TELUS TV Feature Updates - Ongoing

[Optik-Kate]

Dear Neighbours, 

We’re experimenting with different formats to assure you we’re listening and working on improvements to the TELUS TV platforms. We have frequent releases designed to tackle the platform's immediate and long-term stability, and we’ll do our best to keep this thread up to date with each new release to celebrate our wins together.

Please note this is not an exhaustive list; minor customer-facing fixes and non-customer-facing backend work are not included. (Note: Previous updates removed due to character limits on post)

Q2 2025 (WIP):

• TELUS TV+ app is now available for download on Amazon Fire TV
• Sports channels upgraded to 1080P at 60 frames per second
• 40+ new Free Stream TV channels
• 4K HDR now available for On Demand content

Q1 2025:

• Firmware Update:
  • Dolby vision & HDR support that enhances video quality
  • Auto dynamic range adjustment to match the content frame
  • Picture-in-picture previews in guide
  • Find my remote by holding down the pairing button on the box  for >4 seconds
  • Advanced audio controls such as normalization of loudness for all content and disable/enable surround sound format
  • Privacy & accessibility:

• Customization of microphone and camera permissions
• Adjust text size on-screen with new text scaling options

Q4 2024: 

• Zoetrope Previews: See exactly where you're skipping on Live TV, recordings, and On-Demand. Enjoy fullscreen previews when fast-forwarding or rewinding, so you never lose your place. (Thumbnail preview coming soon)
• Fast Forward and Rewind Speeds: Control your scrolling speed with ease:
  • 1x: Scroll at 2x speed.
  • 2x: Scroll at 8x speed.
  • 3x: Scroll at 24x speed.
• Picture Quality Improvements: Most non-sports channels now stream in 1080p (high-definition) for sharper images, with a backup at 720p. Sports channels now uses 720p at 60 frames per second (fps) to keep fast-moving content smooth and prevent display issues—further picture quality improvements to come.
• Recovery After Internet Outage: Your digital box will now automatically resume live TV content as soon as the internet connection is restored.
• Improved Guide on Apple TV: Navigate your TV Guide effortlessly with enhanced performance and no freezing issues.
• Automatic Playback for Recordings: Binge-watch your recorded content with ease as the next recording in your playlist automatically starts playing—no need to press a button!
• Enhanced Restart and Lookback Logic: Enjoy seamless transitions between Restart and Lookback programs for uninterrupted viewing.

Q3 2024:

• Bulk Delete for Recordings: You can now delete multiple recorded episodes simultaneously, making managing your recordings easier.
• Episode List Access: When playing a recorded episode, you can see a list of all other episodes from the same series directly in the player.
• Binge-Watching Made Easy: Enjoy seamless binge-watching of recorded episodes, as they now play sequentially without any interruptions.
• Order Cloud PVR Directly: You can now order Cloud PVR service directly from your set-top box for added convenience.
• Start from the Beginning: Easily start recordings and VOD (Video on Demand) content from the beginning, even if you joined late!

Regards,

Your Friendly Neighbourhood TV Product Development Team.

[Craigvee]

I was using the Apple TV app exclusively until they fixed the main issues with the android box. The problem with the Apple TV app is that their remote is not effective when navigating the app.

[Montell]

Exactly and it's why they need to make the UI better. My friend and myself are different from you though while the remote is easier on Telus boxes Nvidia shield or apple tv are more powerful devices, there snappier, they work better across many apps and they have massive companies and departments behind them, and they are all over customers homes already, that outweighs the inconvenience with using the remote.

However that was also my point is Telus needs a seriously overhaul on the design for these devices with certain button limitations because it's not well thought out at all for millions of smart streaming devices to navigate.

[Montell]

Although I will say navigating the app on smart devices are ok, my biggest issue is how convoluted it is to get to the full guide on a streaming device. Most of the functionality works fine and I'm good with it on my Nvidia shield android device. It just does not have a guide button on the remote and Telus made the UI unnecessarily difficult to get to the full guide on a streaming device with a few buttons.

But otherwise I don't miss or use Telus cheap android box at all. I had a power supply go on one and just removed it because I never bother to switch to it. 

[viperdiablo1]

I agree with the comments. My biggest issue with using the Apple TV Telus app is no previous channel button or shortcut button for the traditional guide. I mean how hard is it to add a previous and guide shortcut button on the play /pause screen?

[Montell]

Totally agree if they paid even a little attention to the app they could have an excellent app any consumer could run on a smart device  but Telus seemed to put the bare minimum effort into any thought navigating the app with a smart device remote with limited buttons.

Like I said I had a friend switch to Telus simply because they have an app they can use on smart devices throughout his home already installed and the family is familiar with. But Telus seemed to do the opposite and focus entirely on their own box and own hardware remote and pushing customers to use there generic android box, rather then just taking a bit of time to make the app easier to use.

I mean we were discussing how the latest update for the box provided proper dynamic range output for standard and hdr color and apple TV's and Nvidia shields have had that for years.

I just don't understand the direction trying to focus so much on their own android box. You still need a box to provide to some customers I get it, but the app is the future and accessible to any human with a smart device. Telus customers in house holds of more then two people will likely use the app any way because nobody is going to rent and pay for tons of Telus boxes when an app is available on a smart device already in their home.

[Optikal_Speak]

Call it hubris or can't see the forest for the "app" trees.

Perhaps they hired a bunch of twenty-somethings...you know...the "know-it-all's"😉

[Craigvee]

For what it's worth, Shaw's cable offerings are not as good as Telus nor is their app.  I think it is a tough ask for a corporation like Telus to move away from box support to app support since a large amount of their user base are not technically savvy. 

Younger people are not even considering paying for cable TV, but put them money into streaming apps and sharing same.

I think the solution is not perfect, but after a long wait, they have improved the Telus Android Box as they promised to do.

[Montell]

I don't really agree as smart streaming devices are way more accessible and used by house holds not just younger tech savvy people.

Nobody is saying to get rid of the boxes also the Telus android box runs the same os as my Nvidia shield they look identical. The only difference is the remote.

I don't think anyone is saying get rid of these cheap old school android boxes but they should really focus on the app and software development side that can reach millions of homes easily.

[Montell]

If you want to make the argument about tech savvy people my parents in their 70s don't want to switch from old optik to these boxes for that reason. It's the same os as there Sony android TV just geared toward Telus with a remote.

[Optikal_Speak]

Indeed!

All progression requires familiarity and some intuition when it comes to apps, devices and equipment. Cell phones over past decade as an example. 

The manufacturer/provider just needs to build in the associated form and function to operate, whereby the UI doesn't require an AV tech diploma to operate the point and click. 

[starchoice]

@Optik-Kate, I guess you haven't seen my post on "restart". Seems like getting the existing features working should supercede developing "enhancements".

Restart/Resume Not Working 

---

@Optik-Kate wrote:

• Enhanced Restart and Lookback Logic: Enjoy seamless transitions between Restart and Lookback programs for uninterrupted viewing.

---

By the way, I had my third technician visit tonight trying to solve the problem with no success. Does the development team just come up with an idea which is executed by a development team? Where is the technical support when it's not working? These problems and glitches appear to be beyond the scope of your technicians.

[Timmah2]

Is there an ETA when the closed caption size issue will be fixed. Doesn't matter the setting they are huge and white on black.

[TELUS_Support]

We don't have a timeline on this specific issue, but our team's aware and will have an update asap.

[Optikal_Speak]

How about recording issues?

No way to extend time unless you record the proceeding program that has nothing to do with what you actually want to record. Gets even more ridiculous (stupid) with series recording. 

Speaking of...series recording requires you to choose first run and reruns otherwise it will not set series on first run only, which renders that radio button selection useless period!

Coupled with the 90 day auto delete restrictions, fun fact, if you didn't have it record every bloody run of the program series it would not  consume a 1000%+ more space....duh!

Can you guys get it together once and for all? 

This **** is brutal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Optikal_Speak]

I see my cr(o)p word choice was autoflag edited (****). 

S'pose I'll get banned now? No worries will be looking for alternate provider soon. 

The old adage..."better the devil you know"...time to test it. 

[TELUS_Support]

Which specific programs or types of programs are you trying to auto extend?

[Optikal_Speak]

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver always cuts off 3-4 mins before end. The preceding program and trailers are seemingly always eating up 7-10 mins of the recording start. 

Otherwise anything you schedule requires selecting first run and reruns option or it says no programs scheduled. 

Everything about recording is a real pain. Never used to be!

[TELUS_Support]

Thanks. We've forwarded your info off to our team, and will advise when we hear back.

[RCrow]

I thought I would add my $0.02...

Previously I lived in a rural location with Shaw Direct. I could go into a recording and set the time before and after to record a program. I could set football games to record 30 minutes after incase the game went into overtime.

I realize that would be a bit of work to add to the Telus box but even if recordings start exactly 1 minute before and 1 minute after the show time would be a good temporary fix.

[TELUS_Support]

Thanks for the feedback. We'll pass it on to our Optik team for sure.

[Pete1161]

While on the topic on every other  PVR I have previously used there is always the option to select how many recordings to keep.  Because I normally record news type programs I only want to keep the latest episode.  I have found that once the number of recordings gets too large it slows down bringing up the recording list on the Apple TV.  Before there was the option to delete multiple recordings I had 150 episodes of some shows.  I would imagine this takes up a lot of space on the Telus side as well.  I now go and delete recordings every few days but this is kind of a pain - it would be much easier  to have the cloud PVR limit the recordings to a user specific amount.  Thanks

[Optikal_Speak]

Managing recordings is the least concern at this point. 

From my perspective, not the least bit interested in recording reruns neither. 

Having the function to choose the option is fine.

The fact is the option to choose 

• first run only   

does not work. When selected it doesn't recognize the program's schedule whether it's daily or weekly broadcast. 

Requires one to default to the 

• first run and reruns 

hence, adds to the cleanup maintenance and more specifically eats up unnecessary storage space.

[Optikal_Speak]

 

[Rocky3]

I see you get duplicates recoding on the same day as well. Yes I have found many reruns are treated as first run.

Now just checking scheduled and recorded Tracker just started with one recorded show of new season. Is this a spring break delay and it shows no scheduled in next 12 days. We shall see

Other shows as well 

[Optikal_Speak]

Another recording gremlin... Unbelievable!

I have a series recording for Pat McAfee Show on TSN 901. It's often preempted by other sports events. Yet occasionally it broadcasts on another channel TSN 904. 

Would be convenient (asking too much?) for it to record on "any channel" (ala "anytime once per day").

And to add to the frustration (madness) when you try manually setting a one time record on the alternate channel (i.e outside the Scheduled Series Reording) it responds 'Recording cannot be set"

Brutal!