New England Rollout this Monday? (11/26)

[kmill14]

This date has been rolling around the last couple weeks, but it looks like it will actually happen on Monday 11/26 for New England.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=682350&page=79

"Corp Email, sent out on Friday, has confirmed Monday rollout start date for areas of NE.

central PA rollout date has moved from Jan 2008 to Mid. Feb 2008" (scanpa)

[Jaysmo7]

Just got off the phone with a tech from Comcast. She said the roll out date for is 12/10. Not sure if that just for CT or all of NE, but that's the word I got.

[mtchamp]

I think it's first NH, Boston and SE MA tomorrow and then it will be rolling out everywhere else over the next couple of months. CT was never mentioned for the initial rollout, so that is probably why it's scheduled 2 weeks later.

[cypherstream]

It's pushed back again people...

BIG SURPRISE :eek:

/sarcasm

[brebeans]

Now when?

[BlackBetty]

Now when?


This is starting to get crazy. I'd be suprised now if it happens before Jan 1st.

[BlackBetty]

today is TiVo's quarterly annoucements. 3 months ago the President of TiVo said that the comcast TiVo boxes would be available any day now. Fast forward 3 months and still no boxes. I wonder how it will be spun today.

[BobB]

Dang! I just last week ordered a new HD TiVO with lifetime service, then today stumbled across this. Does anyone know whether I'll be able to use my box to access the same features as the Comcast-branded one?

[bicker]

With the exception of SDV-support, VOD and PPV, I don't believe that the Comcast TiVo service provides any features that that the TiVo HD does not. SDV-support for the TiVo HD is supposed to be coming by June. So in the long-term, you'll only be missing VOD and PPV.

[TiVo Troll]

It's pushed back again people...

BIG SURPRISE :eek:

/sarcasm

I've used Comcast's Moto dual tuner hi-def DVR with both MSTV and iGuide. Both systems have easy-to-read EPG's plus easy, intuitive access to their menu's and features.

What both didn't have on the Moto was accurate easy flowing handling of their trick play features. Maybe the problem is intrinsic to Moto and not the fault of s/w running on it?

If Comcast's MotoTiVo's are found not to work as well as TiVo standalone hi-def DVRs, but w/o OTA access and TiVo's 'more than DVR' connectivity features, why want it? Why pay more for monthly TiVo service from Comcast when either standalone TiVo Service or Comcast's own DVR Service costs less? HDTiVo offers quality hardware at a cheap (~$250) price.

Perhaps there are some intrinsic bugs to work out before bringing this hybrid DVR to market?

(Another issue, unlikely to be addressed regardless of how MotoTiVo's other potential shortcomings are handled, is that Moto DVRs don't present downrezzed standard-def with the full 480 lines of vertical resolution that TiVo hi-def DVR's provide (essential for recording decent quality anamorphic DVD-R's) but instead shrinks the image so it must be zoomed to fill a 16x9 screen.)

[CrispyCritter]

TiVo conference call yesterday said that there were pockets of subscribers in Boston with old legacy head-end hardware that can't handle the large download of the TiVo software. Comcast wants fix up things for those pockets before making the general release. There are no issues with the TiVo software itself, or with the communication of the TiVo software with the Comcast head-end hardware, that are preventing distribution.

[bigpuma]

today is TiVo's quarterly annoucements. 3 months ago the President of TiVo said that the comcast TiVo boxes would be available any day now. Fast forward 3 months and still no boxes. I wonder how it will be spun today.


There was a time when they said the download would be available at the end of summer or fall of 2006 so I would take anything they say with a big grain of salt.

[threejean]

I just got Comcast's HD DVR yesterday and I already miss my S-2 D*Tivo. Comcast's GUI blough's, but it's nice finally getting HD on my plaz. I'm on Cape Cod, so I hope I can get the Tivo soft. soon. (fingerz krossed!!)

[bicker]

Everything I've read indicates that this problem is NOT in the TiVo software on the Comcast box, but rather this problem is with regard to the Motorola software update capability.

[TiVo Troll]

TiVo conference call yesterday said that there were pockets of subscribers in Boston with old legacy head-end hardware that can't handle the large download of the TiVo software. Comcast wants fix up things for those pockets before making the general release. There are no issues with the TiVo software itself, or with the communication of the TiVo software with the Comcast head-end hardware, that are preventing distribution.

If TiVo sees no problem using its s/w on Moto's DVR that's good news. TiVo has much more at stake than Comcast regarding MotoTiVo. Perhaps MSTV and iGuide both exhibit 'flow' type problems because a lack of concern from Comcast about details of 3rd party s/w.

The primary question about MotoTiVo will be, taking into account its feature-set differences from standalone TiVos, whether it operates as well. MotoTiVo's monthly service rental will be higher than either Comcast's standard service or TiVo's standalone Service. Will a cable DVR user who doesn't want a 'real' TiVo find MotoTiVo worth paying for?

[andydumi]

If TiVo sees no problem using its s/w on Moto's DVR that's good news. TiVo has much more at stake than Comcast regarding MotoTiVo. Perhaps MSTV and iGuide both exhibit 'flow' type problems because a lack of concern from Comcast about details of 3rd party s/w.

The primary question about MotoTiVo will be, taking into account its feature-set differences from standalone TiVos, whether it operates as well. MotoTiVo's monthly service rental will be higher than either Comcast's standard service or TiVo's standalone Service. Will a cable DVR user who doesn't want a 'real' TiVo find MotoTiVo worth paying for?


I am not sure thats entirely true. It depends on market, and on whether you factor in HD. Theres several discussions on this.

[TiVo Troll]

The primary question about MotoTiVo will be, taking into account its feature-set differences from standalone TiVos, whether it operates as well. MotoTiVo's monthly service rental will be higher than either Comcast's standard service or TiVo's standalone Service. Will a cable DVR user who doesn't want a 'real' TiVo find MotoTiVo worth paying for?

I am not sure thats entirely true. It depends on market, and on whether you factor in HD. Theres several discussions on this.

This is as good a place as any to discuss it!

Yes, in TiVo's 3Q earnings phone call (http://seekingalpha.com/article/55669-tivo-f3q07-qtr-end-10-31-07-earnings-call-transcript) Thomas Rogers, TiVo's President & Chief Executive Officer, confirmed that there's no problem with how TiVo s/w works on Comcast's DVR. Great!

(Approx. 3/4th's down the page)
"On your Comcast questions, the software, the middleware, the performance of TiVo in households -- it works. It’s there. It’s happening, so it’s not an issue of whether this works. There is the distribution of it into homes raises issues of the stability of the infrastructure. Anybody who knows the history of cable system acquisitions over the years, in many cases they are different systems coming in from different previous owners and different levels of development of infrastructure. And when you are dealing with a large market that has a major geographic area, there are obviously going to be pockets of that infrastructure that are different than others and it’s the overall stability of that as it relates to the interaction with the hardware and firmware, not our software application, not the middleware that ties the software application to the set-top.

And so as I’ve said, they’re coming around the corner on the final stages of that stability assessment..."

What I didn't know is that the new Comcast TiVo apparently won't intrinsically stop whatever's playing when entering menu's; not with that PIP window in the preview pics (http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/09/comcast-dvr-with-tivo-pics-features/).

That's EXACTLY what I'd like to see from TiVo (with pause-or-not-to-pause being user selectable, as apparently many Forum posters don't want it). Score a big one for MotoTiVo for attracting non-hardcore TiVo cable subs!

If only Moto's DVR would present full height 480 lines of standard-def from hi-def sources, as standalone hi-def TiVos (and all other QAM tuners that I've used) do.

Comcast's MotoTiVo is scheduled to cost $2.95 more (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Sets-TiVO-Pricing-89839) than standard hi-def Comcast DVR service, which, in my area, already costs $1 more than TiVo's most expensive pay-by-the-month Service Plan.

[andydumi]

This is as good a place as any to discuss it!

Comcast's MotoTiVo is scheduled to cost $2.95 more (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Sets-TiVO-Pricing-89839) than standard hi-def Comcast DVR service, which, in my area, already costs $1 more than TiVo's most expensive pay-by-the-month Service Plan.

Like I said its area specific.

Here, it is 12.95 for HDDVR from Comcast, which breaks down as 9.99 for HD programming and 2.99 for DVR. Add 2.99 for Tivo and I am looking at a bill of ~16.

If I were to buy a Tivo, I would have the upfront cost of the box, plus a minimum of ~8 if I were to prepay or ~13 a month if I don't prepay and go month to month. Add in the 9.99 for HD programming and we are at 23 monthly plus the 250-300 upfront cost, or 600 upfront with 10 a month. Some are satisfied with just QAM HD for the 4 main networks, but then that would not be an even comparison, as here we get 20 total HD channels not including premiums. And this does not factor in the lack of On Demand and PPV. Sure I can get a free box with I were to go Tivo route, but its an SD box, and to get an HD box for HD on demand, its another 5.95 for an additional outlet.

So in summary I will be able to get DVR and qam networks and Tivo software on Comcast for 6 a month, or full HD lineup for 16. Same thing on Tivo route is upfront + ~8-30 monthly depending on how "even" the service is. I would not need another COmcast box, so I would do the HD plus monthly, at about 23 a month, ~8 more than Comcast route.

Our next door neighbor has Series 3, we have Comcast DVR, so all prices are accurate as of last month. We did a straight up comparison for avsforums...

But its all regional. In some areas the 12.95 split is 5 for HD and 7 for DVR, some areas dont have M cards...

[MicMacPaddyWhac]

Alright gents, from the horse's mouth and you ain't gonna like it.

Comcast have apparently suspended the rollout in NE, and hence probably elsewhere too, due to product stability issues. I had a very competent tech at my house today cleaning up my prior botched cable card install and we got to talking generally about the MotoTiVo, which said he'd had some personal experience with already. Here's his story.

As part of the final preparations, they went out to install units at the homes of a couple of senior Comcast execs. They had major problems, which he pegged on conflicts with other DOCSIS devices and the unit's sensitivity to signal strength. In each case, they ended up having to run a second line in to get it working properly. At which point the execs decided the box was not ready for prime time and it was sent back to the drawing board.

Of course, this is just scuttlebutt. But the tech was clearly an old Comcast hand and he sure seemed to know exactly what he was talking about.

[mtchamp]

Here are some posts by an AV Science Forum member who claims to have received a phone call from Comcast offering to install TiVo. Check the last page of this thread.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=682350

Here are his individual posts.


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12414096&postcount=2537

Tivo roll out is beginning in select towns in Mass and NH today. Anyone from these select towns will be getting a phone call if they signed up either over the phone or online in advance. So if you are on the list, get ready to install!


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12414775&postcount=2539

Quote:
Originally Posted by MomentaryLapse
Must say.... looks like you're right... I entered in some random zip codes and well looky here. Different screen than what I get (shown below that link)

Says coming soon as opposed to not yet available

https://comcast.p.delivery.net/m/p/c...=03307&vStat=2

https://comcast.p.delivery.net/m/p/c...=60656&vStat=3

Well, the phone call I got kind of gave it away.

[BlackBetty]

I hope this is correct.

[hurl03]

Like I said its area specific.

Here, it is 12.95 for HDDVR from Comcast, which breaks down as 9.99 for HD programming and 2.99 for DVR. Add 2.99 for Tivo and I am looking at a bill of ~16.

If I were to buy a Tivo, I would have the upfront cost of the box, plus a minimum of ~8 if I were to prepay or ~13 a month if I don't prepay and go month to month. Add in the 9.99 for HD programming and we are at 23 monthly plus the 250-300 upfront cost, or 600 upfront with 10 a month. Some are satisfied with just QAM HD for the 4 main networks, but then that would not be an even comparison, as here we get 20 total HD channels not including premiums. And this does not factor in the lack of On Demand and PPV. Sure I can get a free box with I were to go Tivo route, but its an SD box, and to get an HD box for HD on demand, its another 5.95 for an additional outlet.

So in summary I will be able to get DVR and qam networks and Tivo software on Comcast for 6 a month, or full HD lineup for 16. Same thing on Tivo route is upfront + ~8-30 monthly depending on how "even" the service is. I would not need another COmcast box, so I would do the HD plus monthly, at about 23 a month, ~8 more than Comcast route.

Our next door neighbor has Series 3, we have Comcast DVR, so all prices are accurate as of last month. We did a straight up comparison for avsforums...

But its all regional. In some areas the 12.95 split is 5 for HD and 7 for DVR, some areas dont have M cards...

I think that one thing people might want to factor regarding who owns the box. With tivo you have the upfront cost and a one year warranty, then you are on your own. With MotoTivo - comcast owns the box and and problems. ie if the box dies, you get a new one for free.

[BlackBetty]

from the avs forums. This poster is considered highly reliable.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12429074&postcount=2567

Yes Monday is slated to be the day of the first public install & they will all require tech visits. Will only be soft launched in about a dozen or so towns at first. And yes for the newcomers, this is only for the New England area (MA & NH) regardless of what CSR's in other areas of the country may tell you. Not sure of timeline for other towns to follow.

[eddielives]

Well, it's finally here (for some lucky ones). The first official post of someone with it installed:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=682350&page=44

Scroll to post 2589 on the page.

[TiVo Troll]

here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12450192&postcount=2589)!

Followed by the poster's very first impressions (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12450446&postcount=2592
).

"Guide looks like it can go two week. After install, all the listings were there.

You can remove channels from the guide line-up

The guide/menu screen appears to shrink on HD channels but looks good on SD.

No option to skip

tick marks are every 15 minutes. On demand does not seem to have any (tried Big Lebowski).

I can use the search and VOD programs will show up. I would say the search feature is the best thing.

Silver remote but I should be getting a tivo remote soon by mail. At least that what I was told.

Noticable differences in the control. Page up/down are the thumbs up/down. Not sure how to scroll page up down.

No tivo "sounds" however. Tech was stumped on this one too. Using HDMI to my TV and optical to my Sony surround sound system."