TiVo

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by dtweek

please say it's bluetooth for the remote not IR. Please. My V+ lives in a cupboard at the moment and I have an IR Extender. I'm wired for HDMI Distribution throughout the house and bluetooth remote would mean I can change channel from anywhere.

IR is so 1980

Its IR.

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Even on the US Tivo the standard remote is IR as far as I'm aware - so that it can be used with Universal Remotes and the like

If anything Bluetooth remotes are more of a hassle due to the fact that almost nothing supports it!

If my mobile's bluetooth is anything to by, it doesn't have much of a range and almost anything disrupts it.

---------- Post added at 17:25 ---------- Previous post was at 17:24 ----------

Originally Posted by Stuart

Unfortunately, IR may be 1980, but it does work with every universal remote control out there, and also a lot of other devices that people might want to use to control their STBs (such as Media Centre PCs).

If you have an iPhone or iPod touch, you could use http://www.gear4.com/product/_/29/unityremote/ .

That product is officially iPhone and iPod only, but it uses bluetooth, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that even if the manufacturers won't support other phones, someone might put together some software for another phone that will control it.

Is possible to get an adapter, to use these devices as bluetooth?

A possible solution for manufacturers, is to have a dual transmitter/emitter

[Flyboy]

As I am a bit late coming to this thread, I am sorry if this has been addressed already, but is there any news about how much it will cost subscribers?

[devilincarnate]

They have only released little bits at the moment as it should be £199 for the box and a extra £3 on top of the XL subs.

Virgin Media TV powered by TiVo will begin to roll-out from mid-December. Standard price of £199**, plus £26.50 per month*** for the XL TiVo package which features over 160 channels, an unrivalled TV on demand library and access to all standard HD channels. For further information, or to register for interest in the Virgin Media TV powered by TiVo service, visit: www.virginmedia.com/TiVo.

http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/p...859&highlight=

[Flyboy]

Thank's for that.

It's a bit much though, for what is essentially a rent box.

---------- Post added at 14:39 ---------- Previous post was at 14:34 ----------

* The service is launching with two tuners and will be updated with three tuners in early 2011

I can't see many people rushing to buy the beta boxes in that case.

[devilincarnate]

Originally Posted by Flyboy

Thank's for that.

It's a bit much though, for what is essentially a rent box.

---------- Post added at 14:39 ---------- Previous post was at 14:34 ----------



I can't see many people rushing to buy the beta boxes in that case.

I do not think that they are beta boxes as they have three tuners and the other one will be updated by a software update. From what i have read it is due to the US Tivo boxes only having 2 tuners and they are having to re-write the software for it.

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by devilincarnate

I do not think that they are beta boxes as they have three tuners and the other one will be updated by a software update. From what i have read it is due to the US Tivo boxes only having 2 tuners and they are having to re-write the software for it.

I presumed the two-tuner boxes were beta boxes. If they will be launching a three tuner box (something that most V+ users have been used to) in early twenty eleven, most subscribers, including me, will wait until then.

[tweedie]

Originally Posted by Flyboy

I presumed the two-tuner boxes were beta boxes. If they will be launching a three tuner box (something that most V+ users have been used to) in early twenty eleven, most subscribers, including me, will wait until then.

Its not a new box that will be released. Its a software update that will enable the 3rd tuner and as said is due to the fact the US Tivo software doesn't support 3 tuners

[Flyboy]

So, does it have three tuners built into the boxes, but only have two of them working, or is it not a hardware thing at all? Forgive my apparent ignorance in this, I am not the worlds most eminent expert on things like this.

[devilincarnate]

Originally Posted by Flyboy

So, does it have three tuners built into the boxes, but only have two of them working, or is it not a hardware thing at all? Forgive my apparent ignorance in this, I am not the worlds most eminent expert on things like this.

Yes it will have 3 tuners but only 2 will work form the start. From the press release:

Featuring cutting edge hardware design, the Virgin Media TV powered by TiVo box will have three tuners*, allowing viewers to record two channels whilst watching a third so recording conflicts become a thing of the past. The future-proofed service will automatically be updated with new features and functionality as they become available.

[Flyboy]

It is not very clearly written and is (well for me anyway) very confusing.

[vanman]

Originally Posted by Flyboy

It is not very clearly written and is (well for me anyway) very confusing.

posted this before but it may help you

We're releasing it with two tuners, however there will be three in the new year. Does this mean a new box or does it already have three and we'll just be doing a software update to enable it? - This will be a software update
Will we be making any changes to our V+ and V HD software? - We won't be stopping development on the existing boxes - both products will coexist for the time being,
When will Tivo be demoed in our retail shops so people can see it in action? - Initially it will be demoed in the Oxford St and Westfield stores only across Jan/Feb 2011, all other retail stores will be enabled with the roll-out plan still being worked through for when these will start.
Any news on prices for those of us who already subscribe? - There is additional pricing, including discounts for various groups of existing customers which will be revealed in the coming weeks
When TIVO first launches with two tuners will be able to RECORD two programmes at once, or only be able to record ONE and watch one other at the same time? - It will be able to record two, but you will have to 'watch' one of them, until the third tuner is activated, which will be early 2011

[Flyboy]

Thank you Vanman, that seems to have answered nearly all my questions. I particularly like the idea of: discounts for various groups of existing customers, I wonder if that means me.

One more though, for those who are in the know; will TiVo be able to record from the buffer?

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Flyboy

Thank you Vanman, that seems to have answered nearly all my questions. I particularly like the idea of: discounts for various groups of existing customers, I wonder if that means me.

One more though, for those who are in the know; will TiVo be able to record from the buffer?

Yes it will. Say you have been watching a channel for 35 minutes and hit record for the rest of the show it will also record that buffered 35 mins :-)

[Felim_Doyle]

Originally Posted by Stuart

Unfortunately, IR may be 1980, but it does work with every universal remote control out there, and also a lot of other devices that people might want to use to control their STBs (such as Media Centre PCs).

Hmm! Not quite. The Pace boxes support a hand-held remote and a keyboard for e-mail, gaming etc. and these use the IrDA protocol rather than consumer electronics IR protocols such as RC-5, RC-6, SIRCS etc. In my experience, very few universal remotes support IrDA and few even list Pace in their supported manufacturers but maybe that's just the low-end remotes that I have tried. However, laptops, mobile phones and PDAs generally do have built-in IrDA and software is available to drive them as TV remotes using a variety of protocols including consumer electronics IR protocols and IrDA.