Got Comcast HD Tivo

[yunlin12]

Logn story short: I wanted HDTivo, I got HD, Tivo.

I needed to get HD in a bad way. I had SD DTivo, and can't put up with running more wires through my rownhouse, and I'm not liking the crippled outlook of Tivo with DTV, so I went Comcast HD-DVR, and got the DCT-3412. But I'm not done with Tivo yet. When Comcast put Tivo on the Moto (TivoMoto, I like the ring of that!), I'll upgrade, but as a backup I ordered myself a DT. Comcast does digital analog multicast here so I can pick up all of my DTivo's SP's on analog channels as well. And boy am I glad I ordered that DT. The Moto box is just not cutting it, things I don't like about the Moto box:

1) Can't search for show to save its life. Never imagined to find all Oakland A's baseball and record it, and pad it 30 min longer would be so difficult.
2) Trick plays are very jumpy, not nearly as smooth as Tivo. The Dolby digital sound cuts out and then back in every time I skip around, and I don't remember my DTivo did that.
3) No 30 sec skip or Mute on the remote, would've been very annoying if there weren't a remote code work around.
4) Mute after it turns on itself to record
5) No info display about what's playing on the other tuner, I have to "swap" to the other one each time to find out.

The 1st 2 issues are really annoying to me. Thank goodness my DT will take care of all my SP recordings. The Moto box will just be asked to do what's it's supposed to do, HD, and nothing else.

[dirtypacman]

Glad you figured out a way to keep Tivo happy in your home.

I tried the comcast DVR box now twice and each time I have returned it or should say deactivated the service. Still a long way to go in my opinion before I will try it again...as you stated maybe when the Tivo software is running on them.

[jfh3]

Well, you have have an HD DVR, but you certainly don't have an HD Tivo. :)

I've got a Comcast HD box as well (6412 Phase III), but never use it to record anything critical. For HD recording, my Sony DHG has been more reliable than the Comcast box (mostly because the Comcast box randomly loses recordings).

I agree with you on all the bugs listed about the Comcast - search is beyond frustrating. The mute problem (#4) is being addressed by new firmware on many systems though,

I got the Comcast box (which was new in box when I picked it up) just to have one when Comcast made the Tivo software available. But I haven't decided if the Series 3 will replace that box or the Sony box first. Or if I'll just ditch both for two Series 3's.

The Series 3 - a true HD Tivo. No matter how good the Comcast implementation is, it'll still be "HD Tivo lite". :)

[jsmeeker]

I'm confused. The thread title suggests you have a Comcast HD TiVo. But your post indicates you have something else.


What do you really have?

[yunlin12]

I'm confused. The thread title suggests you have a Comcast HD TiVo. But your post indicates you have something else.


What do you really have?

I wanted HDTivo (no space, one item)

I got HD, Tivo

[phox_mulder]

I wanted HDTivo (no space, one item)

I got HD, Tivo

Ahhh,
just not at the same time.

I have HD, TiVo and HDTiVo.


phox

[HDTiVo]

I wanted HDTivo (no space, one item)

I got HD, Tivo
I am HDTiVo.

[phox_mulder]

I am HDTiVo.

Yes you are.


phox

[ZeoTiVo]

I am HDTiVo.


nice to feel wanted ? :)

[NewbieInTheATL]

So, I'm sure the question has ben asked a million times before but what's the inside scoop on when these TiVo/Comcast boxes are going to be available? I'm sitting on the fence re: HD right now because I don't want to give up my TiVo's but I'm starting to get antsy looking at all of the beautiful HD sets available right now at an affordable price. So how much do we really know about the TiVo/Comcast situation?

When are they likely to be available?
Will it be in the form of a software download on the existing Comcast DVR boxes or will they have new boxes?
How many HD tuners?
Will they include any of the network/internet based functionality of the S2's (including TiVoToGo)?

I'm afraid that my desire for HD is pulling me over to the dark (Comcast non-TiVo DVR) side. I guess if it's just a software download I could go ahead and get the Comcast DVR for now but what would I do without those oh-so-cute biddup, biddup, biddup's? :rolleyes:

[TiVo Troll]

I tried the comcast DVR box now twice and each time I have returned it or should say deactivated the service. Still a long way to go in my opinion before I will try it again...as you stated maybe when the Tivo software is running on them.

Comcast's dual tuner hi-def DVR performance varies a great deal depending on the type of software that it's running. See here (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=293649). MS Foundation Edition (http://www.microsoft.com/tv/cableoperators.mspx) software is perhaps the best of the lot.

[jfh3]

So, I'm sure the question has ben asked a million times before but what's the inside scoop on when these TiVo/Comcast boxes are going to be available? I'm sitting on the fence re: HD right now because I don't want to give up my TiVo's but I'm starting to get antsy looking at all of the beautiful HD sets available right now at an affordable price. So how much do we really know about the TiVo/Comcast situation?

When are they likely to be available?
Will it be in the form of a software download on the existing Comcast DVR boxes or will they have new boxes?
How many HD tuners?
Will they include any of the network/internet based functionality of the S2's (including TiVoToGo)?

I'm afraid that my desire for HD is pulling me over to the dark (Comcast non-TiVo DVR) side. I guess if it's just a software download I could go ahead and get the Comcast DVR for now but what would I do without those oh-so-cute biddup, biddup, biddup's? :rolleyes:

First - the Comcast offering is software only, to be deployed on existing Motorola DVRs already available - generally the 6412/3412 series - so it will be a download to existing boxes, not "new" boxes. Two HD tuners. Nothing has been announced from Comcast - most are expecting we'll see something by the end of the year. Posts in avsforum have indicated that the beta for this starts in July.
As for what features over the basic function will be included, we'll just have to wait and see.

[cwerdna]

yunlin12: Is your box running iGuide? I don't have Comcrap in my area and most of my friends and relatives in the area have no cable co provided PVR (1 in Palo Alto has iGuide for sure, another in Sunnyvale believes he has iGuide). See http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=293649 if unsure.

For the others who said they have/had some random cable co DVR, what software was/is on yours?

[Moebius]

The problem with the Comcast DVRs that bugs me the most (running iGuide in the Boston area) is that they hang and crash way too much. The hang is not too bad, unless you happen to be fast forwarding through commercials or something. Unit stops responding to commands for about 30 seconds, then all of a sudden catches up on everything you hit (which usually means it freaks out). Also see the thing crash about once or twice a week too. Did it in the middle of the 24 finale while we were on vacation. Luckily I had the TiVo recording that as well so I could go and watch the missing 4 minutes (which were critical).

I'm using pretty much the same setup as the OP but without DT. Have the Comcrap DVR on one split of the cable feed, and an older DCT2000 on the other being controlled by and feeding my TiVo. I had to build a large IR block for the 2000 to prevent it from getting commands from the 6412 remote, but for now it gets the job done. I can record HD when I need it, and have TiVo for 95% of my regular stuff as the iGuide would never suffice.

[SMWinnie]

(snipped) The mute problem [for a Moto 6412 waking up to record] is being addressed by new firmware on many systems though
You might be able to remap the Comcast remote (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/How_to_use_a_Motorola_DVR/Programming_the_Remote#Add_A_Dedicated_STB_Mute.2FUnmute) to unmute the STB. Worked for me.

[yunlin12]

You might be able to remap the Comcast remote (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/How_to_use_a_Motorola_DVR/Programming_the_Remote#Add_A_Dedicated_STB_Mute.2FUnmute) to unmute the STB. Worked for me.

Thanks for the tip, wiki is great! I searched around the net as soon as I got the Moto box, and found that through the AVS forum. After reading that, I got out my JP-1 cable, found the remote protocol for the Mot box, put it on my 6131, and the rest is history. I'm not using the silver Comcast remote, even though it is a JP-1 remote and came with a JP-1 connector, but it's only got 3 devices, so I didn't bother to program it.

[yunlin12]

yunlin12: Is your box running iGuide? I don't have Comcrap in my area and most of my friends and relatives in the area have no cable co provided PVR (1 in Palo Alto has iGuide for sure, another in Sunnyvale believes he has iGuide). See http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=293649 if unsure.

For the others who said they have/had some random cable co DVR, what software was/is on yours?

Yes it's running iGuide.

[HDTiVo]

Rumor has it that some Beta testing is going to start "next month" (gee...and today is 5/31; :) )

Rumor also has it that a $5 premium for the TiVo software is the price.

Rumors.

[galfridus73]

I lurk here quite a lot, but this is my first post...

There is a thread with a bit more information (and a lot more conjecture - including my own) sitting over on AVS Forum with the title "34xx & 64xx series STB w/ TiVo Software" (I haven't posted enough here, so I can't put a URL in yet).

Most of the thread boils down to:

1) Yes, there should be a beta test this summer (either June or July);
2) No, we can find no indication that there will be a beta test;
3) TiVo is building the MRV and HMO options into the software (and maybe even IPTV delivery); BUT
4) Comcast may or may not choose to implement features as they see fit; and
5) Yes, Comcast will have at least two tiers of DVR service with TiVo being the higher tier.

Oh, and I feel the I-Guide pain. And I've only had the thing for less than a week.

[ZeoTiVo]

reading that AVS forum - it should be noted that they are speculating about a Comcast run Beta which apperently Comcast is unconcerned about being discussed publicly. I do not think people with actual hardware/software are posting there yet.

everything there is conjecture , by people very in tune with Comcast - so not idle conjecture - but conjecture none the less.

this is not to knock anything, just put it in context for this forum.

[Conniko]

all very technical....I was just hoping to find out if we can expect an HD TiVo anytime soon. I was under the impression it would be this year (2006).

[galfridus73]

...but conjecture none the less

I did state as much... and really, is it the Internet without conjecture? ;)

It does strike me that there seems to be a decent support behind the conjecture, and scanpa in the AVS Forum does seem to have some sort of reliable information. In addition to that, it looks like all of the information (and conjecture) are forming nicely into one thread - which is useful, to say the least.

The e-mail from Comcast in the thread shows they are really not willing to discuss TiVo beyond: "The TiVo service will be available as an add-on to Comcast's DVR service, and a TiVo box will not be required. Customers will have more DVR options and can select the service that best meets their needs. We anticipate that this service will be available in late 2006, and pricing has not yet been determined."

So, yes, it is coming and it is supposed to come in 2006. Beyond that, no one really knows other than Comcast and TiVo and any beta testers (who, I assume, have signed NDAs) they have out there.

[TiVo Troll]

Rumor has it that some Beta testing is going to start "next month" (gee...and today is 5/31; :) )

Rumor also has it that a $5 premium for the TiVo software is the price.

Rumors.

An interesting and not unreasonable speculation.

Comcast's current DVR software (whichever it is) is generally $10. monthly. Some Comcast locations apparently add a few $$$ more for a DVR which is an additional receiver; others don't.