12 months on... Has Horizon got any better?

L1011

MonkstownHoop wrote: »

Never had an issue with my LG from day one and I had one of the first boxes, I've never had any issues overall tbh

It was specifically an issue with some smart TVs by a vendor - which I think was LG but not 100% sure. My LG TV had no trouble either but it's just a 19" "dumb" panel; not my main TV either anyway.

seamus wrote: »

Presumably you're going to tell me that Horizon won't do this?

It won't bridge. You can phone UPC, bitch and moan to get a Cisco back as a 'deconsolidation' and keep doing it.

Yogi 19

I cannot get a code to synch the remote control with my Phillips 5000 series TV. I have tried all twelve provided by UPC .I have been in touch with Brian. He says they will update the list if any more become available.

donal.hunt wrote: »

Last year when I ditched my Horizon bundle, these were the issues that broke the camal's back...


9 months ago I ditched UPC's Horizon service (after 9 months of issues and 3 months of trying to get the issues resolved).

12 months later, are these issues resolved?

Issues with Philips TVs
This appeared to be an issue with the Horizon box’s implementation of the copyright protection mechanism in the HDMI protocol. The issue has affected a number of TV manufacturers and devices.

Issues with recording TV shows?
One of the key features of the Horizon box is that it can record 4 channels at the same time. Our experience over the 6+ months we has Horizon was that it is can barely cope with recording 1 thing at a time. We reported a number of issues during our time with Horizon but had no confidence that TV shows would record.

EPG display issues
We experienced very poor performance when it came to changing channel. The performance was worse than the previous box that we used for accessing television broadcasts (which we ended up switching back to). When compared to the Sky+ boxes currently on the market is was very clearly inferior.



Horizon TV: “any screen” functionality
None of our devices were supported at the time (Linux, Chromebooks, Android). What is the support like now?

Broadband DNS issues
We had huge issues with UPC's DNS servers timing out. The horizon box allowed you to set alternative DNS servers but then ignored them. Did this get fixed?


Anyone got experience?
Happy to turn this into a sticky if there are other known issues that haven't been resolved.

I got Horizon during its trial period. I use a Philips TV with no issues.
Horizon TV is grand with the exception of its recording. I don't use Horizon to record tv anymore as it just isn't reliable. We have a second HD box for recording and its always reliable.
My OH hates Horizon TV but all my kids think it's brilliant and much better than the other box we have.
The updates in the last year have improved it considerably and the Horizon App works well on all my Android devices at home.
they even have an App now which basically lets you use your mobile as a landline which is very handy, although I do experience call dropping using the app.

Yogi 19

Deleted User wrote: »

I got Horizon during its trial period. I use a Philips TV with no issues.
Horizon TV is grand with the exception of its recording. I don't use Horizon to record tv anymore as it just isn't reliable. We have a second HD box for recording and its always reliable.
My OH hates Horizon TV but all my kids think it's brilliant and much better than the other box we have.
The updates in the last year have improved it considerably and the Horizon App works well on all my Android devices at home.
they even have an App now which basically lets you use your mobile as a landline which is very handy, although I do experience call dropping using the app.

Hi derekeire, good to hear that.Do you remember the code you used?

mfceiling

seamus wrote: »

Probably more for the broadband forum, but what's the issue with Horizon in this regard? I have the Cisco router in bridging mode and serve my devices using my own router. Presumably you're going to tell me that Horizon won't do this?

True, true, but TV is TV. Ten years ago our biggest gripe was that our analogue signal might be a little fuzzy. Now people are whinging that their EPG is a little sluggish or their DVR doesn't work properly.
It's become a complicated service in a short space of time. I personally have no qualms about the actual TV service offered by UPC, ignoring the peripheral stuff like EPGs and DVRs.

Personally I don't like Sky boxes at all. But then I'm not used to them. When I'm sat in front of a Sky box, all the buttons are in the wrong place, and nothing is user-friendly. Hence why when I hear someone complaining that "Sky is better than UPC", I take it with a pinch of salt. Because they may just be lamenting the loss of what they're used to.

I'm not being smart seamus but nothing about UPC Horizon is user friendly. Look at how how need to see what is on later in the evening - with sky just press the right arrow and every press will take you to next program, with a nice blue box at the bottom of your screen with clear text. With UPC you can press back and it will show you what is on now and next. To see what is on later you have to press guide (blocking what you are watching) then scroll across to see it - not to mention that the text on screen is tiny.

Last night my wife was watching tele. She pressed channel up on the Horizon control. Nothing happened except the picture froze, the sound kept playing on and then the channels started to whizz down without stopping - had to turn it off and on at the wall to get it to stop.

dubrov

To be honest, I find nothing between Sky and UPC Horizon except for what mfceiling outlined above.
You should be able to browse to see what is on later on a channel without having to go to the full guide.

My Wifi range is fine for me and picture quality is excellent.

The only problem I had with recording is that my series links for long running shows like "Match of the Day" were dropped between 2014 and 2015. It was easy enough to set them up again.

bk

gandalf wrote: »

It's a bit telling that here in the forum about Cable TV that the best we can say about UPC's telly service is that the Broadband is good

Actually, interesting question, is this actually a "Cable TV" only forum?

The name of the forum is Cable & MMDS & IPTV. "Cable" not "Cable TV" and cable can certainly include broadband services.

I agree that this forum should primarily be about TV services, but with TV/Broadband/Phone services being increasingly bundled, then it is hard to separate them out and so a certain amount of overlap between this forum and the broadband forum is to be expected.

mfceiling wrote: »

If you believe that Horizon offers a decent tv servive then read the "talk to UPC" forum here on boards. Every day is a complaint from someone about it with the same reply "please pm your account number and we'll look into this" or "our engineers are currently working on this" or "we hope to resolve this problem asap" or "thank you for pointing this out, we will pass on your feedback"

Do remember that people tend to come to forums when they have problems, you rarely hear from the quiet majority who are happy with the service.

I've a number of family and friends with the Horizon box and being the "techy" they all know, I'd normally be the first to hear if any of them were having problems. I haven't heard any complaints about Horizon from them.

seamus wrote: »

Personally I don't like Sky boxes at all. But then I'm not used to them. When I'm sat in front of a Sky box, all the buttons are in the wrong place, and nothing is user-friendly. Hence why when I hear someone complaining that "Sky is better than UPC", I take it with a pinch of salt. Because they may just be lamenting the loss of what they're used to.

This big time. I really feel it is based on what you are use to. People are slow to accept change. As I mentioned above all my family and friends are happy with Horizon. But thinking about it, non of them had Sky before, they all have always been UPC/NTL users.

I'm not saying Horizon is perfect, far from it, there is lots that should be improved, but it certainly isn't the end of the world that some users are making out!

donal.hunt

bk wrote: »

Actually, interesting question, is this actually a "Cable TV" only forum?

The name of the forum is Cable & MMDS & IPTV. "Cable" not "Cable TV" and cable can certainly include broadband services.

Yes! "Cable & MMDS & IPTV" is a sub-forum of "Cable & Digital TV" so focus should be on TV.

While the thread went a little off topic at points, overall the comments have provided some insight to what has changed and what is still problematic.

thanks all.

Kensington

bk wrote: »

Do remember that people tend to come to forums when they have problems, you rarely hear from the quiet majority who are happy with the service.

I've a number of family and friends with the Horizon box and being the "techy" they all know, I'd normally be the first to hear if any of them were having problems. I haven't heard any complaints about Horizon from them.



This big time. I really feel it is based on what you are use to. People are slow to accept change. As I mentioned above all my family and friends are happy with Horizon. But thinking about it, non of them had Sky before, they all have always been UPC/NTL users.

I'm not saying Horizon is perfect, far from it, there is lots that should be improved, but it certainly isn't the end of the world that some users are making out!

If all you use Horizon for is to watch live TV then you should be fine - or if you've not Sky+

The problems begin when your viewing habits are primarily timeshifting and series linking or rely heavily on the EPG for planning your viewing and that's where Horizon breaks down badly.

Luck100

I went on the horizon package last September. Generally I find that the horizon box works well and is a noticeable improvement over the previous UPC cable box devices.

Issues with Philips TVs
Don't have a Philips TV so I can't comment on this.

Issues with recording TV shows?
No issues with recording shows, adding extra time, or simultaneous recordings. I don't use the series recording feature much but it seems to work.

EPG display issues
No problems with changing channels or the program guide.

Horizon TV: “any screen” functionality
Haven't tried it.

Broadband DNS issues
I did have a problem with the UPC DNS - gmail would frequently become inaccessible. I changed the DNS on the horizon box to the google DNS and that cleared up the problems straightaway. No issues since.

scanlanavia

well however better you think it is now...
it can now only get worse and why?

well. on 19th Feb. 170 unfortunate Irish UPC staff will lose their jobs...

UPC instead will outsource call centre support to.... Philippines as they race to the bottom and replace Irish staff by "cheap" Asian substitution.

So. How's that going to work out? in a word, Badly. English is not the first language there... and UPC have no previous experience using Filipino support personnel.

So UPC on the one hand claim another 50,000 subscribers bring total to over 1million Irish Subscribers..

You would think this "success" would be celebrated by Liberty Global Ireland..(aka UPC Irl) and its workforce. No... Loyalty is not rewarded by UPC for either its own employees or indeed its own customers...
remember Mr Rut****zkos happy new year letter...

In a nutshell, look forward to even worse support than you had before

Yogi 19

scanlanavia wrote: »

well however better you think it is now...
it can now only get worse and why?

well. on 19th Feb. 170 unfortunate Irish UPC staff will lose their jobs...

UPC instead will outsource call centre support to.... Philippines as they race to the bottom and replace Irish staff by "cheap" Asian substitution.

So. How's that going to work out? in a word, Badly. English is not the first language there... and UPC have no previous experience using Filipino support personnel.

So UPC on the one hand claim another 50,000 subscribers bring total to over 1million Irish Subscribers..

You would think this "success" would be celebrated by Liberty Global Ireland..(aka UPC Irl) and its workforce. No... Loyalty is not rewarded by UPC for either its own employees or indeed its own customers...
remember Mr Rut****zkos happy new year letter...

In a nutshell, look forward to even worse support than you had before

Very interesting post.I have found the call support very good in both Limerick and Clonmel.We can talk to each other as Irish people, which means something.I will be annoyed to lose that.

total former

mfceiling wrote: »

I'm not being smart seamus but nothing about UPC Horizon is user friendly. Look at how how need to see what is on later in the evening - with sky just press the right arrow and every press will take you to next program, with a nice blue box at the bottom of your screen with clear text. With UPC you can press back and it will show you what is on now and next. To see what is on later you have to press guide (blocking what you are watching) then scroll across to see it - not to mention that the text on screen is tiny.

Last night my wife was watching tele. She pressed channel up on the Horizon control. Nothing happened except the picture froze, the sound kept playing on and then the channels started to whizz down without stopping - had to turn it off and on at the wall to get it to stop.

Genuine question mfceiling; why do you still have it?

Firstly, you obviously have a defective box, secondly, you must be well out of contract by now. There is an absolute plethora of options for TV out there now, why not just change provider?

total former

But on the OP's question; it has improved. I've always found it very stable and easy to use, but annoying things like the lack of a 'delete series' option and the inability to skip forward by day in the guide have been resolved long ago.

I'm very happy with it.

mfceiling

total former wrote: »

Genuine question mfceiling; why do you still have it?

Firstly, you obviously have a defective box, secondly, you must be well out of contract by now. There is an absolute plethora of options for TV out there now, why not just change provider?

We're not out of contract until June. The management committee don't allow satellite dishes to be fixed to our houses (clearly stated in the contract when we bought the house).

I'm going to see if I can get a Sky box in the garden if possible. I couldn't be more unhappy with it tbh. The wireless strength is hopeless. It is now dropping series links on a good few programs. Went to record a show on sunday and find that the disk is full - no warning beforehand. At least with sky when you go into your recordings it shows your percentage of disk space left. When you pause live tv and come back there is picture and no sound - have to fast forward back to live to get sound again!!

The list is endless. I had a Sky box 3 years and it never missed one recording and was simplicity in it's user friendly interface. From reading the UPC thread on here it seems like Horizon is one big joke and we're the mugs who are being made fools of.

L1011

The hackjob addition of a page up/down function solely to the EPG means that any other list that can be long - the recordings list, the on demand listings etc - is a bloody nightmare to navigate

They could at least let you start typing ahead using the *full fecking keyboard* on the back of the remote to find something but no, that's not there.