will i be able to get Comcast Tivo by December/January?

[spincut]

i heard back in August they were testing it, and while i knew about this over a year ago in the making (between the non deal last january and the makup in march) i really never thought it would affect me.

But the day will come up soon where i will have to dump my DirectTV and my Direct tv Tivo box, and will be moving back home. What's funny is that back home Time Warner has always been my cable service, but because of the old switcheroo, fate will have it that i will eventually have Comcast cable.

so the question i'm wondering is, by December/Jauary when i go back, will i be able to get the Comcast Tivo box?

I dont think i can deal with the regular DVR's (i've used the Time Warner one while i was back home once, it was terrible), and while i was set to buy a regular Tivo, i am far too used to recording two programs at once, and while the Series 3 box also is "fate would have it" circumstance that it is out already, i would actually much rather get the Comcast Tivo, assuming it works like it's supposed to.

I would also ask if anyone knows when my area will finally totally switch to Comcast cable, since they are taking their time and not really saying much about that, but i wouldnt expect anyone to really know much about that.

[BlackBetty]

no

[HomieG]

Even if you can't get the TiVo software, you could still get their DVR, and make sure they give you a Motorola 64xx or 34xx series box that is supposed to be able to run the TiVo software when it does become available in your area.

[spincut]

no

an explanation would make that closer to a useful comment

Even if you can't get the TiVo software, you could still get their DVR, and make sure they give you a Motorola 64xx or 34xx series box that is supposed to be able to run the TiVo software when it does become available in your area.

are you sure that's how it's going to work? they arent designing a special box and remote specifically?

also, i am faced with another unique situation in that the area still is currently, sort of, time warner. The whole situation is kind of vauge, i mean technically the switch was supposed to happen earlier this summer considering they already aired commercials for it, but if you go to the faq on their website they say "it happens when it happens, we dont know".

Because of that i cant even definitely get "a" comcast DVR period. But you know how it is, once i move and go back home i will need a Tivo, like "now", but frankly knowing what i know, i dont want to get a Series 3 Tivo considering the price (and i doubt it will go down in price in the next couple months).

[gastrof]

The story is there will NOT be a special box, but they'll just offer the TiVo software to be used on existing boxes...

...for an added fee.

This will also not be available (at least not right away) to all Comcast customers. Just to those that have the Motorola boxes. (No Scientific Atlanta users need apply.)

[bkdtv]

But the day will come up soon where i will have to dump my DirectTV and my Direct tv Tivo box, and will be moving back home. What's funny is that back home Time Warner has always been my cable service, but because of the old switcheroo, fate will have it that i will eventually have Comcast cable.Time Warner typically uses Scientific Atlanta equipment. If Comcast and Time Warner swapped markets, Comcast will probably continue to use Scientific Atlanta hardware. There is no Tivo software update coming for Scientific Atlanta hardware in 2007.

If your area Comcast did --- by some miracle -- replace all of TWC's equipment with Motorola boxes, then you will probably see the Tivo software update (for an extra monthly fee) in the February-April timeframe. It won't be in January.

[spincut]

Time Warner typically uses Scientific Atlanta equipment. If Comcast and Time Warner swapped markets, Comcast will probably continue to use Scientific Atlanta hardware. There is no Tivo software update coming for Scientific Atlanta hardware in 2007.

If your area Comcast did --- by some miracle -- replace all of TWC's equipment with Motorola boxes, then you will probably see the Tivo software update (for an extra monthly fee) in the February-April timeframe. It won't be in January.

i realize the part about the Scientific Atlanta boxes (which i have used and really dont like, even as a temporary solution), but i havent moved back yet, and when i do i'll be ordering my own box at that time, so the question is by then how much comcast will be in control, and if i can request such a box, which although i had previously assumed i'd be waiting for a special comcast/tivo box, if this is the case then the Motorola box that hopefully very soon would be convertable to a Tivo one (at least then i would have a useable solution while i wait for the comcast tivo to be available, something i didnt think i'd be able to do when i thought it was a seperate box....although this still predicates on Comcast actually having switched over to their Digital Cable service by then).

I guess nobody, including comcast, seems to know when they intend to fully switch over their operations and services in my area and others, they just say to wait and they'll let you know, even though the official switch happened during the summer.

[petew]

The brand of consumer STB depends of the brand of headend equipment used in the area, so if the locale is SA it will stay SA and you won't be able to order a Motorola STB.

[HiDefGator]

You also have to ask yourself if you really want to be one of the first to start using the Comcast\Tivo combination. I would expect like every other first release, it will be pretty buggy for a couple of months or longer.

[MsRoboto]

If you must have Tivo today (well before Comcast has theirs anyway). Just get the Series 2 DT Tivo. DT = Dual Tuner. There are a couple of gotchas about this box but it works and is cheap. Gotcha number 1 can only record one digital show at a time. It can record 2 things at once as long as one of them is analog. Gotcha number 2 not HD - not really a gotcha because if you really needed that the Series 3 is there.

If you aren't going to have a cable box this will work great for you.

[ZeoTiVo]

no

she means you will not be able to get the Comcast/TiVo box come december/January and that most likely Comcast will not even be setup buy then with the switch done.


Like the other poster said you may want to think about getting the series 2 DT for 99$ or less to tide you over with dual SD recording or else you will have to reconsider the S3 at 699$ and not worry about the Comcast/TiVo box.

there is just no good answer to your question and not even Comcast would know for sure ;)

[spincut]

The brand of consumer STB depends of the brand of headend equipment used in the area, so if the locale is SA it will stay SA and you won't be able to order a Motorola STB.

i'm in a unique situation because although my area is currently "SA" because it is/was time warner it is evnetually going ot be switched to comcast, and if they are not designing a special box and the motoral DVR is what is designed to accpet the upgrade, then they will have to offer it eventually.

I am also aware that the series 2 box has a DT type function (although i dont know if it has already been that way) but the "catch" makes it rather irrelevant for me since more often than not my double recording needs are on digital channels as far as i'm aware.

While i did not mention in my first post that i didnt really consider the Series 2 an option but i'm saying that now. Especially as something just to tide me over, since i wouldnt want to buy it only to dump it in what would appear to be less than 6 months. counting of course seeing about getting comcasts regular DVR service and just using that until the Tivo service is released, since there is no real financial drawback to doing that.

[BlackBetty]

an explanation would make that closer to a useful comment

You asked a very specific question and I gave you a very specific TRUE answer.

[spincut]

You asked a very specific question and I gave you a very specific TRUE answer.

ok, but it still could have been more informative. there was actually more to the question than the subject line, you may have wanted to give a little more credence to the actual post.

[Keatonio]

I'm trying to learn as much as I can about the Comcast/Tivo setup since returning my S3. Once this goes into effect, what bonuses would the S3 be able to offer? I can't believe that Tivo would continue to sell a $800 dollar box when someone can get the software and interface cheaper (more than likely) through Comcast. I'm sure this question has been asked before. I couldn't find it or any responses as I checkd.

[bicker]

I suspect that's because folks either don't know or are subject to NDAs that prohibit them from telling us. I'd sure like to know this too -- being in the same boat as you, having just returned my S3 because it wouldn't work reliably.

I think it is a stretch to think it will revolutionize the Motorola 34xx/64xx. I believe many of the problems with these DVRs are hardware related, and of course TiVo won't be able to do anything about those. I do hope that we'll see TiVo's guide, with TiVo's (Tribune's) superior guide data, and that we'll see TiVo's better Season Pass software.

[ChuckyBox]

i'm in a unique situation because although my area is currently "SA" because it is/was time warner it is evnetually going ot be switched to comcast, and if they are not designing a special box and the motoral DVR is what is designed to accpet the upgrade, then they will have to offer it eventually.

Not really. Comcast operates a large number of cable systems, most are using Motorola hardware, but some use SA. The big MSOs won't allow themselves to become dependent on any one hardware or software provider, so the situation is partly by design, and partly due to their acquisition histories.

In your case it is unlikely that Comcast will switch hardware unless there is some compelling reason to do so -- it costs milliions of dollars and confuses customers. It is more likely that Comcast would have TiVo port the platform to the SA boxes -- provided that the Motorola/TiVo boxes prove popular.

In any event, you are years -- not months -- from having access to a Comcast/TiVo solution.

[classicX]

will i be able to get Comcast Tivo by December/January?

no

an explanation would make that closer to a useful comment

A useless answer for a useless question.

Why do you think that is information is knowable by anyone here?

Here's a list of why no one here can answer your question:

Your TW service is switching at some unspecified time in the future. Will you even have Comcast service by December / January?
Comcast won't even say right now when they will even BEGIN rolling out Tivo upgrades, let alone in your specific area.
Your current cable company uses Scientific Atlanta boxes. Comcast would not switch out the hardware just to make room for Tivo software (it's not as simple as just switching out the cable box).
There is currently no information at all about if Comcast will commission Tivo to create software for the SA boxes.


Considering all of that, I'd say BlackBetty's answer has a 99.999% probability of being correct.

[classicX]

Once this goes into effect, what bonuses would the S3 be able to offer? I can't believe that Tivo would continue to sell a $800 dollar box when someone can get the software and interface cheaper (more than likely) through Comcast. I'm sure this question has been asked before. I couldn't find it or any responses as I checkd.

Also unknowable. Just assume that Tivo will lower the price when the S3 stops selling at the current price. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Also, you must realize that not everyone is in a Comcast area, and of those that are, not all of them will be able to get the ComcastTivo option.

Not to mention the fact that some people aren't using the S3 to record from cable.

[zalusky]

You havent seen the Comcast version of the software yet. It could be a lite version. The S3 might eventually be expanded to allow MRV, and IP streaming from whereever.

Tivo is also working on getting outside developers to create plugins. Those possibly could be available on the S3 but I would bet not on the comcast box.

Its all speculation at this point.

[classicX]

Its all speculation at this point.

You've managed to effectively negate the rest of your post, as well as misspell "It's." :D

[zalusky]

I lean to the side of willing to take the gamble vs those willing to not.

[gonzotek]

Tivo is also working on getting outside developers to create plugins. Those possibly could be available on the S3 but I would bet not on the comcast box.What's this about plugins for TiVo? Do you mean the HME initiative (http://tivohme.sourceforge.net/), or something else?

[spincut]

well see classicx, it was not a useless question after all, since you at least explained why no one would know or gave some backround information, thats all i was asking for, so in essence you provided a "helpful answer" to an "inquiring" question, thanks anyway though.

[HiDefGator]

II think it is a stretch to think it will revolutionize the Motorola 34xx/64xx. I believe many of the problems with these DVRs are hardware related, and of course TiVo won't be able to do anything about those. I do hope that we'll see TiVo's guide, with TiVo's (Tribune's) superior guide data, and that we'll see TiVo's better Season Pass software.

I'm concerned about this too. What will Tivo do if they can't write reliable software because the box is flaky? Releasing the software would give Tivo a bad name in the minds of the end users. Certainly not what they were hoping for.

Years ago I wrote software for tape drives and we often found drives that were just so flaky that you could not write reliable software for them. It would sure be nice to hear more details from beta testers. makes you wonder why they are keeping such a tight lid on the progress\details.

[bicker]

makes you wonder why they are keeping such a tight lid on the progress\details.Just look at how they're handling the current hot-button issues, the 7.3/7.3.1 slowdown issue, and the partial recordings and random missing channels issues with the S3. It took months for them to acknowledge that some customers were having the 7.3/7.3.1 slowdown issue, and that came rather grudgingly, with a statement that gave me the impression that they barely believe because they haven't seen it themselves, despite many customer complaints. As far as I know, TiVo has said nothing concrete about the numerous complaints about partial recordings and random missing channels with the S3, except to deny they've received any complaints along those lines. :confused:

[classicX]

well see classicx, it was not a useless question after all, since you at least explained why no one would know or gave some backround information, thats all i was asking for, so in essence you provided a "helpful answer" to an "inquiring" question, thanks anyway though.

I only commented on the question because it asks for specific information that is currently known only by a handful of Comcast employees, if the information exists yet at all.

It was not my intention to be snide, if my comment was perceived that way. I do see your point, so while BlackBetty's answer is technically correct and answers your question, you find the answer useless. That reminds me of this old joke:

A man is flying in a hot air balloon and realizes he is lost. He reduces height and spots a man down below. He lowers the balloon further and shouts:
"Excuse me, can you help me? I promised my friend I would meet him half an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
The man below says, "Yes, you are in a hot air balloon, hovering approximately 30 feet above this field. You are between 40 and 42 degrees North latitude, and between 58 and 60 degrees West longitude."
"You must be a programmer," says the balloonist.
"I am," replies the man. "How did you know?"
"Well," says the balloonist, "everything you have told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost."
The man below says, "You must be a project manager"
"I am," replies the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
"Well," says the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You have made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. The fact is you are in the exact same position you were in before we met, but now it is somehow my fault."

[spincut]

as you likely now understand, what is and is not known, i do not know, although i only implied i "wished" i knew when the comcast switch was happening, i didnt really expect anyone to know that. But i was hoping for some insight to my dillema, even if people didn't have inside information about precicely when Comcasts tivo would be released.

But considering the resources of some of the people here i would often expect informative answers, even if the answer in essence is an "i don't know", so there you go.

I dont think that entire joke applies to me, since if you do see my point i would find it rather harsh to call me a "project manager" ;)

[HDTiVo]

But considering the resources of some of the people here i would often expect informative answers
That's where you slipped up.

[spincut]

That's where you slipped up.

not really, Basicx was able to at least explain the situation, and that way i have at least a better idea of when I may get a solid answer, alleviating my confusion a little.

[formulaben]

You also have to ask yourself if you really want to be one of the first to start using the Comcast\Tivo combination. I would expect like every other first release, it will be pretty buggy for a couple of months or longer.

...but could it possibly be worse than the Motorola software?! :(

If it weren't for the fact that this is (hopefully) coming, I'd be lining up an S3.

[ajwees41]

...but could it possibly be worse than the Motorola software?! :(

If it weren't for the fact that this is (hopefully) coming, I'd be lining up an S3.


Motorola doesn't provide the software for the dvr. Aptiv, Scientific Atlanta, and TV Guide do.

ajwees41

[bicker]

...but could it possibly be worse than the Motorola software?! :( Initially? Yes.

If it weren't for the fact that this is (hopefully) coming, I'd be lining up an S3.It was my experience with the S3 that sent me back to the Comcast DVR. Personally, based on recent experience, I'll be sitting back and waiting to see if people are having overwhelming success with the new software before switching my 3416 over.