Suggestions for showing off TiVo at SuperBowl party?

[minckster]

I'm having some friends over for the SuperBowl and would like to evangelize TiVo. Do you have any suggestions for doing so, reasonably subtlety? Most of my friends have TW's DVR and could easily afford an S3. I'm OTA-only, which probably won't go over well. Reception is great here, but sports and 24-hour news is lacking, so I'd have to sell CableCARDs too.

I figure that I'll give my TiVo remote to my least technically capable friend. If he can figure out replays, anyone can! :) Other than that, I'm not sure what to do.

[ChuckyBox]

I think the great picture, slick remote, overshoot correction, and easy interface should do the talking, but TiVo has some stuff going on with CBS (see the press release (http://www.tivo.com/cms_static/press_132.html) ) for the Super Bowl, so maybe some of that will be cool: "Hey, I want to schedule that new show, I'll just hit 'Thumbs Up'..."

And don't forget 30-second skip.

[squiddohio]

Start the party at 8 PM.

That should get their attention.

[Mike Farrington]

Don't forget to pad.

[Billy66]

The Super Bowl isn't a good venue for this. Many or most of your guests will want to watch the game close to live and will want to see the commercials. This is the one event where having a TiVo won't be super helpful.

Now, if there is a major interruption and you can pause the party and then pick it back up, that would show it in a good light, but their cableco dvr's can do that.

You really have to wear them down slowly but surely when you discuss TV or movies. You can say things like "You know, I'm going to set up a wishlist for that." then several weeks later say "hey, I finally saw that movie, it showed up in my playlist. it was good...".

It's tough in a demonstration to show them the subtle things.

[hookbill]

Show off suggestions. Show the thumbs up and thumbs down and how TiVo searches for programs for you. Make sure you either turn suggestions off or record the game so there is no unexpected interruptions.

Another thing to do that's fun if you have a surround system. Play the S3 intro with The THX and TiVo coming out for a bow. The THX thing will be impressive.

Go to TiVo Central and press "0". :)

Also play some music from your computer before or after the game. Show some pictures not too many but just to show off that you can do it.

[String]

Lobby for Jannet Jackson to do the halftime show again. I think that remains the most replayed moment in TiVo history.

[MikeMar]

The Super Bowl isn't a good venue for this. Many or most of your guests will want to watch the game close to live and will want to see the commercials. This is the one event where having a TiVo won't be super helpful.

Now, if there is a major interruption and you can pause the party and then pick it back up, that would show it in a good light, but their cableco dvr's can do that.

You really have to wear them down slowly but surely when you discuss TV or movies. You can say things like "You know, I'm going to set up a wishlist for that." then several weeks later say "hey, I finally saw that movie, it showed up in my playlist. it was good...".

It's tough in a demonstration to show them the subtle things.

have a "mole" in the group, and have them do something crazy and need everyone's attention RIGHT at the time a team is about to score, then just hit pause and attend to the "problem" :) :)

[Cpen]

Best way to show it off during a sports event:

Wait until someone calls BS on a missed or bad call by the ref and create your own istant replay. Hit the replay button (jumps back 8 seconds) and then hit the slow button to review the play.

Creating your own instant replays is killer - even pause it at a specific point.

When you're done FF back to real time or wait for a commercial to catch up.

[Billy66]

I don't think an IR is will differentiate the S3 from their cableco DVR. If that's the best you show, it will firm up their belief that there isn't a difference.

[Bierboy]

Best way to show it off during a sports event:

Wait until someone calls BS on a missed or bad call by the ref and create your own istant replay. Hit the replay button (jumps back 8 seconds) and then hit the slow button to review the play.

Creating your own instant replays is killer - even pause it at a specific point.

When you're done FF back to real time or wait for a commercial to catch up.EXACTLY....that's what I've been doing all season when my friends come over to watch the Bears games on my big screen. They love it; I love it; my TiVo loves it!I don't think an IR is will differentiate the S3 from their cableco DVR. If that's the best you show, it will firm up their belief that there isn't a difference.Certainly that's not ALL you show them, but that on top of all the other little features (WishLists, Season Passes, etc.) makes for a good sell.

[MikeMar]

yeah instant replay isn't really unique

I can do that on my HR20 direcTV HD box no prob, slow mo is great too.

It's tough because tivo's big thing is reliability (i don't trust my hr20 at all) and ease of use. Both hard to show off for the Super Bowl

[kosherbacon]

Lobby for Jannet Jackson to do the halftime show again. I think that remains the most replayed moment in TiVo history.

Definitely. Here's to wardobe malfunctions!

[HiDefGator]

The Super Bowl isn't a good venue for this. Many or most of your guests will want to watch the game close to live and will want to see the commercials. This is the one event where having a TiVo won't be super helpful.


+1

I couldn't agree more. If I'm at a super bowl party I do not want somebody playing with the remote. I'm there to watch the game.

[Billy66]

EXACTLY....that's what I've been doing all season when my friends come over to watch the Bears games on my big screen. They love it; I love it; my TiVo loves it!Certainly that's not ALL you show them, but that on top of all the other little features (WishLists, Season Passes, etc.) makes for a good sell.


I'm not sure how you show them those things during the Super Bowl. They have functioning Season Passes, so then it's only Wishlists.

Remember, the OP is trying to differentiate for users that have basic features like SP's and IR etc. Not those who are still watching live only.

[Bierboy]

I'm not sure how you show them those things during the Super Bowl. They have functioning Season Passes, so then it's only Wishlists.

Remember, the OP is trying to differentiate for users that have basic features like SP's and IR etc. Not those who are still watching live only.You show them those things during the boring (and EXTREMELY lengthy) halftime show. :rolleyes:

[Billy66]

I guess, but tell me how you're going to show WL's in a meaningful way during the halftime show of the SuperBowl? What other differentiation features could you/would you show and how?

Honestly, this is a big problem for all of Tivo, not just the OP. How, in a short period of time can you show the differentiation in a way that is meaningful to the receiver of information?

You've tried to tell me what you would show (several things their DVR's already do and WL's), but how?

[TromboneKenny]

I only recently learned about this TiVo football trick, and it blew my mind.

Enable the 30-second skip on your TiVo, and buffer quite a bit of the football game. Watch a play. Just after the play ends (tackled, whistled dead, whatever,) hit the 30-second skip tick. The teams will be lined back up to scrimmage and the next play starts in a like a second or two. I thought the 30-second skip was only for commercials, but it turns out it's great for lining up play after play after play.

You can really breeze through a ball game this way, and not miss anything. Well, other than the annoying color commentary and the continual replays the networks use to fill that play-reset time. We did this for the Rose Bowl this year and didn't have to hear USC or Michigan's annoying fight songs; and watched the game in record time.

It works for NCAA or NFL ball. I don't know if you'd want to use it during the Super Bowl, but there you go.

Besides that, the normal TiVo sports tricks are useful. Pausing live TV, catching up during the commercials (probably not during the Super Bowl,) instant replay, slow play (to see if he really did touch his heels out of bounds,) etc. When the party's over, stream some music or setup a picture slide show (maybe with digital snaps taken during the party.)

I like watching as much of the summer and winter olympics as I can in one or two ticks fast forward (TiVOlympics.) It has all of the sports, condensed, with none of the inane commentary. If you still have any of those recorded, you could show that off. I also like splitting the TV (picture-next-to-picture) and watching two sports things at the same time, like football and baseball.

[Bierboy]

I guess, but tell me how you're going to show WL's in a meaningful way during the halftime show of the SuperBowl? What other differentiation features could you/would you show and how?

Honestly, this is a big problem for all of Tivo, not just the OP. How, in a short period of time can you show the differentiation in a way that is meaningful to the receiver of information?

You've tried to tell me what you would show (several things their DVR's already do and WL's), but how?I would show them how a WL is set up, then what recordings they caught. For instance, I have a WishList set up for the term Blackhawks (the hockey team). And it catches any broadcast for the Blackhawks (several of which I have saved and can show them).

[Bierboy]

I only recently learned about this TiVo football trick, and it blew my mind.

Enable the 30-second skip on your TiVo, and buffer quite a bit of the football game. Watch a play. Just after the play ends (tackled, whistled dead, whatever,) hit the 30-second skip tick. The teams will be lined back up to scrimmage and the next play starts in a like a second or two. I thought the 30-second skip was only for commercials, but it turns out it's great for lining up play after play after play.

You can really breeze through a ball game this way, and not miss anything. Well, other than the annoying color commentary and the continual replays the networks use to fill that play-reset time. We did this for the Rose Bowl this year and didn't have to hear USC or Michigan's annoying fight songs; and watched the game in record time.

It works for NCAA or NFL ball. I don't know if you'd want to use it during the Super Bowl, but there you go.

Besides that, the normal TiVo sports tricks are useful. Pausing live TV, catching up during the commercials (probably not during the Super Bowl,) instant replay, slow play (to see if he really did touch his heels out of bounds,) etc. When the party's over, stream some music or setup a picture slide show (maybe with digital snaps taken during the party.)

I like watching as much of the summer and winter olympics as I can in one or two ticks fast forward (TiVOlympics.) It has all of the sports, condensed, with none of the inane commentary. If you still have any of those recorded, you could show that off. I also like splitting the TV (picture-next-to-picture) and watching two sports things at the same time, like football and baseball.Actually, I've used TSS quite often during this football season, and, you're right, it would be a good trickplay to showcase. However, I'm not sure cableco DVRs don't also have TSS.

[Billy66]

Yeah, I've gotten the half hearted oh wow showing the WL before. It's one of those things where a person doesn't know what he doesn't know and it takes a bit of time.

Although I normally use it during the season, I won't use TTS for the Super Bowl, but I do believe most cableco dvr's have it. (without a backdoor enabling process)

I always end up just givng a Tivo to the person, then they finally get it. :)

[ewilts]

I'm having some friends over for the SuperBowl and would like to evangelize TiVo. Do you have any suggestions for doing so, reasonably subtlety?
The first thing to remember is absolutely, positively do *not* rely on the live buffer. RECORD the game and play the recording. Don't forget to pad it by a lot. The last thing you want is somebody playing with the remote control and accidentally changing the channel on you.


I figure that I'll give my TiVo remote to my least technically capable friend. If he can figure out replays, anyone can! :) Other than that, I'm not sure what to do.
And that's why you better record the game... (or you'll be short one friend when he changes the channel :-)).

While the game is going on, take some pictures with your cell phone of the party in action. Put them on your computer during a break. Now pause the game, watch the pictures on the TV, and then go back to the game again.

You could also set up Yahoo Weather to point to Miami and change to view that during the game to see what the real-time temperature is. You may want to set up traffic reports for the area too. I don't know if there are relevant webcams you can point to (do some experimentation with galleon well in advance - http://galleon.tv/content/view/23/32/).

.../Ed

[Mike Farrington]

If you have a HD and SD feed for the Super Bowl, I'd record them both. Just in case, like someone said, someone turns the channel by mistake. This will also protect you if something happens locally to one of the feeds.

[Les_D]

I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR BODILY HARM RESULTING FROM MY SUGGESTION

1.) Set all you clocks 5 min. fast and, before your guests arrive, pause the Tivo for 5 min.

2.) Have a small TV tuned live in a back room, and check in on it regularly.

3.) Make bets on plays.

4.) Collect cash, and kick "friends" out....

<sobbing>
Nobody comes to my SuperBowl parties any more.
</sobbing>

[Billy66]

Good idea on the party pics ewilts! That will be meaningful to them right away!

[miller890]

If the half-time show is lame, have HDNET Bikini Destinations ready. ;)

[Sy-]

I only recently learned about this TiVo football trick, and it blew my mind.

Enable the 30-second skip on your TiVo, and buffer quite a bit of the football game. Watch a play. Just after the play ends (tackled, whistled dead, whatever,) hit the 30-second skip tick. The teams will be lined back up to scrimmage and the next play starts in a like a second or two. I thought the 30-second skip was only for commercials, but it turns out it's great for lining up play after play after play.

You can really breeze through a ball game this way, and not miss anything. Well, other than the annoying color commentary and the continual replays the networks use to fill that play-reset time. We did this for the Rose Bowl this year and didn't have to hear USC or Michigan's annoying fight songs; and watched the game in record time.

It works for NCAA or NFL ball. I don't know if you'd want to use it during the Super Bowl, but there you go.

Besides that, the normal TiVo sports tricks are useful. Pausing live TV, catching up during the commercials (probably not during the Super Bowl,) instant replay, slow play (to see if he really did touch his heels out of bounds,) etc. When the party's over, stream some music or setup a picture slide show (maybe with digital snaps taken during the party.)

I like watching as much of the summer and winter olympics as I can in one or two ticks fast forward (TiVOlympics.) It has all of the sports, condensed, with none of the inane commentary. If you still have any of those recorded, you could show that off. I also like splitting the TV (picture-next-to-picture) and watching two sports things at the same time, like football and baseball.

I use that trick to breeze through monday night football. Here in Hawaii MNF is shown at 3:30 in the afternoon. I did however run into problems watching the Colts on MNF. They like to run a no huddle offence so they tend not to use the whole play clock a lot of the time. Just so happens they are in the SuperBowl so YMMV

[GoHokies!]

I don't think an IR is will differentiate the S3 from their cableco DVR. If that's the best you show, it will firm up their belief that there isn't a difference.

It depends on the DVR that your cable company gives out. The Moto with iGuide around here was so unresponsive and the delay between button press and cable box remote was so awful that getting instant replay right and trying to pause at the exact moment the ball came out or the feet came down or whatever was completely unpossible. Having guests marvel at how responsive and precise the Tivo's controls are could be the best argument for buying a Tivo IF the cable boxes in your area are that bad.

[dagnabber]

Show off suggestions.
Another thing to do that's fun if you have a surround system. Play the S3 intro with The THX and TiVo coming out for a bow. The THX thing will be impressive.

Go to TiVo Central and press "0". :)



Good job, I've been trying to figure this one out for awhile, thanks

[kd_cooke]

Definitely. Here's to wardobe malfunctions!

Not quite the same with Tom Petty... :eek: