TiVo : General TiVo Discussion Part 3

[Jong1]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

TiVo doesn't have a fan

Oops, I meant HDD, honest! Can't have an HDD in the bedroom.

[heero_yuy]

Probably one for spiderplant: Can a TIVO be fitted with an SSD?

[BenMcr]

Probably could, but it wouldn't be cost effective.

You can get get a 1TB PC HDD for around £40, a 1TB SSD is over £200

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Jong1

Oops, I meant HDD, honest! Can't have an HDD in the bedroom.

Why not?

I've had a TiVo on our bedroom for a few years and its not noisy at all.

Also regarding your earlier post. A stb is not like a phone or computer, it doesn't need upgraded or replaced every 12-24 months. It still performs the same tasks it did a few years ago.

Since release it has had many software updates that improve the performance and is a much better product now than when initially released.

[johnathome]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Since release it has had many software updates that improve the performance and is a much better product now than when initially released.

And yet lots of people complain about it being too laggy and unresponsive.

Is it that the hardware isn't quite up to the job of what the software is trying to do?
Using your analogy, i have a 5 year old PC but if i try to do on that what you could do on a brand new PC i'd probably end up throwing it out of the window in frustration.

[greeninferno]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Why not?

I've had a TiVo on our bedroom for a few years and its not noisy at all.

Also regarding your earlier post. A stb is not like a phone or computer, it doesn't need upgraded or replaced every 12-24 months. It still performs the same tasks it did a few years ago.

Since release it has had many software updates that improve the performance and is a much better product now than when initially released.

Some of the features have been updated in the last 5 years but its a dinosaur product now.

Far too slow to function and still far too many bugs.

[Jong1]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Why not?

I've had a TiVo on our bedroom for a few years and its not noisy at all.

Also regarding your earlier post. A stb is not like a phone or computer, it doesn't need upgraded or replaced every 12-24 months. It still performs the same tasks it did a few years ago.

Since release it has had many software updates that improve the performance and is a much better product now than when initially released.

We'll have to agree to disagree. The tick, tick, tick of an HDD, even a good one, is very audible to me. Especially when it turns on and off at times of it's choosing. But also, it's just not needed or wanted. The TiVo Mini exists, and why would anyone, out of choice, be managing recordings on several different TiVos in one home?

I also have to disagree about the performance and capabilities of the box. Peoples attitudes to UI performance have changed ENORMOUSLY in recent years as their day to day experience is set more by smartphones and tablets than earlier cable boxes and video recorders. Even modern Smart TVs are having to up their game. The current TiVo performance is a relic of a bygone era! Also, boxes like the Roamio Pro have the greater number of tuners needed to be used for the whole home.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by johnathome

And yet lots of people complain about it being too laggy and unresponsive.

Is it that the hardware isn't quite up to the job of what the software is trying to do?
Using your analogy, i have a 5 year old PC but if i try to do on that what you could do on a brand new PC i'd probably end up throwing it out of the window in frustration.

The difference being the primary use. The software being released on the PC now has more features, better graphics etc, so requires more power. What you do on an STB now (essentially watching/recording TV and maybe viewing apps) hasn't really changed in 5 years.

[Jong1]

Originally Posted by Stuart

The difference being the primary use. The software being released on the PC now has more features, better graphics etc, so requires more power. What you do on an STB now (essentially watching/recording TV and maybe viewing apps) hasn't really changed in 5 years.

But people's expectations HAVE changed, greatly..... And rightly so. Old style STBs were (are) horrid.

The VM TiVo was better, in it's day, for sure, it's features are still pretty good, but it performs like a dinosaur. For example, I use it as much for Netflix as a DVR. Loading the app takes FOREVER!

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by Jong1

But people's expectations HAVE changed, greatly..... And rightly so. Old style STBs were (are) horrid.

The VM TiVo was better, in it's day, for sure, it's features are still pretty good, but it performs like a dinosaur. For example, I use it as much for Netflix as a DVR. Loading the app takes FOREVER!

Spot on mate, it's ridiculous how long it takes.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Jong1

We'll have to agree to disagree. The tick, tick, tick of an HDD, even a good one, is very audible to me. Especially when it turns on and off at times of it's choosing. But also, it's just not needed or wanted. The TiVo Mini exists, and why would anyone, out of choice, be managing recordings on several different TiVos in one home?

I also have to disagree about the performance and capabilities of the box. Peoples attitudes to UI performance have changed ENORMOUSLY in recent years as their day to day experience is set more by smartphones and tablets than earlier cable boxes and video recorders. Even modern Smart TVs are having to up their game. The current TiVo performance is a relic of a bygone era! Also, boxes like the Roamio Pro have the greater number of tuners needed to be used for the whole home.

Sorry I have to disagree. It does extactly what I want and when I want. My TiVos are not slow at all, waiting about 20-30 seconds for an app(YouTube/Netflix) to load is not a major annoyance or hindrance for us.


Also being able to use the VM site or TiVo app to mange series links and recordings is a bonus. I've used Sky's newer UI and think its so much harder to use and more of a pain than TiVo is.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

Spot on mate, it's ridiculous how long it takes.

Well, it's just loaded for me in 45 seconds. Not the fastest Netflix device that I have but more than acceptable. At one time it was taking over a minute; I can't remember if that was before or after the S/W update as I rarely use Tivo for Netflix.

Surely anyone can live with 45 seconds?

[denphone]

45 seconds is perfectly adequate in my book.

[Jong1]

First, I'm not criticising the TiVo UI. Nothing's perfect but it's far better than Sky and pretty well thought out. It was just pushing the hardware of the time a bit too hard. It was a common problem around that time.

I'm glad those that are happy are happy I really am, it does all depend what you are used to. But just compare opening Netflix/YouTube, for example, on an Ipad and using Chromecast, to on TiVo. The experience does not compare. Even moving around the regular menus is nasty and sluggish compared to a modern phone etc., all for the want of a vaguely up to date hardware platform. Many (clearly not all!) will just give up or never take up using it, for alternatives - not Sky, but other ways of getting TV, like the above example., not overnight or in a huff, but because, if they are a new potential customer, it just feels like a relic, or if they are an existing customer they just find themselves using it less and less because there are better ways of doing things. This cannot be good for Virgin.

And then there is the multi-device, multi-room issue, where our TiVo just hasn't kept up with what TiVo themselves think is needed. Again, modern app-based TV effortlessly moves from screen to screen, exactly where you left off, very quickly.

It's not that I've been whinging about this for years. Just saying now is the time Virgin need to jump on this, pretty quick!

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by denphone

45 seconds is perfectly adequate in my book.

i wish my ex girlfriend had thought the same!

But yes i usually just let it load as i grab a drink or something. its up and running when i return