Amazon/TiVo deal

[jlb]

Sent Stranger than Fiction to my TiVo (at a tortoise paced 768kb). Should be done when I get home.

Anyone know if there will be a way to find out how long a download took....either on the TiVo or from Amazon Unobox' website?

[dswallow]

Sent Stranger than Fiction to my TiVo (at a tortoise paced 768kb). Should be done when I get home.

Anyone know if there will be a way to find out how long a download took....either on the TiVo or from Amazon Unobox' website?
The downloaded video will show the time it was fully received on your receiver. So just note the time the transfer began/begins.

[aringhof]

the best part about this service is it is truly a la carte... we currently have our Series 2 connected to our digital cable box, so we can order movies on demand, or watch howard stern on demand, and then record those episodes to the Tivo. And since its a series 2, we can then re-record those to a DVD... its a painful process, so we only make DVDs for kid movies for the car.... with the Unbox service, its great because its a web based ordering system... you dont have to browse to a certain channel, set the tivo timer to record it, or dial into anything... you simply rent or buy the movie, and it magically appears in yoru program list... bottom line is, this is a great service just for the conveinance

[jlb]

The downloaded video will show the time it was fully received on your receiver. So just note the time the transfer began/begins.

I am at work so I'll have to use the start time as app 9-9:30......about when I "purchased".....

On the 24 hours for a rental.......is it 24 hours from the time the file was fully received or 24 hours from the time you start watching it......??????

[Fofer]

I am at work so I'll have to use the start time as app 9-9:30......about when I "purchased".....

On the 24 hours for a rental.......is it 24 hours from the time the file was fully received or 24 hours from the time you start watching it......??????

the rental, as I understand it, stays on your tivo for 30 days, but you have 24 hours to watch it from the time you first hit "play."

[dswallow]

I am at work so I'll have to use the start time as app 9-9:30......about when I "purchased".....

On the 24 hours for a rental.......is it 24 hours from the time the file was fully received or 24 hours from the time you start watching it......??????
You have 24 hours from the time you begin to view the rental before it'll disappear; the rental will stay on your TiVo for a maximum of 30 days, so you have to begin watching the rental such that you can finish watching it before the 30 days is over, or you'll be out of luck.

[pdhenry]

FWIW, my first unbox download has completed - the time shown in the program description is approximately the time I ordered the video - 7:30 AM. I know it was downloading for a few hours after that time.

[Fofer]

FWIW, my first unbox download has completed - the time shown in the program description is approximately the time I ordered the video - 7:30 AM. I know it was downloading for a few hours after that time.

Interesting. I sure hope we'd get the full 24 hours to view rentals though. If a network glitch or slowness caused a download to take, say, 5 hours, I'd hate to think we only have 19 now to watch it.

[hyachts]

Interesting. I sure hope we'd get the full 24 hours to view rentals though. If a network glitch or slowness caused a download to take, say, 5 hours, I'd hate to think we only have 19 now to watch it.

I think you're mixing up two restrictions. The 24 hr limit starts when you first start to play the video. The 30 days is (presumably) from the time reflected in the video data. That being said, if a video took an exceptionally long time to download you could possibly lose part of a day out of that 30.

[cherry ghost]

I think you're mixing up two restrictions. The 24 hr limit starts when you first start to play the video. The 30 days is (presumably) from the time reflected in the video data. That being said, if a video took an exceptionally long time to download you could possibly lose part of a day out of that 30.


What if you start playing a half hour into the download and then there's a glitch that delays it from finishing?

[Fofer]

I think you're mixing up two restrictions. The 24 hr limit starts when you first start to play the video. The 30 days is (presumably) from the time reflected in the video data. That being said, if a video took an exceptionally long time to download you could possibly lose part of a day out of that 30.
Gotcha.

What if you start playing a half hour into the download and then there's a glitch that delays it from finishing?

I wasn't sure about this... are you even able to start watching a movie that isn't 100% done with downloading?

[Bai Shen]

whats there to "keep"? You either order movies/TV shows or your don't.

He's unsure if he'll order videos. Is that better?

[Bai Shen]

Wow, cool for the beta testers. I wonder if they'll get to keep the recordings even after the beta is over. And I wonder if there's a limit to the number of titles they can download while it's in beta. :p

There is. I think he only gets 1 or 2 a wk. And I think his are counted as rentals, not purchases.

[dswallow]

I wasn't sure about this... are you even able to start watching a movie that isn't 100% done with downloading?
The download must fully complete before you can begin watching. There is apparently enough feedback to Amazon when a download doesn't fully complete so you're able to reinitiate the download, too.

[BlackBetty]

I'm excited, but would rather wait and see it in action first, than wax poetic about feature requests and complain about imagined pitfalls.

And so I wait.

start waxing..... :rolleyes:

[BlackBetty]

He's unsure if he'll order videos. Is that better?

yes much better. It makes sense now.

[Fofer]

start waxing..... :rolleyes:

I have, in this thread (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4939845#post4939845).

I can see myself renting when I'm really eager to see a title, like, right now... for immediate gratification. A silly title that I'd only be interested in once.

But I doubt I'd pay to BUY anything when for similar $$ outlay I could get a better quality original DVD, with all the extras.

Or how about, let me download it free... if I've already bought the actual disk via Amazon?


I want to like this new service, I really do. I like the convenience and the consistency of the TiVo UI (and single "Now Playing" list.)

But the economics of it don't make much sense to me. After the novelty wears off I suspect I won't be using it much. They'd have to get much better selection (and searching tools) and the prices would have to come down, as well.

They also REALLY need to add a way to search/request downloads directly from the TiVo itself. Maybe via an HME app? Because lots of folks have expressed the desire to use the TV for the entire experience. Why should I have to get up and go to the office, to download a movie to enjoy in the living room? (Yes, I have a laptop... I'm just illustrating an example.)

[BlackBetty]

I have, in this thread (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4939845#post4939845).

I can see myself renting when I'm really eager to see a title, like, right now... for immediate gratification. A silly title that I'd only be interested in once.

But I doubt I'd pay to BUY anything when for similar $$ outlay I could get a better quality original DVD, with all the extras.

Or how about, let me download it free... if I've already bought the actual disk via Amazon?


I want to like this new service, I really do. I like the convenience and the consistency of the TiVo UI (and single "Now Playing" list.)

But the economics of it don't make much sense to me. After the novelty wears off I suspect I won't be using it much. They'd have to get much better selection (and searching tools) and the prices would have to come down, as well.

They also REALLY need to add a way to search/request downloads directly from the TiVo itself. Maybe via an HME app? Because lots of folks have expressed the desire to use the TV for the entire experience. Why should I have to get up and go to the office, to download a movie to enjoy in the living room? (Yes, I have a laptop... I'm just illustrating an example.)

I agree with you on:

1) needs better selection
2) TiVo app to let you search and order from your TiVo remote

I don't agree with you on the pricing. I think $3.99 is fair for rentals. Or were you only referring to the purchase price? I do agree with you that $14.99 is outrageous and I see no need to purchase a digital copy sent over the internet. Just rent it!

[Fofer]

I agree with you on:

1) needs better selection
2) TiVo app to let you search and order from your TiVo remote

I don't agree with you on the pricing. I think $3.99 is fair for rentals. Or were you only referring to the purchase price? I do agree with you that $14.99 is outrageous and I see no need to purchase a digital copy sent over the internet. Just rent it!

Yes, I was referring to purchase price. Especially considering the actual DVD has better A/V quality and more features (many of which I really enjoy.)

And $3.99 is the absolute MAXIMUM I would pay for rental. I'd only consider more if it was some first-run exclusive, early availability title or something. Amazon/TiVo have an opportunity to create a brand new "window" for film distribution here. Hell, I'd pay $20 to "rent" a movie on opening night!

But as is stands now, impulse rental... or $2 TV show downloads for eps I missed... are the only things I'd consider... merely for their convenience. I will not pay more than $10 to "buy" anything that's lesser quality and "trapped" on my TiVo!

[rainwater]

I will not pay more than $10 to "buy" anything that's lesser quality and "trapped" on my TiVo!

Technically, you can have a purchase on your TiVo, PC, and 2 portable devices at once. So I wouldn't say "trapped".

[Fofer]

Technically, you can have a purchase on your TiVo, PC, and 2 portable devices at once. So I wouldn't say "trapped".

Hi, I'm a Mac fan. Happy with my iMacs, MacBook Pros, iPods...

So yeah, I'd say "trapped."

Not to mention there's something nice about having the physical DVD (with it's better A/V quality, as well as all of the special features) sitting on my shelf, for maximum compatibility and portability.

Sell the Unbox downloads for no more than $8 or so, and then we'll talk. Once they approach $12, we're in "real" DVD territory!

[angel35]

Gotcha.



I wasn't sure about this... are you even able to start watching a movie that isn't 100% done with downloading?

No you can not. It has to be 100% done :)

[Lyrical1]

Quick bit of clarification please: So, even if I purchase Roxio's TivoToGo software I still cannot move my Unbox download to my Macintosh?

I thought that purchasing the Roxio Toast software (for $60 or $70) was the thing that would enable me to bring my downloaded shows (whether from Comcast or from Unbox) with me on my Powerbook.

If this is the unfortunate case, is there an Unbox discussion thread specifically for solving this bug for Macintosh users? Thanks.

[dswallow]

Quick bit of clarification please: So, even if I purchase Roxio's TivoToGo software I still cannot move my Unbox download to my Macintosh?

I thought that purchasing the Roxio Toast software (for $60 or $70) was the thing that would enable me to bring my downloaded shows (whether from Comcast or from Unbox) with me on my Powerbook.

If this is the unfortunate case, is there an Unbox discussion thread specifically for solving this bug for Macintosh users? Thanks.
Unbox video downloads to TiVo receivers cannot leave the TiVo receiver by any means except by recording it out of the analog outputs of the receiver. Unbox can separately download to a Windows PC or to certain PDA devices.

[Fofer]

I'm curious, the Unbox downloads to a PC... can those be burned to DVD?

[Lyrical1]

From your response, then, I understand that I can take anything that is on my TiVo (regardless of whether it came as a standard Comcast recording or an Unbox download) and take the real-time required to play the digital recording, convert it to an analog signal internally in the TiVo via the RCA pin plugs, convert it to digital through an external box (like something from Canopus) so it comes into my Mac via Firewire, so that I can record it to my hard drive?

That seems to be a terrible solution for people who want to take the recordings they've paid for with them. It does make me wonder "What were they thinking?"

However, if I have a Windows machine I can download Unbox recordings directly to the PC.

Why would TiVo or Amazon be so disinterested in Mac users? Since there's a USB port on the TiVo it would be so simple to transfer recordings via USB to a PC or a Mac. Of course, that suggestion may make way too much sense.

Thank you for the informative reply.

[dswallow]

Why would TiVo or Amazon be so disinterested in Mac users? Since there's a USB port on the TiVo it would be so simple to transfer recordings via USB to a PC or a Mac. Of course, that suggestion may make way too much sense.
I doubt it's so much being disinterested as it is being restricted by the content owners and focusing their initial efforts where they believe the largest market exists. They use Windows DRM right now, as well as whatever TiVo provides. Maybe they'll extend it to the Mac, or maybe Microsoft will eventually provide their DRM solution on the Mac OS.

Or maybe the content owners will stop all the DRM crap. :)

[Globular]

Or maybe the content owners will stop all the DRM crap. :)

Har! Good one. Nice to start the week off with a laugh.

-Matt

[Bai Shen]

I'm curious, the Unbox downloads to a PC... can those be burned to DVD?

Not AFAIK.

[javabird]

Quick bit of clarification please: So, even if I purchase Roxio's TivoToGo software I still cannot move my Unbox download to my Macintosh?

I thought that purchasing the Roxio Toast software (for $60 or $70) was the thing that would enable me to bring my downloaded shows (whether from Comcast or from Unbox) with me on my Powerbook.

If this is the unfortunate case, is there an Unbox discussion thread specifically for solving this bug for Macintosh users? Thanks.

Except for Unbox shows, Roxio Toast will let you download any other shows from your Tivo to your networked Mac. It works very well.

[ZeoTiVo]

They use Windows DRM right now, as well as whatever TiVo provides. Maybe they'll extend it to the Mac, or maybe Microsoft will eventually provide their DRM solution on the Mac OS.

maybe Roxio will morph into a Mac DRM company

[dswallow]

maybe Roxio will morph into a Mac DRM company
Even I wouldn't wish that upon the Mac world.

[peggylenox]

Well, I'm confused! I have been in the process of recordinging with Tivo all the original Star Trek episodes -- all 80. I was down to 4 remaining when I was out of town and discovered that Time Warner had been out for several days just when 3 of the 4 were on. So, I didn't get them! Rats. Today, I signed on for Unbox and downloaded one of the episodes. When I tried to transfer it to my PC via Tivo Desktop, I was told that it was write protected and couldn't be transfered. What I have been doing is sending all the episodes to an external hard drive, not trying to record them to disks. So, how do I send them directly to my PC from Amazon? Am I just being dense? Thanks,

[HDTiVo]

Well, I'm confused! I have been in the process of recordinging with Tivo all the original Star Trek episodes -- all 80. I was down to 4 remaining when I was out of town and discovered that Time Warner had been out for several days just when 3 of the 4 were on. So, I didn't get them! Rats. Today, I signed on for Unbox and downloaded one of the episodes. When I tried to transfer it to my PC via Tivo Desktop, I was told that it was write protected and couldn't be transfered. What I have been doing is sending all the episodes to an external hard drive, not trying to record them to disks. So, how do I send them directly to my PC from Amazon? Am I just being dense? Thanks,
You go to Amazon Unbox and click on your Unbox videos and click the episode you want. From there you can request download to your PC (if it is registered with Unbox) Doing this locks up one of your two licenses to that PC, and unless you want to watch on the PC there is not much point to doing it.

You can re-download any of your Unbox vids to any of your TiVoes at any time, and free up the license(s) by deleting them from the TiVoes (incl. from recently deleted folder). That way TiVo storage is not a problem - Amazon stores your episodes for you!

http://hdtivo.wordpress.com/2007/03/07/escape-unbox-pergatory/

[Fofer]

Even I wouldn't wish that upon the Mac world.
I can't speak for Roxio's corporate policies, but I hear Roxio's "Creator" product for Windows is pretty bad.

I will say that Roxio's flagship product for the Mac, Toast, is actually very well-regarded. Some history from here (http://blog.creationengine.com/?cat=62):

Toast’s history goes back more than a decade; it was originally developed by Dr. Markus Fest and distributed by Astarte as an expensive, high-end application before CD burners were common devices. In 1997 Astarte sold Toast to Adaptec, which continued development and brought it to Mac OS X with version 5.1 in 2001. It was then transferred to Adaptec’s software division, Roxio, which continues selling it to this day.

It has an elegant (and powerful) interface and is very easy to use.

[dswallow]

I can't speak for Roxio's corporate policies, but I hear Roxio's "Creator" product for Windows is pretty bad.
Roxio can't produce anything original that doesn't end up being complete crap. They can only buy stuff from other companies and slowly turn anything that might've been good into complete crap. Corel CD Creator was sold to Adaptec who merged it into the Easy CD Creator product they'd previously bought from Incat Systems then spun off Roxio with the CD recording products. Roxio then sold off their consumer products division to Sonic Solutions, including the Roxio name, what was Roxio then turned itself into Napster. Roxio is like Symantec, but bad. They produce nothing original; instead they patch together stuff they acquire from others, and usually not very well.

If Toast is still working well, more power to it, but my money's on Roxio eventually ruining it.

[Fofer]

If Toast is still working well, more power to it, but my money's on Roxio eventually ruining it.

I wouldn't be surprised about that... but I will say, for now at least, the last couple of upgrades have been very nice. I think they brought over many of the programmers when they acquired the product. I look at these upgrades with a keen eye and so far Toast hasn't yet faltered. It's likely their "Mac" team is seperate with different sensibilities, sort of analogous to the Macintosh BU working on Office at Microsoft. (Interesting peek here. (http://davidweiss.blogspot.com/2006/04/tour-of-microsofts-mac-lab.html) Well, interesting to me at least.)

[ormancc]

I have downloaded three rentals using the Amazon/TiVo system. One came through just fine, the other two came through with good video, but NO SOUND. A representative at the Amazon Unbox support line said that this a known problem with the system and that they are working on it. Has anyone else had this problem and, if so, have they been able to do anything to fix it. Thanks.

[lynustivo]

My first download (finally) is coming in at this very moment and if I have problems I'll post. I have noticed two problems thus far with this new feature. 1) There is a big time delay from when you submit the order to when the starts transferring to your Tivo (mine was about 10 minutes) and 2) you cannot view the purchase/rental until after it completely downloads. The latter I think is a big "con" about this service which is why the promotion indicates that you "purchase it at work and have it waiting for you upon your return home". Hopefully in the future you can watch it as it transfers similar to how you can watch a video when transferring it from PC to Tivo or across Tivo's in your home network. But so far I love this idea! It may not replace Netflix at the moment but it is a nice addition!

[CrispyCritter]

My first download (finally) is coming in at this very moment and if I have problems I'll post. I have noticed two problems thus far with this new feature. 1) There is a big time delay from when you submit the order to when the starts transferring to your Tivo (mine was about 10 minutes) and 2) you cannot view the purchase/rental until after it completely downloads. The latter I think is a big "con" about this service which is why the promotion indicates that you "purchase it at work and have it waiting for you upon your return home". Hopefully in the future you can watch it as it transfers similar to how you can watch a video when transferring it from PC to Tivo or across Tivo's in your home network.Your problem 1 can't be helped. Amazon has no way of contacting your TiVo; things have to wait until your TiVo knows to contact Amazon. Your TiVo checks in with a TiVo server every 15 minutes and will then find out it needs to contact Amazon to download a show.

I'd also be surprised if problem 2 is changed. I think it's probably a choice between their billing policy or watching only after finish. At the moment, they'll give refunds, or allow you to download over again if your initial download failed. If they offered watching when not finished, then people could watch the first 29 minutes of a 30 minute TV episode, then interrupt the transfer and not pay Amazon.

[javabird]

Well, I'm confused! I have been in the process of recordinging with Tivo all the original Star Trek episodes -- all 80. I was down to 4 remaining when I was out of town and discovered that Time Warner had been out for several days just when 3 of the 4 were on. So, I didn't get them! Rats. Today, I signed on for Unbox and downloaded one of the episodes. When I tried to transfer it to my PC via Tivo Desktop, I was told that it was write protected and couldn't be transfered. What I have been doing is sending all the episodes to an external hard drive, not trying to record them to disks. So, how do I send them directly to my PC from Amazon? Am I just being dense? Thanks,

Well, I'm jealous that you were able to even get 76 of them! So far, no stations in my area are playing the whole TOS. I've been watching the channel guides hoping.
The fact that Unbox offers them is tantalizing.

[MichaelK]

...

I'd also be surprised if problem 2 is changed. I think it's probably a choice between their billing policy or watching only after finish. At the moment, they'll give refunds, or allow you to download over again if your initial download failed. If they offered watching when not finished, then people could watch the first 29 minutes of a 30 minute TV episode, then interrupt the transfer and not pay Amazon.



there's a post around here from tivostephen. It's actually a alimitation of their technology. Something about the entire download needing to be complete so the box can then decrypt it.

[MighTiVo]

there's a post around here from tivostephen. It's actually a alimitation of their technology. Something about the entire download needing to be complete so the box can then decrypt it.


Sounds more like a limitation of the design, not a limitation of the technology.

[MichaelK]

Sounds more like a limitation of the design, not a limitation of the technology.


better way to describe it. Partiularly since MRV and Tivo-to-come-back (whatever it's called) dont have that limitation.

[Tivoli]

Well I do not care to play it while it is downloading, especially if I am going to catch up with the download and I have to wait for it to fill up buffers again.

I have had a few downloads and I watched them. Very happy with it. It worked just fine. I can decide to download something I want to watch at the weekend or that evening and it will be on when I get home. Now if only I could get some European programs on it...

[HDTiVo]

better way to describe it. Partiularly since MRV and Tivo-to-come-back (whatever it's called) dont have that limitation.
Yup. Nor does Unbox to PC. :(

[Adam1115]

But as is stands now, impulse rental... or $2 TV show downloads for eps I missed... are the only things I'd consider... merely for their convenience. I will not pay more than $10 to "buy" anything that's lesser quality and "trapped" on my TiVo!

Just drop a DVD into your DVD burner, select save to vcr, and you're all set... ;)

[Fofer]

Just drop a DVD into your DVD burner, select save to vcr, and you're all set... ;)

Innerestin'.

Yeah, I've been shopping for a DVD Recorder for a while now. Will probably pick up cheapie that has a VCR in it too, for any last remaining VHS transferring... and equipment consolidation purposes, too.

[Resist]

Do Amazon unbox movies come in wide screen format for Tivo? I didn't see that it does, unless I missed something.

[bicker]

No widescreen for TiVo. :down: No closed captioning either. :down:

[Resist]

No widescreen for TiVo. :down: No closed captioning either. :down:

Well that sucks. Guess I won't be purchasing unbox then.

[bicker]

meeneetha :) In this day-and-age, a little more consideration for the hearing impaired is appropriate, IMHO.

[stinastina]

I don't know if this has been posted before but... I did my first download and it shows up twice in my Now Playing list. But if I delete one, they both go away. Kind of weird. :confused:

[gonzotek]

I don't know if this has been posted before but... I did my first download and it shows up twice in my Now Playing list. But if I delete one, they both go away. Kind of weird. :confused:It's by happening by design. The downloads will show up inside the Amazon folder as well as on their own in the main Now Playing list. I haven't downloaded any two or more episodes of a series to see they group yet, does anyone know if that happens?

Similar behavior can also be observed when you have both a suggestion and a requested recording of some series, the two episodes will appear in a folder in the NPL, and the suggestion will also be shown under the Suggestions folder.

/edit: Just to be clear: even though it appears twice, they both point to only one copy of the data. I assume they group them so a user can find his downloaded(and possibly time-expiring)content in one location.

[kmill14]

Anyone see this re: AOL?

http://www.forbes.com/technology/2007/11/30/aol-amazon-video-tech-cx_pco_1130paidcontent.html?feed=rss_technology