Using your Interactive Programming Guide
Want to learn more about your IPG?
The easiest way to learn about your IPG is to view the videos on the right.
You can also get help through the onscreen menus. From your remote control, select Menuand then select Help, or if your remote control has a Help button, press Help for even quicker access to Fios TV help.
Want more information about your Fios TV?
The About Fios TV page on the Verizon Online Help Site provides you with information about all aspects of your Fios TV service.
How To Videos*
Programming your Remote
Setting up and using the IPG
Setting Your Favorite Channels
Advanced Features
National Football League (NFL) Blackouts
The local and cable channels who currently own TV rights to air NFL games are:
- CBS – Sunday Afternoon AFC Games (Regional)
- FOX – Sunday Afternoon NFC Games (Regional)
- NBC – Sunday Night Football (National)
- ESPN – Monday Night Football (National)
- NFL Network - Thursday Night & Saturday Night (National)
Typically Thursday night and Saturday night games air later in the NFL season.
Sunday Regional Games
No regional home game can be televised locally if it is not sold out within 72 hours of game time. In some cases, the NFL may extend the deadline if the game is nearly sold out. In rare circumstances, deadlines have been extended to as little as 24 hours before of kick off.
- Blackout Radius for Regional Games: The NFL considers the home market for an NFL team to be within a 75 mile radius of the home team’s city. The only exception to this is the home market for the Green Bay Packers which includes both Green Bay and Milwaukee.
National Games
Regional blackout rules do not apply to national games aired on NBC, ESPN, or the NFL Network. However, nationally aired games may be simulcast to the local markets of the two teams. For the home team to simulcast the game locally, the same 72-hour sellout deadline for regional blackouts applies.
- Thanksgiving Games: Games played on Thanksgiving are nationally aired games.
Game Time Changes
During the last seven weeks of the NFL regular season, games originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon may be switched to either Sunday night, or in some cases, a game originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, may be moved to 4:00 p.m. ET instead. The NFL does this so games that are considered to have significant fan interest can be repositioned so that more viewers can watch the game.
NOTE: Sports blackout rules change from time to time. As a general rule, if a game is blacked out in your area, always check your Interactive Media Guide to see if the game is airing on another Fios TV channel.
See Also
Major League Baseball (MLB) Blackouts
The broadcasters who currently own exclusive national TV rights to air MLB games are:
- ESPN – Sunday Night Games after 5:00 p.m. ET
- FOX – Saturday Games between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. ET
MLB Blackout Criteria
Aside from the exclusive broadcast rights granted to the nationally-aired games above, local or cable channels in a team’s home market will contract with the team to broadcast their games in their local market. The local broadcasters will have priority to air the team’s games to their home market provided there is no nation-wide exclusive broadcast right granted to another channel.
For example: If a game is aired on a local channel and is also airing on the MLB Network, the local channel would have priority and the game on the MLB Network would be blacked out in the local market.
MLB Extra Innings Games
As is the case with local broadcasters, the exclusive TV rights that ESPN and Fox have with Major League Baseball also apply to the MLB Extra Innings package. If the game is not on the MLB Extra Innings schedule, check to see if the game is airing on ESPN, ESPN2, or Fox.
NOTE: Sports blackout rules change from time to time. As a general rule, if a game is blacked out in your area, always check your Interactive Media Guide to see if the game is airing on another Fios TV channel.
See Also
NCAA Football Blackouts
If you subscribe to the ESPN Game Plan package, the following blackout rules apply:
ABC Regional Games
These are games your local ABC affiliate has the right to air. If a specific game airs on your local ABC channel, then the game is blacked out on the ESPN Game Plan schedule.
Regionally Syndicated Games
These are games that are aired on local or regional sports channels. If these games air locally or regionally, they are blacked out on the ESPN Game Plan schedule.
NOTE: Sports blackout rules change from time to time. As a general rule, if a game is blacked out in your area, always check your Interactive Media Guide to see if the game is airing on another Fios TV channel.
See Also
What equipment do I need to watch 3D on Fios TV?
To watch 3D programming on Fios TV, you need the following:
- A 3D-enabled TV
- A pair of 3D glasses that work with your 3D-enabled TV
- Either a Fios TV HD Set-Top Box (STB) or DVR
- HDMI cable
How do I set up and begin watching TV in 3D?
- Connect your 3D TV and Fios STB or DVR with the HDMI cable.
- Make sure the HDMI input of your 3D TV is selected.
- Use the remote to find 3D programming.
- Turn on your 3D glasses to begin viewing in 3D.
Want to learn more?
Watch the support videos on this topic:
See Also
Do I need special glasses to view 3D programming?
Special glasses are required to view 3D programming. They are what let you see and experience the 3rd dimension of depth.
How do 3D glasses work?
Glasses designed for 3D viewing use something called active shutter technology—alternating left eye/right eye blocking—to sync up with your 3D TV and merge two images into one so you get that 3rd dimension depth. Your brain actually does the merging, but the active shutter glasses make it happen.
Where do I get the 3D glasses?
Typically you get one or more pairs of 3D glasses with your 3D-enabled TV, or you can purchase them as an accessory. If you do purchase extra pairs of 3D glasses separately, it's very important that you get the ones that work with your specific 3D TV. Buy the same brand of 3D glasses.
See Also
If my HD TV says it's "3D-ready" does that mean it's a 3D TV?
To determine if your "3D-Ready" TV is a 3D TV you need to check the reference materials that came with your TV. Some older HD TV sets indicate they are 3D-ready, but you'll need to check what that means for your particular brand and model.
What if my "3D-Ready" TV is not a true 3D TV?
If your HD TV is not a true 3D TV, check with the manufacturer to see if there is an update or upgrade that makes it 3D-capable.
I just bought a new HD TV, how can I tell if it is 3D-enabled?
Newer 3D TV sets clearly show or indicate that they are 3D-enabled. Look for the 3D logo either on the TV or in the materials. 3D enabled TV sets bring specially created/encoded 3D content to life in a way that a 2D HD TV cannot—by creating even greater depth.
See Also
Common questions about 3D Programming
Below are some commonly asked questions about 3D TV programming:
Can I watch regular 2D TV on my 3D TV or will everything be 3D?
If you have a 3D-enabled HD TV and Fios TV service, you can switch between viewing 2D or 3D programming as needed.
Does 3D programming cost more than my current Fios service?
There may be an additional charge for some 3D programming—just as there is for some Video On Demand titles or Pay Per View events.
How come there is such a limited selection of true 3D programs available?
We are committed to delivering the very best in entertainment—and that means we’re adding 3D content as fast as it becomes available. However, 3D-enabled TV’s are new and are just now coming into the marketplace. Consequently, content providers are just beginning to create more content in full 3D for home viewing.
Some 2D content is being re-worked and retro-fitted to add a 3rd dimension to it. Look for full 3D channels and more 3D content coming soon.
Will Fios TV 3D programming work on any 3D TV?
We follow industry standards for 3D thereby ensuring Fios TV 3D programming works on any 3D TV.
See Also
How do I change the audio language?
To change the Secondary Audio Programming (SA) language:
- Press the Menu button on your remote control.
- Select Settings.
- Select System.
- Select Language.
- Select Audio Language.
- Choose either English Preferred or Spanish Preferred.
Programming & Features
With hundreds of digital arts, entertainment, news, movie, and sports channels, Fios TV offers a wide variety of programming for everyone.
Closed Captions & Language
Use the Interactive Media Guide (IMG) to:
Local Channel Availability
Once approval is received to offer local public, education, and government programming in your area, it can take from 3 months to over a year in some communities to provide these channels on the network.
To find out when your favorite public, education, or government channels will be available in your area, please contact us
button, towards the bottom of your Fios remote. If this is not the case, you can always use your Interactive Media Guide to turn closed captioning on or off using your Fios remote, press: