Comcast & Tivo

[bpratt]

I guess this is more than just the S3.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070108/tc_nm/electronics_show_tivo_dc

[hybucket]

I guess this is more than just the S3.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070108/tc_nm/electronics_show_tivo_dc

That should most certainly get DirecTV to hurry and fix the many TiVO problems it has, should it come to pass.

[dbett]

Reportedly, it's already been in beta testing for several months.

[rschroed]

Yeah, it's kinda weird, there's a reuters article that suggests that it'll be available as a download to existing comcast (Motorola?) boxes.

I'd link to it but this is my first post

[harley3k]

Yeah, it's kinda weird, there's a reuters article that suggests that it'll be available as a download to existing comcast (Motorola?) boxes.

I'd link to it but this is my first post

Yep that it will. I am very interested to see screenshots of the interface to see what they've really done to it.

I half expect it to be very "tivo-ish" moreso than "tivo-like". I guess since Tivo is written for linux it can be ported to pretty much anything, but a lot of the tivo's performance is based on the hardware...how they managed to retrofit their software onto a moto box is very interesting to me.

I have never used a DVR that shuttles through the video (rew, ff, skipping, etc) as fast as even my first Sony Stand Alone Tivo, so I'm wondering if this system will 'look' like Tivo, but be slower given that the hardware is not theirs.

And because I am a Verizon Fios customer now, I'd love to see them strike a deal with Verizon to do the same for their Moto boxes...it would save me alot on an S3 or a DCT (Cable-Card ready) Vista Media Center ;)

-h

[dbett]

Screenshot via Gizmodo:

http://www.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/01/Comcast-Central.jpg

[hybucket]

Screenshot via Gizmodo:

http://www.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/01/Comcast-Central.jpg

Hopefully, somewhere in there are Season Passes.

[dbett]

Hopefully, somewhere in there are Season Passes.


I would assume that "Find Programs" duplicates the current "Pick Programs to Record" which brings you to the menu with the "Season Pass Manager."

[harley3k]

Here's a few more screenshots on this site:

http://www.betanews.com/slideshow/Photos_TiVo_for_Comcast/146

It looks like Tivo...somewhat.

-h

[harley3k]

What's with the color-coded guide listings? Do the colors represent Ratings?
Interesting...

-h

[bigpuma]

What's with the color-coded guide listings? Do the colors represent Ratings?
Interesting...

-h

I believe the colors represent categories, like green is for sports etc. . .

[SpankyInChicago]

Finally I will be free from DirecTV.

[Jonathan_S]

There are a bunch of photos on this on Megazone's TiVolovers (http://www.tivolovers.com/Photos/CES2007/) website.

Seems like they've made some interesting changes to "Search by " as described in one of his blog (http://blog.tivolovers.com/) posts.
Searching has also been completely revised. On the current TiVos, Searching really isn't, it is more like 'filter by title' than 'search by title'. The word(s) you enter have to match from the start of the title. With this new search what you enter can match anywhere in the title, episode title, or description. The photos I posted show a demo of a search for 'Rachael Ray', and in the results you can see that it also highlights where the match is in the results - very slick.

[hybucket]

Silly question, maybe, but will this TiVO-enabled COmcast box do HDTV? I'm ready at a moment's notice to ditch the DirecTV mess.

[ctromp]

Looks like a live tv window in the upper right corner while in the menus. That's very cool! Like the DTV R15/HR20 units... only TIVO!!!

Also looks like the have web/remote access enabled.

Maybe I'm not glad that I nolonger have a contract with DTV since my status is "owned" on my HR10. Comcast is looking more and more appealing.

[harley3k]

Silly question, maybe, but will this TiVO-enabled COmcast box do HDTV? I'm ready at a moment's notice to ditch the DirecTV mess.

It does do HD. Some of the screenshots show "HD" in the program descriptions and the search function has a "Record in HD if available" option.

I also saw the channel banner showing what was on the 'other tuner'. Now if it has Dual Buffers, then I'm even more impressed.

-h

[f0gax]

If that's the final product, then I'm impressed. The search is better. The To Do list is better. Live TV while in the menus is nice. I'm probably mistaken, but in that Now Playing list that looked like a custom named folder of "HD". That right there would be great.

[JJ]

DirecTV
you are officialy on notice. Get things right before Comcast does...

[mpar1]

I echo the DirecTV sentiments. I'm a 6 1/2 year customer but I am more loyal to Tivo than DirecTV.

[hybucket]

I echo the DirecTV sentiments. I'm a 6 1/2 year customer but I am more loyal to Tivo than DirecTV.

Aside from D*'s supposed addition of a gazillion HD feeds this year (uh-huh), it would be interesting to see how many D* customers would defect to Comcast if their TiVO software is as good as it appears it might be...

[mcdougll]

I'm totally loyal to the TiVo software. This discussion has me about 90% convinced to ditch D*V & make the switch to Comcast as soon as this TiVo box comes out.

[hybucket]

I'm totally loyal to the TiVo software. This discussion has me about 90% convinced to ditch D*V & make the switch to Comcast as soon as this TiVo box comes out.

It's not really a "TiVO Box," as it is the Motorola box that Comcast currently uses (in most markets) with TiVO software downloaded to it. and if I'm wrong here, someone will I'm sure correct me.

[bigpuma]

Aside from D*'s supposed addition of a gazillion HD feeds this year (uh-huh), it would be interesting to see how many D* customers would defect to Comcast if their TiVO software is as good as it appears it might be...

My guess is that DirecTV wouldn't even notice. While you do see a lot of people here on the forums who would migrate the vast majority of people just want a working DVR and they don't care about the software.

[JJ]

TiVo
software trumps DirecTV hardware/software. Since TiVo has always had hardware built to order/standard, having another hardware box vendor (Motorola) is of no concern to me. The user interface/experience is far more important than a brand name on the outside of the box or exactly how the programming signals arrive at my house...

[FourFourSeven]

Wow - so the countdown to DTV-lessness has begun for me too...

Frankly, I would have already left, but my kids and wife tried the Comcast DVR at my mother-in-law's, and didn't like it. If I can get Tivo software and two tuners of HD from Comcast, I'm gone the first day it's available.

Kind of sad - 4 years ago, I was converting people to satellite, and now DTV has so screwed things up that I can't wait to leave!

[hybucket]

Wow - so the countdown to DTV-lessness has begun for me too...

Frankly, I would have already left, but my kids and wife tried the Comcast DVR at my mother-in-law's, and didn't like it. If I can get Tivo software and two tuners of HD from Comcast, I'm gone the first day it's available.

Kind of sad - 4 years ago, I was converting people to satellite, and now DTV has so screwed things up that I can't wait to leave!

I also switched several from cable to sat, most of them not as savvy about all this as I am. NOw I get the calls saying, "WHy won't my season passes work?," and "What's with all this rebooting?" So I send them all here to read all about it.

[JRAllas]

Kind of sad - 4 years ago, I was converting people to satellite, and now DTV has so screwed things up that I can't wait to leave!
Comcast's poor service and crappy broadband digital receiver drove me away from them. What sold me on DirecTV was the DirecTivo receiver. I rarely use the standard receivers. DirecTV needs to improve the Tivo interface to match that of the Series 3 units and correct all the DVR problems we're now experiencing. If Comcast introduces the ComcasTivo, it'll be difficult not to say bye-bye to DirecTV. If you give the customer what they want, they'll stay. If you take away what they want, you're history. I can get video content from many different sources. If DirecTV thinks I'm stuck with their satellite dish, they're more than welcome to test me...