TiVo : TIVO has STUPID functionality!!

[Itshim]

Originally Posted by Hugh

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.

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

[Nanor]

Originally Posted by Itshim

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

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

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).

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Never say never

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.

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 ----------

Originally Posted by Itshim

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

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

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

Originally Posted by Nanor

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

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).

No these are the real Ten Commandments Sir.

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

[Itshim]

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

I did say boardering - Hey whats happen here !!

[tweetiepooh]

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.

[Lew]

Originally Posted by Nanor

Uses two tuners when recording two programmes with padding shown consecutively on the same channel, no need to record the padding twice

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.

[LexDiamond]

Originally Posted by Itshim

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
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

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!

[alwaysabear]

Originally Posted by LexDiamond

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!

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 .

Originally Posted by LexDiamond

lt I have to say the forum is a bit bias but has calmed down a lot since VM themselves admitted SD pq issues.

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

[zantarous]

Originally Posted by Nanor

[*]No way of setting global padding which could auto populate series links leaving you with the option of increasing it for say live events.
[*]It kicks you out when watching on demand if you leave it paused for too long.

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.

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

I like the TiVo but am not totally unbiased


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.

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.

Originally Posted by Lew

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.

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.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by zantarous

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

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.

Originally Posted by spiderplant

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.

Both are fair points in particular VOD

Thanks learn something every day