Comcast’s new Scientific Atlanta interactive program guide made its official debut last week in Middleton, Conn.
The new guide, which is known internally as S25, was first tested by Comcast employees on Scientific Atlanta set-top boxes in Connecticut. Last month, Comcast said the guide, which is supposed to improve the viewing experience for Comcast customers on Scientific Atlanta systems, would be launched in parts of Connecticut this month before rolling it out nationwide later this year. About 80 percent of Comcast’s systems are Motorola, with the rest Cisco/SA.
A spokeswoman for Comcast confirmed this morning that Middleton was the first launch of the new guide and that more will be forthcoming in Connecticut.
The guide launches via a software download that pushes out the new codes.
GuideWorks, which is a joint venture between Comcast and Rovi, developed the Cisco i-Guide. The new guide gives Comcast customers in the affected markets a new color-coded grid and a new on-demand menu that loads faster and has more detailed program information. It also has an improved search menu and a menu of shortcuts called “Quick Menu.”
Other features include expanded parental control options, multiple favorites lists and additional channel grids.
While designed to mirror the look and feel of Comcast’s Motorola guide, which is called the A28, the SA guide doesn’t have all of the same features just yet, but Comcast has said that MyDVR, which lets customers schedule their DVR recordings remotely, whole-home DVR, EBIF-based Caller ID on TV and other interactive TV features such as HSN’s “Shop by Remote” would be available sometime next year.
The new guide was launched on Thursday in Middleton, to some mixed reviews by Comcast subscribers.
