Time Warner Cable starts rolling out new Navigator, more HD soon?

by Darren Murph posted Apr 25th 2008 at 3:44PM

Remember when the Mystro Digital Navigator landed in New York / New Jersey, only to find that a plethora of HD channels were right behind? Hopefully, the trend will continue nationwide. We've received reports from the Dayton / Cincinnati, Ohio and Raleigh / Durham, North Carolina regions that TWC has indeed started to roll out the freshened-up Navigator. Granted, there's still some bugs in there to be worked out, but hopeful souls are looking at the change as one that'll precede a smattering of new high-def material. We can't say for certain that the new EPG signifies that more material is on the way, but do chime in below if your Navigator has suddenly morphed into one eerily similar to that shown above. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Dayton Guy]

Filed under: Industry, DVRs, Set-top boxes, Cable

Tags: epg, navigator, time warner, time warner cable, TimeWarner, TimeWarnerCable, twc

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Neutral

Mitch @ Apr 25th 2008 3:57PM

I have had that look since i got my hd box in january in raleigh we have got nothing new even though the triad did

Neutral

Eric @ May 7th 2008 11:30PM

I just got this new software today...It is horrible. Put the bugs in it aside, I actually have less functionality than I did before and the visibility is much worse.

Stay away from it if you can....

Neutral

chuck @ Apr 25th 2008 9:03PM

i live in durham and i can't tell the difference between that picture, my box, and the old navigator...whats a significant thing i should look for to check

Highest Ranked

DJ @ Apr 25th 2008 4:28PM

I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There, I got that out of my system! It is SOOOOO SLOWWWW........

But if it means mucho more HD, I can live with it, for now.

Neutral

DJ @ Apr 25th 2008 4:30PM

The new Navigator was FORCED upon thoise of us in Southeastern Wisconsin this past weekend.

Neutral

jwilliek @ Apr 25th 2008 4:32PM

That is some sweet UI. Hope it rolls out in Columbia, SC soon.

Neutral

piedpiper18 @ Apr 25th 2008 4:41PM

They did that in San Diego too last month, followed by addition of 3 new HD channels.

Neutral

StealthMonkey @ Apr 25th 2008 4:49PM

ME WANT! Damn you 8300HD!

Highly Ranked

UnnDunn @ Apr 25th 2008 5:06PM

No, no you DON'T want Navigator. Trust me on this. It's the buggiest, most horrible STB software I have EVER had the misfortune of using. It truly is horribly awful.

Neutral

mdb77b @ Apr 25th 2008 5:34PM

Yeah, I live in Raleigh-Durham too. This looks like the same navigator I've had for probably over a year now. Can't wait to get rid of it actually. Not sure if its the hardware or the software but I can't stand it. U-verse, please help!

Neutral

Rob @ Apr 25th 2008 4:52PM

I'm in Columbus, OH and I've had that blue guide system now since like last summer on my Time Warner HD-DVR box (scientific atlantica). It's nice and all but it's BEYOND unstable. The boxes (have 3 in the house) have had to be rebooted and replaced several times already. Never had this problem with my old HD-DVR w/ Time Warner with the yellow/purple guide system. So yea, pretty poor "upgrade" IMO

Neutral

Rick K. @ Apr 26th 2008 10:11AM

Same here in the L.A. area.

Neutral

mike @ Apr 25th 2008 6:19PM

i belive mine has been like this for years i live in nyc queens

Neutral

Jeff N. @ Apr 25th 2008 5:08PM

We were upgraded to Navigator last week and had nothing but problems with it. I use HDMI and it has had some problems with HDMI. After the upgrade I didn't get sound for any of my analog channels.
The buffers didn't work unless you were watching the channel. Fast forward was very slow.
I got an SA 8300 HD with out Navigator for the time being( a search by Time Warner found me one) till I can figure out a work around or their is a firmware upgrade.

Neutral

Justin @ Apr 25th 2008 5:06PM

how was the update performed? were you notified somehow to accept an update or did the box magically reboot one night and the new guide was there?

i live in N. Raleigh and haven't seen this update yet.

Neutral

Jeff N. @ Apr 26th 2008 3:31AM

It's coming Justin. And you won't like as much.
They are slowly doing the rollout as there having been many problems the Navigator software.

Neutral

Dayton Guy @ Apr 25th 2008 5:18PM

I enjoy the new navigator much more than passport... My number one thing is that when I am watching a 4:3 show, the bars on the left and right side are no longer that annoying grey color anymore... Black now which is SO much less annoying.

Neutral

Galicki @ Apr 25th 2008 5:44PM

If you read comments even on Engadget you'll be happy to know the 8300hd is the still the superior device.. the GUI you see in this pic is the 8300hdc and from what everyone says it sucks ass.

Neutral

pdiscala @ Apr 25th 2008 6:24PM

I exchanged my 8300hd for the 8300hdc to get the caller id on tv feature. I couldn't hack it. I went back to 8300hd. Mystro software is completely inferior to Passport. I kept discovering new things that it couldn't do as well. Very slow, more difficult to find shows many other problems. I hope its not forced on me unless they improve the software. The interface even looks crude and not as refinded as passport.

Neutral

Don-Don @ Apr 25th 2008 6:36PM

Is it safe to assume that Navigator can't be forced upon my 8300HD? I will never agree to give it up for an 8300HDC. But thank goodness it's not SARA.

Neutral

Chris @ Apr 25th 2008 7:26PM

The new Navigator sucks monkey nuts. It is buggy as hell, fast forward and rewind suck, they got rid of the 15 minute advance feature, the menus respond slowly and sometimes the picture gets stuck lie you have the menu up even when you don't. All in all I give it a huge thumbs down - I certainly hope they work the bugs out and give me some of my features back. Why don't they just license Tivo already and quit wasting my time with this craptastic software.

Highly Ranked

Dayton Guy @ Apr 25th 2008 11:48PM

15 Minute Advance/Rewind... When fast forwarding or rewinding, continue to hold down the FF or REW button for 5 seconds and it will advance in 15 minute segments.

Neutral

Mark @ Apr 25th 2008 7:37PM

When is the timewarner cable of Albany going to send out the update to their 8300hdc cable box?

Neutral

Kevin Lynch @ Apr 25th 2008 8:20PM

I am in Raleigh too and I also have had the same issue and replaced 3 HD DVR boxes in the last 12 months. I am not the only one. Other friends of mine have had issues with at least 1. This Navigator sucks in comparison to the one Charter had when I was in Saint Louis and that was 3 years ago. The hardware is horrible. I'm not sure how Cisco aka Scientific Atlanta have not had their butts sued by Time Warner unless the issue truly is software. I am patiently waiting for an alternative to Time Warner and when it arrives, say good bye to my $110/month. I will keep my internet through TW because it has been extremely reliable but everything else will be gone.

Neutral

chuck @ Apr 25th 2008 9:09PM

all i can say is that i'm waiting for FIOS in the southpoint area of durham, North Carolina. FIOS would be a breath of fresh air from the monopolistic tendencies of Time Warner Cable

Neutral

Zeta16 @ Apr 25th 2008 9:50PM

Well this just came to my box and it sucks. It is so slow and and it is not fun to try and find what is on other channnels than the one I am watching. I traded in a crappy box 5 months ago so I would not have ths crap and they made my new box go to this crap.

Neutral

bappy @ May 2nd 2008 12:37AM

I'm a Directv subscriber and miss my TWC hd8300, the Directv HR-20/21 DVRs are no better, buggy, navigation sucks. I do like all the HD Channels though and don't have to pay extra for the NHL or NFL Network.

Neutral

carg0 @ Apr 25th 2008 10:38PM

good grief, is that their idea of new?

Neutral

FNJ @ Apr 25th 2008 11:50PM

Nope... Someday they will automatically download the Navigator software to every model old or new.

Neutral

Kspang @ Apr 26th 2008 1:53AM

I got this new UI when I "upgraded" to a HD box (Sci.Atl. Explorer 4250HDC). This thing is the biggest piece of crap I have ever had thrust upon me. The HDMI "kind of used to" work when I first got it. If I turned the box off the HDMI would cease to function until I performed some cable shuffling so I started leaving it on all the time but even with that it has finally quit functioning at all so I'm using a Component cable connection atm.As hot as the box runs I'm expecting it to set fire to my house any day now. It wouldn't suprise me if that wasn't the issue with the HDMI in the first place: the circuits probably melted.
Lancaster OH

Neutral

arkweld @ Apr 26th 2008 2:14AM

ah Navigator.

The only way TWC can/will upgrade their HD offerings is by downgrading the software.

Who knows? Maybe in another year it will have all the features and stability of the 2 year old version of Passport it replaces. It's only been field testing for TWO YEARS to try and iron out all the basic bugs like spontaneous reboots, so they are really close now ...

Neutral

arkweld @ Apr 26th 2008 2:20AM

Neutral

Rick K. @ Apr 26th 2008 10:00AM

Yeah, I've had this look since I had to switch out my old SA 8300HD in January. It's just the latest, "greatest" software. It looks like it's supposed to be simpler, for the masses. I get that. But, while it's prettier in the same way XP is prettier that Win98 (the new look is like XP, too!), there is less detailed functionality in it. I've given up, in general, waiting for TWC to add channels so May 10 I'll be a Uverse subscriber. And for less money, including internet access.

Neutral

seamus2514 @ Apr 26th 2008 12:28PM

I live in Staten Island, with a SA 8300HD, and I don't have Navigator. Was I supposed to get it?

Neutral

krithren @ Apr 28th 2008 12:28AM

I'm in the Raleigh-Durham area and had this new version for a bit. Let me start by saying that there are BIG problems with it. Audio sync issues, slow navigation, skip ahead/back 15 minutes with FF/REW are gone, I could go on.

The functionality of the interface itself is better though - % space left, better search. All in all, the PASSPORT is better. Yes I did just say that.

Here's the interesting part though. Here in RDU it seems tied to the generation of the box. There is a newer 8300HD out here. It uses a multisteam card inserted into the back now (yes removable). I would take a couple pics, but I traded both in at the TWC office for an older 8300HD with PASSPORT.

Oh, thats the other tidbit. TWC centers in RDU will now swap/issue boxes at the local offices. No more appointments!

Neutral

Jeremy @ Apr 28th 2008 9:27AM

Have Brighthouse here in Kissimmee FL w/the 8300HDC, same slow/laggy, random reboot, locking up, HDMI issues as everyone else. The worst part is I went back to try and get my old 8300HD and they wont do it! They chick said they "only" have the new HDC's now. Wonderful.

Neutral

John @ Apr 29th 2008 2:56AM

HI, just have to say at 230am today they did the update. I was going ok hmmm what are they doing. Then I saw Mystro come up and went OMFG they just did not go to that!!! One thing is that I do not have HD and do not have an HD box but I received the update so I wonder if they updated there whole network to this? My box is Explorer 8000. Have to say it is very slow but one thing that is interesting is that my picture quality is so much better than before the update. Its almost as if it was analog conversion and it is now true digital. So I guess for me I get a better picture without HD but a crappy navagator LOL!!!!

Neutral

speedyrulz8 @ Apr 29th 2008 10:05PM

They just updated the software on my 8300HD last night as well, and unfortunately my 2 boxes lost all DVR functionality, they simply don't respond to any of my DVR buttons now on my remote. I might have to give them a call.

Neutral

speedyrulz8 @ Apr 29th 2008 10:08PM

They just updated the software on my 8300HD last night as well, and
unfortunately my 2 boxes lost all DVR functionality, they simply
don't respond to any of my DVR buttons now on my remote. I might have
to give them a call.

Neutral

JR @ May 5th 2008 1:36PM

This alone is not a Bandwidth enhancement to allow for more HD capacity. The Switched Digital concept and deployment, lead by Digital Simulcast and full Digital Set Top Box depolyments will be the key aspects in opening bandwidth to allowing more HD content. That still means programming rates from the networks that the Cable company pays will also have to be kept reasonable, to keep our monthly bills reasonable.This all plays a part in seeing more HD content....

Neutral

Houredm @ May 6th 2008 2:05AM

Got a phone call that one of my boxes was going over to Navigator in 24 hours. Around 1:30 this morning it did so, lost about half of my saved DVR recordings...i'm quite livid right now. Plus, I already had this type of guide on my other box and it's terribly slower and more annoying. Yuck. I'm excited to be LEAVING the RDU area after this change.

Neutral

Borthamster @ May 6th 2008 6:06PM

N. Raleigh user here:

New software sucks. Menus seem about the same speed, and none of my shows were deleted, but the new menu is just terrible. They've increased the font size, meaning names of most TV shows get cut off and you only get to read the first few characters. Why couldn't they have added an option to change the color scheme and font size of the menus? We're not all 90-year-old nearly-blind grandmothers. Since so many people are using 16:9 tvs now, why not add an option to the software to make it display in a true 16:9 resolution? It would look so much better and you'd get to see more text.

I swear, sitting down in front of this new menu on my 52-inch LCD is like sitting down in front of a computer monitor that's been set to 640x480 resolution. Everything is HUGE and you can only see a few items at a time.

Totally unimpressed.

Neutral

ruggb @ May 6th 2008 11:39PM

GD UPGRADE - wiped out ALL the recorded programs I have. Boy am I REALLY PISSED OFF.

Time to junk this DVR and get my own that I can control.

Any suggestions are welcome.

I haven't let it reformat my external hard drive yet. Is there any way to retrive those programs?????????????

Neutral

Columbus Dude @ May 8th 2008 12:02PM

I totally agree that the new Navigator sucks! I happened to be awake on May the 1st at 4:00 am and was watching a show on the DVR when they did an abrupt reboot of the box and started the load of this new software to both of my DVR boxes. In just the first 3 days of use I had found 18 problems that I documented. In an advertisement for the new Navigator, they asked for feedback to be submitted via a web site. When I tried to post my feedback of 18 problems, the list was so long that the feedback form wouldn't let me submit it, instead telling me to email my feedback to a particular email address. For those of you in the Central OH (Columbus) area, please let Time Warner know what you think about Navigator by sending your comments to them either via the email address service@twcmidohio.com or via the web site feedback form, which is located at http://www.timewarnercable.com/MidOhio/products/cable/mdn/Feedback.html. Just now, I reported an additional 4 issues to them, for a total of 22. Does anyone know of a public site that lists all known problems with this new system? I'd like to see Time Warner open a public forum to allow us to communicate with them about all of these issues, but I doubt that's going to happen.

Neutral

big_oaf @ May 14th 2008 11:40PM

I just posted this on the Time Warner web site:

Navigator is horrible. I can't believe that you are trying to tell us that this in an upgrade. Compared to Passport, the previous software, the interface is worse in almost every way, and I can find nothing that is better. Please, please, please give me Passport back.

Here are just a few of the problems:

1. I can't create a new series recording. I go into the guide and select a show. There's an option to record the individual show, but there's no option to record the series! Being able to record series is THE major reason to have a DVR!

2. The search in the guide is flat-out horrible. In the Passport version of the guide, you would type in the show name, and you would get a list of shows with their channel and times. It was very helpful when there were multiple shows with the same name. In Navigator, you just get a seemingly endless list of shows with exactly the same name, e.g. MLB Baseball. You then have to select each one to see if it's on the channel and time that you want. If not, escape out and select the next one. Who designed this interface?!

3. Fast-forward and Rewind speeds are too fine and not fast enough. I find myself always using the fastest (#3) speed, and I miss the fastest speed available in Passport.

4. The current time (progress) on the timeline is in the wrong place--the upper left corner, far away from where anyone would be looking for it. User interface basics--keep like-things together.

5. In the guide in Passport, you could jump to the next 100-channel block by hitting the A button. The A button in the Navigator guide has a different functionality, and there is no apparent way to perform the same kind of jump in Navigator.

Your software team (Is it a team? It kind of seems like it's one guy in his garage.) is in desperate need of design and QA (Quality Assurance) teams. I do both UI design and QA for a living, so please take my comments seriously. If you outsourced this project, get your money back.

Neutral

Judie @ May 14th 2008 1:10PM

Time Warner has “perpetrated a whammy” on their customers. Info is inaccurate and typos and grammar problems make me believe they have out-sourced the programming to a third world country.

A zillion features are worthless if you can’t find out WHAT’S ON! The Guide must be primary. They need to beg Passport to come back, or create a facsimile that is way more user friendly than Navigator.

Neutral

Orrin @ May 15th 2008 12:22AM

big_oaf - great post. I'm going to do likewise (post a list of reasons Mystro sucks to TWC).

Your #2 in particular is EXTREMELY annoying (Search no longer defaults to the current show from the guide). I used that ALL the time with Passport. Now have to go through the whole frigging keyboard interface. Who the heck tested this thing...

A couple more you didn't mention:

When you hit Pause, FF or Rewind, the display bar used to disappear after a couple seconds in Passport. Now it stays, covering up the bottom of the screen. VERY annoying when playing sporting events. It covers up the score and time if that is displayed on the bottom, so you can't see when to stop if fast-forwarding or rewinding, or covers up that part of the screen if you paused to re-read a stat sheet, etc.

Movie ratings (number of stars) are no longer displayed on the primary guide screen. You have to go to the detailed description screen.

What a crappy interface.

To quote DJ....

I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE THE NEW NAVIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Highly Ranked

Steve @ May 15th 2008 11:05AM

I am not a gadget guy, so I was wondering if someone could answer my questions, since TWC either can't or doesn't care.

I hate the new Navigotor we got in Raleigh. It either no longer does what I am used to, or I can't figure it out. Maybe someone can help me.

My issues so far:

1) You can only search by title. I watch alot of movies and like to search by actors name, and you can't do that anymore. YOU CAN'T SEARCH BY KEYWORD!!! It is driving me crazy.

2) Like I said I watch alot of movies and record alot of kid shows on the DVR, so it stays close to full most of the time. I will record a movie that I may want to watch if I have time, but it isn't that important to keep. On the old system we had you could rearrange the titles on your DVR to pick which shows/movies would be deleted first if it got full. I can't figure out how to do that now.

There are other problems, but those are the two features that I used daily and can't do now. Any thoughts on DirecTV or Dish?

Thanks for your help.

Neutral

Nolan @ May 17th 2008 2:08PM

I just rebooted my box for the 1000th time since I got this POS crap back in February (when I "upgraded" to HD).

It seems that it's a real crapshoot whether I actually get to watch TV anymore. I would probably have better luck playing the lottery!

Let's see...
Pull up the guide -- freezes.
Change the channel -- audio starts cutting out every 30 seconds, then.. freezes.
Pull up the DVR list -- Picture becomes permanantly 400px by 300px in the top right corner of the screen, whether or not the List or Guide are still up
Reboot once -- freezes. Reboot again.
Reboot twice -- No audio. Reboot again.
Reboot three times -- Reboot freezes, try again.
Reboot four times -- watch whatever comes on the default channel for fear of touching anything.

Call TWC tech support -- "Oh, we just need to reboot the box..."

UGHHHH.

Neutral

Ryan @ May 20th 2008 7:09AM

Just got the upgrade overnight in Raleigh-Durham. I don't have HD. Not pleased.

Also as a bonus it added a porno (that I definitely didn't ask for) to my recorded programs. Glad I found it before the wife! Not cool.

| 1 | 2 | Most Recent | Next 50 Comments

Goodbye Eidos, hello Square Enix Europe Valve adds 4 vs 4 competitive matchmaking to Left 4 Dead on Steam PS3 Beatles: Rock Band DLC crashing game's servers overseas	Gift Guide: get 50 photo holiday cards for free How do you download torrentless torrents? Use Magnetiser for Firefox Phytrix: a Tetris-Meets-Match-3 Time Waster
Navigon updates again - adds live traffic Found Footage: The iPhone and the WiiMote Dangerously driving a car with an iPhone	Occidental: Well-positioned for oil's next vault to the stratosphere Low cost carriers own 30% of domestic airline biz, growing fast Closing Bell: What sell-off? (AIG, ABK, EPR, MBI, JAVA, ORCL, ERTS)
Reminder: Left 4 Dead demo now available 4 all Games on Demand has a high-price Monopoly Xbox 360 Fancast 142 -- ODSB	Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Serious automotive testing Pics Aplenty: Mitsubishi shows off EVOlved 2010 Outlander GT Total Croc: Porsche suing popular shoe company over naming rights?
Rumor: Most of Command and Conquer team to be laid off after C&C 4's release? Star Wars: The Old Republic web comic to be collected in paperback GoG.com adds Sanitarium to game line up	NFL Power Rankings, Week 10: The Ugly Side of Parity Bernard Pollard Accuses Chiefs of Trying To Have Him Blackballed Brian Westbrook's Ankle Injury Flares Up