Forum Discussion

Tivo_Guy's avatar
Tivo_Guy
New Contributor
4 years ago

No subject

Wow every post is years old.  Does anyone post here? I am trying to ask a question about customizing the guide but when I type that into the subject the topic is locked. How stupid.  Any way I had to get a contour box for my 87 year old dad and the guide is over whelming for him.  He only watches a few channels.  I want to delete a bunch of channels from the guide permanently so they don’t come back if he hits the wrong button.  I am not familiar with Cox boxes as I’ve used TiVo boxes for 20 years.  I can fully customize the guide and permanently delete channels I don’t want in it. Of course I can add them back if I choose to.  In general the box ** compared to TiVo but I can’t get that for my dad as he’s in assisted living and the Cox box is only $10 so I can’t beat the price.  But boy it seems antiquated.  Any suggestions?

  • Bruce's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III

    You can set the Program Guide to only display your Dad's favorite channels.

    Press the Contour button > Settings (gear icon) > Preferences > General > Default Guide View > Favorites

    You can save a channel as a Favorite.

    Press the Guide button > find a favorite channel > Left Arrow until the network/channel is highlighted onscreen > Press OK > choose Favorite > press the Up Arrow to return the Program Guide > find another favorite channel

    • Tivo_Guy's avatar
      Tivo_Guy
      New Contributor

      But can I lock the setting so only the favorite channels will work when he uses the channels up and down button or does he always have choose guide then favorites.  He has dementia and that is too complicated for him.  He needs just only the few channels he watches available to him.  Like on my box I could delete every channel but say 10 if I wanted and only those 10 will be in the guide and will be the only ones when you channel up and down.  The only way to get to other channels is to manually enter the numbers or undelete them from the guide.

      • CurtB's avatar
        CurtB
        Valued Contributor III

        You didn't say which Contour receiver you have so this may not apply to you.  But, if you have a Contour 1, you may select favorite channels and then go into settings and change the default guide view to "List Favorite Channels View".

        Settings > Guide Options > Default Guide View > List Favorite Channels View

        You can also skip channels you don't want to appear in the guide.  This will take a few minutes, but you would only need to do it once. You may access a skipped channel later by un-checking the skipped channel or by manually entering the channel number.

        Settings > Channels > Set Skipped Channels

  • Bruce's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III

    I have Contour 2 and Skip Channel and a Power-On Channel are not options.

    "...can I lock the setting so only the favorite channels will work when he uses the channels up and down button..."

    I had to experiment with the Channel button on the remote because I never use it.  Bad news.  If you've set the Program Guide to default Favorites and your Dad uses the Channel button on the remote, Contour 2 will ignore his preference and switch to the next enumerated channel.  Meaning, pressing the Channel button ignores any default preference.  I suppose Default View is only for the Program Guide and not the remote.

    "...too complicated..."  With this mishmash of thoughtless options nowadays, I understand switching channels can be frustrating.  However, if your Dad can stop using the Channel button, this might help:

    After you've set channels and the Program Guide as Favorites, the Arrow Buttons on the remote will stay within the Favorites domain.  For example, if your Dad is watching a Favorite channel and wants the switch to another Favorite, Right Arrow will launch a Mini Guide listing all his Favorites.  He could then Arrow Up/Down to select and OK to switch.

    This is about as simple as I could figure with Contour 2.  Switching to Contour 1 may be the best solution.

    • Bruce's avatar
      Bruce
      Honored Contributor III

      How to use Contour videos, eh?  I guess this is why "In general the box **."