The recent Fetch TV 3.30 platform update has left users frustrated and angry, with some people labelling the user interface (UI) overhaul a “mess”.
Earlier in the month, Fetch TV rolled out an update aimed at making it easier to find content across different streaming platforms. Labelled the 3.30 Acacia update, it’s available on all Fetch TV boxes, excluding the Gen 2 model. As part of this update, a revised “Ways to Watch” menu now displays where you can watch various shows and movies.
Not everyone is pleased with the update, however. Since the update launched on Fetch TV devices nationwide, criticism on social media has flowed freely. Commenters on the brand’s Facebook page, even on posts unrelated to the update, are not happy. Even our original coverage of the new UI received several comments labelling the software “awful” and filled with bugs.
Fetch TV 3.30 update gone wrong
Reading the responses left on Fetch’s social media channels, several recurring points emerge. Several people complained about now requiring more clicks and menu navigation to access content, which is seemingly against the discovery-based intentions of the Fetch TV update. Some reported issues accessing recorded content, accusing the company of abandoning PVR functionality in favour of streaming. Another commenter bemoaned the lack of communication around the update, with others requesting the ability to roll back to a previous version of the platform.
In response, Fetch issued a statement on Facebook thanking users for their feedback in recent weeks, acknowledging not everything resonated with customers. To put a pop culture spin on things, the post referenced the “Burn Book” from the popular 2004 comedy film Mean Girls.
Thank you to our customers for sharing your feedback on the recent update to Fetch. We understand it’s a big change, and that some of you may have added Fetch to your Burn Book in the past week or so. It was definitely not our intention to upset you, and we hope that once you get used to the changes and learn more about the new features that you will love Fetch again.
Before making this change we did lots of research on the best entertainment platforms around the world. We did user testing of different elements along the way to help us decide what was the best approach.
That said, we recognise that we didn’t get everything right for every customer and we are listening to your feedback. We will action the things we know we can make better, for example we are already working on some updates to the new recordings area. We’re also looking into the issue with the update not working on some specialist universal remotes. There will be more tweaks made in other areas once we consider feedback over the next few weeks.
This week we will be doing a series of posts about the features of the new interface, to help you learn how it works. We’ll give you tips on how it makes it easier for you to access the things you have been watching, find new things to watch, and find the way to watch that is best for you.
Fetch statement on Facebook
The brand also directed users to the 3.30 Acacia release notes and quick start guides for further information. Fetch customers can also contact the company via its official contact page for any technical issues or questions.
An update to the update
More recently, Fetch shared another development on social media, this time communicating some tweaks to the Fetch TV platform. Based on feedback, the “My Stuff” section now provides quicker access to free-to-air and catch-up apps like 7Plus and 9Now.
“We were able to make this update without additional technical development,” the Facebook post reads. “Some of the other improvements (to recordings and other things) will take more time.”
An exact timeline for further improvements is currently unknown. We’ve contacted Fetch for an official response and will update this story once we know more.
Despite a well-intentioned platform update, Fetch has a challenge ahead of it to win back some customer goodwill.
Why would they change something that was working well. We have three in our house and everyone hates it. Fetch need to allow people to undo the update.
I have yet to see the new Fetch UI, but I suspect it might be a similar approach to Alphabets’ Android TV update — they changed everything so they can get more cash from their partner media companies for adding subscribers and for advertising partners’ paid content.
In other words, it’s all about company profits, adding a new shine to the UI is just a lame excuse — if they wanted to give users the best experience, they would just open these media boxes to 3rd party launchers and apps.
I have 69 episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine recorded and when I search to find it the first option which is highlighted is $buy, the 4th option is my stuff, it turns out its option 3 then another click to choose recorded, tv store or netflix, its crystal clear that fetch is trying to fool people into paying for something they already have. This new menu has way more clicks and way more con. Also if you lookup “fetchrecruitment.com.au it outlines 4 stages, 1.Status Quo (Denial), 2.Disruption (Doubt), 3.Exploration (Acceptance), 4.Re-Building(Integration).
Really hate the update. A big issue is in the TV guide where the old system provided details of the series and episode numbers which is important with some channels that repeat shows sometimes from multiple series. Also in recordings used to get a tick to show tat the program had been viewed
New system requires more steps to achieve something.
I have been a big supporter of Fetch but will consider another brand
There’s more clicks required to access recorded content with the new update but apart from that, I have no issue it.
RE UP DATE :OLD ADAGE IF IIT IS NOT BROKEN DO NOT FIX IT. I HAVE THAT THE NEW UPDATE IS A COMPLETE MESS ND FRUSTRATING TIME WASTING NOT HAPPY
Plenty of comment on FB Users page, a lot dead against it, others happy. Some, like me, are not really fussed but see the update as a new but inevitable focus on streaming content. No doubt brought about by the impending marriage to Telstra. Telstra’s core business is to sell internet plans. Fetch is a platform that can enhance that business model. I see the update as “a bad haircut” – give it a couple of weeks and it’s all good. The “failure” that I see is that Fetch box is essentially a (very good) PVR, with streaming capability. The PVR functionality has been pushed deeper into the menus. It’s still all there but a new way to find it. I’m reminded of the Steve Jobs (Apple CEO) story where he would tell software engineers who were pitching the latest OS or product design would include “…just three clicks and you can do this”…..he would stop them and say, “Come back when it’s one or two.” Fetch has missed that lesson. Glad that Fetch have acted on the feedback.
After this update my fetch box will not play or delete any recordings older than July 2017. Thankfully it’s not many recordings but in most cases they are for shows that are not available to watch elsewhere. Does anyone else have recordings from that long ago? and if so, are they affected as well?
The New update is really a mess, please bring back the older one or get better programmers because I think you will loose a lot of customers.
This update is a disaster. Why did they have to change something that worked well with something that is totally not fit for purpose.
Iv used fetch for over 5 years ..now it’s all changed ..WHY I can’t find update movie realise ..I don’t like the new format
Hate the update. I can no longer catch-up on UKTV,BBC TV or Universal.
Have tried to use Fetch for about 3 years. There have been several software updates during that time. Each one makes what was an awful platform worse. For me, Fetch is now totally unusable. Don’t know where Fetch did their market research, but I doubt it was on planet Earth.
New update is awful. Please listen to customers and bring back the old/classic menu. Much more difficult to find anything now. Many more clicks required. Seems to be much more laggy. Plex app on our Fetch Mini is basically broken…keeps flashing a black screen especially on the menus. The PVR functionality has been crippled. Shows are now not highlighted, but underlined, so difficult to tell what you have selected. Previous menu on bottom third of the screen was fine, now that has changed for the worse. I could go on with all the issues…our whole family hates the new update. My wife wants to get rid of Fetch now. I am persisting just because of ESPN, and PVR capability.
For me, the update hasn’t worked at all, it’s just left me with a blank screen on Fetch TV. I contacted Optus and they said a “specialist” would call me within one working day, but I’m still waiting. Complete disaster.
Update is trash… Made it so hard to access files on an external drive using their built in media player, and then the playback stops, stutters and crashes constantly, and when it is working the remote stops working so you can’t pause, fast forward or even go back to the main menu. Have to unplug the box and do a hard reboot. They can spin it all they want, but it’s garbage.
Having the exact same problem, Ive gone back and fourth via email with 3 different guys over 20 times, telling me ”thats odd, no one else has reported this problem and our tech team hasnt been able to replicate this same problem”, what rubbish and pure lies, they finally sent me a replacement and its doing the exact same thing! Never will i buy a Fetch box again.
This update is driving me nuts. It’s not just a case of having to learn how to use the new layout, it’s more like a complete shambles. More clicks on the remote to find the things that use to be so easy. Eg recordings and catch up tv. Not real happy with it and started using Apple TV a lot more as a consequence. Soon the fetch box will be unplugged and moved to the back cupboard. Thanks a lot guys for ruining the platform that use to work so well
NEW FETCH TV IS ABSOLUTELY USELESS SO IF CUTS IN AN OUT THROUGH CATCH UP PROGRAMS AND CAN’T EVEN GET I TOUCH WITH THEIR TECHNICAL SUPPORT 😡😡😡Not paying any more for such rubbish !GETTING RID OF IT TOMORROW !
Absolutely agree !!!
Total rubbish update, and lost my free movie box as I am not with Optus.
Focus is just on streaming revenue at the cost of PVR functionality.
How was Telstra allowed to buy Fetch ?!?!?!?!
What a joke.
Fetch will be sacrificed so that Foxtel monopoly continues.
We are moving anyway, so in a few months we will cancel.
Absolutely rubbish update and worse than that is the new Fetch remote control. There is no way to press down without pressing exit and wasting your time again looking for a program which now needs more clicks that before. Up,down,left and right are in the middle of 4 main buttons which basically undoing what you are trying to do.
There are so many issues with this new update, you can not see quickly which episode you have watched and which not. 4 clicks and still going up and down. It is shocking. As a say that you can not fix stupid.
Luckily I still have my old remote.
Why, when I choose channel 152 soccer (via the TV guide) do I get a black screen?
I then have to go to Sport (bottom of the screen) then choose ‘Optus Sport’ (from all other sports) and navigate to the ‘live’ Premier game?…all so unnecessary.
Is channel 152 ‘conflicted’ now when selected? Am I missing something as the old way was so easy?
I found it takes double the time to get the Netflix going and it requires a couple of minutes to so called updating the experience before I can get back to the normal the usual tv screen after I finish watching Netflix
This experience has been so disappointing I have stopped assessing the Netflix apps via fetch box altogether . I am going to discontinue the fetch service after more than 7 years of subscription as soon as I find an alternative
I’ve been struggling with the Fetch update over the past month and thought I must be missing the ‘new’ way of doing things…
I was very happy with the old UI. It felt optimised for the PVR user. This UI feels optimised for selling me new content I don’t want e.g. latest streaming releases advertised all over the TV schedule and the shortcut menus?!
It feels like this UI needs an ad blocker.
The basics don’t work any more either:
– Often can’t resume a recording you were part-way through, so we keep having to rewatch programmes on fast-forward now to find the place we got to.
– Basic tasks like browsing your recordings or deleting things you’ve watched are many steps away now.
– Programmes in the recordings list look like they are selected but aren’t so pressing play doesn’t do anything.
Happens a lot these days on various platforms – update something without having a fallback option. I agree with the previous posters – this Fetch box update, jammed down my ****, is rubbish. All I really want is to roll back to the previous version, which I found to be OK. Anyone know whether that’s possible, and if so how??
Cheers, John Wilke
All you need to know to understand what’s happened. Fetch got Telstra’d
Telstra completes acquisition of a majority stake in Fetch TV
Telstra
https://www.telstra.com.au › … › Media › Media Releases
2 Aug 2022 — Telstra today announced it had completed the acquisition of a 51.4 per cent controlling interest in Fetch TV following regulatory clearance.
Yeah this “update” (if you can call it that), has Telstra hallmarks all over it. Maybe that was one of clauses in the takeover contract was to royally stuff up the Fetch platform on purpose in an attempt to force customers to leave and go to Foxtel 😛
What could be the thinking behind taking something that was working well, and well liked, and making it so non-intuitive, with a dozen steps for every previous one, to get where you want to go, and never ending up there anyway!
I guess the good news is that I’ve reengaged my library card and read several books rather than put up with the frustration of spending half an hour trying to find something, only to give up in disgust when frustration levels reach their peak.
I have a network harddrive that I used to access from Mt fetch box to watch videos but now the network option has been removed and along with the messy UI (the previous version was much cleaner and easier to navigate) they need to fix this issue
Yes I can’t find the network option – I used to be able to access my computer from the Fetch to view my own content!!!! This needs to be brought back!!!
I’ve been contacting Fetch about this disaster since the update was forced upon us, to which they stated that they did “research” through “feedback” and the update can’t be rolled back. bs.
Number one issue: My brand new smart tv remote can no longer be used as a universal remote for all devices because the “paws” button was removed for use. They barely even apologised for that. NOT HAPPY.
Also. Fetch is now ridiculously laggy and nigh-on unusable most of the time. VERY FRUSTRATING.
The recordings section is now terrible and I frequently, accidentally delete the wrong item, or simply start watching the wrong program/episode as it doesn’t highlight properly any more. AGGRAVATING.
It takes 3 times as many button presses to get anywhere (unintuitive) with the addition of that lag each and every button press. INFURIATING.
They’ve essentially bricked my device. Nothing works properly, but there’s no recourse for them. WINwin I guess. Screw Fetch.
Come on Fetch !!!! why stuff up something that was running so well, life is hard enough without struggling to enjoy your SO SIMPLE !!! previous version of our Great Fetch Box !!! If is ain’t broke, don’t fix it !!!! Every time I use my control, it ruffles my feathers !!!!!!
I wish they would update the box so I can see ALL programs I have scheduled to record. It’s ridiculous you can only see scheduled recordings for the current day.
Im just using Google tv and my tv for FTA now I miss out on bbc but oh well
The new Fetch software is a disaster. I keeps asking them when they will fix it and after almost 2 months still get the same answer – in a few weeks. They are unable even to advise how to downgrade to the previous software which worked fine. I am ready to dump the system completely – has anyone any advice on a working alternative in Australia? The original was good and their support people always respond quickly but of course cannot help until the software is revised drastically. A great pity they have allowed a good product to be destroyed – it has gone on so long now I doubt that customer loyalty will last much longer. Their reputation might be badly damaged already?
I have just installed update 3.3 then watched a FTA recording. When I finished watching the recording and pressed STOP, I expected the cursor origin to be positioned at the recording I had just watched. This problem did not exist two updates ago. This problem received multiple posts after the previous update;it’s bad enough to expect your customers to debug your system, but when they point out the bugs and you still don’t fix them you don’t deserve to stay in business!
I use the media player on an hdd for most of our viewing and it used to be excellent and stable.
The upgrade is very unstable and often produces a blue screen with can’t find messages on it. Getting out of this has a slow response and puts you back to square 1.
Yes – yes you should be able to roll back to the previous version.
Also if Telstra (the most un-customer focused communications company in Australia) get involved we will never any more be able to be listened too.
My Fetch TV box received an update to the update this morning.
Just going through to see what has changed, hopefully for the better.
Is there anyway of gong back to the old version? The 3.3 version is an unmitigated disaster. Have always loved Fetch but the love affair is over. Fix it quick!!
This new update is rubbish, particularly in the My Recordings menu, where it gets stuck on one recording for all recordings, shows wrong title and graphics. So annoying. Can we go back…PLEASE!!
The system has bugs and lacks some basic functions. It has been like it for months despite bringing it to Fetch’s attention. Their suggestions don’t work and gets to a point where you can’t do what they want. Video clips showing the problem are to big to send via email.