Fetch TV has confirmed it is further enhancing the user experience, with the addition of exciting new features and an updated User Interface.
New features include the introduction of Integrated Universal Search, a 24-hour reverse EPG, and the ability to set channel favourites for easy navigation. Fetch users with a Mini set-top-box will also gain access to the Amazon Prime Video app (previously only available on the Fetch Mighty).
The Fetch User Interface has undergone a visual makeover to improve accessibility, with the introduction of darker colours, finer fonts, larger text, and simplified icons. The upgrade (known as 3.10 Abercrombie) will be progressively rolled out this month, starting from today with the Fetch Retail customer base, and represents the first of several major upgrades planned for the next 12 months.
Scott Lorson, CEO of Fetch TV said:
“A defining characteristic of the Fetch service is its dynamic nature, thanks to our highly agile in-house design and development capability. We are constantly looking for ways to improve the user experience by adding new features, evolving the User Interface, and enhancing our content offering. This latest release achieves all three, and there are more exciting changes to come.”
“Fetch and our partners are focused on leading the market in both value and user experience. In a constantly evolving market with more choices than ever, Fetch is delivering “All your entertainment, easy”.”
Summary of key features:
- Integrated Universal Search – a single search query now provides results across Free-to-Air, subscription channels, recordings, Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, hayu, 7+, 10Play, 9Now, ABC iView, SBS on Demand, the Fetch TV and Movie Stores, and YouTube. A “Ways to Watch” listing allows for easy selection from available options.
- Updates to the TV Guide
o Channel Favourites – enables users to nominate “Favourite Channels”, with these channels then appearing at the top of the guide listing, for easy access.
o New look grid view – provides contextual show imagery and information, making browsing and selecting content easier than ever.
o 24 hr Reverse mode – allows on demand viewing of programs that aired up to 24 hours earlier for both Free-to-air, and Subscription channels.
o New look Info Bar – provides prompts for different ways of viewing shows across all channel types – join in progress, play from start, view shows that aired in the past 24 hrs, and view future scheduled programs now (the latter being for Virtual Playlist Channels only).
o New channel scanner – a quick and easy way to see what is now airing on adjacent channels and to navigate to watch.
- Updates to Movie & TV Stores – The Fetch interface has moved from a 3×3 to a 4×3 grid, increasing the number of titles available to view at a time. Rotten Tomatoes ratings and classification information now appears automatically when the user pauses on a movie or show tile.
- New Home Page layouts – flexibility has been added to the layout of the Home Page, allowing for variations in the configuration to increase vitality and editorial impact. Actionable half-page take overs can now be used to promote key content or to deliver educational messages intended to enhance users’ knowledge of the features of Fetch. Additional layout options to be added in coming months.
As a fetch user, I am bitterly disappointed at the update and Fetch’s response to the critique. In the EPG you no longer can see when the program starts. The response from Fetch: “You can see from the time bar at the time or press the ‘Info’ button for more detail.”
So the options are more clicks or a guesstimate. I’ll see if i can get Plex up and running properly so i can retire my 3 fetch boxes.
Upgrade is a disaster. The Mighty box stopped working so waiting for replacement. The Mini keeps locking up. Our internet download is averaging 100 Mbps. The new interface foes not show what has been recorded. The Prime app sometimes works. And the remote not part of the upgrade is the cheapest nastiest I have ever used. Going back to Foxtel.
Hi Gerard – a shame to hear this has been your experience. I too have a Mighty and a Mini and they didn’t skip a beat with the upgrade. We’ve found the new interface to be a welcome refresh and it works fine for us, though I appreciate your experience may vary. Personally I’ve not seen any of the software issues you state.
On the old version I enjoyed the Video inset in the top right hand corner, so you can still watch the channel while browsing another. This is now gone on the new version. Also the info strip no longer provides a start and end time to the program like it used to do.
The old version was so much better than this new one. It’s confusing, glitches and you can’t use the paw without getting rid of the info screen. Took me an hour just to figure it out. And the info of the show on the bar in TV guide is stupid as you can’t see anything else, and just gets in the way- it was so much better when it was at the top, and out of the way. It also doesn’t let me record from the show itself, it lights up on the box but doesn’t do anything, how am I meant to record anymore? This update was an utter disaster and disappointment.
Please revert to the old version. Scrolling through all channels to find the Favourites is clumsy. The previous option of Yellow button to swap fro. ALL to FAVOURITES was much better. The INFO over the Program Guide is unnecessary and reduces the number of channels shown. A disaster has been inflicted.
are we able to add (Up Faith & Family) to streaming to our fetch box if so how to add this to the box so we can have a better variety of movies & series
When fast-forwarding through the Test Cricket the new interface completely obscures the bottom 1/3 of the screen with an opaque black “strap” so it’s impossible to follow the fall of wickets or 4s or 6s etc. What a waste of screen real-estate!