Re: TiVo
 

Well we sure didn't see that one coming. So much for all the well informed rumour mongers.:shocked:

Re: TiVo
 

whats a vip50 customer, cant find any details that relate to the services you get, I have XL tv + HD and Sky sports and movies and XXL broadband so what does a vip have that I dont.

Re: TiVo
 

VIP50 is regular VIP with 50Mb broadband instead of 20Mb or 30Mb.

Edit: Didn't actually see it tells you that at the bottom of the page I linked.

Re: TiVo
 

So I am probably a vip50 then, thought it might say all this in your bill but it doesn't.

Re: TiVo
 

So if you are on all the top tiers with sky movies, sports and premium HD you are classed as being on VIP50?

Re: TiVo
 

yes, on all that, didn't realise I was a vip, also mobile but that dont count I think, yet

Re: TiVo
 

I'm being Charged £8 too much then. I've just sent a nice email to Berkett as customer services are always useless with me. He said he'll get his office to check it out for me.

Re: TiVo
 

The bill doesn't say VIP 50 (that would be too obvious), however you can actually have all the component part of the VIP 50 bundle and not be on it.

The main way to identify if you are or not is if you suddenly had the Sky Premium HD channel added to your services last year for not extra cost without asking for them ;)

Re: TiVo
 

I had the HD upgrade without asking, my chances of tivo have probably upped but it could be a bigger disapointment now if not in first batch going on previous posts, I wont panic too much, it will come at some point.

Re: TiVo
 

Thanks for clarifying. I've asked about it in my email to Neil, and I'll definitely move across to it if I am not already on it. Just need word of a TIVO vip first.

Re: TiVo
 

Oh no, starting to get like muppetman . :sorry:

Re: TiVo
 

You seem to like mentioning me :D

Re: TiVo
 

I've had a few chuckles reading your posts on Tivo depression, no offence.:Peace:

Re: TiVo
 

To be 100 % honest mate I'm not that bothered I can wait it's just VM frustrate you with no press releases or info on when people can reasonably expect one.

Re: TiVo
 

Agreed, I have the money in the bank but I could spend it then take it out of next months money if I am likely to get paid again before they call.

Re: TiVo
 

Hopefully we'll all get Tivo before too long... VM's odd way of handling the rollout doesn't help the blood pressure much though!

So far I've signed up to 3 lists (2 of them multiple times!) and still nothing, except a confusing recorded message last monday that VM CS have denied ever happened... Meanwhile 1000 people who weren't even interested just got one for free...

Would have been so much easier with a preorder page TBH rather than sitting by the phone for a week... would have saved the call centre a lot of work too.

Re: TiVo
 

On the tuner note. I don't know how it will handle consecutive but if recording 2 programmes you have to watch one of them.

Was watching one channel today with a recording going on. 2nd recording started and TiVo switched over to that channel. Really need to get other tuners online.

---

On a separate note if any fellow VM'r has contact details to report issues that would be appreciated. Spent while on CS today with them blaming my TV and not the TiVo despite me stating that I was more interested in reporting the issue than getting them to help. Some issues can't be sorted out by support bod's need to get info the the TiVo techies to sort out.

Re: TiVo
 

PM me and I can tell you if it's a known issue or not. The TiVo Team should be contactable via 151 (the IVR should recognise you have Tivo and connect you to the team)

Re: TiVo
 

That's blown it!:shocked:

The gagging order has slipped!:wtf:

All this fuss over a box that cannot do what our existing V+ does. Three tuners is the one feature that makes the V+ stand out from all other PVRs.

I for one will not be an early adopter of a box that is missing an essential feature. If and when the third tunr is added "Maybe".

Re: TiVo
 

I anyone is a position to confirm whether Tivo has got a dynamic EPG, or even a partially dynamic EPG?

I asked the guy who called me the other day but given he said it can record 1000 hours (he meant 1000gb!) I was probably flogging a dead horse.

On the plus side (I don't know if you read my earlier post) I was told it was £149 and that's it, no extra £40 but of course you pay (imo) the pretty reasonable £3 a month too.

Re: TiVo
 

He is not one of the 500 so I expect the is nothing to stop him talking about it.

Re: TiVo
 

Surely we can talk now as other folk have it installed. My mate installed his yesterday and he wasn't given a disclaimer.

Re: TiVo
 

Reading between the lines the impression I get is that the people who provide the epg data update it more often than at present but not minute by minute. US tivo customers pay at least $12 per month for the same tivo service. Note that they pay that to get the tivo service, not any extra channels. Perhaps someone who has tivo can confirm.

Re: TiVo
 

Thanks for your response to my question.

I thought that would be the case so I'll probably be one of the few on here that will be grateful not to get the first batches of TiVo. Hopefully the next wave will be when the 3rd tuner is activated in March.

On the other hand I'm in a catch 22 as the sooner I'm on the new TV contract the better. I may be moving home within the next 12 months or so and if I move to a non-cabled street then I am shafted with the one policy that really P's me off about VM, but that's for another thread :rolleyes:

Re: TiVo
 

It will be just a software update to activate the third tuner!

Re: TiVo
 

How could you even consider moving to a non cabled street?

Re: TiVo
 

knowing my luck i whould proberly be 1001 on the list, sorry wrong thread

Re: TiVo
 

I appreciate that. What I mean is that those lucky few who have TiVo installed already or being installed this month will have to struggle on with two tuners until it gets activated. Where as those you get installed in March will hopefully have their boxes firing on all 3 cylinders.

This of course assumes it actually happens in March, there could always be a delay, who knows.

Unfortunately I do not know enough about the TiVo software to see how it copes with only 2 tuners. If a recording clashes I hear it is clever enough to pick up repeats later on that day (+1 channels) or later that week. So the only grey area is the padding overlap between consecutive recordings where having the 3rd tuner comes into its own.

Damn it, I knew I should have gone to the TiVo training day 10-odd years ago when I worked in Currys :D

I know, shame on me. I'll have to add it to the estate agents must have list :)

Re: TiVo
 

Would have bee very helpful to have Tivo today, have spent ages clearing down and watching stuff so that I have enough room to record the Superbowl in HD, that looks like it is going to take up loads of space with a running time of 5 hours.

Re: TiVo
 

Wow! This thread is growing fast, I can't keep up.

I'm waiting patiently for my 'phone call about Tivo, but in the mean time, I've had an email offering me a free upgrade to VIP 50 and HD movie channels for just £5 extra per month.

I'm currently on VIP20 and am giving this some serious thought, but was wondering what the best way to do it was. Should I do the upgrade to VIP50 now, and wait for Tivo; wait for the phone call and do it all at once; or wait for Tivo to be installed and do it later.

Are there any benefits to doing it the upgrade one way or another?

Cheers.

Re: TiVo
 

I'm in the same boat mate, paying £96 for VIP20..not sure whether to wait or not.

Re: TiVo
 

Anyone want to comment who has a Tivo on this youtube video of one user's experience.

looks slower than 2 weeks in the jail.

http://vmhd.blogspot.com/

Re: TiVo
 

I don't find it slow at all.

Re: TiVo
 

Same here.

Re: TiVo
 

Looked quicker than my current Samsung box.

Re: TiVo
 

Most of the video seems to be going through on demand menus which aren't very fast on my V+, but are acceptable, and probably wouldn't be any different on the tivo. I think we would need to see a more comprehensive video.

Re: TiVo
 

Other that a red background there anything in that video that my current V+ can't do ... the VOD did look slower than the rest of the menus. Was expecting it to be far more graphical based rather than we we currently have with a red background.

Agreed need to see a more detailed video but from that I don;t have a sudden urge to sign up for this.

Re: TiVo
 

it wasn't a very detailed tour of the UI TBH.

Re: TiVo
 

VOD is slow the first time you access it on V+ , that was an awful attempt to show you what TIVO can do didn't seem that slow to me to be honest, VOD was a little slower but as I've said it is the first time you enter it.

Re: TiVo
 

The thing i'm really looking forward to is the tivo suggested recordings and the and learning your likes and dislikes.

Had this years ago when I had a proper PC based PVR

JJ

Re: TiVo
 

Will Tivo enable caching, it seems to be the loading of the discovery bar that causes a slow down. I think this is apparent in US models too.

Re: TiVo
 

Feel free to make your own and upload it for us ;o)

Re: TiVo
 

Having viewed the video a few times, I agree with muppetman11 that it doesn't look slow. TBH I thought the VOD looked a bit quicker than my Samsung V+. I would really like to see more though, especially the go back in time EPG, plus some wish lists being set up, maybe some snippets of TiVo suggestions in action. You lucky people already in possession, over to you!

Re: TiVo
 

Give us a cheeky peek DF ;)
Unless you're on a strict NDA?

Re: TiVo
 

Spot on mate , all this person showed was the functions that the V+ does now , plus the HD guide looked miles more attractive than the current V+ and the apps will grow over time.

---------- Post added at 19:30 ---------- Previous post was at 19:11 ----------

When it suggests programs where are these found ?

Re: TiVo
 

In a group called 'TiVo Suggestions'

Re: TiVo
 

Thanks Ben couldnt see it on that video, the 28 day search sounds good.

Re: TiVo
 

Had TiVo for nearly a week now, must admit it is brilliant.

When the 3rd tuner comes online in march it will be outstanding.

It is worth the upgrading without batting an eyelid!

When it is on general release get it! Best feature I like is recording programs from the net.

Re: TiVo
 

?? That's not part of TiVo - you can watch YouTube but you can't record it

Re: TiVo
 

Beat me to it , didn't quite sound right LOL :D

Re: TiVo
 

I think he means remote record via the VM website ;)

---------- Post added at 19:56 ---------- Previous post was at 19:55 ----------

Ah, if I could I would :)

Re: TiVo
 

Think he meant setting your recordings via the net :)

Re: TiVo
 

Hi, soz yes recording via the VM website.

The program can be recorded but haven't found a a way of recording a series via VM site

Re: TiVo
 

It's not really designed for that at present. It's more of a 'oops I forgot' type thing

Re: TiVo
 

If they came out with an iPad or IPhone app, now that would be a leap!

Re: TiVo
 

Out of interest DF, if people getting TIVOs installed now aren't under NDAs (such as demonstrated by the posted youtube video), why are staff still under NDAs?

I'm sure you could tell us things to get us even more excited :)

Re: TiVo
 

The online guide has a mobile version

http://m.virginmedia.com/tvguide

Re: TiVo
 

Because we are still evolving the service and testing certain aspects before customer roll-out. Our boxes are on different software levels, so may be slightly different to the ones now with customers.

For this reason the NDA's have remained in place until further notice.

Re: TiVo
 

Thanks for explaining.

Re: TiVo
 

Looks like the website has been upgraded since I last looked.

Looks like VM. Are Pulling out all the stops on TiVo!

Re: TiVo
 

I can sign into that but as I do not have a TiVo I cannot record anything, nice idea though.;)

Re: TiVo
 

There will be an iPad app eventually.

Re: TiVo
 

That has made me feel a tad less annoyed I haven't got TiVo yet! (As in, the fact that all the bugs are being ironed out and hopefully when it launches it will be worth the wait)

Edit: Oh by the way guys, that video of the TiVo UI was made a member on the TiVo Community forums who just wanted to share some of the menus, and didn't really know which ones to record, so maybe you suggest to him which ones he could record if he ever records another video. His username is big_dirk.

Re: TiVo
 

I like the sound of a 14 day guide and the ability to search for programs upto 28 days from now.

Re: TiVo
 

I have to say, having seen that video, I am a little disappointed. Nice interface, but it still seems fairly basic to me, particularly the options around Live TV... I've had a Freeview PVR (the Topfield TF5800) which allows user plugins, and I installed the excellent MyStuff plugin. That interface is seriously more advanced and significantly faster, whith all the options for recording series automatically, managing schedule conflicts, managing files quickly and efficiently, like those that people seem to like so much about TiVo, an then some! I've had it for 4 years though, and I really get the impression that (apart from access to HD channels and catchup TV and VOD) I will actually have to downgrade my experience in terms of interface and usability experience... And I didn't have to pay £3 per month to get it...

Re: TiVo
 

It might not be the fairest to base your opinions of TiVo from that video. It's a bit like someone making a home video of there new Ferrari and just videoing the boot.

Re: TiVo
 

The most disappointing thing from that video, and it showed it at least twice was the time the red screen displayed blank when switching to the EPG from normal TV. It did seem like and age (about 5 seconds) to me from the time the screen went into the top right and the red screen filled the screen, before the UI actually appeared.

When speed is of most concern is with the most often used functions, ie launching the EGP. Things you do less often like search for programs, set recordings etc are not so relevant IMO.

Take home message.. They really need to work on preloading whatever is taking so long to launch in the EPG. Things like the ads at the top really should be being background loaded all the time, not just when you launch the EPG.

Re: TiVo
 

Tivo hopefully is an evolving product anyway. With more apps to come.
I see VM have just signed up another company to improve it's usability. From the article

"By implementing our 360Provisioning and assurance solution, Virgin Media can benefit from shorter implementation times and broader application coverage for its next generation of TiVo-powered services."

Tivo are expanding there software operation both in the US and abroad so that should spur on the development of more apps and improvements in the software.

Re: TiVo
 

Why isn't it instant when switching menus etc.?

i have a decrepit freeview box that is instant.

sitting waiting for menus to appear?

the future of TV?

Re: TiVo
 

I don't know where the information of load times being slow comes from, but the EPG loads immediately with my TiVo.

Re: TiVo
 

You may want to take a look at upgrading online. I looked last night and couldn't quite believe my eyes so I did it there and then.

Currently it says the follwoing under existing customers section under customer offers.
Select upgrade to faster broadband.
Then you will see

Upgrade to 50Mb broadband with free installation and activation
Boost your broadband speed to 50Mb, and we'll cover your installation and activation - worth £60.

You'd normally need to pay a £40 installation charge, and a £20 activation fee for Broadband XXL, but we'll cover both!

You'll get all this:

Up to 50Mb speed

Unlimited downloads1
Virgin Media Super Hub wireless router
and USB adaptor
Unlimited online backup & storage
100 free photo prints every month

So I filled in my details and booked in my date and time and that was it.
Need to make a call to make sure they bring another VHD box with them to replace the normal additional bix but as it's was completely free I thought I had nothing to lose apart from the extra couple of quid each month.
Also I get the Premium HD back for free so in total kind of turns out to be a saving over VIP20

Re: TiVo
 

If you've fillled in that upgrade page then that's all that will be arranged. It's not designed to upgrade TV boxes at the same time (or Sky Premium HD), however Customer Services should be able to sort it out

Re: TiVo
 

Must be his box then. It's easy to see on the video, he's watching football, the screen switched to red and moves the football to top right. It then takes about 5 seconds of red screen for the menu to appear.

Re: TiVo
 

You have to remember that this is just being rolled out on a brand new box. What would people have made of the Sky 1Tb box when it was being rolled out and when the anytime+ software was added to it? It was a mess for weeks with the box being virtually useless to many. There are a few people who say that the youtube video doesn't represent their tivo box anyway. Instead of rushing to prejudge it why don't we give it a chance?
What most of us customers want to know for the time being anyway is when are vm going to get around to giving us the opportunity to have this box. I would like to see more feedback from people who have the box though.

---------- Post added at 10:46 ---------- Previous post was at 10:44 ----------

In the tivo community forum a user is reporting that his box was slow at first but isn't now. Like I say we need to give it a chance and see more feedback.

Re: TiVo
 

I agree with the having to tell them to bring the new box to change that but surely I was VIP20 so I will now be VIP50 and so the Premium HD is automatic?
If not then that is to be quite blunt.....crap

I will mention it to them anyway and then no doubt have billing issues for a while.

Re: TiVo
 

The box is not slow. Like any digibox, if you've not long rebooted or just installed, then it's going to be downloading a lot of data in the background.

Re: TiVo
 

Aha! The zip has been moved by one notch. :)

Thanks for the info DF.

Re: TiVo
 

Just one question for those of us that are not chosen first when can the tivo be ordered via vms website?.

Re: TiVo
 

:D

I think i can get away with saying that :)

---------- Post added at 11:16 ---------- Previous post was at 11:15 ----------

Just fill in the form to register your interest and you will be contacted, once we are ready to roll out the next phase.

Link in my sig ;)

Re: TiVo
 

When i upgraded from VIP20 - VIP50 in november, the HD upgrade happened immediately a week before the 50MB BB was installed, and i didn't ask for it.

Re: TiVo
 

I'm in the same situation - have just upgraded online, in response to an email inviting me to go from VIP 20 to VIP 50 which specifically stated it would include premium HD. It led to a VIP upgrade landing page although it then did seem to go into the general update pages. But the £7 discount I was awarded for the Sky HD ran out with my last bill so I will be disappointed (but not surprised) if it isn't applied. But it did say I should expect a call to confirm installation so I will also mention it to them....

Re: TiVo
 

Re: TiVo
 

I am very, very upset. I was looking forward to getting my TiVo installed next Tuesday but my contract arrived this morning with a phone line rental on it. I was told when I ordered that I would be able to have TiVo without a phone. However, when I phoned up today I've been told I can't have TiVo without a phone and so I've had to cancel.

This is so dissappointing.

Re: TiVo
 

Ahh, yet more pushing things into bundles people don't want.

I can understand why BT have to push their phone at you to give you broaband (its the delivery conduit after all!), but Virgin don't have to do this.

I know of plenty of people who have no use for a landline, yet have it thrust upon them by Virgin because it makes the bundle up, and the price without the phonline is ridiculous.

Re: TiVo
 

I think that Teresa has been badly treated and it is very disappointing for her but how is it any better for BT to do package bundles than VM. They could just as easily give you just broadband. The reason they do it is because they sell packages at a price they think will make a profit.
In Teresa's case I think she should have been given the option to have tivo at an adjusted price but as VM aren't doing that whilst the boxes are scarce that probably wasn't possible. She should have been told that straight away though.

Re: TiVo
 

I take it, it wasn't mentioned when you signed up?

Re: TiVo
 

There is still a small chance for me I think. After talking to customer services, I called back the guy who put the order through for me as he had given me his direct number. I explained to him what had happened and he said to call back next Monday and he should be able to do something as the system should be accepting TiVo without a phone line then. I've lost my install slot for next Tuesday but he said I should still be able to get it in February.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.

---------- Post added at 12:57 ---------- Previous post was at 12:54 ----------

It was mentioned but I was told the phone line would be removed from my order before the install date when the system had the appropriate codes available. I was told I could defintely have a TiVo without a phone line.

I think the chap who took my order is doing his best but he had to fiddle things because the system isn't set up yet to accept TiVo without a phone line.

Re: TiVo
 

Good luck Teresa and come back and tell us how you get on. It would be nice to hear your opinion of the box as well if you do get it installed.

Re: TiVo
 

believe me when i say i really dont like to critise or complain ... BUT

this is just another small element of the tivo rollout that should have been thought of and sorted before it was offered to the end customer ..

I like VM .. i really do but they do have problems communicating even among there own staff so everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet and even worse communication with customers. I know its probably inevitable with a large corporate company but these little mishaps do lead to a reputation dent in the long run

sadly i have far less faith in VM now than i did 2 weeks ago but maybe thats just me being ultra picky

Re: TiVo
 

There's a lot of complaint in this thread (and others) about how VM has handled the rollout of TiVo boxes.

With big tech releases like this (early adopters for smart phones and tablets show similar types of complaints), you are never going to be able to please everyone when rolling out and communicating what's going on.

Most of the people on this forum thread are eager for TiVo and are fairly tech savvy and are scrutinising VM's every move, which most users won't be. They'll get to hear about the service when VM offer it to them, or by word of mouth, or by advertising when it comes.

I think we're being unfair to VM. They've got a massive task to roll out new tech to the masses in a way that will keep the majority of their customers happy and hopefully tempt Sky users to join up.

Let's all be patient and put a little perspective on things. Good things come to those that wait, and I'm damn sure it's going to be good.

In the meantime, I'm hoping to hear more first hand experiences from those lucky early adopters in this thread, to test my patience to the max.

Boz

Re: TiVo
 

Ah, ok. the forum will have made an assumption that it was sneaked in, but from what you are saying it's part of the offer, but VM are trying to remove that for you?

Hope it gets sorted for you :)

Re: TiVo
 

To be honest, depending on your broadband service, it may end up cheaper or the same price to take it with the line that without it

Re: TiVo
 

Quite often that is the case and you do not even have to use the phone line except to call Virginmedia for free.

Re: TiVo
 

Just thought that I would inform other's of what I've been told in regards to the lauch of TiVo and the 1 in a 1000 issue.

I have been informed by my contact within the CEO Office that they had 25,000 people register for TiVo out of those they chose 1000 VIP 50 customer's (I know other's have been selected so maybe the CEO office was lying or other member's are)
He also insisted that TiVo is not being fully released until March and pricing details for all customer's had not been finalised and would be issued in March also.

That is what I was told, maybe fibs maybe truth. I'm going to forget about TiVo for the time being and enjoy the service's I have ALL which fully work anyhow!

I didn't contact the CEO office to moan about the 1 in a 1000 and was to do with another ongoing billing issue but thought I'd ask the question whilst I was in contact.

Maybe this information will be useful to some and maybe annoy other's, just thought I would share this.

Here is a copy of what was said I've obviously edited out private info.....

Hi .......

The details for pricing for TiVo for VIP50 package customer have not been released yet. I expect this to be in late March when the service is fully
launched.

We had over 25,000 registrations and of these we have selected 1000 VIP50 customers to get the service a little
earlier. As mentioned above the service will be launched fully in March.

Re: TiVo
 

I think that appears to be the take home message, forget tivo for at least 2 months.

Perhaps a few staff got a little carried away on hear with the excitement about imminent launches etc.

Re: TiVo
 

Thanks for that, just a shame that VM didn't communicate that a bit better to everyone waiting on here, even if they had announced something after the surprise at the weekend, at the moment its taken a bit of the shine off of me wanting to get TIVO

Re: TiVo
 

Fair point, but the broadband is delivered down the phone line with BT (ie needs to be enabled to the house for voice to be able to deliver the phone). I suppose they could cut the voice out at the exchange, but the physical line is required.

VM don't need to provide phone to provide broadband - the phone comes down a seperate twisted pair from the DP and the broadband/TV is delivered via coax. So the only reason for the bundles is business related, not a technical limitation.

Re: TiVo
 

From what I can make out of the Tivo roll out is that a group were selected to make sure that when the full roll out happens it was as much bug free as possible.
If you think about it, if they just went ahead without it being debugged the amount of calls made to VM would be an avalanche, there would be more complaints than what happens at the moment about the slow roll out. Can you imagine the postings and people using this site looking for information might have brought this crashing down...
Think the only critism I have about VM was announcing the Tivo box before it was ready for a bigger initial roll out, but on the other hand I dont think that VM would have managed to keep it secret on any type of secret roll out.

---------- Post added at 14:13 ---------- Previous post was at 14:11 ----------

Willing to pass on any info, about the box, just let me know what you need! ;)

Re: TiVo
 

so late March for existing customers to know the price and available to new customers from April .... dont give existing customers long to get their order in especially if that is 23,000 plus installs to do

i hope the last part about 1000 VIP50 customers to get it earlier means the other VIP50 get the same deal just later down the line as i think that is the fairest deal .. yes of course im jealous of the lucky ones , who wouldnt be .. but more than that they have the reward of early instal for free ... other VIP peeps should get the same free instal but at a later date .. thats treating customers equally

thanks for the info ... once again though shows that different VM staff are saying different things to different people even when they are from the same CEO office

personally having reviewed my TV use and habits i asked myself ... do i need something extra for £149 ... and i say to myself NOPE .. so unless its free then tivo aint for me

Re: TiVo
 

finally I can agree with something you say :) I'm more than happy with my sexy V+ box so why pay more?