Mediacom TV viewers gain on-screen program guide
Mediacom Communications added new capabilities to its digital adapters to provide television viewers with an on-screen information guide that displays schedules and descriptions for current and upcoming television programs. The on-screen program guide is a tool programmed into existing digital adapters in use by Mediacom customers and accessible through remote controls used with those adapters.
The new on-screen guide became available this week for local TV viewers using a Mediacom standard digital adapter as part of the cable television connection. There is no added cost for the guide and no need for customers to install it. Electronic upgrades are underway to make the on-screen guide compatible with the high-definition version of Mediacom’s adapters in coming weeks.
The on-screen TV guide operates by using remote control keys as navigational buttons. Viewers can scroll up and down to check current and upcoming program selections for each channel, toggle between programs, read in-depth program information or set parental controls.
“With this improvement, each digital adapter becomes a search tool to let viewers browse multiple hours of continuous program information and easily identify program types by color highlights,” said Pat Hynes, Mediacom’s area operations director for Delaware and eastern Maryland. “We believe it will make it more convenient for people to find programs that are new or of most interest to them.”
Prior to this upgrade, the on-screen program guide was only available to subscribers using a more advanced cable receiver (set-top box). In recent years, smaller digital adapters have been widely distributed, and a high-definition adapter is now used as an economical way to ensure that customers with HD televisions receive higher-quality HD video signals.
An online tutorial and printable instruction steps are available to help customers see how their current remote control (either HD or SD) can be used to navigate the on-screen digital adapter guide. For more information, go to mediacomcable.com/digitaladapter or call 866-577-0166.
