Time Warner's Mystro

[Schadenbrau]

Today when I went to check my cable guide I found a new interface!

It would have been nice if TW had notified us of the change!

Any comments?

[William]

So far I'm disappointed.

When my kids would watch TV and I wanted to see what other children's programs were on at that time I could quickly pull up the theme (Children) and it would list out all the kids shows on at that time.

There doesn't appear to be an equivalent feature with Mystro! It's like -why would you upgrade and get rid of features?!?

[Schadenbrau]

I think I saw a way to do that! You just have to find it.

Did you get a manual? Have you tried the "start over"?

[William]

Yea!

The Start-Over is really cool - my son loves his Diego "tree-frogs" book and while I was playing around with the box. I noticed it was on. Using the start-over, I had a chance to record it.

Should be over in a few minutes and then I can continue playing with the box.

[William]

Figured out how to pull up by theme - using a A control - but it only shows you what's currently playing and not what's up and coming

[Michael Klein]

I am not at all happy.

The new system uses too much screen real estate and is slower than the older menu system. I also don't like the font they use nor the way the menu jumps from show to show. I know these are minor issues, but it is all part of the aesthetic of something I have to view day to day.

I called Time Warner and complained and urge everyone else to do so. Maybe if enough people call they will get the message and change or fix the issues.

[Ant112]

Mystro sucks.

If I pull up a show and want to see when it's on next, I can't just highlight the show on the guide and hit find more. I have to search for it!

[Ant112]

I'm going to keep a running list of things that suck with Mystro:

• Can't highlight a show and find more instances of it (could with Passport)
• When you program it to remind you of a show, it doesn't turn on automatically - you have to leave the cable box turned on (Passport would turn itself on and change to the channel)
• The guide doesn't tell you about upcoming shows of the same genre - want to know what other cooking shows are on later that night? No way to do it. (could with Passport)
• Highlighting a show and selecting it a few mintues before it starts doesn't change to the channel. So if it's 7:59 and you want to watch the Emmy awards on Chanel 2, you can't just highlight the show that's about to start and select it. Instead you either have to set up a reminder (how stupid is that!) or manually change to the channel (worked perfectly with Passport)

[William]

• Highlighting a show and selecting it a few mintues before it starts doesn't change to the channel. So if it's 7:59 and you want to watch the Emmy awards on Chanel 2, you can't just highlight the show that's about to start and select it. Instead you either have to set up a reminder (how stupid is that!) or manually change to the channel (worked perfectly with Passport)

That one is particularly annoying.

Mystro seems to be the result of product managers who don't use the application.

[William]

I've made several attempts to speak to a product manager at Time Warner to no avail.

Months later still living with this downgrade. I'm also finding that my cable box's audio will become out of sync if left on the same channel for a few hours.

As soon as the new center opens up on 96th Street and Broadway, I'm going to swap my box.