible and unused suggestion screen and let’s not forget that Foxtel First is only a week now, rather than two and movies are no longer on it. It’s like they just want to keep upsetting users….

  15. Yeah, the only thing on the A-Z Search is MTV News & Diary of Justin Bieber..
    ..Nothing else!

    ..oh yeah, Diary of Justin Bieber is on the Music & Radio section despite MTV being Dropped from the 800s (music/radio numbers)

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