[heeleybobs]

Virgin Media:TiVo is Virgin's own product. It is not US TiVo, and has never claimed to be. The hardware is Virgin's design as are the choice of who makes the hardware. TiVo supply the software only.

No, sorry got to disagree, there is more to TiVo than a thumbs up button. Please do take time to educate yourself first. There is no such thing as "TiVo US", TiVo is a technology that, and I quote, "brings the best entertainment from cable and the web together in one place, with one remote and one simple search across everything" and with that there should be no limitations whether it be software or hardware. I do understand that Virgin contract Cisco and more recently Samsung to manufacture and provide the hardware.

I know that Virgin do offer web content and the search option mentioned, but if the software supports the features, then why not allow it.

Then you don't know how cable works.

You have no idea what technical background I'm from and I've worked in this field for long enough to know that very little has changed with a good 80% simply a case of removing restrictions at literally the flick of a switch. We are talking about true dedicated DSL services here, not ADSL services which have limitations due to age of infrastructure and clever workarounds to push the boundaries of widespread PSTN technologies.

Even when Virgin introduced a load of new HD channels, that was only possible after the introduction of the NGTV platform - most of which was new kit at Virgin Media's end. It was why the HD channels were rolled out on a regional basis

Agreed, but this was new technology at the distribution end which introduced new standards and we will have to go through a full technical upgrade to supply the new 4K service thats currently only available in South Korea, and if Sony have there way, even their new 8K service. But we are going off subject here as this has nothing to do with my original TiVo comment where things are just turned off. If you hook up your TiVo box to your LAN and do a port scan then you'll find a web server running on SSL which would offer a network backup option for recorded shows. Fair enough it would be slow, but an option all the same. (Yes I know this is a rights issue but is just given as an example and has other uses too)

I'm not saying that updated hardware is never implemented, but I am saying that it's not as often as is implied.

Obviously the best service possible, which is also what Virgin Media wants. But there is a lot more to offering TiVo as a core service, rather than an add on box. Any features that are enabled have to be tested, and then agents trained to support it, documentation written, and then rolled out to customers.

Well if thats the case, then why don't I have the freedom to hook up my own hardware and make my own decision to release TiVo's full potential with services that I want as an individual. Maybe you're unaware that the cable service in the UK has MAC address authentication locking you down to very specific hardware. And before anyone (usually VM Access Field Technicians) gets into the "protecting our network" argument, please save yourself from embarrassment as it's not a problem other countries networks have. The network is protected at the Copper/Fibre transition in the street and that is fact.

You will see things been activated more frequently when BT's Infinity project is complete and there is direct competition in the works, the service won't be as exclusive as it has been up to now.