Will my new Tivo HD "get me"?

[mrjosh]

Since I'm sure this has been asked and answered before and I just wasn't able to dig it up, I ask my question with all the appropriate apologies...

I have a series 2 with which I've been pretty obsessive about using my thumbs-up and thumbs-down, season pass, manual record for portions of shows that I want to see, and adding minutes at the front or back of shows that notoriously start or stop late.

As soon as I placed my order for Tivo HD last week, I had this sinking feeling that all my efforts over the past year to get my Tivo to understand me (and it does - with pinpoint accuracy) might have been in vain. Will all my preferences, season passes, manual recordings, etc disappear when I transfer my service to a new unit?

[JimSpence]

You'll be starting from scratch.

[bkdtv]

Before you unplug your TiVo Series2, you should make a list of your season passes and any changes to their start/end times.

[jkalnin]

Get ready to re-do all your hard work. My new Tivo still thinks I like a lot of bad shows...

[JohnnyO]

As soon as I placed my order for Tivo HD last week, I had this sinking feeling that all my efforts over the past year to get my Tivo to understand me (and it does - with pinpoint accuracy) might have been in vain.


It is a great question. Sadly, there appears to be no automated way to exchange your TiVo "personality" information from one unit to another.

As others suggested, moving Season Passes is straightforward (although tedious). Expect to spend some concentrated time up front giving Thumbs Up/Down ratings to shows to try to "prime the pump" so to speak.

[Sundog301]

Same thing here. I've had a Series 2 for four years. Very recently got big beautiful new HD TV. Tomorrow -- TiVo HD (not Series 3). I've got a list of 23 season passes -- not too bad to recreate.

[ewilts]

I have a series 2 with which I've been pretty obsessive about using my thumbs-up and thumbs-down, season pass, manual record for portions of shows that I want to see, and adding minutes at the front or back of shows that notoriously start or stop late.

As soon as I placed my order for Tivo HD last week, I had this sinking feeling that all my efforts over the past year to get my Tivo to understand me (and it does - with pinpoint accuracy) might have been in vain. Will all my preferences, season passes, manual recordings, etc disappear when I transfer my service to a new unit?
There is nothing there yet and it's certainly been asked a lot of times. It sure would be nice if you could transfer the settings to TiVo or the desktop and then transfer them back.

It gets even uglier if you have wishlists for actors that aren't in your current guide data - you can't put them back! I don't know if the same is true for Season Passes - you may have to wait for the first show to appear on the right channel.

Yes, it's ugly, and TiVo really needs to do this, a lot more quickly than implementing a feature like a webcam that somebody else just asked for.

[mrjosh]

I've got several season passes for shows that are not coming on in the next two weeks due to lingering effects of the writers' strike. Not only will I have to make a list of my season passes, but I'll have to mark the list with season pass shows that aren't scheduled to be on TV soon so I can continue to search for them until they show up. I've also got several download subscriptions (like Onion TV and the New York Times movie and technology reviews) that I'll have to search out and subscribe to again.

Just a thought: is there any way to bypass this process by doing online scheduling?

[scandia101]

It gets even uglier if you have wishlists for actors that aren't in your current guide data - you can't put them back!

Not True. You can add WL for actors if they are not in the current guide data. You just have to spell out the whole name rather than just spelling out the first few letters and then choosing it from the list. You don't even need to put it in the actor category, using the keyword category would be just as effective.

[lastdeadcat]

SPs and WLs will have to be re-entered on the new TiVo. You could take pen and paper notes, but digital photos of the current screens would be easier.

I did this when I got my TiVoHD. I transferd the subscription from a ST 540 to the HD and keep the subscription to my two ST 240s. I colocated the 80 hr box with the HD box and left the 40 hr box downstairs with another TV.

I only have basic cable and won't use CableCARDs in the HD box until cable turns all digital in August. So I only get analog now, but that looks pretty good from my TivoHD on my 52" LCD screen. I do get a little OTA. The PBS station broadcasts in HD, but other locals haven't started HD yet, only just digital for most.

I use the ST box downstairs mainly as a tuner and transfer stuff up the TiVo HD upstairs. The ST upstairs is on the network, but I don't transfer stuff to the TiVo HD stacked on it because it doesn't improve the picture any so I just watch it from that box.

The PQ from the TivoHD from analog recordings is better than from the other boxes so that is my DVR of choice. I only record on the others if there is conflict that the DTs in the TiVoHD can't handle.

After the switch over to all digital cable in August, I am considering dropping at least one of the STs because they will need a digital converters to work.

[GiantsFan24]

I've got several season passes for shows that are not coming on in the next two weeks due to lingering effects of the writers' strike. Not only will I have to make a list of my season passes, but I'll have to mark the list with season pass shows that aren't scheduled to be on TV soon so I can continue to search for them until they show up.

It's a little more tedious than a season pass, but you can create wishlists for the shows that are not on right now (manually enter the title). At least that way, you won't have to keep searching for them. When they finally show up, you can add a season pass and delete the wishlist.

[scandia101]

It's a little more tedious than a season pass, but you can create wishlists for the shows that are not on right now (manually enter the title). At least that way, you won't have to keep searching for them. When they finally show up, you can add a season pass and delete the wishlist.

:up:

[Philtho]

Bad news is that you'll be starting from scratch.

Good news is that the Tivo HD is so awesome that you will get past that headache the same day.

[jkalnin]

Bad news is that you'll be starting from scratch.

Good news is that the Tivo HD is so awesome that you will get past that headache the same day.

Too funny - yet soooo true.

Also, when I turned on my new TivoHD and heard the "Bloop" sound effect it cracked me up. I disabled it on my S2 so long ago I forgot all about it. It's like being a Tivo virgin all over again.

[Einselen]

It's like being a Tivo virgin all over again.

Like a virgin
Touched for the very first time
Like a virgin
When your heart beats (after first time, with your heartbeat)
Next to mine