UPDATE 6/20/2011 - Comments on this discussion have been closed. If you have a site issue that you'd like to report, first check the About KCET and KCET.org > Site News and Help discussion category to see if someone has already asked about it. If your issue has not been reported there, feel free to start your own discussion! - KCET Site Staff
Welcome to the new KCET.org!
Over the last few months we've been collecting your feedback about the KCET website - what you like, what you don't like, features you wish we offered, and so on. Although we've incorporated an awful lot of your input in the design of our new site, we still need your help fine tuning things. Please feel free to use this discussion board to give us your impressions, direct us to issues and bugs, and generally tell us how we're doing!
Note - When reporting a specific bug or issue, it'd be great if you could give us the following information:
- - the page in question's URL. Just copy and paste into your comment!
- - your browser and operating system. This helps us recreate the issue.
- - generally, what were you doing when you had the issue?
That's it. Many thanks for visiting KCET.org - and for lending a hand!
61 Comments
Hi,
I plan to replace LA Times hardcopy with KCET online and NYTimes online; don't let me down.
I have found a problem with your site - the full length shows stop playing after a few minutes of playtime. Acts as if downloading more content, but gets hung up. This doesn't happen with other website's (e.g. Netflix online) video streaming. This is a "must fix" to make your site useful.
Crowsquill, many thanks for your comment! I'm glad we are potentially giving the LAT a run for its money! 0:-)
We've identified the issue with video and our understanding is that the the stream is timing out when buffering takes too long. We're working with our provider to fix it before we get out of Beta, and I'll update our progress here. I'll also make sure that the technical specs for using our video are spelled out more carefully on the video page. But do let us know the issue persists!
I enjoy your zip code search.
Looking good!
You are a TV station and it is important for me to know what's going to be broadcast the next month. I miss the mailed monthly schedule but understand your cost constraints. However, it is hard for me to find the monthly prime time schedule consistently. I find the short-form (no program description) "complete schedule" is always there but not much good for me. That's still the case with the new kcet.org site.
Point taken Jim. The prime time schedule PDF is available for download on the schedule page - http://www.kcet.org/schedule/ - but you're absolutely right that it should be easier to find. I will put it in a permanent spot on the home page, and also make sure that the download button on the schedule is more prominent.
I'd also like to see the return of the detailed Prime Time Monthly Schedule available for download. Thanks!
I tried to see the schedule for May7 and it bombed, some sort of error. The current schedule format is an improvement, covers a week at least. I'd like to see a schedule that covers the entire month, and I'd also like to see one that includes all the digital channels of KCET, although I realize this one would be more extensive and probably wouldn't cover the entire month.
Hi Patti,
I think we've resolved the bombed out schedule issue. Tell us if it works on your end.
Thanks for the bug report Patti, we are reviewing the cause of that error. Our new schedule is a fairly complicated piece of code (and we're glad you like the new format!) and it apparently has a few kinks in it. Additionally, the other digital channels are available on the schedule. The large KCET on above the schedule with a downward pointing arrow opens up a list of channels, but we obviously need to make that clearer.
Where is the pdf for the monthly Prime time schedule???? And when you did have it, how come it was almost always late, sometimes as much as a week?
Thanks for the feedback, Nancy. Requests for a prime time PDF are leading the pack in terms of feedback. (And a timely PDF at that!)
I'll update once we've worked out where it goes on the homepage and the new schedule page.
Today's message featured an upcoming show: "Naturally Obsessed: ...." However, I was unable to locate it anywhere on the schedule.
Mae, can you tell me on which page you saw the reference to Naturally Obsessed? It would help to pinpoint the issue.
I used to like the monthly schedule so that I wouldn't miss your special shows. What I would like to have on your new web page is a button to download such in black and white to save blue ink. Large type option would be nice as I am 83 and have cataracts. A single daily schedule for the month plus the evenings programming would be nice. I you have this already I may have missed it in which case I apologize. Thank you since 1969, John
Many thanks for your comments and continued support, John. We are working on reviving the downloadable highlights PDF, and will make sure the new design is as easy to read as possible.
I miss the classical music in the morning hours........have no desire to listen to discussions about the brain, etc!!!!!!!!!! Will we ever get the music back?
Jaclineh, are you referring to Classic Arts Showcase - http://www.kcet.org/shows/classic_arts_showcase/ - I think the hours that it airs vary, but you can always find the next airdate on the series page I have linked above.
Several comments and suggestions:
1. Lots of good information, but it will take a while to get used to it all and find my way around.
2. On page (home?) that I reached from the e-mail link, there were a few schedule entries and links to the substations. The link to KCET World did not work. http://www.kcet.org/?utm_source=convio&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=enews
3. I couldn't figure out how to get to this page from elsewhere on the web site. Finally noticed the down arrow for menu of substations. V-Me is missing.
4. I could not get any result when entering my zip code for nearest station.
5. Like others, I would like the option of printing a full monthly schedule or just prime time. I also found it easier to view the day's schedule on a one-column menu (by subchannel) rather than scrolling across, though I do see the benefit of viewing by week.
6. Sometimes I cannot be home for important PBS or locally scheduled programs. It would be nice to have (even in small print) the viewing time on alternate subchannels. For instance, at one time I found the NewsHour at 3 pm on Orange; now I find it on World at 10 pm (when not preempted by special programming).
Except for the local news or weather forecast at night, KCET is the only TV I ever watch. Thanks for the good work both in programming and in your effort to improve the web site.
Hi, and glad to see that the new site is live. I'm a little confused about the way the podcasts are organized now, for example the Jonathan Safran Foer one has no reference to the Skirball Cultural Center where the program took place. Previously there was an image of the speaker and the Skirball's logo, etc. Overall I think the look is good and it seems like there's a whole new approach to the interactivity of the site, but maybe this is all still in progress?
Thanks!
From the schedule http://kcet.org/schedule/index.html , if I click on a link to view the description of the program, the screen just sits there "loading" . I am using Windows XP, browser Firefox 3.6.3 . Previously, a window with the information popped up instantly. I tested the same functionality with IE6, had the same problem, but in addition the whole site loads slooooowly. (Performance is fine with Firefox)
Also an IE6 problem (I know, it's obsolete, but lots of people still have it) is that when looking at the Schedule, the arrows to move across the times of day do not appear at all. This works fine in Firefox, so it's one of those pesky IE6 "features" where it deviates from programming standards, unfortunately needs to be dealt with...
Many thanks for the thorough testing Orchid Lady! A few responses:We are tracking down the loading issue on some versions of Firefox. Overall, though, KCET is no longer supporting IE6. Between the feature set that we'd like to provide, IE6's limitations, and the dwindling number of users coming to us via IE6, we will not be able to continue to build for the browser.
This url does not play: http://www.kcet.org/socal/podcasts/james-hillman-on-a-terrible-love-of-war.html
you need to add class "last" to the subnav item "guides" in socal subnavigation.
arrows on the schedule page are not working.
Thanks for the tip, Gercek! Which browser are you using?
This new website is terrible! The notice "Did you know that your Internet Explorer is out of date? You may not be experiencing kcet.org at its best. " is a bunch of poop and looks like a virus to me. We are running IE8 on WindowsXP. I even reinstalled IE8. All I want is to view the PBS World schedule, the page just sits on "loading" with a frozen circle-y icon and a blank schedule area. Same thing with the KCET Orange schedule. I had no trouble with the old website and really wish you hadn't touch it!
I'm very sorry you're having issues, Coco. The panel suggesting you upgrade is not a virus. If you are seeing the upgrade message while using IE8, it likely means that you are running IE8 under "compatibility view." This setting essentially turns your IE8 into IE7 - with all the limitations that implies. Microsoft has a series of instructions on how to turn compatibility view on and off - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956197
This website was difficult to find, but it is vital that we, the public have this means to communicate our interest in programs and specials. I tried to conduct an advance search of a PBS special that I have learned that is forthcoming, but was unable to get that information. We would like to know when it would be aired, the date and time. I believe it is forthcoming during this summer. It is the "Clay Aiken" Special. We are anxiously waiting for this information and do expect to hear from you. Thank you.
Since this site is still in beta, and has some serious bugs (identified above) that prevent accessing some basic functionality (like schedules on the sub-channels) there needs to be an option to use the original site until the bugs are fixed. This is particularly important now that the Web is the only place to get the information since the mailed schedule has been eliminated.
Schedule Page Loading Time is very slo-o-o-o-w!
[http://www.kcet.org/schedule/#KCET-WL]
Problem:
When I click the "Schedule" tab and then click the "PBS World" tab box to display the PBS World Schedule, the PBS program listing schedule often does not load at all, leaving me to watch a spinning circle instead.
I have tried to load the schedule page with the most current browser versions of Safari, Opera, Firefox, Google Chrome (beta) and Camino and have had identical loading problems with ALL of these browsers.
Processing environment:
I am using a 17" Mac Book Pro with a very fast (3.06 GHz) processor, running Mac OS X (10.6.3) AKA "Snow Leopard" with a fast broadband connection.
Workaround?
Overall, the performance of the Beta KCET.org web site is sluggish, but the time it takes the program schedule page to load is only slightly less than that of my favorite exploding star. What is the problem with the program schedule pages loading so slowly? I use the schedule page to find out what programs are being broadcast on KCET's digital channels and to plan my viewing time.
Suggestion:
Until this program schedule loading problem is solved, I would like to have access to the previous, non-beta version of the KCET.org web site. Generally speaking, it is best practice with new software versions to release a new version only after the version has had the majority of the known problems or "issues" resolved, rather than to rely upon final testing by users of the software (or web site, in this case). New car models are never released, subject to final assembly and testing by warranty, eh? TIA.
This will be brief. First, some background. I did the web site for our corporation when we went IPO, so have some experience.
First, keep marketing and artists out of the design and implementation. A web site is an application program, not a canvass. Think like an end-user and programmer, not a graphics designer.
This web site breaks many fundamental rules. For instance, at the bottom there is blue text on a black background. It is virtually unreadable on my 21" 1600X1200 Professional ViewSonic. I have found black backgrounds to be problematic unless the text size is increased to compensate.
Opera says there are 130+ elements to load. It takes forever to load on my DSL line. You should aim for a sub 5 second load time for the main page for a 56K modem. Aim for an ideal first page which should be text with a small image optimized for fast loading time. When the user clicks on a link, they may get more images if it vitally necessary to present the information.
Too bad I could not have been involved in the design. The site as it exists I will never use, just like I do not use sites that thrust Flash on their viewers.
David
With regard to my previous comments, OK, you don't want to build in IE6 support ... but there are people out there using it (trust me... I do a bit of web design myself, and hear loud and bitter complaints when my site is hard to read on a 640x480 monitor) Personally, I like Firefox better than IE (and trust updates to not break other things because it isn't tangled up in the operating system). But, as a web designer for an information resource, you can't count on all of your "customers" upgrading to the latest and greatest of any package just to accommodate a particular site (even one as loved and needed as kcet.org) It's frustrating to need to program to a low (if not lowest) common denominator, but it's necessary to accommodate your public. Make sure that everybody can get the basics (as in the Hippocratic oath, "First, do no harm"), then provide the neat new goodies as a reward for those with the newer capabilities. It's never OK to blow off a portion of the subscriber base! And it is never OK to replace a stable, reliable program (website or otherwise) with a buggy beta without providing an option to revert to the original until the new version is in final - debugged - form.
Another problem... I tried the site on my netbook, running SUSE Linux with Firefox. The scripts that give the schedule don't run. Therefore. on that machine, I can't see the schedule at all. (Upgrading isn't an option, the operating system is in ROM) I have another Linux machine, with Ubuntu 8 and Firefox, which does run, but the "schedule" scripts do load very slowly. Since the schedule is the most important part of the site (I go to KCET.org to see what I want to watch on KCET, after all) this area in particular needs to be made browser-independent and operating system-independent to the greatest degree possible, even if that means giving up some cutting-edge functionality.
OK Gary. One point to you. Turning off compatibility got rid of the upgrade message. But I still can't get schedules for anything other than "regular" KCET. Help us. Please.
Coco, I'm deeply sorry that's you're still having issues with the new schedule. Thanks to the feedback that both you and others have provided - and also thanks to the invaluable comments we've gotten from Orchid Lady, Geoff and many others - we will be adding some additional features to insure those having issues can get the most out of the site:
1 - Starting tomorrow (Thursday 5/20) we will provide a "flat" view of the day's schedule in addition to the dynamic week view. This will be a single, static page like the old schedule, but will also offer the richer, expanded listing information that the new schedule provides.
The flat schedule will likely be legible to people using IE6, however, I do want to urge anyone using IE6 to upgrade. We are no longer supporting IE6, and the schedule is just one of many pages on KCET.org that may not work properly for those who choose not to upgrade.
2 - The above change will initially only provide today's schedule - i.e., a one day view - so we are working on providing a flat month view as well. I'll have an ETA on that tomorrow (Thursday 5/20).
3 - For those who are having speed issues on the load - meaning the schedule loads, but at the exploding star speeds cited by Geoff - we're working on a solution that should load the schedule faster. I will share fuller details when I have them.
I do want to thank everyone for their feedback and - for those having issues - for their continued patience. I realize no one bothers to check a website against multiple browsers and platforms unless they care deeply about what the site does, and our goal is to honor the commitment all of you have shown by resolving these outstanding issues in a timely manner.
More in a bit! - Gary
Gary -
Thanks for the updates. A note on the "slow load" issue ... along with the slow load of the schedule with Firefox (it is toleraboe on my Windows machine with lots of horsepower and memory, but on my Linux machines - both underpowered and marginal memory - it's still glacial) there's the issue of the program descriptions not loading from the schedule at all on any of the above(yeah, I can go to the "Shows" tab, figure out where my program of interest is "filed" and read the description there, but it's better to link to it from its schedule listing) Hope this one is in the "fixit queue" also. - Roberta
Roberta - it is in indeed in the fixit queue! The schedule's dynamic loading - whether of an entire week's schedule or an individual show description - involves the same database, so we are looking to optimize both experiences in one fell swoop.
Just wanted to make a note about the PBS World schedule - PBS World doesn't provide schedule information very far in advance, a week tops most of the time. We are working on a message to alert you when the data has run out (as opposed to the schedule being on the fritz!)
I would like a 7/24 PDF schedule, weekly if not monthly. Neither life nor TV stop at midnight. I would also like the same for PBS World, my favorite channel.
Why does the time-stamp on my post above say 11:41 PM when it was 8:41 in LA?
Thanks for alerting us to the date issue, CorKam! The server time seems to have slipped a time zone. We've reached out our hosting company and it should be resolved shortly.
Gary,
FYI - even the "flat view" one day schedule for PBS World (and probably all other than plain KCET) does not come up. As a looooooong time member of KCET, I really expected better. System analysts and testers are supposed to break the system, and not leave it to the client(s). Yes, I used to be an analyst, and a tester.
Another question - Do you have Javascript turned on in your browser? The page uses jquery/javascript to process the channel switches.
Coco, I'm sorry you're still having issues. Which browser are you using?
Now that I have four KCET channels (HD, V, World, OC), I would like to be able to print schedules for a week to a month at a time. I can print the PDF for HD, but I can't figure out how to print anything else.
There is no way to print-out the Prime Time schedule for 1 whole month. I tried to print-out Prime Time for a week and that didn't work either. The old site let you print-out prime time for a month.
Hi Ann,
A PDF of the monthly schedule is available on both the full schedule and the daily schedule page. (If you look to the upper right just above the listings, you should see it.)
Here is a link to it, though, in case you need it - http://www.kcet.org/assets/downloads/JuneListings5.24.pdf
Received email from KCET but only the full schedule is available for printing; still no way to print out just the Primetime monthly schedule Do you have problems offering this "perk"??
Hi Nancy,
Just wanted to alert you that the June Monthly Schedule is now available here: http://www.kcet.org/assets/downloads/June%20Highlights.pdf
I frequently watch the 3 PM broadcast of PBS Newshour on 28-2 at 3 PM. That allows me to get my news even when I have an evening commitment and as an added bonus, I can watch the other networks' news at 6:30 PM.
Unfortunately, every time there is a pledge drive, the 3 PM Newshour is missing. As a further insult, it is replace with a simulcast of 28-1. (Who would watch that on 28-2?)
Adding insult to injury, the live webcast at 3 PM is also missing in action. The old URL is a dead-end and the search finds nothing. I'm a long time paid subscriber. Am I totally out of luck? I feel punished.
Hi JAMinger, here is the new link for the webcast (as it now lives in the Video section of the website), hope this helps.
I tried to leave feedback at http://video.kcet.org/feedback.html but after filling out the form, it would not allow me to submit it, saying "This reCAPTCHA key isn't authorized for the given domain." That really ticked me off!
I just made a donation on line using my MasterCard. I noticed there was no "https" and there was no "padlock" anywhere to be seen.
I use Microsoft XP and Google Chrome browser. I hope my donation was secure. I did click the Kimba(?) webiste after the fact. That site had the "https". I am very concerned.
Thanks.
Just wanted to share that there are two new views of the schedule available:
A view of today's schedule: http://www.kcet.org/schedule/dailyschedule.html
A view of the month's prime-time schedule: http://www.kcet.org/schedule/primetime.html
Let me know how these work for you!
Schedule doesn't format properly in Firefox on Mac.
I sure wish I could relate to all the comments here but I have not been able to get my wonderful KCET since the switch from analog to digital. Many of us on "rabbit ears" are donate, but why would we donate anymore if we can't get the station? It has been over a year now since I lost the station.
My parents live in Los Osos (the central coast 200 miles away) and get channel 28 and there local NBC station with NO problem. They have to have a dish to get everything else...I live 10 miles away in Burbank and still can't get 28, 58 or 2. I do get 5 when the stars are aligned in the right position though.
Since FOX and NBC have "POWERED UP" there signal I now get them. I was wondering if anyone else has this problem? How can we get KCET to boost its signal?
I sure do miss good ole' channel 28. This is worse then when the station started in the late 60's and I had to tune the channel in by going to VHF (or was that UHF) then very very very slowly turn the dial till the signal came in just right.
thanks
I can't get your new site to load properly whether I use Firefox or IE. I know I need a newer computer with enough memorty to update to the latest version of those, but I don't want to spend money just to have the newest thing. KCET has long supported environmental awareness and this push to constantly update is the wrong way to go. I wonder how much you guys spent for all these new bells and whistles? Just another reason to have your hands out for more weeks than you show any original programming. We're sick of it.
The September Primetime PDF schedule is not available. After asking for months and months for the Primetime schedule to be reinstated, it finally was and now it's gone AGAIN!!
Gary Dauphin says :
So what do you think?