PDA

View Full Version : [Dixonary] OT: Cable DVR vs Tivo


Dodi Schultz
September 10th, 2008, 12:27 PM
My patience with the technicalities of a VCR (my last one recently expired)
has been exhausted, and I'm considering two alternatives.

They are (a) Tivo and (b) DVR provided by the local cable company (with
which I normally do business).

Would anyone who has used either or both please comment? (Please bear in
mind that I am a low-tech person and require excessive user-friendliness,
if that's pertinent to your answer.)

My main need is to get a recording of one program while I'm watching
another.

TIA.

--Dodi

Wayne Scott, MD
September 10th, 2008, 12:51 PM
I have both & prefer the Tivol

Wayne

Toni Savage
September 10th, 2008, 01:17 PM
I've become addicted to Tivo, but with my setup, I cannot watch one program while recording another. If I had opted for two different television set-setups, then I could.

-- Toni Savage


--- On Wed, 9/10/08, Dodi Schultz <SCHULTZ (AT) compuserve (DOT) com> wrote:

> From: Dodi Schultz <SCHULTZ (AT) compuserve (DOT) com>
> Subject: [Dixonary] OT: Cable DVR vs Tivo
> To: Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com
> Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 1:27 PM
> My patience with the technicalities of a VCR (my last one
> recently expired)
> has been exhausted, and I'm considering two
> alternatives.
>
> They are (a) Tivo and (b) DVR provided by the local cable
> company (with
> which I normally do business).
>
> Would anyone who has used either or both please comment?
> (Please bear in
> mind that I am a low-tech person and require excessive
> user-friendliness,
> if that's pertinent to your answer.)
>
> My main need is to get a recording of one program while
> I'm watching
> another.
>
> TIA.
>
> --Dodi

Daniel B. Widdis
September 10th, 2008, 01:44 PM
The facts: both will have similar capabilities, just differ in interface.

Given your main intention of watching one show while recording another (or
recording two shows to watch later) both should serve the purpose well if
you get the latest versions which sport dual tuners.

The cable DVR may have more abilities for two-way communication (configuring
account, buying pay per view, etc.) If you like to do PPV / Movies on
Demand, this may be a selling point.

TiVo has some nifty features and agreements that the cable DVRs don't.
(Such as being able to watch youtube videos to catch that occasional show or
political convention speech you missed.)

Personally, I absolutely love my TiVo. Love, love, love my TiVo. I have
multiple TiVos and share shows over my home network (effetively letting me
record three things simultaneously, necessary on Thursday nights!) I
selected cable over satellite specifically because the two big satellite
companies chose not to go with TiVo software on their DVRs. I am even
paying more for the privelege.

--
Dan

Christopher Carson
September 10th, 2008, 01:45 PM
Dodi,

I use a DVR since that's what my cable system provides. My only wish would
be that it had a greater capacity. It has a 160GB hard drive in it and so
only holds about 24 hours of HD programming. We do a lot of time shifting
and it gets pretty full sometimes. I guess I could buy a Western Digital
DVR expander ( a 500GB hard drive with an e-SATA connector and extra quiet
fan) but haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm not sure what the difference
is with TIVO but I have the impression it's mainly in the user interface.
We've gotten to the point where it would be hard to do without it. We were
in Denver this past weekend for our son's wedding and I found myself trying
to pause or replay the hotel's TV. They're very convenient and definitely
habit forming. They're also very easy to use. Of course the downside is
that you can't download and save a program. Most of the DVRs have a
provision to copy a program to VCR but it won't transfer HD material. While
I wouldn't mind burning some of the Metropolitan Opera high definition
broadcasts to Blu-Ray, it's not vital.

Chris

Daniel B. Widdis
September 10th, 2008, 03:20 PM
CC> [cable DVR] has a 160GB hard drive in it and
CC> so only holds about 24 hours of HD programming.

Another advantage of buying a TiVo vs. renting the cable company's DVR is
that you can modify the TiVo. I have upgraded my own hard drive and can do
80 hours of HD. (Necessary for the Olympics!) Some cable DVRs offer
external storage, I think.

TiVo does have a "TiVo to go" feature where you can transfer some of your
programming to your laptop and watch it there.

--
Dan

Dave Cunningham
September 10th, 2008, 06:17 PM
FL Brighthouse DVR holds about 60 hours of HD pr9grams, 80 hours
otherwise ... depending on how the images were compressed.

However -- a millisecond power glitch shuts it down, and it takes up
to 10 minutes to reset (argh). I now have a UPS on it, and still have
the occasional show missing the last 5 minutes!

Dave

On Sep 10, 1:27*pm, Dodi Schultz <SCHU... (AT) compuserve (DOT) com> wrote:
> My patience with the technicalities of a VCR (my last one recently expired)
> has been exhausted, and I'm considering two alternatives.
>
> They are (a) Tivo and (b) DVR provided by the local cable company (with
> which I normally do business).
>
> Would anyone who has used either or both please comment? (Please bear in
> mind that I am a low-tech person and require excessive user-friendliness,
> if that's pertinent to your answer.)
>
> My main need is to get a recording of one program while I'm watching
> another.
>
> TIA.
>
> --Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 10th, 2008, 08:04 PM
>> I have both & prefer the Tivo.

What's the main reason for your preference, Wayne?

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 10th, 2008, 08:04 PM
>> I've become addicted to Tivo, but with my setup, I cannot watch one
>> program while recording another. If I had opted for two different
>> television set-setups, then I could.

Thanks, Toni. I've already done a little research and am aware that there's
one type of Tivo that won't let you do that. (If I go for Tivo, I'd of
course get the kind of setup where I could.)

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 10th, 2008, 08:04 PM
Thanks for that meaty answer, Dan!

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 10th, 2008, 08:04 PM
Chris, thanks for all that detail about cable DVR!

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 10th, 2008, 08:04 PM
>> Another advantage of buying a TiVo vs. renting the cable company's
>> DVR is that you can modify the TiVo....

Me, MODIFY?

Whatever I get, I just want to be able to USE it! ;-)

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 10th, 2008, 08:04 PM
>> ...a millisecond power glitch shuts [the DVR] down, and it takes up
>> to 10 minutes to reset...

Something to think about, Dave. But I guess that could happen with ANY
device, no?

--Dodi

Wayne Scott, MD
September 10th, 2008, 08:30 PM
It's simpler. I know you're a techie! The simplicity might not appeal to you. (sweet smile.)

Chuck
September 11th, 2008, 09:25 AM
The problem with watching one program while recording another is usually
that digital cable or satellite needs a set top box to tune in a given
channel, which requires two such boxes to obtain one channel for
recording and another for viewing. While the older analog cable only
requires a box if you're subscribing to scrambled channels - so for the
nonscrambled channels you can receive as many channels as you have
tuners - and both your TV and your Tivo or DVR have tuners included.

Dodi Schultz wrote:
> >> I've become addicted to Tivo, but with my setup, I cannot watch one
> >> program while recording another. If I had opted for two different
> >> television set-setups, then I could.
>
> Thanks, Toni. I've already done a little research and am aware that there's
> one type of Tivo that won't let you do that. (If I go for Tivo, I'd of
> course get the kind of setup where I could.)
>
> --Dodi
>
>
>

Dodi Schultz
September 11th, 2008, 09:42 AM
>> [The TiVo is] simpler. I know you're a techie! The simplicity might
>> not appeal to you. (sweet smile.)

LOL!

Thanks, Wayne!

--Dodi

Toni Savage
September 11th, 2008, 11:40 AM
Another advantage of Tivo is that you can set it remotely, from anywhere. If you do a lot of travel, you can go online and change your Tivo settings (I haven't done this, but my brother-in-law does it all the time).

Not sure if you can do that with DVR

-- Toni Savage


--- On Wed, 9/10/08, Christopher Carson <christopherlanecarson (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

> From: Christopher Carson <christopherlanecarson (AT) gmail (DOT) com>
> Subject: [Dixonary] Re: OT: Cable DVR vs Tivo
> To: Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com
> Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 2:45 PM
> Dodi,
>
> I use a DVR since that's what my cable system provides.
> My only wish would
> be that it had a greater capacity. It has a 160GB hard
> drive in it and so
> only holds about 24 hours of HD programming. We do a lot
> of time shifting
> and it gets pretty full sometimes. I guess I could buy a
> Western Digital
> DVR expander ( a 500GB hard drive with an e-SATA connector
> and extra quiet
> fan) but haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm not
> sure what the difference
> is with TIVO but I have the impression it's mainly in
> the user interface.
> We've gotten to the point where it would be hard to do
> without it. We were
> in Denver this past weekend for our son's wedding and I
> found myself trying
> to pause or replay the hotel's TV. They're very
> convenient and definitely
> habit forming. They're also very easy to use. Of
> course the downside is
> that you can't download and save a program. Most of
> the DVRs have a
> provision to copy a program to VCR but it won't
> transfer HD material. While
> I wouldn't mind burning some of the Metropolitan Opera
> high definition
> broadcasts to Blu-Ray, it's not vital.
>
> Chris

Christopher Carson
September 11th, 2008, 12:59 PM
I'm not sure about other cable systems, but Cablevision here uses the
Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR which is a dual tuner cable box so you can
record two programs at once or watch one and record one. Or, you can do
like I do and have the DVR plus a cable card in my Sony WEGA so I can record
two programs while watching a third with the cable card/TV tuner.

I was under the impression that TIVO, in addition to the monthly charge, had
to be connected to a phone line so it can 'phone home' to update the channel
guide. Do they now have a network or wifi connection?


----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck" <chuck (AT) tdi (DOT) ca>
To: <Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com>
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 10:25 AM
Subject: [Dixonary] Re: OT: Cable DVR vs Tivo


>
> The problem with watching one program while recording another is usually
> that digital cable or satellite needs a set top box to tune in a given
> channel, which requires two such boxes to obtain one channel for recording
> and another for viewing. While the older analog cable only requires a box
> if you're subscribing to scrambled channels - so for the nonscrambled
> channels you can receive as many channels as you have tuners - and both
> your TV and your Tivo or DVR have tuners included.
>
> Dodi Schultz wrote:
>> >> I've become addicted to Tivo, but with my setup, I cannot watch one
>> >> program while recording another. If I had opted for two different
>> >> television set-setups, then I could.
>>
>> Thanks, Toni. I've already done a little research and am aware that
>> there's
>> one type of Tivo that won't let you do that. (If I go for Tivo, I'd of
>> course get the kind of setup where I could.)
>>
>> --Dodi
>>
>>
>>
>

Toni Savage
September 11th, 2008, 02:08 PM
Yep...wifi. It gets its info from ZAP2IT.com


-- Toni Savage


--- On Thu, 9/11/08, Christopher Carson <christopherlanecarson (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

> From: Christopher Carson <christopherlanecarson (AT) gmail (DOT) com>
> Subject: [Dixonary] Re: OT: Cable DVR vs Tivo
> To: Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com
> Date: Thursday, September 11, 2008, 1:59 PM
> I'm not sure about other cable systems, but Cablevision
> here uses the
> Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR which is a dual tuner cable
> box so you can
> record two programs at once or watch one and record one.
> Or, you can do
> like I do and have the DVR plus a cable card in my Sony
> WEGA so I can record
> two programs while watching a third with the cable card/TV
> tuner.
>
> I was under the impression that TIVO, in addition to the
> monthly charge, had
> to be connected to a phone line so it can 'phone
> home' to update the channel
> guide. Do they now have a network or wifi connection?
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chuck" <chuck (AT) tdi (DOT) ca>
> To: <Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com>
> Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 10:25 AM
> Subject: [Dixonary] Re: OT: Cable DVR vs Tivo
>
>
> >
> > The problem with watching one program while recording
> another is usually
> > that digital cable or satellite needs a set top box to
> tune in a given
> > channel, which requires two such boxes to obtain one
> channel for recording
> > and another for viewing. While the older analog cable
> only requires a box
> > if you're subscribing to scrambled channels - so
> for the nonscrambled
> > channels you can receive as many channels as you have
> tuners - and both
> > your TV and your Tivo or DVR have tuners included.
> >
> > Dodi Schultz wrote:
> >> >> I've become addicted to Tivo, but
> with my setup, I cannot watch one
> >> >> program while recording another. If I
> had opted for two different
> >> >> television set-setups, then I could.
> >>
> >> Thanks, Toni. I've already done a little
> research and am aware that
> >> there's
> >> one type of Tivo that won't let you do that.
> (If I go for Tivo, I'd of
> >> course get the kind of setup where I could.)
> >>
> >> --Dodi
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >

Daniel B. Widdis
September 11th, 2008, 03:30 PM
CC> I was under the impression that TIVO, in addition
CC> to the monthly charge, had to be connected to a
CC> phone line so it can 'phone home' to update the
CC> channel guide. Do they now have a network or wifi
CC> connection?

Network (CAT 5) connection. Plus a USB port (or two, depending on model)
that supports various WiFi adapters (and capacity expansion disks).

Cable DVRs tend to communicate two-way through the cable line, but satellite
companies tend to require you to connect to a phone line (for the PPV
purchase capability although they won't know if you unplug it after the
installer leaves).

Also, a bit about the monthly charge: you can purchase a "lifetime"
subscription to TiVo that pays for itself over about 2 years. If you only
have one TiVo, this is a good buy. If you have two, the quantity discount,
coupled with normal hardware obsolescence, makes it less of a good deal.

--
Dan

Dodi Schultz
September 11th, 2008, 05:09 PM
>> The problem with watching one program while recording another is
>> usually that digital cable or satellite needs a set top box to tune
>> in a given channel, which requires two such boxes to obtain one
>> channel for recording and another for viewing.

I realize that, Chuck. I did it with my old VCR. I had a splitter (A/B
switch).

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 11th, 2008, 05:09 PM
>> Another advantage of Tivo is that you can set it remotely, from
>> anywhere. If you do a lot of travel, you can go online and change
>> your Tivo settings (I haven't done this, but my brother-in-law does
>> it all the time).
>>
>> Not sure if you can do that with DVR

Interesting! Thanks, Toni.

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 11th, 2008, 05:09 PM
>> I'm not sure about other cable systems, but Cablevision here uses
>> the Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR which is a dual tuner cable box so
>> you can record two programs at once or watch one and record one.

It's Time Warner Cable in my area, Chris, and I've no idea exactly how they
do it; it's very hard to extract information from them.

>> I was under the impression that TIVO, in addition to the monthly
>> charge, had to be connected to a phone line so it can 'phone home'
>> to update the channel guide. Do they now have a network or wifi
>> connection?

Hm. That would be awfully tricky here. Can Wayne or another TiVo devotee
comment on that issue?

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 11th, 2008, 05:09 PM
>> Cable DVRs tend to communicate two-way through the cable line, but
>> satellite companies tend to require you to connect to a phone line...

Ah. Cable, here.

>> Also, a bit about the monthly charge: you can purchase a "lifetime"
>> subscription to TiVo that pays for itself over about 2 years. If
>> you only have one TiVo, this is a good buy. If you have two, the
>> quantity discount, coupled with normal hardware obsolescence, makes
>> it less of a good deal.

Hm. Thanks, Dan.

Since you seem to be familiar with both: Can you comment on which might
be easier to set up and operate for the technologically challenged? Uh,
make that SEVERELY challenged.

--Dodi

Bill Hirst
September 11th, 2008, 05:36 PM
On Sep 11, 4:30*pm, "Daniel B. Widdis" <wid... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:
/snip/
> Cable DVRs tend to communicate two-way through the cable line, but satellite
> companies tend to require you to connect to a phone line (for the PPV
> purchase capability although they won't know if you unplug it after the
> installer leaves).
>

Dish network insists you have a phone line, although I think they
mainly use it when you order pay-per-view. There's a nag screen that
pops up if you unplug the phone line. It would be a PITA, but you
could probably run a coil of wire across the floor once a month or so
so the box could verify there's a phone line installed. One of the
menu options lets you test the phone line and make the receiver happy
for a while.

With the dual-tuner model I have (DVR-625), you can record two shows
while playing a previously recorded show on the TV set. Recording does
not interfere with playback. Sorry, you can't record twice and watch
live too. That would need three tuners.

-Bill

Daniel B. Widdis
September 11th, 2008, 09:59 PM
> Since you seem to be familiar with both: Can you comment
> on which might be easier to set up and operate for the
> technologically challenged?

My mother is severely technologically challenged. Technophobic, even.

She has learned how to use the TiVo.

(She still insists on watching things when they are actually on, though,
while most of us TiVo/DVR users have learned that we can watch the shows
anytime we want.)

The TiVo is so simple, so intuitive, so... awesome, that I can't stand to
use anything else now. Did I mention that I love my TiVo? :)

--
Dan

Dodi Schultz
September 11th, 2008, 11:14 PM
Thanks, Bill.

I already have, and would continue, my cable hookup.

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 11th, 2008, 11:14 PM
>> My mother is severely technologically challenged. Technophobic,
>> even. She has learned how to use the TiVo....The TiVo is so simple,
>> so intuitive, so... awesome, that I can't stand to use anything else
>> now. Did I mention that I love my TiVo? :)

Now THAT's what I like to hear, Dan!

--Dodi

Wayne Scott, MD
September 12th, 2008, 01:07 AM
Dodi, I have a Dish which gets its signal from the satellite overhead not from a cable.
Wayne

Dodi Schultz
September 12th, 2008, 08:10 AM
>> I have a Dish which gets its signal from the satellite overhead not
>> from a cable.

I have cable, Wayne. Would that make any major difference in its (the
TiVo's) operation? (I TOLD you I was technologically challenged.)
Especially in its ease or difficulty of use?

--Dodi

Christopher Carson
September 12th, 2008, 08:28 AM
I think Time Warner uses the Scientific Atlanta boxes as well. As far as
complexity, I found the DVR very easy to install and use as well. I think
in operation the DVR and TIVO are very similar and both systems have their
advocates. When it comes down to simplicity, Cablevision basically sends
the customer the box, the customer plugs the system cable into the box and
plugs the box into the TV. Then the DVR box is turned on and it goes
through a self-configuration and in 10 or 15 minutes (or less) it's ready to
go. The controls are basically similar to a VCRs controls but now you have
the ability to pause and replay live TV. The DVR automatically records up
to one hour of the program being watched so you don't need to do anything to
manipulate a 'live' program with the proviso that if you pause it and walk
away, after an hour the start point starts slipping forward. Like TIVO, you
can set it to record all episodes of a series or just new episodes or other
permutations but it's pretty straight forward - highlight the program in the
onscreen program guide, press the 'record' button you your remote and it
takes you through a short confirmation process that allows you to record
just the one episode, all episodes, only new episodes, etc. If you're
watching something and decide you need to hold it for more than an hour, you
can press the record button and confirm the recording and then change
channels, go to dinner or whatever and come back and watch the entire
program later. We hardly ever watch a program 'live' anymore. Even ones we
watch more or less in real time, we start 15 or 20 minutes into the show so
we can fast forward through the commercials. Once upon a time DVRs and
TIVOs had a 'jump forward 30 seconds' button on them but I think that
function was lobbied out by the broadcasters so now you have to fast
forward. The DVR box, since it has two tuners, allows a picture-in-picture
function even on sets that don't have it built in but personally, I don't
find that particularly useful so seldom use it. Also, the double tuners
allow (as someone else mentioned) you to record two programs while watching
a third program that has already been recorded.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Dodi Schultz" <SCHULTZ (AT) compuserve (DOT) com>
To: <Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com>
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 6:09 PM
Subject: [Dixonary] OT: Cable DVR vs Tivo




>> I'm not sure about other cable systems, but Cablevision here uses
>> the Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR which is a dual tuner cable box so
>> you can record two programs at once or watch one and record one.

It's Time Warner Cable in my area, Chris, and I've no idea exactly how they
do it; it's very hard to extract information from them.

>> I was under the impression that TIVO, in addition to the monthly
>> charge, had to be connected to a phone line so it can 'phone home'
>> to update the channel guide. Do they now have a network or wifi
>> connection?

Hm. That would be awfully tricky here. Can Wayne or another TiVo devotee
comment on that issue?

--Dodi

Daniel B. Widdis
September 12th, 2008, 11:40 AM
CC> Once upon a time DVRs and TIVOs had a 'jump
CC> forward 30 seconds' button on them but I think
CC> that function was lobbied out by the
CC> broadcasters so now you have to fast forward.

It's still there on TiVo, but undocumented. Yet easily found for on Google
with "TiVo 30 second skip"

Something TiVo has that I'm not sure other DVRs do is a "Recommendation"
feature. You can give shows "Thumbs up" and "Thumbs Down" (up to 3 of each)
to tell in your preferences, and it will (if you choose) record similar
shows. (Say you like "House" and give it a thumbs up. It might think you
would like to watch "Bones" as well.) You can also give it a wish list to
watch shows with a particular actor/actress (my wife has David Tennant
selected, and gets mostly Dr. Who episodes) or category (horse racing, for
example).

--
Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com [mailto:Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com] On Behalf
Of Christopher Carson
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 6:28 AM
To: Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com
Subject: [Dixonary] Re: OT: Cable DVR vs Tivo


I think Time Warner uses the Scientific Atlanta boxes as well. As far as
complexity, I found the DVR very easy to install and use as well. I think
in operation the DVR and TIVO are very similar and both systems have their
advocates. When it comes down to simplicity, Cablevision basically sends
the customer the box, the customer plugs the system cable into the box and
plugs the box into the TV. Then the DVR box is turned on and it goes
through a self-configuration and in 10 or 15 minutes (or less) it's ready to

go. The controls are basically similar to a VCRs controls but now you have
the ability to pause and replay live TV. The DVR automatically records up
to one hour of the program being watched so you don't need to do anything to

manipulate a 'live' program with the proviso that if you pause it and walk
away, after an hour the start point starts slipping forward. Like TIVO, you

can set it to record all episodes of a series or just new episodes or other
permutations but it's pretty straight forward - highlight the program in the

onscreen program guide, press the 'record' button you your remote and it
takes you through a short confirmation process that allows you to record
just the one episode, all episodes, only new episodes, etc. If you're
watching something and decide you need to hold it for more than an hour, you

can press the record button and confirm the recording and then change
channels, go to dinner or whatever and come back and watch the entire
program later. We hardly ever watch a program 'live' anymore. Even ones we

watch more or less in real time, we start 15 or 20 minutes into the show so
we can fast forward through the commercials. Once upon a time DVRs and
TIVOs had a 'jump forward 30 seconds' button on them but I think that
function was lobbied out by the broadcasters so now you have to fast
forward. The DVR box, since it has two tuners, allows a picture-in-picture
function even on sets that don't have it built in but personally, I don't
find that particularly useful so seldom use it. Also, the double tuners
allow (as someone else mentioned) you to record two programs while watching
a third program that has already been recorded.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Dodi Schultz" <SCHULTZ (AT) compuserve (DOT) com>
To: <Dixonary (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com>
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 6:09 PM
Subject: [Dixonary] OT: Cable DVR vs Tivo




>> I'm not sure about other cable systems, but Cablevision here uses
>> the Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR which is a dual tuner cable box so
>> you can record two programs at once or watch one and record one.

It's Time Warner Cable in my area, Chris, and I've no idea exactly how they
do it; it's very hard to extract information from them.

>> I was under the impression that TIVO, in addition to the monthly
>> charge, had to be connected to a phone line so it can 'phone home'
>> to update the channel guide. Do they now have a network or wifi
>> connection?

Hm. That would be awfully tricky here. Can Wayne or another TiVo devotee
comment on that issue?

--Dodi

Christopher Carson
September 12th, 2008, 12:12 PM
> It's still there on TiVo, but undocumented. Yet easily found for on
> Google
> with "TiVo 30 second skip"

That's a plus for TiVo then. It's annoying that the cable companies and
their suppliers fold to pressure like that.

> Something TiVo has that I'm not sure other DVRs do is a "Recommendation"
> feature. You can give shows "Thumbs up" and "Thumbs Down" (up to 3 of
> each)
> to tell in your preferences, and it will (if you choose) record similar
> shows. (Say you like "House" and give it a thumbs up. It might think you
> would like to watch "Bones" as well.) You can also give it a wish list to
> watch shows with a particular actor/actress (my wife has David Tennant
> selected, and gets mostly Dr. Who episodes) or category (horse racing, for
> example).
>

Now that's a feature I could appreciate. My one criticism of the DVR is
that it isn't as flexible in the programming search functions like that. I
keep waiting for them to update the firmware with additional features but so
far they haven't done much in that regard.

Dodi Schultz
September 12th, 2008, 12:35 PM
Thanks, Chris.

EVERYTHING now appears to do a great deal more than one NEEDS it to do. I
use my cell phone, for example, just to make and receive phone calls if
either is absolutely necessary when I'm away from my home/office. That's
all. I'm SO old-fashioned.

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
September 12th, 2008, 12:35 PM
>> Something TiVo has that I'm not sure other DVRs do is a
>> "Recommendation" feature. You can give shows "Thumbs up" and "Thumbs
>> Down" (up to 3 of each) to tell in your preferences, and it will (if
>> you choose) record similar shows. (Say you like "House" and give it
>> a thumbs up. It might think you would like to watch "Bones" as
>> well.)
>>
>> You can also give it a wish list to watch shows with a particular
>> actor/actress (my wife has David Tennant selected, and gets mostly
>> Dr. Who episodes) or category (horse racing, for example).

Thanks, Dan. With all due respect, I really don't want any damn machine
thinking for me. All I want it to do is record things on my instructions
(often while I'm watching other things in real time), so I can watch them
later. So I'm mainly interested in devices that can do that and that make
it relatively easy for me to instruct them.

--Dodi

Wayne Scott, MD
September 12th, 2008, 12:59 PM
Dodi, I have no idea. Right now I'm staring at a screen that says my satellite signal has been lost. . . Oops the picture just came back.

Wayne

Daniel B. Widdis
September 12th, 2008, 02:08 PM
DS> With all due respect, I really don't want any
DS> damn machine thinking for me.

It's an opt-in feature. It won't do that unless you tell it to. (Or browse
to the "Recommendations" menu to find them.) My technophobic mother doesn't
use it, and mostly uses her TiVo exactly the way you have described.

TiVo is insanely simple (more so, in my opinion, than most cable DVRs) to
tell it what shows you want to watch. It's very easy to find shows the menu
by name and tell it to record them regularly.

Some commercials for upcoming shows will even let you hit the thumbs-up
during the commercial to instantly add the show it's advertising.

We used to use the recommendations feature, but after recording a few kids'
shows for our little ones, the recommendations are overrun with shows
involving Elmo and Barney. Even the thumbs down doesn't make that purple
dino go away!

--
Dan

Dodi Schultz
September 12th, 2008, 06:53 PM
>> My technophobic mother...mostly uses her TiVo exactly the way you
>> have described.

That sounds good, Dan.

>> TiVo is insanely simple (more so, in my opinion, than most cable
>> DVRs) to tell it what shows you want to watch.

That, too.

>> We used to use the recommendations feature, but after recording a
>> few kids' shows for our little ones, the recommendations are overrun
>> with shows involving Elmo and Barney. Even the thumbs down doesn't
>> make that purple dino go away!

What, no SpongeBob SquarePants?

--Dodi

Guerri Stevens
September 12th, 2008, 08:45 PM
From one old-fashioned person to another: that's how I use my cell
phone, too. Although the annoyance of using a phone card for long
distance is such that I am starting to use my cell for that, too,
despite the price difference. I leave the cell on only when I am
expecting a call.

Guerri

Dodi Schultz wrote:
> EVERYTHING now appears to do a great deal more than one NEEDS it to do. I
> use my cell phone, for example, just to make and receive phone calls if
> either is absolutely necessary when I'm away from my home/office. That's
> all. I'm SO old-fashioned.

Daniel B. Widdis
September 13th, 2008, 12:29 AM
DS> What, no SpongeBob SquarePants?

Nooooooo!

Fortunately, our kids are into educational shows, such as "Little Einsteins"
and "Blue's Clues". We're happy to leave it that way.

--
Dan

Dodi Schultz
September 14th, 2008, 04:40 PM
Another dumb question on this subject: Does either system include a DVD
player?

--Dodi

Daniel B. Widdis
September 14th, 2008, 04:59 PM
DS> Does either system include a DVD player?

No. There is at least one DVR on the market that you can buy which includes
a DVD player (and recorder, actually), but it's not very user friendly and
we stopped using it when we got the real TiVo.

Speaking of TiVo, I just saw this page:
https://www3.tivo.com/mytivo/whatsnew/index.html

Summary of the above link:

- You can use your TiVo to watch YouTube videos, rent Amazon Unbox movies,
and listen to music from Rhapsody and look at pictures on photobucket.

- Apparently DirecTV will be using the TiVo software again. (I quit DirecTV
when they dropped it for HD, so maybe they saw the error of their ways.)
The "DirecTiVo" usually lags the real thing in software features by a year
or so.

--
Dan

P.S. Have I mentioned that I love TiVo? Actually they used to have a
referral program where you could win a TiVo by referring 4 friends, but I
think they did away with that.

Dodi Schultz
September 14th, 2008, 11:01 PM
Thanks, Dan!