Video on Demand?

[Khaz]

I searched for a recent thread about this and couldn't find one specifically related to this.

Last week I cancelled my last TiVo subscription because my family has grown very fond of using the video on demand feature of our comcast box. Yes, the DVR isn't the best in the world, but the hassle of the DVR interface is outweighed by the instant gratification that VoD brings for us.

When I cancelled, the rep asked me if I could hold on a few more months because something *might* be announced related to VoD that would keep me. I still cancelled, but her comment aroused my curiosity. Is there word about TiVo supporting on demand video in the next quarter?

[cherry ghost]

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=5729501#post5729501

[Khaz]

So SDV will be supported but not necessarily VoD. And maybe in 2Q 2008. Glad I did cancel. That probably means Q4 at the earliest.

[mike3775]

You do know that you can record VoD through a Tivo already, just you have to use the record button and manually change the cable box to the VoD channel with its remote.

I have DVD's full of stuff I recorded off of VoD that way.

[ado]

You do know that you can record VoD through a Tivo already, just you have to use the record button and manually change the cable box to the VoD channel with its remote.

I have DVD's full of stuff I recorded off of VoD that way.

Not possible with a Tivo HD, since it relies on cablecards

[brettatk]

You could have kept the Tivo subscription and replaced your Comcast DVR with just a Comcast HD receiver (the cost would be much less per month). That way you could have your Tivo hooked up to one input on your TV and the Comcast Receiver on another input. Then just switch between inputs when you wish to watch VOD. I am currently doing this same thing only with Charter.

[TriBruin]

You could have kept the Tivo subscription and replaced your Comcast DVR with just a Comcast HD receiver (the cost would be much less per month). That way you could have your Tivo hooked up to one input on your TV and the Comcast Receiver on another input. Then just switch between inputs when you wish to watch VOD. I am currently doing this same thing only with Charter.

I was just going to say the same thing. I am actually looking at replacing my Comcast DVR with a TivoHD. When Comcast comes out to install the CCs, I will have them also replace the DVR with a non-DVR HD box so that I can continue to watch On-Demand.

[Luke M]

Not possible with a Tivo HD, since it relies on cablecards

Actually it is possible - but only if you do NOT have a CableCard.

[ah30k]

Actually it is possible - but only if you do NOT have a CableCard.And how is this done?

[Luke M]

And how is this done?

1. Locate the VOD stream (easy if you have already determined which channels carry VOD)
2. Record it

Of course this assumes the VOD stream is unencrypted.

[aindik]

1. Locate the VOD stream (easy if you have already determined which channels carry VOD)
2. Record it

Of course this assumes the VOD stream is unencrypted.

Of course, in that scenario, "Video On Demand" will be "on" the "demand" of one of your neighbors, not you. So, you have no idea what's on and when.

[aindik]

You could have kept the Tivo subscription and replaced your Comcast DVR with just a Comcast HD receiver (the cost would be much less per month). That way you could have your Tivo hooked up to one input on your TV and the Comcast Receiver on another input. Then just switch between inputs when you wish to watch VOD. I am currently doing this same thing only with Charter.

I think Comcast will charge an $8.90 a month additional outlet fee for the HD box. Beyond that, I'm not sure if there's an upcharge for an HD box versus an SD box.

[mike3775]

I watch video on demand on the TV with my HDTivo as well. I have a Comcast box hooked into the coaxial on the TV and the HDTivo hooked up to the TV through the HDMI slot.

When I want to watch Video on Demand, I simply change the input on the TV

[brettatk]

I think Comcast will charge an $8.90 a month additional outlet fee for the HD box. Beyond that, I'm not sure if there's an upcharge for an HD box versus an SD box.


Right, but that $8.90 for the HD box sure beats the $20 for the HD DVR he is probably paying every month.

[Luke M]

Of course, in that scenario, "Video On Demand" will be "on" the "demand" of one of your neighbors, not you. So, you have no idea what's on and when.

The scenario is that you are the one requesting the VOD. So you know exactly what is on and when. The only thing you don't know is what channel it will be on.

[aindik]

I watch video on demand on the TV with my HDTivo as well. I have a Comcast box hooked into the coaxial on the TV and the HDTivo hooked up to the TV through the HDMI slot.

When I want to watch Video on Demand, I simply change the input on the TV

How much would your cable bill go down if you got rid of the box?

[aindik]

The scenario is that you are the one requesting the VOD. So you know exactly what is on and when. The only thing you don't know is what channel it will be on.

How do you request the VOD if you don't have a box? Or, are you saying, keep the box but record the show on your TiVoHD?

[mike3775]

$7.00

Not enough to make me want to get rid of it at all.

Plus if I really wanted to, I could easily hook up my old 40 hour Tivo to the same cable line and record from on demand if I wanted to, or I can just do like I do now and have my DVD recorder hooked up to it instead and just record straight onto DVD that way.

[aindik]

Right, but that $8.90 for the HD box sure beats the $20 for the HD DVR he is probably paying every month.

If the HD-DVR is his only box (for the purposes of this discussion, each m-card counts as a box), he pays programming price plus $11.95. If he has an HD-DVR and an HD Non-DVR box, he pays programming price plus $20.85. If he has a cable card and an HD Non-DVR box, he pays programming price plus $8.90 for a second outlet, plus I'm not sure if he ALSO pays an HD-box upcharge (because the $8.90 is what they charge for an SD box as a second outlet).

[brettatk]

If the HD-DVR is his only box (for the purposes of this discussion, each m-card counts as a box), he pays programming price plus $11.95. If he has an HD-DVR and an HD Non-DVR box, he pays programming price plus $20.85. If he has a cable card and an HD Non-DVR box, he pays programming price plus $8.90 for a second outlet, plus I'm not sure if he ALSO pays an HD-box upcharge (because the $8.90 is what they charge for an SD box as a second outlet).

I guess this talk about additional outlet charges confuses me. I'm on Charter and if I had an HD DVR then it would cost me $20.00 a month. My HD Receiver only cost me $7 a month. So I'd be saving $13 a month if I got rid of the DVR and replaced it with a plain HD Receiver. There are no additional outlet charges to worry about in my case.

And where did he say he was using Comcast? I guess I assumed it earlier but he never says it so we really dont know how much he was paying.

[aindik]

$7.00

And, how much are you paying for TiVo service?

If you're paying $12.95 a month, then your total price for the VOD box plus your TiVo is 19.95 a month. You could have chosen to have the cable DVR instead, which would have cost $11.95 a month. So, the real cost of having the TiVo with VOD versus the cable DVR with VOD is $8 a month.

[aindik]

I guess this talk about additional outlet charges confuses me. I'm on Charter and if I had an HD DVR then it would cost me $20.00 a month. My HD Receiver only cost me $7 a month. So I'd be saving $13 a month if I got rid of the DVR and replaced it with a plain HD Receiver. There are no additional outlet charges to worry about in my case.

Customer A has one TV. It has an HD box, only.
Customer B has two TVs. One has a TiVo HD with an M-Card in it, and the other has an HD box.

Customers A and B pay the same monthly price on your system?

[brettatk]

Customer A has one TV. It has an HD box, only.
Customer B has two TVs. One has a TiVo HD with an M-Card in it, and the other has an HD box.

Customers A and B pay the same monthly price on your system?



Customer A: pays $7 each month for his HD Receiver (No DVR)


Customer B: pays around $13.50 a month ($7 for his HD Receiver + $5 for an HD supplement charge + $1.50 for the M-Card)

These are rough estimates but they are pretty close to the real fees.

[brettatk]

And, how much are you paying for TiVo service?

If you're paying $12.95 a month, then your total price for the VOD box plus your TiVo is 19.95 a month. You could have chosen to have the cable DVR instead, which would have cost $11.95 a month. So, the real cost of having the TiVo with VOD versus the cable DVR with VOD is $8 a month.

I kept my HD Receiver for the same reason as it would only make my bill go down $7 a month. also And how much do I pay for Tivo service? I have lifetime on both my units. The series 2 has more than paid for itself so I pay nothing on it per month. As for the Tivo HD I paid $199 to transfer lifetime from an old Series 1 so it will take less than 2 years of having it to be free of charge as well. Much cheaper than leasing a DVR from my cable company.

[Luke M]

How do you request the VOD if you don't have a box? Or, are you saying, keep the box but record the show on your TiVoHD?

mike3775 said he recorded VOD on his Tivo (from a cable box). ado said that wasn't possible on a TivoHD. I explained that under some conditions, it is possible. That's all.

By the way, everyone is talking about HD boxes, but you don't need an HD box to receive SD VOD content, if that's all you care about.

[aindik]

Customer A: pays $7 each month for his HD Receiver (No DVR)


Customer B: pays around $13.50 a month ($7 for his HD Receiver + $5 for an HD supplement charge + $1.50 for the M-Card)

These are rough estimates but they are pretty close to the real fees.

So, that means the cost of keeping a box just to use for VOD is $7. That's not bad. I think on Comcast, it would be higher. It would be at least $8.90 and maybe more.

[ajwees41]

So SDV will be supported but not necessarily VoD. And maybe in 2Q 2008. Glad I did cancel. That probably means Q4 at the earliest.

There is also talk of a S4 comming that will support the OCAP and provde a way for the cable company to download the vod software to the tivo. So if it ever gets made S4 tivos would use the tivo software for everything until you wanted to watch vod.

[brettatk]

So, that means the cost of keeping a box just to use for VOD is $7. That's not bad. I think on Comcast, it would be higher. It would be at least $8.90 and maybe more.


Yeah, it looks like it's a wide spectrum depending on the Cable Company. Some of them sure nickel and dime you to death.

[brettatk]

There is also talk of a S4 comming that will support the OCAP and provde a way for the cable company to download the vod software to the tivo. So if it ever gets made S4 tivos would use the tivo software for everything until you wanted to watch vod.


I'm hoping when that time comes I'll be able to buy the unit and have the option to transfer lifetime from a Series 2 to the new Tivo.

[mike3775]

And, how much are you paying for TiVo service?

If you're paying $12.95 a month, then your total price for the VOD box plus your TiVo is 19.95 a month. You could have chosen to have the cable DVR instead, which would have cost $11.95 a month. So, the real cost of having the TiVo with VOD versus the cable DVR with VOD is $8 a month.

Lifetime buddy, no Tivo fee's at all.

[mike3775]

So, that means the cost of keeping a box just to use for VOD is $7. That's not bad. I think on Comcast, it would be higher. It would be at least $8.90 and maybe more.

I have Comcast and my only fee is the $7 for the box, swell worth it IMO for VOD which i can use a Tivo to record stuff off of if i wanted to.

[ajwees41]

I'm hoping when that time comes I'll be able to buy the unit and have the option to transfer lifetime from a Series 2 to the new Tivo.

if it ever comes