I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
It's obviously not been thought through by their software department. Classic case of not researching what customers want!!
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Neither of those things, I'm afraid. From the Sept 2014 Q&A as referenced later in this thread, this is the official response: "As a platform, YouView supports the Digital UK's ordering of channels and changing the order has commercial and regulatory implications for us and our shareholders."
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Well the actual question and official response was
Q: Keith: Given the large amount of feedback on channel list management/favourite channels lists can you explain why you have yet to introduce such a feature that would be so warmly welcomed by many customers? Do you have plans for such a feature and if so can you give some indication on when it is likely to be available? A: Susie: YouView has implemented the ability to edit the channel list in response to customer feedback. As a platform, YouView supports the Digital UK's ordering of channels and changing the order has commercial and regulatory implications for us and our shareholders.
The official response answer actually does not address the favourite channel element -- ie identifying a list of channels (albeit in Digital UK numbering order) that form a favourite channel list. This has been permitted on the Freeview Play platform ( so the obvious question is why is it not allowed on the Youview platform. Hiding channels a facility available on currentgen Youview is not the same as having the opportunity to create several favourite channel lists which is allowed on Freeview Play eg Humax http://uk.humaxdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2016/10/FVP-4000T_Manual.pdf (GB25) and it appears you are allowed to give channels different names on Freeview Play.
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
I would challenge YouView to cite a single regulatory implication of changing the order of channels.
Commercial implications there may be, but I note that customers and their wishes seem to come a long way down the list of people that YouView listen to, and YouView is perhaps unusual in that, unlike more conventional business setups, their major commercial implication is not whether customers buy their products or not.
But I think YouView have just got a bee in their bonnet who is digging his heels in over this; all the arguments against Favourite Channels and Channel Reordering are arguments with equal force against Channel Hiding, and yet YouView have provided that.
I think the case against providing Favourite Channels and Channel Reordering is literally an indefensible one, and YouView's position comes down to "Shan't, so there".
‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
More likely it's considered very low priority so just hasn't happened. Social is the buzz word at the moment.
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Hi bradavon
What social features do you think YouView have added to the product in the last two and a bit years that have taken priority over these Channel features?
‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Isn't the new update more social?
I also meant more on demand to keep up with the likes of Sky and Netflix.
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
zulu17> ''The official response answer actually does not address the favourite channel element -- ie identifying a list of channels (albeit in Digital UK numbering order) that form a favourite channel list. This has been permitted on the Freeview Play platform (so the obvious question is why is it not allowed on the Youview platform?).''
There are two reasons for this, which I neither agree or disagree with. The first being that YouView is a propriety platform that due to the nature of its PSB stakeholder make-up, has absolutely no intention of introducing this feature either now or in the future. It may appear to be a closed-minded stance but it is one that is backed-up by facts and stats from Ofcom related surveys that YouView took part in. The second reason is Freeview Play itself. Freeview Play is a non-propriety platform that justs hands its GUI over to the OEM to develop (or not) as they see fit and as such ones user experience can and will alter from device to device and not all features will be available on all devices with the same level of satisfaction. As such, ones user experience from device to device can, may and most likely will be fragmented, to the extent that it is in no way the benchmark of Freeview boxes because it hasn't set a benchmark. Its left to the OEM to do that. The ultimate effect being not only are the two platforms not comparable, neither is Freeview Play from device to device, either.
I'm now happy with the disagree icon, because its gone.
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Freeview Play is the replacement for and has more in common with Freeview+
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Bradavon, many would say the new update is quite antisocial :-)
But joking aside, no, it is not more social, just more pictorial.
But to assume that the Channel features have become even a very low priority since YouView said unequivocally that they would not provide them would imply a change of heart on YouView's part; do you have any evidence that such a change of heart has happened?
‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Visionman:-
You don't think YouView is fragmented by coming in four different flavours, even before considering Recording versus non-recording, and NextGen versus CurrentGen?
And the fragmentation of Freeview Play is anyway no worse than the fragmentation of a Freeview across the many different interfaces of different makes and models of TV, both smart and dumb.
But I see I have started having opinions again, so smacked wrist :-(
‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Hm. Thats why I said I neither agree nor disagree with it. Messenger being shot and all that. But Freeview Play is a poor standard to compare YouView against, as that is the benchmark all the reviewers compare others against. Yet again, thats them, not me. [Ducks Flak].
I'm now happy with the disagree icon, because its gone.
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
bradavon
Retail, BT, TalkTalk, Sony Android TV.
In answer to your earlier question, 'why did they say that?', their reasons are quoted in full earlier in the thread above.
But you may like to read them in context in the original document, at:-
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Ah thanks. It's a locked platform though so is more like iPhone and iPad.
Thanks I'll take a look. I switched off a little earlier with all the chatter.
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
Roy> ''You don't think YouView is fragmented by coming in four different flavours?''
No, I don't think that and never have. And there are far more than four flavours, with over nine different devices available. All sing from the same hymn sheet. More to come too, I believe. But I suppose time will bear that out.
I'm now happy with the disagree icon, because its gone.
I bought my box yesterday, and this is another 'standard' PVR feature that I was surprised not to find.
Considering the effort placed on making the interface easy to use, it seems a bit ridiculous that there's no quick and easy way to change between your favourite channels.
Basically, you actually have to memorise the channel numbers, unless you fancy navigating through pages of channels.
bradavon
I cautiously see the merit in closed platforms; they generally have a lot less trouble, because they are so carefully controlled.
Trouble is, when they do have trouble, you are generally helpless.
But a good bellwether here is the YouView app; generally if it works on one iOS device, it will work on all of them, whereas the price of the greater flexibility of Android is that the app working on one family of devices is not necessarily a guarantee that it will work on others. I'm sure the Android App code is littered with model-specific patches.
I think you would agree though, and this Community tends to bear out, that there is quite enough 'trouble' people can get into with this closed YouView platform to be going on with, without dealing with the consequences of opening it up!
‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
Comments
"As a platform, YouView supports the Digital UK's ordering of channels and changing the order has commercial and regulatory implications for us and our shareholders."
Q: Keith: Given the large amount of feedback on channel list management/favourite channels lists can you explain why you have yet to introduce such a feature that would be so warmly welcomed by many customers? Do you have plans for such a feature and if so can you give some indication on when it is likely to be available? A: Susie: YouView has implemented the ability to edit the channel list in response to customer feedback. As a platform, YouView supports the Digital UK's ordering of channels and changing the order has commercial and regulatory implications for us and our shareholders.
The official response answer actually does not address the favourite channel element -- ie identifying a list of channels (albeit in Digital UK numbering order) that form a favourite channel list. This has been permitted on the Freeview Play platform ( so the obvious question is why is it not allowed on the Youview platform. Hiding channels a facility available on currentgen Youview is not the same as having the opportunity to create several favourite channel lists which is allowed on Freeview Play eg Humax
http://uk.humaxdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2016/10/FVP-4000T_Manual.pdf
(GB25)
and it appears you are allowed to give channels different names on Freeview Play.
So why not on Youview ?
Commercial implications there may be, but I note that customers and their wishes seem to come a long way down the list of people that YouView listen to, and YouView is perhaps unusual in that, unlike more conventional business setups, their major commercial implication is not whether customers buy their products or not.
But I think YouView have just got a bee in their bonnet who is digging his heels in over this; all the arguments against Favourite Channels and Channel Reordering are arguments with equal force against Channel Hiding, and yet YouView have provided that.
I think the case against providing Favourite Channels and Channel Reordering is literally an indefensible one, and YouView's position comes down to "Shan't, so there".
What social features do you think YouView have added to the product in the last two and a bit years that have taken priority over these Channel features?
I also meant more on demand to keep up with the likes of Sky and Netflix.
''The official response answer actually does not address the favourite channel element -- ie identifying a list of channels (albeit in Digital UK numbering order) that form a favourite channel list. This has been permitted on the Freeview Play platform (so the obvious question is why is it not allowed on the Youview platform?).''
There are two reasons for this, which I neither agree or disagree with.
The first being that YouView is a propriety platform that due to the nature of its PSB stakeholder make-up, has absolutely no intention of introducing this feature either now or in the future. It may appear to be a closed-minded stance but it is one that is backed-up by facts and stats from Ofcom related surveys that YouView took part in.
The second reason is Freeview Play itself.
Freeview Play is a non-propriety platform that justs hands its GUI over to the OEM to develop (or not) as they see fit and as such ones user experience can and will alter from device to device and not all features will be available on all devices with the same level of satisfaction. As such, ones user experience from device to device can, may and most likely will be fragmented, to the extent that it is in no way the benchmark of Freeview boxes because it hasn't set a benchmark. Its left to the OEM to do that.
The ultimate effect being not only are the two platforms not comparable, neither is Freeview Play from device to device, either.
But joking aside, no, it is not more social, just more pictorial.
But to assume that the Channel features have become even a very low priority since YouView said unequivocally that they would not provide them would imply a change of heart on YouView's part; do you have any evidence that such a change of heart has happened?
You don't think YouView is fragmented by coming in four different flavours, even before considering Recording versus non-recording, and NextGen versus CurrentGen?
And the fragmentation of Freeview Play is anyway no worse than the fragmentation of a Freeview across the many different interfaces of different makes and models of TV, both smart and dumb.
But I see I have started having opinions again, so smacked wrist :-(
[Ducks Flak].
Retail, BT, TalkTalk, Sony Android TV.
In answer to your earlier question, 'why did they say that?', their reasons are quoted in full earlier in the thread above.
But you may like to read them in context in the original document, at:-
http://videos.youview.com/support/Que...
Thanks I'll take a look. I switched off a little earlier with all the chatter.
''You don't think YouView is fragmented by coming in four different flavours?''
No, I don't think that and never have. And there are far more than four flavours, with over nine different devices available. All sing from the same hymn sheet.
More to come too, I believe. But I suppose time will bear that out.
I cautiously see the merit in closed platforms; they generally have a lot less trouble, because they are so carefully controlled.
Trouble is, when they do have trouble, you are generally helpless.
But a good bellwether here is the YouView app; generally if it works on one iOS device, it will work on all of them, whereas the price of the greater flexibility of Android is that the app working on one family of devices is not necessarily a guarantee that it will work on others. I'm sure the Android App code is littered with model-specific patches.
I think you would agree though, and this Community tends to bear out, that there is quite enough 'trouble' people can get into with this closed YouView platform to be going on with, without dealing with the consequences of opening it up!