TiVo : Upgrade from V+ - is it worth it?

[caveman]

Phoned up today to query reason for new contract following request for 60M hub. While I was speaking to CS I was informed that I could have a Tivo free of charge and keep my V+ for another room to replace a standard box.

As I have my TV set up perfectly for the current V+ box I would like to ask if there is a big difference between V+ and Tivo as I am considering having the Tivo fitted straight into the bedroom unless there are noticable differences that I would benefit from in having it as the main box. Thanks

[MalteseFalcon]

For me, the best decision made. Ability to setup wishlists, ability to undelete programmes I accidentally delete, and many more. There should be a guide in My Virgin Media where you can see what TiVo offers.

Originally Posted by caveman

Phoned up today to query reason for new contract following request for 60M hub. While I was speaking to CS I was informed that I could have a Tivo free of charge and keep my V+ for another room to replace a standard box.

As I have my TV set up perfectly for the current V+ box I would like to ask if there is a big difference between V+ and Tivo as I am considering having the Tivo fitted straight into the bedroom unless there are noticable differences that I would benefit from in having it as the main box. Thanks

The TiVo hard drive is another consideration at a minimum of 500 GB against just 160GB with the V+ box it gives you much more space to record your beloved programmes to

[MovedGoalPosts]

They might allow you to have the TiVo free of charge, as in perhaps no installation fee, but is there then a monthly cost for the service or that you have also got the V+

But TiVo, once you are used to it is a bit improvement on the V+.
Three tuners allow you to record 2 programmes and watch a third live, or record three things at once whilst you are watching something already recorded. V+ only has 2 tuners.
Increased hard disk capacity
Series links are far more intelligent, along with wish list and other search by programme name, artist, etc will check current, On demand and future show matches.
The EPG covers more days and shows the previous days so you can see what you just missed.
Suggestions records stuff, subject to disk capacity, based on your likes.

About the only thing I don't like is the EPG guide insists on defaulting to every channel listing, rather than just the favourites, that the V+ lists by default.

[andy_m]

V+ has three tuners, but one is dedicated to live TV. At times that's almost a plus point in v+'s favour.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by andy_m

V+ has three tuners, but one is dedicated to live TV. At times that's almost a plus point in v+'s favour.

Please explain?

Originally Posted by passingbat

Please explain?

You know what his answer will be, and you've already planned your answer to that.

The main point is that Rob was incorrect, the V+ has three tuners. TiVo can do something that the V+ cannot (record 3 programmes simultaneously) but the pay-off of not being able to watch live TV whilst doing so makes the feature of little interest to most people. Cue a procession of people claiming that they 'record 3 programmes simultaneously whilst watching another recording all the time' even though they don't...

[MovedGoalPosts]

What I find is that frequently I'm recording two programmes, that will overlap with a third about to start but on another channel (I often allow an extra couple of minutes records as the channels don't have good timekeeping). TiVo's extra recording channel works well for this otherwise stuff would need to be chopped up. And yes I do find I'm watching a recorded thing whilst doing lots of recording. I like to FFW through the tedious ads

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by JustaBloke

You know what his answer will be, and you've already planned your answer to that.

The main point is that Rob was incorrect, the V+ has three tuners. TiVo can do something that the V+ cannot (record 3 programmes simultaneously) but the pay-off of not being able to watch live TV whilst doing so makes the feature of little interest to most people. Cue a procession of people claiming that they 'record 3 programmes simultaneously whilst watching another recording all the time' even though they don't...

I never watch live TV. I occasionally watch a show with no adds, i.e. a BBC show, at the same time as it's broadcasting, but I still watch it from the recording.

The only case I can see for the third channel not being able to record is if you have two planned recordings going and you plan to watch a third channel live, and a suggestion suddenly starts recording and swaps the tuner from your live channel. But since you are watching live, you can easily stop that suggestion recording and go back to the live channel. But the cases of that happening must be very small compared to the number of times that it is very useful/essential to have 3 recording tuners. And setting recordings for ALL your viewing prevents that happening anyway.

A box with 3 recordable Tuners can do everything a box with 2 recordable and 1 live tuners can do. A box with 2 recordable and 1 live tuner can't do all the things a box with 3 recordable tuners can do.

[andy_m]

I actually rarely watch TV myself, and I did say it's only "almost" a point for v+. I also regularly have 3 things recording, and being able to record 3 things and watch a 4th is great, but having to record a live event just so you're not constantly asked if you want to change channel whilst watching it can be just ever so slightly irritating.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by andy_m

I actually rarely watch TV myself, and I did say it's only "almost" a point for v+. I also regularly have 3 things recording, and being able to record 3 things and watch a 4th is great, but having to record a live event just so you're not constantly asked if you want to change channel whilst watching it can be just ever so slightly irritating.

Constantly?

Your Tivo must record suggestions non stop, every spare minute of the day when you have a spare tuner!

I said:

But the cases of that happening must be very small compared to the number of times that it is very useful/essential to have 3 recording tuners.

[andy_m]

I've had my TiVo a long time, I'm religious about thumbing shows because I think suggestions is a brilliant feature, and I have over 300 recorded. I watched the Man U game last night, and the Arsenal game the night before. On both occasions I was asked twice if I wanted to let TiVo change the channel. Maybe "constantly" is overstating it?

I love my TiVo. In virtually every respect it's better than v+. But sometimes, just sometimes, the simplicity of v+ wins out when it's the simple things you want.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by andy_m

I watched the Man U game last night, and the Arsenal game the night before. On both occasions I was asked twice if I wanted to let TiVo change the channel. .

Shoulda set them to record. Ten second job, then no interruptions. You could still have watched them live.

[Chad]

TiVo is great. To stick to V+ is almost a crime!

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by passingbat

Shoulda set them to record. Ten second job, then no interruptions. You could still have watched them live.

My issue with that is that it actually isn't a ten second job. Setting something to record and then later deleting them can actually be quite a slow process, especially if you have other recordings already scheduled and TiVo has to do a bit of work to move things around or if you've got a lot of stuff in my shows. But then one of the great things about TiVo is that it will do that work for you, so it's all a trade off and, for the benefit of the op, in the main I'm happier with TiVo than without.