TiVo : So Long Tivo - Back to Sky - Close but no cigar!

[carlwaring]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Enough with the personal insults.

To clarify, I did not insult anyone. I said the comment was stupid.[/QUOTE]

---------- Post added at 18:56 ---------- Previous post was at 18:54 ----------

Originally Posted by Denyo1977

Not sure where "Tivo is a disappointment" is stupidity.

No. That wasn't the stupid thing.

And I clearly said you COULD think it would make a 3 meal course after all the hype.

That was; because you clearly could not make that case at all.

Apologies if you thought I was calling you stupid. I clearly was not.

---------- Post added at 18:57 ---------- Previous post was at 18:56 ----------

Originally Posted by andy_m

"We think it's the best way to watch TV, ever". You could certainly make a case for it being overhyped.

No you really couldn't. It's statement of opinion. They think it is. I think it is.

Of course, you could say that all advertising is hype to some degree but that's just the nature of the beast

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by Denyo1977

, I personally don't need a 3rd tuner (do people watch TV 24/7?). If you think the three features you mentioned are worth £3, £5 or whatever you pay a month, fair enough. I don't think it is.

The 3rd tuner is not about watching TV 24/7, it's because most new shows are shown in the 9-11 pm time slot; there's not much new content before or after that time slot. This is why Tivo's automatic searching for repeats when there are recording clashes are good. That would be even better if they included the +1 channels in the search.

Most people compare overall price when evaluating Sky/VM costs, so the £3/5 per month Tivo charge is to a certain degree irrelevant. But I would be willing to pay £5 more if VM worked out to be £5 more than Sky for similar services, just to get the functionality that Tivo offered.

I actually think VM were out of order to increase the tivo fee from £3 to £5, as from what I've read, they only pay Tivo £3. And they should also have kept it as per account in my view. As an early adopter, I just pay £3 per month, which covers both my Tivos.

[Zarf2007]

Originally Posted by carlwaring

Enough said. Ignoring rest of post.

Carl, can I just ask, are you actually employed by VM to trawl these forums and make them look good? it seems every (valid) negative comment is easily dismissed by your sarcastic remarks.....if you aren't employed by them then you damn well should be as I cannot think of a bigger fanboy.....

---------- Post added at 19:57 ---------- Previous post was at 19:52 ----------

Originally Posted by passingbat

Find me another box that can get a good selection of pay channels, has 3 recordable tuners, automatic search for repeats on recording clashes and whishlists and I will pay attention.

The last three features alone make the Tivo box, for me, way ahead of the competition by miles.

Yes, I'd like the other things, and I think VM should be severely critisised for being very slow to get them sorted, but the core functionality that is already present on Tivo, make the missing bits seem relatively insignificant.

Erm lets not forget that these boxes aren't free (or they werent for initial adopters like myself) and we paid for something substandard that we have to give back.....also don't you think sky with all of its profit (remember that word VM) aren't or haven't stripped a tivo box down to build something that will ultimately destroy it? because if i had their money thats what I'd do....and given their content with a new STB they will kill VM.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by andy_m

"We think it's the best way to watch TV, ever". You could certainly make a case for it being overhyped.

But is not everything hyped up in our modern world.

[carlwaring]

Originally Posted by denphone

But is not everything hyped up in our modern world.

A point I also made which Zarf2007 did not comment on when I made it in the same post he has already replied to. I wonder why not? One has to wonder if he just likes to put the boot in instead.

Originally Posted by Zarf2007

Carl, can I just ask, are you actually employed by VM to trawl these forums and make them look good? it seems every (valid) negative comment is easily dismissed by your sarcastic remarks.....if you aren't employed by them then you damn well should be as I cannot think of a bigger fanboy.....

All of which is, of course, a load of nonsense when you actually look at my posting history as a whole and not in isolation. You will see that I am quite happy to agree with other peoples complaints when I ... erm... agree with them.

In this case I simply do not agree that it was "over-hyped" any more than advertising is hype in the first place.

.. we paid for something substandard

Then why do you still have one? Assuming you're now out of contract you could simply give it back and get a standard VHD box instead. They might let you go back to the V+ but I don't know for sure.

I certainly do not agree that it is "substandard" at all. Of course it's not perfect and no-one (least of all me) has said it is.

Which, by definition, means I simply cannot be a "fanboy"

that we have to give back.....also don't you think sky with all of its profit (remember that word VM)...

Why the pointed dig at VM over that word? IIRC this year is actually the first one in which they have made a profit.

aren't or haven't stripped a tivo box down to build something that will ultimately destroy it? because if i had their money thats what I'd do....and given their content with a new STB they will kill VM.

The real question is why has Sky not done a deal with Tivo before VM. They had ten years to do so.

[Henkesghost]

So Sky coulda gone for TiVo but didn't. Agree Carl that is indeed one I'd like to hear the explanation to.

[Zarf2007]

Originally Posted by carlwaring

A point I also made which Zarf2007 did not comment on when I made it in the same post he has already replied to. I wonder why not? One has to wonder if he just likes to put the boot in instead.

Actually I agree many things are hyped to a certain extent, but if you believed VM, Tivo was the 2nd coming!



All of which is, of course, a load of nonsense when you actually look at my posting history as a whole and not in isolation. You will see that I am quite happy to agree with other peoples complaints when I ... erm... agree with them.

I'd say 90% of your posts are in favour of VM....and the other 10% are neutral.


In this case I simply do not agree that it was "over-hyped" any more than advertising is hype in the first place.


Then why do you still have one? Assuming you're now out of contract you could simply give it back and get a standard VHD box instead. They might let you go back to the V+ but I don't know for sure.

Actually very soon I won't have one, sky are installing a +HD box and HD box tomorrow so I will soon be sending the VM boxes back.....as for a V+ or VHD, they really are abysmal....the V+ especially, had one before and it was like wading through treacle when changing channels....I've used freeview boxes with better response times/features than that crap...


I certainly do not agree that it is "substandard" at all. Of course it's not perfect and no-one (least of all me) has said it is.

Which, by definition, means I simply cannot be a "fanboy"

Come on, put the VM van you bought 2nd hand and polished up back in the garage, put the VM t-shirt in the wash and we'll forget what i said...

Why the pointed dig at VM over that word? IIRC this year is actually the first one in which they have made a profit.

What were we saying about defending VM?....


The real question is why has Sky not done a deal with Tivo before VM. They had ten years to do so.

Maybe they were concentrating on getting world class content before worrying about 3 tuners and pointless suggestions.... Personally, if you think that the current Tivo box mirrors much of the functionality of the original Tivo box its hardly an innovation is it? Now given the budget for R&D Sky have plus the fact that they are not limited to providing service to customers in a 'enabled' area it wouldnt take too much to beat VM's Tivo box....(just add a 4th tuner )

My guess is they will soon be launching something much better, the difference is I would bet on them actually delivering what they set out to.

---------- Post added at 22:01 ---------- Previous post was at 21:38 ----------

Also on the subject of customer service, while I agree this is subjective, my personal experience of subscribing to sky and VM a number of times over the years, sky has so far (touch wood) been far more professional with installation, faults/issues and general customer service issues.....the last two times I have joined VM, the 1st resulted in the VM muppets cutting the cables to my flat door entry system when installing the phone service and more recently taking weeks to sort out speed problems with my broadband..... I am always nervous in getting one of their engineers out to my property as they are 90% muppets.....sky on the other hand have always been a pleasure to deal with and their engineers have been prompt and professional...

waiting for a CW standard issue response!

[Stephen]

May I remind everyone that this is for discussion of TiVo/leaving for Sky, not for having a dig at each other. Posts deleted

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by Stephen

May I remind everyone that this is for discussion of TiVo/leaving for Sky, not for having a dig at each other. Posts deleted

I know, like a bunch of schoolkids.....

Another off topic post removed - next one gets a frack for ignoring Mod/Admin requests.

[Zarf2007]

Originally Posted by Zarf2007

---------- Post added at 22:01 ---------- Previous post was at 21:38 ----------

Also on the subject of customer service, while I agree this is subjective, my personal experience of subscribing to sky and VM a number of times over the years, sky has so far (touch wood) been far more professional with installation, faults/issues and general customer service issues.....the last two times I have joined VM, the 1st resulted in the VM muppets cutting the cables to my flat door entry system when installing the phone service and more recently taking weeks to sort out speed problems with my broadband..... I am always nervous in getting one of their engineers out to my property as they are 90% muppets.....sky on the other hand have always been a pleasure to deal with and their engineers have been prompt and professional...

waiting for a CW standard issue response!

Just a quick update, had my sky+HD box & skyHD multiroom box installed today. The engineer turned up during the allocated time slot (which I was notified by email this morning) which was a two hour slot in the afternoon (better than VMs morning or afternoon only timeframes). The installation was professional and tidy and anytime+ is a nice feature (a change from ondemand which seems to be down 80% of the time) and the most important things, lots of HD channels and a very responsive STB!

I dunno if they pay sky engineers more but they always seem more knowledgable and better trained, they also don't look like reformed hoodies!

[Mad Max]

dunno if they pay sky engineers more but they always seem more knowledgable and better trained, they also don't look like reformed hoodies!

I think thats really harsh, and tbh, pretty insulting to the many decent and very good engineers that Virgin have, anytime i've had an engineer round to fit a new box or whatever they have been well informed and very pleasant, anyway i thought this was the cable forum for matters related to cable tv etc, not $ky!!

[jb66]

Originally Posted by Zarf2007

Just a quick update, had my sky+HD box & skyHD multiroom box installed today. The engineer turned up during the allocated time slot (which I was notified by email this morning) which was a two hour slot in the afternoon (better than VMs morning or afternoon only timeframes). The installation was professional and tidy and anytime+ is a nice feature (a change from ondemand which seems to be down 80% of the time) and the most important things, lots of HD channels and a very responsive STB!

I dunno if they pay sky engineers more but they always seem more knowledgable and better trained, they also don't look like reformed hoodies!

Knowledgable about what, pointing a stupid dish at a satellite in the sky, my child could do that!

[pabscars]

Originally Posted by jb66

Knowledgable about what, pointing a stupid dish at a satellite in the sky, my child could do that!

Don't take it persoanlly jb, we all know your one of the good ones

[Zarf2007]

Originally Posted by jb66

Knowledgable about what, pointing a stupid dish at a satellite in the sky, my child could do that!

And running a cable from a plastic box on the wall is tougher? The fact remains that myself and nearly everyone I know who has dealt with VM have had shoddy installs either by botched cabling or missed appointments. Their customer service is a joke.....I won't even start with those call centre fools in India......

---------- Post added at 20:45 ---------- Previous post was at 20:43 ----------

Originally Posted by Mad Max

I think thats really harsh, and tbh, pretty insulting to the many decent and very good engineers that Virgin have, anytime i've had an engineer round to fit a new box or whatever they have been well informed and very pleasant, anyway i thought this was the cable forum for matters related to cable tv etc, not $ky!!

I think you could count the decent ones on one hand, certainly in London in my experience.

And this thread is about dumping TiVo, do keep up.