Verizon brings new features to Interactive Media Guide in MD / VA

Verizon's Interactive Media Guide has been on the rollout path since July of last year, but now customers in Maryland and Virginia can look forward to even more of that delicious interactivity. Beginning this very moment, FiOS TV users in the aforementioned states will have access to a "fantasy sports application, free casual games, purchasing power via remote control, more widgets that provide on-demand access to information and entertainment, and other exciting options." More specifically, you'll be able to stream HD recordings to six other TV sets throughout the home, create two separate lists of favorite channels and interface with your ESPN Fantasy Football right on your TV screen. Not bad for free, huh?

[S4Rs Posted Oct 14th 2008 8:23AM]

I live in MA, and I got the new IMG last Week.

And When they roll out a new media manager app for your computer, you will be able to stream movies from your pc to the tv and control recordings tivo style from the pc. I also heard that the motorola boxes may be used as media center extenders too. It seems to me these tuner boxes that have been around for the past 6 years have only reached maybe 10% of their potential.

The VOD is also a lot faster now, but the content their just doesn't come close to Comcast yet.

I'm still waiting for AMC HD too! Breaking Bad is gonna be on soon.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 17th 2008 1:35PM]

The IMG update came to New Jersey between Wednesday and Thursday. I only realized it because I happened to be awake at 4 am when my FiOS set top boxes simultaneously rebooted a few times. Rather than interrupting them to see what was up, I went back to sleep and checked 3 hours later to find most of the aforementioned features. There are new widgets that tell you what other customers are watching live, and VOD. Plus, there are news feeds, but I don't think there is any means to choose content. I haven't seen any ESPN widgets, nor have I tried to stream HD content yet. I did notice that there are new Guide filters that allow you to see what's on based on pre-determined criteria like Kids Shows and Sports. It certainly trumps Comcast's Guide.