Skipped Channels

First, I think your mistaken about skipped channels showing up in the program guide, the channels that have the "check mark" do not show up in the guide, that''s why this so frustrating, I don't want all the standard def channels/music choice in the guide. 

I think the set favorites does what you are describing.

Anywho, once I set skipped channels I exit the setup menus (I have tried using the exit button, "backing" out using the left arrow and even powering off the cable box).  When I go back into setup - channels - set skipped channels, sometimes the check will still be there, sometimes not.

Other notes, this all started after i moved my services from my old residence (worked a expected there) to my new residence (same equipment both locations) and co-incidently about the time they rolled out the "contour" service in our market.

fdavis is doing it correctly.   When you set a channel to be skipped, it is removed from the guide as well as from channel up/down list.  The problem is there seems to be a hard limit to how many channels you are allowed to skip.  Adding more channels causes random channels to be removed from the skip list.

To recreate this problem, go to settings, channels, skipped channels.   Manually put a checkmark next to every channel except for channels 700-799.   Go back to live television.   Then go back to the skipped channel list.   You will find that over 2/3rds of the channels you programmed to skip previously will have been added back to the list, randomly.

I don't know what the hard limit for skipped channels is.  It would take me hours of trial and error to figure this out.  It would be nice to know what it is.  What would make me happy is to have this hard limit removed.  If you were to try to skip every paid subscription channel, music channels, and low definition channels, I guarantee you will exceed the hard limit.  This is frustrating. 

I've called tech support about this issue, they weren't able to help.  They send a cable guy to the house and he just told me I cannot do what I want to do.  It is a known issue.

fdavis,

That is a known issue that will be fixed in a future update. I apologize for the inconvenience and frustration this has caused. 

StephanieA: I would like to discuss something with you.  I'm an employee in SE region and have come across this however we have no knowledge here in my region of it being a known issue.  Can you reach out to me somehow?  I don't know how to send PM on forums, but I can be found on Lync or work email

I have been fighting this exact same problem since whole home DVR was installed on Sep 15, that's 37 days of extreme frustration.  Not only skipped channels, but just getting so slow and eventually freezing picture.  I've had my DVR changed twice and Client box changed 3 times.  All new wiring and connectors were replaced with more new wiring and connectors, got a new tap on the pole at the road, believe me, we've tried everything.  And I feel the same about not having to see channels I don't want or don't pay for.  Only wanna see my favorites.  Contour is new equipment and I understand having to work the bugs out.  Overall it's a great service. 

Try this:

1)  Settings, Guide Options, Default Guide View, select List Favorite Channels View.

2)  Settings, Channels, Set Skipped Channels.  If you have any channels checked to skip, Deselect All by pressing the yellow triangle.

3)  Setting, Channels, Set Favorite Channels (all will be available, but only select the ones you want to see when you press Guide).

4)  Now when you press Guide, you will only see your selected favorite channels.  If you continue to press Guide, you will see the other 5 options that are available.  Took me awhile to understand there are 6 Guide Options to view.  If that happens, just press again until your favorites view comes up (which you should have set as default). 

Seems to be working for me, good luck!!

Update

Just like SueZQ, I have had 2 in home service calls (checked connectors, signal levels, checked my "drop", replaced both Host and Client boxes ... works for a few hours or days then back to every command in slow motion / maybe a picture maybe not). Refresh or Hard Reboot and it works for a few hours or days etc

Called phone tech support 6 or 7 times spoke to 9 techs? Everything looks good on their end "have to schedule a service appointment" ... do a refresh.

I am by no means a computer / networking expert. But since day 1 I have suspected this was either software (Contour), billing related to my move or a network connectivity issue. So try to follow me here.

Contour ... the juries still out on that being the problem

Anywho, after the last in house visit (replaced the Host) I set up a "new user" account on the host (this was on 10/19).  My understanding is that the user accounts should be "sync'ed" across all boxes.  Checked the client box minutes, then hours, then next day ... no user account  (except the default).

Jump to 10/21 afternoon. Come home from work, turn on client, back to old tricks. Since I don't want to call tech support, do a hard reboot (unplug box).  Seems like "Cnfg" stayed on the display for much longer time.  Once reboot finished, turned on TV, went into the guide and for whatever reason it was on the "user" I had created on 10/19 on the host (boxes have sync'ed?).  Ever since both boxes are working as expected (the skipped channels I set up for the new user even works correctly on both boxes)

I don't know what Cox did during the day on 10/21 to my account (it's not like they send you a courtesy email <sarcasm intended>), but i suspect that the second in home visit triggered an internel Cox  investigation and some Techie figured out the problem.  i.e. my boxes where not communicating with cox"s servers correctly (that's been my diagnosis since early on but the phone tech's assured me that "couldn't be the issue")

Sorry for the long post, just trying to get as much helpful info out there as possible

Working correctly 2 days and counting ....

I know how frustrating this is, I experienced it along with suezq. I'm an employee and I have worked aggressively to get this info out about the issue and am still to this day waiting on a confirmed fix or even acknowledgement. The work around seems to help, but still it needs to be an identified issue with a plan to resolve.

Same issues with skipped channels since whole home with contour was installed 2 months ago.  Eventually many of the skipped channels remained checked.  Not sure how this happened.  I have the host and 1 client box.  I have now added premium channels to my lineup but cannot get them "unskipped."  I have removed the checks and after exit, they are still skipped.  I deselected all in the skipped list by hitting the yellow button, but once again some were checked and some were not.  Many of the new premium channels are checked so I cannot scroll to them or see what is on them in the guide because they don't show up there.  Called techs, they want to send a refresh to the box.  This seems to be their answer to everything and when that doesn't work, they want a tech to come to the house.  If the refresh, changing both the host and client didn't work then, what makes them think it will work now.  Contour costs more so I expect more.  SInce I am removing previously checked channels, the possibility of a restricted number of selections does not come into play.

Created a "new user" and named it a while back but never used it.  It was created on the host.  I switched to the new user as the default.  It had no skipped channels set.  I set the skipped channels for this user and all seems to be working for the moment but it has only been a few minutes.  Will see if the client synced the new user info and skipped channels.

same problems in the new user setup.  can't get all the channels skipped that I want skipped.  Still can't "unskip" some of the premium channels in the default user setup.  Cox needs to hurry up and push out an update that will fix all these "known" issues.  Or, they should offer the service at a drastic discount until the issues are fixed.  I feel like a guinea pig for a beta trial.

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to SueZQ222.This makes my guide browsing experience much better. Now if we could just get the up/down issue fixed we would be in business.

Thanks a million!

Hi Everyone, 

This issue is being worked on. In the meantime, we have found a work around. 

You will have make one single change at a time. Instead of deselecting multiple channels from the skipped and favorites channel list, you can deselect one program at a time, go back to the guide wait five seconds, and then go back in settings to deselect another single program.

You can also create a unique account on your receiver to start over. You will have a clean profile, but cannot continue selecting multiple programs at a time, or the issue will persist.

Thank you for your patience and understand while we work to get this resolved.

Thanks Stephanie, that worked on the host.  Took way too long to be convenient.  Now, the newly created user on the host with all the skipped channels and its own icon will not duplicate on the client receiver.  The new user account shows up, but with the default icon and only the previously skipped channels.  I really don't want to go through the 1 skipped channel at a time thing again.  Any help here getting the host to duplicate the account settings on the client????