Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Hi,

I have been thinking for a while about updating my V+ TV service but am not sure what to do. I watch a lot of HD content and as such the tiny drive in the latest Samsung V+ boxes is not much use. Tivo seems to be the way forward with their 500gb or 1TB drive but is the extra money worth the hassle or should I just head down the (not quite contractually legal) route of just sticking a bigger driver in my existing V+ box?

In respect of the Tivo service, can anyone advise on the following?

1) What is involved with a Tivo install? If you already have a V+ HD TV service, is it just a matter of swapping boxes or do they need to replace the cables? If they do then this could be a problem for me as I have buried my existing cable under the floors so swapping this out would be a right pain.

2) Is the functionality offered by the Tivo service really that much better than the existing service (I know there are some nice new touches like the back a week EPG) but is it really a better TV experience than the standard?

3) How reliable is the Tivo box / software? Whilst not perfect the existing V+ box is pretty stable these days and I don't really want to revert to the dark old TVDrive days when that was first rolled out.

Other issues I have with the new TV service is the lack of red button (ok coming soon), no LCD channel number on the front of the box, oh and the shape of it as I currently have my PS3 sat on top of my V+ box, which will be impossible with the new curvy Tivo offering.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

1- They need to check the signal levels and swap the box, there is no changing of the cables.

2- The backwards EPG is better for finding stuff on catch up and also the BBC I-Player app has more than the standard V+ box.

3- I have not had any problems with the TiVo box but as you will have read on here some have. So it is all up to you?

I have a TiVo and also a SA V+ and only seem to use the TiVo now:D Hope this helps you?

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Thanks for reply. You have certainly put my mind at rest about the cabling. I am guessing if there is any issues on that front then the cabling in the house is fine so they would just need to update the cable up to the house, which is no big deal.

Good to hear you have not had any issues too as reliability is a concern based on some of the other posts. I am hoping that in the next few months that further updates will iron out any major ones including the lack of red button, which I know is high on Virgin's list.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Don't forget the Tivo costs more each month!

I've been offered Tivo several times, the extra cost puts me off.

I don't need the extra space, all I use the recorder for is to watch a programme I can't be bothered staying up for, then I can erase it later- saves me watching stuff.

All that would happen with 1TB is that I would fill it to 90% with stuff that I won't ever watch.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Yeah Tivo adds £3 a month plus you have to take out an 18month contract.....oh and pay them £50 or £100 depending on what box you want. The will fit it for free though lol.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

If you are on the VIP50 pack you do not pay the £3 charge. Also I think that when you upgrade it is only a 12 month contract (I may be wrong on this).

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

you are correct Devil :)

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Hi. Really interested in TIVO. I'm on VIP 30. Would the monthly charge remain the same as having the V+ box? Is there any one off costs?

What is the cost of VIP 50 and would that be a better option? Any one off costs here?

Any advise would be much appreciated.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

I know times are tough but are people who are interested in Tivo really letting a £3 per month charge stop them?

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

£101 for vip50 with 1 v+ and 1 TiVo.

---------- Post added at 22:20 ---------- Previous post was at 22:19 ----------

And skysports movie hd on 1 box

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Just get Tivo it's streets ahead - but if you need red button it could be the deal breaker, dunno when they will implement this, heard September, as a big plus tho when they do implement red button Tivo users have been promised loooooooooooooads more red button content - hopefully that's why it's taking time to sort out

Check my 2 cents VV

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

I've read lots of reviews, and fail to see why a tivo is £36 a year better for me.

Is the picture better than the v+? (no)
Is the sound better (don't know, no one says but I bet the Toslink doesn't output 5.1 whilst the hdmi sound is still on)
Will it get catch up tv in HD between 18:00 and 1:00? (doubt it)

£36 to tell it to record from my iphone and to record the buffer doesn't seem worth it frankly. :rolleyes:

Yes the menus might be "easier" but once you learned the V+, anything "better" is actually "harder" ;)

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Tivo all the way, yes it has some niggles but so do most new products.
Yes Tivo has been around for a long time, but Tivo in the USA are actually customising the experience for the UK market :)

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

I'd recommend going to your local Virgin Media Store and having a play around with a TiVo, you may change your mind! :)

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Not really what I meant. If you want to get a TiVo would a £3 charge really put you of? In your case you clearly have no interest.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

To me it's the principle of the charge not the amount, I don't really want to pay extra for a clever piece of software!

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

I've just got a great deal i at the moment Ha ve the following
V+hd sa box on XL tv
standard box which i pay extra £6.50 for
L bb
m phone which i am paying £52 a month for for all of the above

But after a call to retentions i got told if i got tivo i could keep the V+hd box @ no monthly charge so i am keeping that and getting rid of the standard box so the£6.50 chage goes and i also av a issue wiv phone charges has i only ring 0845/0870numbers i get £10+ call charges a month but added a bundle to include them and when the lady came back wiv the price of £45 a month i jumped at it only the price of the box to pay which is £49.99 i think i have got a bargin.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

I have bought a TIVO box cheap as I have 2 V+ at the moment. Will VM 'pair' up my existing card to the TIVO and if they will will there be any additional charges etc. I am on a full package at the moment on both boxes plus phone and broadband. Thanks

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

They won't if you bought it elsewhere as it's a stolen TiVo, it's only £49 from virgin how cheap do you want it?

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

FOC ;)

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

I can't see how principle is involved.

The tivo has more functionality.

It costs more for that functionality

You don't think it's worth the extra, so won't pay it.

It's choice, not principle.

If you get the chance, I'd try to demo in a VM shop. You may change your mind as to wheather the extra 3 pounds is worth it. Just the 1 Tb drive, Whishlists and only having to set a series link once to record current and future seasons of a show, on their own, make the 3 pound fee worth it to me.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

I have decided to hold off Tivo for the time being and have just popped in a 1Tb drive into my Samsung box. Works perfectly and I no longer have to worry about running out of HD space.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Does it report more than 80 hours? What happens after 80 hours

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

No the counter still reports 80 hours as this has been coded but it reduces based on the percentage disc full rather than actual time recorded. The best indicator is the bar gauge, which works on the same percentage scale.

You can also use the V+ standard reformat functionality to format the 903gb 4th partition. If I need to return the box I will just slot back in the old drive, which I will keep for just the occasion.

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

I'm sure you are aware you have broken the T&C's of your Virgin Media agreement by doing this... Just in case anyone else reading is thinking about it.

---------- Post added at 21:58 ---------- Previous post was at 21:57 ----------

Good idea :tu:

Re: Tivo or V+ HD upgrade?
 

Of course and I don't recommend anyone else do this unless they are as technically savvy as myself. If you know what you are doing though, it is a very simple process (fully detailed on the digital spy forums) and will not damage the property that I fully appreciate is on lone to me. Obviously it will be put back to how I received the box if I ever need to leave Virgin.

This was always an interim measure until I move house as if my new home is within the Virgin Media network then I will be moving to Tivo....but until this happens I did not want to tie myself down to a new 18month contract when all I needed was a bit extra storage to cope with the demands of HD content.