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rltoombs
08-05-2006, 12:37 AM
There was an e-mail in my Inbox tonight, from a company called Carbonview, claiming it was a "TIVO - Television Technology Survey." I had a few minutes, so I followed the link and started the survey. At one point it asked if one of my leisure activities, in addition to the usual TV watching and participating in sports and whatnot, was reading the Bible. Which was a bit odd, but I moved on. A few pages later, in one of those Strongly Agree/Strongly Disagree rankings, the last question read "I believe that the gospels of the Bible are literally true." Which would be when I stopped, clicked on their "Report an Issue" link, asked them who on earth was sponsoring this sham survey, and closed my browser.

Has anyone else seen this? Did TiVo really sponsor this, or was it just a complete fake? If it was TiVo, I would find that highly disturbing.
bpurcell
08-05-2006, 02:00 AM
Do you still have the link from your email address?
rltoombs
08-05-2006, 02:28 AM
Yes, but this message system won't let me post a URL until I've made five posts. This one is number four, I think. I'll try again.

By the way--twice the message reads "On behalf of TiVo," but I have my doubts.
rltoombs
08-05-2006, 02:30 AM
Nope, system still won't let me post URLs till after five posts, so one more (yeesh...)
rltoombs
08-05-2006, 02:31 AM
Got it. (Finally!)

http://survey.cvopinions.com/wix/p0523483.aspx?r=263&s=FQGKXOCV
TiVo Troll
08-05-2006, 11:19 AM
There was an e-mail in my Inbox tonight, from a company called Carbonview, claiming it was a "TIVO - Television Technology Survey." I had a few minutes, so I followed the link and started the survey. At one point it asked if one of my leisure activities, in addition to the usual TV watching and participating in sports and whatnot, was reading the Bible. Which was a bit odd, but I moved on. A few pages later, in one of those Strongly Agree/Strongly Disagree rankings, the last question read "I believe that the gospels of the Bible are literally true." Which would be when I stopped, clicked on their "Report an Issue" link, asked them who on earth was sponsoring this sham survey, and closed my browser.

Has anyone else seen this? Did TiVo really sponsor this, or was it just a complete fake? If it was TiVo, I would find that highly disturbing.

I looked at it (http://survey.cvopinions.com/wix/p0523483.aspx?r=263&s=FQGKXOCV), and went through it to the 50% completed point. One question was; "Which of the following activities do you like to participate in on a regular basis?" One of the options was: "Religion/religious activities". Then your gospel question came up on the next screen.

A religious demographic is a valid one for a marketing pollster to make inquiries about. I don't find the survey offensive.
davezatz
08-05-2006, 11:31 AM
I guess I went through it too fast, or maybe I branched away from that topic, but I didn't see it. TiVo is gospel? ;)
drew2k
08-05-2006, 01:02 PM
A sure way to find out if this is legit is to send a PM to TiVoPony or OpsManager and ask them.

If it's not legit, I'm sure TiVo Inc. will have their lawyers get involved.
TiVo Troll
08-05-2006, 01:29 PM
TiVo is gospel? ;)

Verily; there are many of that persuasion!
pdhenry
08-05-2006, 01:51 PM
Interesting: I can see (and change) the last person's responses: The URL links to one copy of the survey.
SueAnn
08-05-2006, 02:00 PM
What's really weird is it asks which DVR do you own and has a list of TIVOS with Tivo being the last manufacturer.
rltoombs
08-05-2006, 02:48 PM
If that last question were on a screen with other demographics-related questions, it wouldn't have jumped out so much. (Like the previous page, where "religious activities" was one of a number of choices about how you spend your leisure time.) But that particular page is all consumer electronics-related options, as I recall, then that last one comes up, and it really sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. That's what made me feel as if the whole thing had suddenly taken a left turn into something else, and it's why I quit at that point.
rltoombs
08-05-2006, 02:50 PM
A sure way to find out if this is legit is to send a PM to TiVoPony or OpsManager and ask them.

If it's not legit, I'm sure TiVo Inc. will have their lawyers get involved.


Sorry, but I'm new to these here parts--a what to whom?
drew2k
08-05-2006, 05:05 PM
Oops! Sorry.

PM = Private Message.

TiVoPony and TiVoOpsMgr both work for TiVo Inc. and are members here on the forums.

You can send email to Stephen, TiVoOpsMgr using this address: estephen@tivo.com, or you can send a PM to TiVoPony by clicking this link to locate Pony's profile in the member directory: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/memberlist.php?do=search

After you find his name, click on the SendPM button.

You can explain the situation to Stephen or Pony and ask them to check out the survey, and can give them a link to this thread: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4254060&&#post4254060


(I would give you a direct link to Pony's profile, but every time I've linked to a member's profile it comes out wrong.)

Anyway, these guys get a lot of mail, so don't be upset if they don't respond right away. Good luck!
nhaigh
08-05-2006, 05:19 PM
Hey, you need to make $35k+ to qualify for the survey!!! So the religious guys are only interested in the opinions of people who don't need help ? :rolleyes:
rltoombs
08-06-2006, 12:28 AM
Oops! Sorry.

PM = Private Message.

TiVoPony and TiVoOpsMgr both work for TiVo Inc. and are members here on the forums.




Thanks, Drew. I'll contact them--now I'm just plain curious to see what they have to say. If it turns out to be anything interesting, I'll post it here once I hear back.
davezatz
08-06-2006, 12:33 AM
A sure way to find out if this is legit

Based on the line of questioning, perhaps it's one of the KidZone partners conducting the survey... ;)

I wonder how the OP was targeted for the poll.
sbourgeo
08-06-2006, 08:29 AM
Hey, you need to make $35k+ to qualify for the survey!!! So the religious guys are only interested in the opinions of people who don't need help ? :rolleyes:

The bigger the income, the bigger the tithe... ;)
Vroomfondel
08-06-2006, 08:54 AM
Chapter Two: Verse One:

Verily, I say unto you. "Heed my commandments and obey them...

1. Thou shalt not watch live TV (except, maybe, the Super Bowl)

2. Thou shalt have no other DVRs before me.

3. Thou shalt not take the lord thy TiVo's name in vain.

4. Thou shalt not speak of other DVRs, not acknowledge their existance.

5. Thou shalt not leave TiVo, even if DirecTV offers thee great wealth.

6. Thou shalt defend TiVo against anyone to thy dying breath.

etc. etc.
Bierboy
08-06-2006, 11:50 AM
Being this is Sunday, I feel it appropriate for TiVangelists to add to these TiVo commandments! ;) Let's go for it!!!
Stormspace
08-11-2006, 12:30 PM
Verily, I say unto you. "Heed my commandments and obey them...

1. Thou shalt not watch live TV (except, maybe, the Super Bowl)

2. Thou shalt have no other DVRs before me.

3. Thou shalt not take the lord thy TiVo's name in vain.

4. Thou shalt not speak of other DVRs, nor acknowledge their existance.

5. Thou shalt not leave TiVo, even if DirecTV offers thee great wealth.

6. Thou shalt defend TiVo against anyone to thy dying breath.


7. Thou shalt not speak of skipping commercials to give the enemies of TiVo cause for worry.