Tivo - your opinion

[knight76]

With Tivo just about to launch in Australia I am seriously considering buying one. I am wondering, since Tivo has been out in the US for quite a long time what your thoughts are of the technology.

In Australia, we are getting a Tivo with no ongoing subscription costs for the EPG, a small ish hard drive (160gb) and no network funtionality at the moment. Next year there is supposed to be an upgrade of the hard drive available and also the network functionality added.

Also, our Tivo does not skip adds like the US one does. It records High Definition content through twin high def tuners.

What are your thoughts on Tivo, usefull? Will it change the way people watch television in Australia? As in, being able to rewind live television, record things more easily etc?

Oh Crap, I just noticed I posted this in general cooking questions.

Ah, has anyone used their Tivo to cook anything?

 

[JillBurgh]

Buy it! More later, no time now-

signed,
TiVo Fan

 

[plumies]

I don't have a TiVo per se but I have DirecTv that uses TiVo technology. TiVo is the bomb!! Don't know how I lived without it and I hate it when I travel and can't use the features. Love the pause and rewind features. Age must be taking a toll on my hearing because I'm always asking, "what'd he say?"

I have a hard drive and I keep lots of stuff on it, cooking shows for instance. I like to keep certain episodes for reference when I decide to make certain dishes. (how's that for tying it in to the section?) I also enjoy the 30 second commercial skips although I usually just use the fast forward. We hate watching live tv now because we can't forward through the commercials.

Oh and being able to record in HD IMHO is awesome! Can't wait until everything is in HD. DirecTv does have On Demand but right now, the selection is pretty slim. But I have found a couple of movies to download and it's pretty nice with high speed Internet access. I don't remember how long each movie took but it wasn't long.

So what else you want me to tell you so you'll buy it?

 

[knight76]

From memory it acts like a media streamer as well can't it? So you can stream content from your computer?

If so, what formats does it support playing.

 

[plumies]

I know there's some differences between Directv and Tivo services. I also know there's more capabilities than what I've listed. Maybe this will help: TiVo DVR Brings You Entertainment - TiVo

 

[TATTRAT]

With the DVR service, our cable company offers, I see no sense in buying a TiVo...but for all intensive purposes, it is basically the same thing, and I LOVE having a DVR, so if you have never had one, do it! I love having the ability to record stuff to my interests, while AF watches her reality mumbo jumbo, I just catch my stuff, at MY convenience.

 

[GB]

We have had a DVR for years. I would never want to go back to the "old way" of watching TV. Now whenever DW picks the very moment that they are reveling the big secret on the show I am watching to ask if I took out the trash I can just rewind and catch what they said. No more having to wait for a commercial break to go to the bathroom or grab a snack. I love being able to tell it to record every new episode of a show I like so I never miss an episode. DVR is the only way to watch TV. Tivo is the worst of the DVR type services as far as I am concerned, but it is still worth it.

 

[MostlyWater]

i'm with gb, loves it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Andy M.]

GB convinced me to get the DVR function.

I can tape conflicting TV shows, watching one live and recording the other at the same time. But most of all, S.O. and I used to sit in front of the TV and keep asking each other, "What did he just say?". Now, we can get the answer. With the press of a button you can jump back a few seconds or more are repeat the key scene.

 

[knight76]

so with the jumping back of live TV, doesnt that just make you late to the start of the next program. As, in, if you want to change channels, and you have time shifted the channel you were on, you would lose time wouldnt you?

Hard to explain. You are on one channel, and have jumped back a total of 5 minutes due to toilet break etc, at the end of this show, you then switch channels to watch another show. Wouldnt you have missed the start of this newxt show?

Tivo may be the worst of the PVR's in the states, but here in Aus it is fairly well by itself with its features.

 

[suziquzie]

DVR has given me A.D.D....
We purposely skip watching shows when they are on, just to avoid watching commercials.
Plus with kids it's awesome because like GB's garbage issue, just as soon as you are about to find out who shot JR, a kid wil run out of a room screaming about lost play-doh. REWIND ROCKS!
Yes you will miss the beginning of the show on the next channel, but we have a box that connects to 2 tv's..... so it can record 2 shows at once.

 

[Andy M.]

so with the jumping back of live TV, doesnt that just make you late to the start of the next program. As, in, if you want to change channels, and you have time shifted the channel you were on, you would lose time wouldnt you?

Hard to explain. You are on one channel, and have jumped back a total of 5 minutes due to toilet break etc, at the end of this show, you then switch channels to watch another show. Wouldnt you have missed the start of this newxt show?...

It all depends on how far back you skip. If you just want to catch a lost phrase etc, or even a minute or two, you can wait for the next commercial break and press the "back to live TV" button and catch up.

If your delay is longer than that, you just wait until the end of the night and finish watching TV at 11:05 instead of 11:00.

 

[GB]

We record every show we watch so that time shift does not matter.

 

[knight76]

The units in Australia only have a 160gb hard drive so can only store upto 30 hours of high def recording. That does not seem like much considering, the Tivo, constantly records the last half hour of the channel you are on, can automatically record programs that you like, and also automatically record series that you selec (season pass etc).

Do you think 30 hours would be ok? Apparently next year there is going to be an update or something available that will allow you to connect the Tivo to your computer and transfer files over your network, and also, allow you to plug in an external hard drive through an ESata port.

With the esata port, is this used in the states and do you have to buy the external drive from Tivo or can you use your own?

 

[plumies]

Do you think 30 hours would be ok?

The standard DVR we had before switching over to HD DVR allowed 100 hours of recording. I was recording and saving a lot of shows and only ever used as high as 40%, but that's still more than 30 hours. The HD DVR I have now can store up to 200 hours of standard definition but I don't know exactly how many HD hours it can hold but I think its around 70 hours. I think max I've gotten is 55% full (mix definition).

 

[Barbara L]

I tell my best friend that DVR has saved our marriage! LOL That's being a little dramatic (it wasn't in trouble to begin with!), but seriously, I don't know how I lived without it! The only bad thing about it is, I have found myself wanting to rewind scenes in movies at the movie theater!

I don't know how it will work (hopefully the way the box says it will), but I found a great deal on a Sling Box (latest model). With that, I am supposed to be able to watch whatever is on my TV or DVR, anywhere in the world that has wireless access. I will get to try it out on our vacation to Iowa.

Barbara

 

[Maverick2272]

Believe it or not, I have never used either. So, glad you asked these questions as I have been thinking about it. Reminds me of the movie Click with Adam Sandler, I can think of a lot of things I would have either re-wound or fast forwarded thru!

 

[GB]

The only bad thing about it is, I have found myself wanting to rewind scenes in movies at the movie theater!

I am constantly trying to hit the non-existent rewind button on my car radio.

 

[plumies]

lol, GB! I do the same thing!

 

[Barbara]

I have DVR with my cable company and love it. My daughter had Tivo and loved it, she now has direct tv and can't seem to get used to it. Not sure why. i have DVR on two televisions and can't imagine watching "live tv" hubby still getting used to it. Re. HD it takes up more space to save.