TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Havinbg experienced the so called "Future" of TV and the over-praised Tivo box.....apart from being able to record 3 programmes at once the rest of the functions are absolutely awful. Everything about the way you move around the platforms and screeens is Wrong! The best thing that could have been done would have been to take the HD box and add in the new developments. So you record a program and start watching it....if you pause and go to the loo it will be reset as you only get 3 minutes pause time...and can you jump to where you were last watching a program?? NO of course not. This system stinks of the old marketing failures ..."It's mine so you'll love it"....it needs much more end-user testing and developing for the way that people actually watch and move about the screens. It is laborious and certainly doesn't have anything "futuristic" about it

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Well everybody is entitled to their view on the tivo but l would say you do not really know what you are talking about in regards to the tivo box.:rolleyes:

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Heresy. You are likely to get a lot of stick for not following the party line LOL:rolleyes:

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

What party line is that then because many members give a unbiased and helpful opinion on things.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Never noticed that personally

Yes, you can. either just press 'Play' when it's selected in 'My Shows' or press 'OK' and then 'Resume playing'

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

everthing is Rosy, Its the greatest thing since sliced bread, Sky is the great monster. Without spending hours looking back. What seems to happen is if anyone moans there is great downpouring of how wrong they are.

Yes people are helpful, no question BUT say that Virgin/Tivo is not the VERY best & the messages pour in. Blinkers comes to mind.
Sorry if this offends any one but is what I perceive as happening.:erm:

Its only a PVR - not the second coming!!! Lol

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Have you ever tried it or have you just made a assumption about the tivo.:rolleyes:

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

I wanted to love TIVO. I wanted to desire it. I really though it was the future, but I demo'd one the other day and for the extra money I would pay for it, I can't say it's worth while right now.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

YES, we ARE all entitled to our opinions and here is just one of the stupid examples...I was watching a programme and was 46 mins into its 1 hour. Door bell rings and i pause the program and answer door....must have gone past 3 minutes as when I returned it had gone back to the menu and I had to start it all again and then "fast forward" (joke) through to where I had originally got to. That's plain stupid!

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Perhaps you need to read the manual.....

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

That's odd because every time I go to resume playing, it resumes playing from where it was paused.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

I haven't experienced the '3 minute rule' while watching a recorded show but I have seen it while watching On Demand stuff, and it is very annoying.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Yup - it has been reported, and apparently it should be 10 minutes for on-demand, not 3.

(but it is one hour for live programmes).

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

It gives you the option to start from where you left off. Also when fast forwarding you can use the skip buttons to jump 15mins ahead/backwards.

No TiVo isn't perfect but if people post things that aren't true (or they are just getting wrong) then people are going to correct you.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

And you can speed up ff by re-pressing the ff button.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

I sorry what is your point? I have seen it in the UK & used it in the States - its a PVR not a cure for all ills. & your reponse is just what I was refering to - the great down pour has started :(

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Except as I found out while watching BBC news 24 live and the programmes are 30 mins long, I paused it a few minutes before the end of the 30mins segment and when I came back it had restarted as it ws a new programme (Bug ?)

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

I rest my case if one has to read the manual to find out how to use "fast forward" other than pressing the [Mod Edit] buttons on the remote!

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Well I didn't need to read the manual to work that out, maybe it's just not idiot proof?

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

But it offers more than just fast forward, it also offers skip, and how would you know that unless you rtfm?;)

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

You are completely wrong regarding recordings. What you are talking about is if you are watching On Demand - then there is the 3 minute and inability to pick up where you left off though you can forward in 15 min increments.

If you pause a recording it will stay paused ages (as I found out the other day when I paused somethign and came back half an hour later having forgotten), and it will resume where you left off.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

He simply asked if you had used one which you have not in the UK so I think it was a valid question.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Yep that's right for on demand, true, isn't it the same on V+ though (apart from the short timeout)?

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Yup, it has a message saying do you want to continue then I'm sure if you leave that it kicks you off entirely.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

deleted

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

And what has that got to do with the "don`t say a word against gang."

If he is right or wrong , the moment Virgin is criticised the usual supects are at the battlements.
Thats what my comment was about. If the Tivo is the brave new world of PVR is very much open to debate.( its not new for a start, good but not new)
It old technology repackaged a bit from here & a bit from there.
( I really cant remember when, I had one in the US but when I came back to the UK no one had any idea what I was talking about )

It has more bells & whistles than the V+ but not as much as a PC with a TV card ( & linked to your TV ) Or go down the internet TV route. with the box of your choice.

I guess its the most advanced PVR on the UK market but really does it rate the Idol worship that some people here seem to afford it:shocked:
The "I ve rented one" so it must be the best crowd seem to get very upset if some dares to question it . Emperors new clothes syndrome comes to mind. TIN HAT on:)

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Right,here's my opinion (and before I get the usual "have you actually used TiVo"replies the answer is yes,I had and returned TiVo,I do have V+HD and I also have Sky HD),my main reasons for returning TiVo have been documented previously in other threads but to sum them up I like things to work the way they are advertised and found the whole TiVo experience very disappointing,I really wanted it to be the very best,cutting edge and future of the way I viewed television and IMO TiVo just did not deliver,and I for one was not prepared to wait for the "will be added in the future" that some of the replies on here state.Perhaps I was expecting to much since I have had the V+HD for the last couple of years which has always worked really well and Sky HD which has a very fast response time,never seems to lock up etc etc,so,when i got the TiVo I was less than impressed,mainly because of the pin request at odd times (and always after 21:00 hours!!),the poor picture quality on SD and the complicated menus (which IMO need not be complicated so why are they),I know now that some of the issues i have mentioned have or are being resolved but at the time I took up the TiVo box it was advertised as being the most advanced PVR out there and it was,in my opinion not.On a brighter note,I will,in the future no doubt return to the TiVo but not until it does what it claims straight from the box....

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

The problem some people from here may have with Tivo not living up to expectation is they listen to people on here.

Tivo is good and ultimately offers more features than any other PVR out there, but it is just a PVR. I think over time (6 months or so) VM will really get Tivo sorted and running well.

But if you read some people's opinions on here you would think its the second coming. If you order a Tivo expect a newer, smarter fully featured PVR. An you will be happy, expecting too much so early in the "VIRGINMEDIA" Tivo will lead to disappointment.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

tbf, it is only a few who worship TiVo as the Holy Grail - most, IMHO, see it as a piece of kit that does some things very well, some things reasonably, and lacks some functionality (and has some bugs).

Raising straw man arguments like 'must be the best crowd' and 'idol worship' don't help, again IMHO, as discussion is good, diatribe (on all sides) is bad.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Interesting that those who lack good argument prefer to take shots at people for having an opposing view instead. Quite funny really.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Strainge as it may seem I agree with you. but the reaction to Virgin some times strikes me as boarding on worship. I used the analgises as I did not want to personalise my comments :angel:

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Well for those Christians out there they should read the 10 commandments

• you shall have no other gods before me

Think this is also the first commandment of Sky and Virgin :angel:

Issues have been mentioned elsewhere but my list of functionality that is missing or not implemented properly so far

• SD picture quality not as good as the V+ box.
• Can't bring up info from the mini guide unless you press record - not intuitive.
• No way of setting global padding which could auto populate series links leaving you with the option of increasing it for say live events.
• No obvious way of recording just a single series with a series link, it would be nice to be able to specify just record season 2 of Fringe for example.
• Text entry is a pain for the search function.
• No red button!
• My recordings need to show more info such as date and time recorded and possibly whether they've been viewed or not.
• Some issues with EPG data, I've got Ben and Holly recorded for the boy but only get the episode title for one or two of them.
• I have series links for new episodes only of family guy, it's been recording a few random re-runs despite the programme info stating they were first aired years ago.
• Uses two tuners when recording two programmes with padding shown consecutively on the same channel, no need to record the padding twice.
• No reminders.
• It kicks you out when watching on demand if you leave it paused for too long.

Despite the stupid or poorly implemented functionality for both myself and my wife this is outweighed by the fact that we love the Box and even with the issues above still find it a big step up from V+. Things will get better in time, for now I'm happy but will be even happier if they can start addressing the issues it has (which I believe they are).

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

The problem is you are basing your judgements on tivo without actually having it yourself and remember people have their own minds to make a rational decision on the tivo.

---------- Post added at 10:50 ---------- Previous post was at 10:49 ----------

Worship is a very strong word perhaps independently minded is better.:)

---------- Post added at 10:53 ---------- Previous post was at 10:50 ----------

No these are the real Ten Commandments Sir.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Commandments

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Worship is a very strong word perhaps independently minded is better.:)

I did say boardering - Hey whats happen here !!

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

I like the TiVo but am not totally unbiased :)

Nanor has brought up some issues that I agree with

Info on the mini guide
Concurrent recordings - should be smart enough to use a single tuner on this and split the output to two programmes.

Others that I'd like to see would include (some of these are not in VM control)

Dynamic EPG so recordings work
Better programme descriptions - often truncated
Better switching of tuners so if I flick between channels (records apart) I can switch back and rewind.
All channels viewable in the mini picture.
Specify version of programme wanted (SD/HD/AD)
Record series across channels so you get the episode whatever the channel but only one copy and if wanting New Only not just new to that channel.
Multi tuner view - press button and get 3 mini pictures from each tuner, remaining space with programme details for each, then can move cursor and select from these.
Better grouping - if suggestions get multiple programmes automatically group them.
Group deletes - sometimes I delete a programme from group and TiVo removes group even though there are other episodes present maybe some are series link some suggestions. Keep group if episodes whatever the source.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

What happens if the channel is running early or late though. Without keeping the padding you'd either end up losing the last minute or so of the first programme and having to watch the start of the second to see how the first ends, or having the start of the second programme missing and having to FF to the end of the first programme to watch the start. If there were some kind of PDC-like functionality where a channel could tell the TiVo that a programme has started or ended then I'd agree with you that they could both use the same tuner and intelligently switch from the first recording to the second, but it seems that's not an option right now.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

I agree with all your points above. Tivo to me is no good because its a box full of great features that lacks a couple of the basics which IMO is not acceptable. But I have to say the forum is a bit bias but has calmed down a lot since VM themselves admitted SD pq issues.

But its the same everywhere tbh. For a few years I have wanted a Freesat/Freeview PVR and everytime the next big thing comes out I read forums, get taken in and then return the product (Tivo included!). When the Humax FoxsatHDR came out it had SD pq issues. There was a forum where someone from Humax actually decided not to look into the issue because fanboys convinced him that the guys reporting issues were too dumb to 'set up the picture' on their tv's. 3Views release was even worse. That thing was not even usable but fanboys had the internet thinking that this was the best PVR ever!

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

That's a great post, I have been watching forums about all the HD PVR's Freeview, freesat and now TiVo they all have problems. The Freeview HD PVR's have been out for about 18 months and they are still receiving bug fixes and added functionality. So I fear it will be over a year before TiVo gets all the bugs fixed and the functionality that people want added .

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

I liked the balance in your post Lex

I will say that when talking to VM direct, my recent experience is that they have been very honest to me about the TiVo issues

And I do believe that they will fix them,

As far as I can see no one in VM are ducking the issues,

But in Forums like this you will always get bias and entranchment both ways,

I tend to listen to folk who see both sides of a debate and there are a few top contributors on here :cool:

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

There is a global setting that for live events, if you enable it it will prompt you to extend the recording so you don't miss the end.

The V+ also kicks you off VoD when paused for a period of time.

That is exactly what a wishlist does I set up a wishlist to record Eurka so got the repeats of S3 on sky One and the new S4 episodes on Syfi.

They should however add a option to reorder a list by season and episode number. Also would be nice in a group if they put the oldest episode at the top of the list.

Thank you, I was beginning to think I was the only one that thought this, why would I want to watch a show and then have to start another recording to see the end of it? Much rather it use two tuners for a few minutes.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

VOD does kick you off quickly because while you are paused you still have server and network resources allocated. You wouldn't be happy if you couldn't get into VOD because a few of your neighbours had left their sessions paused and gone down the pub.

PVR playback and the menus only time out to avoid screen burn.

Re: TIVO has STUPID functionality!!
 

Both are fair points in particular VOD

Thanks learn something every day