TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

So VM users do you think Tivo will get people to leave Sky and join VirginMedia?

My view? Well I'm glad you asked.

I have had Skytv for many many years and have always been happy with my service. I had a Sky Tivo and a S1 Tivo which I thought were fantastic but stopped using along time ago.

When I heard VM were bringing a new Tivo I decided I wanted to be part of it so joined VM. Unfortunately this didnt work how I had planned. VM want over £100 plus a subscription fee for Tivo.

Ok the price may of been ok 10 years ago but its 2011 and Tivo is just not pushing any boundries. What has changed since I stopped using Tivo many years ago? Nothing? Oh the EPG is now red. Thats not enough.

I think and this is not "fanboyisim" or anything like that, that Sky users who join VM for Tivo will be gone back to Sky first chance they get. VM Should really listen to what I'm saying.

I find it hard to believe in 10 years Tivo have stood still in development but thats how it seems. New users in 2011 will not be impressed with the current Tivo offering the way we were in 10 years ago.

Don't turn this thread into a personal attack on me. Read it, give it thought, then reply.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

No, I think Virgin will struggle to win their own customers over. I've always believed the new Tivo box will mainly appeal to tech geeks and coach potatoes.

If you want the best TV channels you go to SKY. If you want the best TV experience you go with Virgin. If you want to spend your life in front of the TV, you get Tivo.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Except that's what Tivo is designed to avoid?

It's about conveniently finding content in a timeframe that suits you. It works out what you like to watch, then stores those shows for you so you DON'T have to tie yourself to the TV. To the extent that you can even watch those shows from anywhere with the mobile, ipad and pc apps available for the platform (which will no doubt be coming soon to VM).

Tivo looks after your viewing so you don't have to live your life around the TV.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Not sure what the cost has to do with this as a 1TB box from Sky will cost more and offer less functionality.

All of the current PVRs supplied by Sky and Virgin (V+) do not compare in functionality. To claim all you get is an enhanced EPG is disingenuous at best.

I know Sky offer more HD channels but this would not make me consider switching and I'm not aware of Sky exclusive channels that would make me want to swap.

JJ

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

I think it will, but not on its own. My own experience tells me that unless Sky have changed many people will, if they can, go the VM way.

The commander-in-chief decided some years ago that Sky was better, so on her orders we got the dish fitted and off we went. Great service apart from when it rained, when there were too many leaves on the trees, when smoke came out of the Sky box, when the UNB needed replacing, when the replacement UNB needed replacing, when the new box thought it was a beagle and like its predecessor started smoking, when the replacement replacement UNB needed replacing. When we'd had enough and called to cancel they guy on the phone was lucky he wasn't talking to me face to face - I'm not an angry or aggressive person, but he was such a nasty peice of work I think I would have broken every bone in my fist before I got bored of punching him. I had to put the call on speaker phone so my wife could understand why i was shouting "just cancel the flipping (or similar) thing". I'm over £20 in credit with Sky - they can keep it.

Anyway, moved the TV back to VM and have worked our way up to the XL package and we've had a good reliable service with pleasant staff at a spot on price.

Tivo will only improve the experience and maybe I'm easily impressed, but if it's as good as it was all those years ago then nothing will come close.

So to sum up, some people like the OP will never be happy with what life offers them, but others will see the light and make the move to VM. These people will look back and wonder why they wasted so much time and money using an inferior system.

Cheers
Grim

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Not by itself, as the public are still too tied to Sky Movies and Sports....Virgin need to do something different like offering VOD Movies in HD on a subscription (like Netflix) to directly compete. Vudu-equivalent 1080p/DD+ box office for new releases, in addition, and I think you would see a massive change from Sky to Virgin.

If I was Virgin, I would be seriously buddying up with Amazon/Lovefilm to make this happen pronto ......

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Very much depends on how it is advertised/marketed. I never felt Virgin Media publicised its superior video on demand service well (did anyone know what Samuel L Jackson was on about?) and they have to get this one right to appeal to new customers.
Having said that, I doubt folk with a dish will look to migrate unless they have problems with the Sky service and I think the days of people changing platform are pretty much over. Arguably the future is IP TV, which makes home broadband speeds more influential longer term than the number of channels provided on conventional TV platforms.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

This is where a Virgin/Amazon/Lovefilm tie-up would be essential, Virgin for delivery (if they are moving out of the content game) and Lovefilm for content. Only by seriously tooling-up with another heavyweight partner can they take on Sky.

Another observation, I know of a few a friends who have had to cut back on their Sky to tighten their belts. In every case they dropped Sports and kept Movies, shows where the real power in a house is ;)

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Well the is one thing that can be said you will never ever know unless you get TiVo and find out how good it actually is, but wait you have gone back to SKY so you personally will never know.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

If Tivo is pointless and nothing more than a different EPG how come you cancelled Sky to come to Virgin? Was it not just a fancy EPG then? Or did it just become one when you decided to leave again, having never actually used a VM Tivo?

Tivo seems to have taken over your life. Even threads that aren't about Tivo become about Tivo when you post in them.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

IMHO tivo on its own is just an enhanced EPG with a bigger HDD ... at the moment ..

Tivo on its own does not bring new content it just handles the existing content in a much better way ... going on that then no sky customers wont flood over to VM because of tivo

IF however tivo develops by adding truly new apps like Lovefilm/Blockbusters and other content providers as well as have a far enhanced and expanded VoD then many sky customers i think would move over at the loss of some mainstream/HD channels

the ball is in VM's court as to how they use the potential but at the moment tivo is just a new box with an enhanced EPG and bigger hdd which wont seduce the vast majority of sky ( and probably a lot of VM ) customers that its a must have

:dozey:

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

grimupnorthThis brought a smile to my face on a wet miserable morning:)
Never been with Sky so can't compare. But looking forward to eventually having my own tivo, I'm in no hurry though, happy with what I've got.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

This has to be the most preposterous comment I have ever come across on this forum.

:(

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

I think that most people will decide on their individual circumstances, and no "fanboyism" on either side is like to change many peoples views.

However, Marcus, I am slightly surprised you feel able to make a sweeping statement like without any supporting commentary - if it is true, Tivo would be the only technology company in the world to do so.......

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Seriously? Have never read any of my previous posts?:D

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

You are aware that he has one of the new state of the art TiVo boxes so knows what he is talking about.;)

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

LOL My rep is at minus 1 million* not doing to bad.








* Figure quoted my not represent actual rep score.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Seems more like a target than a score.....:D

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Yes I know but he said my previous comment was "the most preposterous thing he had ever read"

I was saying in my time here I've have typed far more preposterous comments in some peoples eye.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Perhaps the preposterousness was in the fact that your opinion was uninformed by actual knowledge of the new Tivo box?

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

If everybody joined Sky we would all be paying subs a lot higher than now , I say thank god for competition.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

have to say there is actually a lack of 'real customers' on here praising the tivo with actual screen shots and video footage all we are getting is ' its good isnt it' kind of comments ... one or two but thats hardly a lot to base any kind of concusses on and of course those who do have tivo will hardly complain its rubbish

the whole tivo experience needs several truly independent reviews so potential customers can judge for themselves like they do with other hardware

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

You are trying to compare a TiVo S1 though to the very latest TiVo that Virginmedia supply the is no comparison, that is like trying to compare a old Skoda 120 to a Skoda Superb they are completely different machines even though they have the same badge.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

To be fair how has TIVO significantly changed in 10 years? Other than to actually stop making hardware (step backwards)?

The software does pretty much exactly the same now as it did then, granted there is new stuff like mobile interaction (but that's not really a TIVO specific thing).

To answer the OP, no i don't think people will leave in droves to sign up for a tivo from sky. I'd imagine the biggest market might be recent digital TV converts who have had analogue turned off. Maybe they might be tempted as they've not had a PVR before, but for them i can't see them paying the £200 quid or an XL sub.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

That is classic! hahahahahaha

are you now that desperate to rubbish something you haven't even used, that you resort to this? hahahahahahaha

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2012/06/24.gif

Pathetic!


"nurse... he's out of bed again!" http://www.addemoticons.com/emoticon...icons04221.gif

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

I do think some people are getting totally sucked in to the VM hype.

TIVO is a new PVR, nothing more. Let's not pretend it's going to change the way people watch TV the way PVRs did originally with linear TV.

Things like mobile control, youtube and ordering Pizzas, and actually recording the right series are not going to change the world as we know it.

I'm yet to see one single thing that the TIVO does that makes me go, wow that's cool.

Yes it has stuff i want (and need) like a bigger hard drive. But it a bit emperors new cloths to me, the longer the launch has dragged on the less i see that impresses.

Perhaps we need a "What is the most impressive thing about TIVO" thread so people with it can pick the one thing they thing makes TIVO a must have for them.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

people said that about HD

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

When it is released to the public in April we will possibly get an unbiased review. It would be nice if it were done by Cnet, Trusted reviews or the like. I shall wait until then and I guess others will as well.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

100% spot on. TiVo's big unique features in software (wishlists, season pass, suggestions) have not changed in 10 years - only the hardware has.

Ordering pizza's and the like via the TV has been done and died (on cable and Sky) - very few use this kind of thing. Why? It's easier to pick up the phone or the internet connected computer.

Bigger hard drive could easily go into refurbished V+ boxes, but Virgin have decided against this for years. Why is anyone's guess.

So my 2 cents is, no, TiVo alone will not entice subscribers from Sky.

Broadband speeds, pricing and on-demand might. But that was also the case before TiVo appeared.

A sweeping generalisation I know, but your average man in the street wants to turn their TV on and watch it - not play about with fancy menus and apps.

---------- Post added at 12:21 ---------- Previous post was at 12:19 ----------

According to this, people still are saying that about HD...

http://www.itproportal.com/2010/12/0...tv-says-ofcom/

59% of households have a HD-ready set, but only 13% actually have access to a HD source.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Not me.. I wanted HD the day it was released. I've not watched DVD in 2 years, refuse to watch them not. Only watch Blu-ray or my old trusty HD-DVDs.

If anyone said HD wasn't that important it was VM with its sluggish implementation of it. There were tonnes of people who wanted more HD.

Now if you had said "people say that about 3D" then i'd agree with you.

Having said that i think the way HD is being implemented is a total con. There is no need for HD channels, just upgrade all channels to HD. If people have SD sets the box just downsamples to output SD resolutions..

Why don't they do that?

Because they want to have "NEW" channels to make it look they are giving us something. Oh and want to be able to charge extra for it.

*Not specifically directed at VM as sky is most guilty.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

indeed. for the ones who aren't sure, they are best waiting for reviews, although a few have been done already by the media.

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/tv-recorde...view-50001852/

http://boomnews.info/in-depth-hands-...y-tivo-review/

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/3706...o-box-unveiled

---------- Post added at 12:24 ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 ----------

The STB still needs to be HD though.

---------- Post added at 12:25 ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 ----------

there is a customer review on DS

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s....php?t=1440254

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Actually i've just had a thought of something that TIVO could do that would impress me (but i doesn't AFAIK)..

If it modified the EPG to get rid of all SD channels that have HD versions and just swapped the HD version in it's spot.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

You can do that with "Favourites" on TIVo as it has it's own EPG and Mini Guide :)

Bypasses all the SD channels if you want it to.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

There may well be quite a decent number (let's say several 1000's) of Sky customer's who may well defect just for Tivo but they will be almost certainly be very tech savvy types, I doubt they would be average customers.

Let's call a spade a spade, the brand of Tivo probably means little or nothing to most people right now but if it ever does that might be the time a sizeable amount of Sky customers defect.

I don't know about other's but I had never heard of Tivo before VM announced it myself.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

I knew you were going to say favourites.. perhaps they are better than previous incarnations but i've never liked using favourites.

---------- Post added at 12:37 ---------- Previous post was at 12:35 ----------

I knew TIVO were popular in the US, but actually didn't realise you could ever get one here..

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

You can't watch programmes on the iPad app. It's just for controlling your TiVo.

http://www.tivo.com/mytivo/product-f...pad/index.html

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

I agree with that. Certainly at first. VM will be aggressively marketing TiVo once all our customers have had a chance to get it.

VM will be "educating" the non tech savvy soon :)

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

From my reading Tivo isn't even a widespread brand there, they have well less than 3m customers but I would assume it's much better known than here.

I think they only shifted around 35,000 units here (Sky didn't help much though) but VM's will (in my opinion) be hugely more popular than that.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Re: favourites... It's at the top of the list and works well. Once you have it selected in the Mini Guide it stays selected until you choose to change it.

You can even set it to just HD if that's all you want, not even using "favourites"

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

You can't stream directly from it to the app no, you can however automatically sync shows to it the same as you can any mobile device with the tivo desktop software.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Thanks for the info DF I shall sit tight at the moment, still some things I want to know a bit more about.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

HD is a huge growth area for VM & Sky... customers want it and ask for it more and more.

---------- Post added at 13:01 ---------- Previous post was at 13:00 ----------

no worries mate. i'm sure we'll get more reviews from customers soon. :)

---------- Post added at 13:03 ---------- Previous post was at 13:01 ----------

I think the integrated stb is the way forward... VM see it as a gateway to a connected home.... bringing their fibre optic broadband in to play here.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

May well be, but on those numbers I found its still not mainstream after nearly 5 years of availability (IIRC first availability was the 2006 World Cup).

That could be down to people not understanding the technology - I'd guess a lot of people buy a HD-ready TV and think they are automatically watching in HD.

So I wouldn't use HD take up as any sort of indicator that your average punter would be interested in paying a premium for TiVo. At least not in the short term.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

I don't see why VM's only consideration with the Tivo would be poaching customers. That would be important but Tivo does also strengthen VMtv among its current customer base and also has the potential to increase revenues from its current customer base.

VM said there would be different versions of Tivo at different price points so it could be very good for its current customers, particularly those not on XL who have no equivalent alternative on Sky.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Well I can tell you that it was a major factor in winning over this Sky customer!

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

I'm talking about subscriptions to HD, not grannys buying an HD telly with a normal V-Box or Sky box.

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

indeed, it's also about improving what current customers can get and adding customer loyalty/retention, as any good business should be trying to do. :)

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Erm, so am I.

13% of the country have access to a HD source. What about the other 87%. Just don't care?

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

There are some people still using B&W TVs.

What does access to a HD source mean?

My Nan has a HDTV, but only has normal $ky (not even $ky +). But she is welcome to come round to my house any time...

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

HD pictures are fed into the TV

i.e. the TV has a Freeview HD tuner built in, or is connected to a Freeview HD, Fressat HD, Sky+HD (with subscription), V-HD or V+HD box.

Think that's all of them :)

Oh, or a HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player (but obviously that's not to do with broadcast TV)

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Ok, This is my situation, what would you do?..


Have had SKY for 8 years... have SKY+ now but haven't upgraded to HD as I have only just purchased a HD TV...

Have 20MB Broadband with virgin, and telephone with BT... Am paying just over £100 a month for these sevices, without Movies and ESPN which I now want...

Can't get fast Broadband with SKY in my area so changing my provider from Virgin is a definite no... Also I like the idea of TV on demand but can't get through sky because it also not available ...

I have been quoted by Virgin £103.00 for what sounds like the VIP Package. (160 Channels, Movies and Sports, and 50 MB BB and XL Telephone..

If I want to upgrade my TV package with Sky to HD, all Sport, ESPN and Movies they want £80 a month, and this not including my broad band and telephone... which works out about another £55.00..

This is without getting into Tivo.... Which I like mainly for the 1TB Hard Drive.. So thats £150 extra compared to £250 if I want 1TB with SKY..

It seems like a quite obvious choice but am I missing something apart from SKY Atlantic and a few HD Channels...

Also there is the small task of trying to convince the wife who is not as keen, just because she is used to Sky and likes it..:erm:

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

Sounds like VIP50 which is our top package deal, currently.

Take the Mrs down to your local VM store and have a play. What I would say is, check that we carry all of her/your favourite channels on the VM website, just in case there is something we don't carry. :)

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

I don't even get that much luck at home... :D

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

For what its worth, I'm an existing Sky HD customer (with Sports and Movies), basically the top package without multiroom ... I've just ordered Virgin 30MB broadband + phone line as its broadly same as existing broadband + phone (O2+BT) and I can get 6 months 1/2 price. However, I can get Sky 1/2 price for 6 months but Virgin can only give TV without Sky Sports and Movies 1/2 price for 6 months. Unless Virgin can give me the same for at least the same price, there's no reason to move. Tivo itself is not enough, they have to provide something of better quality (proper HD VOD on demand) for people to spend more.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

To answer the OPs question, I already know of 14 people who have cancelled Sky in anticipation of the TiVo launch, a few have already had it installed. Everyone else that has seen it here wants to know when they can get one and that will be another 3 leaving Sky... So YES, TiVo will win over Sky customers. There's quotes on TCF such as...

And if Sky think 3D will win over Tivo, boy are they wrong! Very few people I know want 3D in the home, and the ones that do think it's too early to buy. I was tempted but the exact same TV but 3D enabled was £500 more, it's just not worth it.

Hmm, I'd have to disagree to a certain extent. My S1 box is sat right next to the VM TiVo and yes, the new box is integrated, has more tuners, more features such as access to OD content, the discovery bar, TV window and a HD facelift which is great. However it's main "intelligence" such as instant search, wishlists, finding and recording repeats when there's a clash, thumb ratings and suggestions were all there and worked the same ten years.

It's still by far the best and only true PVR out there... Sky+ and V+ are basic DVRs, not PVRs.


A.

Re: TIVO-Do you think it will win over Sky subscribers?
 

I do believe that you have not actually the the previous posts that my post is in answer to, also 10 years down the line the tech inside is rather dated.