Boston Update - Comcast Tivo still not worth it

[mmiller678]

I've been thru 3 units now and 5 different installers (2 comcast / 3 contractors). The installers tried hard to get it to work, but had nothing good to say about the service other than it didn't seem to be reliable for anyone. I have been without TV at all for 11 of the last 30 days because 2 different box failed to boot after being in service less than a week. Also the interface is slowwww... Not too mention the green screens, errors, and other issues. Try telling your girlfriend that its a software issue when she can't watch or record a show...

However the upside is I have experienced how much better Tivo softare is than the Comcast DVR software and have decided its worth the money to purchase an Tivo HD DVR and forego the OnDemand. Good bye Comast DVR. Now if only I could get Verizon FIOS ;)

Location: East Boston, MA
Overall Opinion of Comcast Tivo: I have to pay extra for this????
Overall Opinion of Tivo Software: Loved it - enough to purchase a Tivo HD box.

Bottom Line: Buy a real Tivo HD box and forget the Comcast Tivo unless you like not watching TV and losing your recordings as your box will be need to be replaced / re-programmed weekly.

[BlackBetty]

Location: East Boston, MA
Overall Opinion of Comcast Tivo: I have to pay extra for this????
Overall Opinion of Tivo Software: Loved it - enough to purchase a Tivo HD box.

I think this speaks volumes. Now if comcast and tivo can just work out the bugs, they will have a homerun on there hands.

This is version 1.0, point to me one software based product on version 1.0 that didn't act buggy in certain ways.

From the sounds of the recent forum get together in NH, it looks like updates are coming soon. Hopefully these updates will take us to a much more stabe version 2.0 :)

Also I keep hearing teasers that new features will be added also over time. hmmm I wonder what they will be.

[dleggett3]

Sadly, I too have abandoned the Comcast Tivo. I was continually getting audio with no video, or the green screen etc. I have had Tivo for 5 years (I have 3 series 2's) and have loved it, and the Comcast Tivo wasn't bad when it worked. Certainly cheaper than buying a TivoHD. However the software is not ready for primetime,and if I'm paying for HD cable, I want to at least be able to watch it when I want.

I did learn, as part of my fiasco of getting the Comcast Tivo exchanged for a regular Comcast DVR, that they are expecting a new update within 1 week. Of course this came from the first level service rep, so don't expect it to be true. Just passing along what I learned.

When they have released an update that make the Comcast Tivo more stable I will definetly get it again. But for right now I am tired of explaining to my wife why we can't watch the TV.

[TivoBeavo]

I appreciate you guys in New England working out all of the bugs for the rest of the country.:up:

[mneedle473]

Anyone able to report on the update? Does it fix what needed to be fixed?

[gtalvola]

Anyone able to report on the update? Does it fix what needed to be fixed?

The update which was originally planned for mid-March still hasn't been rolled out in the Boston area... :(

[mneedle473]

The update which was originally planned for mid-March still hasn't been rolled out in the Boston area... :(

I thought I heard that some people up in North Mass or NH had received the update.

[SeanTivo]

I thought I heard that some people up in North Mass or NH had received the update.

Yes, I think that's correct but the "update" caused new problems and/or did not fix the old problems so it was "put on hold".

A focus group in NH was told at the end of April that the new update would be out in a few weeks.

A Comcast rep posted in the middle of May about the new update coming out in the next couple of months.

Tivo CEO Tom Rogers said in an interview June 1st that the update that wil allow Comcast Tivo to be installed without a Truck roll would be out "soon".

What the real answer is I doubt even the Comcast people know.

[NCARalph]

We've got the latest fix to the previous update, we're north of Boston, and overall it is acceptable, barely. The original update pushed in April was completely broken and rendered the box useless. But they then updated it soon after so it does what we need, just pretty poorly. I'm willing to play with it, my wife is not and pretty much won't touch it.

[dredding]

Got my Comcast TiVo software yesterday after two truck rolls. I have two SD TiVos and one TiVo HD.

The second guy figured out that an old filter was left on the line so the box couldn't get an IP address.

The software sucks. Mainly it is painfully slow but the interface is missing some key features.

The old Comcast DVR has a "Day+" feature that would allow you to move forward one full day on the Guide. The new guide is SO SLOW, it takes about two seconds to move forward each half hour.

The search feature also doesn't work the same. I want to record the US Open golf next weekend and I can't get there on the guide--too slow. and when I search using categories, I have to page through dozens and dozens of screens to get to the proper date. I can also sort by name but US is at the bottom.

All around really bad implementation. Going back to the Comcast DVR software which also sucks, just a little less.:down:

[mogulbumm]

I was definitely a beta-tester for this in January. I've been among the lucky few and haven't seen the crazy-8 problem (crap... just jinxed myself). The largest issue I had was when they tied into my box to do the update and told me 20 minutes... but it took about 4 hours. Afterwards, I had some crazy slow response times to setting up recordings (upwards of 5 minutes after pressing the button) but it slowly got better and now is almost as fast as the old Comcast DVR software.

I live north of Boston so I believe I've received at least one update since the "major" one a couple of months ago. All problems seem to be fixed. The box is not super-fast, but I have no complaints with the speed as it is defintely workable now. The only "issue" I have is that about once a month, when you press the GUIDE button it always starts at channel 1 rather than the channel you are on and you have to go to the TIVO menu for a RESET to fix it. This also requires that you reprogram the 30-second commercial skip since that is lost when you reset which takes no time at all (just something I forget to do :)

Things that work:

1. I have never had a problem recording either one-time or season's passes. Even on cable channels, I haven't had an issue with the box recording multiple versions of the same show like others claim. It has worked 100% of the time for me.

2. 5.1 surround now works. Yeah!

3. Now that I have grown used to the guide, I know how to advance by day etc... Not nearly as easy as the Comcast DVR software, but workable since we don't do that as often.

4. Search functions are outstanding compared to Comcast DVR. Haven't had any issues with that, but have nothing to compare it to other htan old DVR software. I like the ability to search through on-demand (we use that a TON for the kids stuff, so I would definitely miss it if I went HD TIVO).

5. As I stated before, speed has drastically increased compared to what I saw after the update. One user mentioned the huge time the unit takes to reindex, but this seemed to have happended overnight at some point, so I question whether a small patch or update was rolled out.

Things that don't work or need improvement:

1. If you use 5.1 surround, the BOOP and BONG sounds don't work. This is not a bug as they tell you this in the menu, but would be nice as I kind of grew to like them.

2. Slingbox skins don't work as they don't have a skin for the Comcast TIVO yet (though I've been trying :)

3. I still much prefer the day/date advance in the Comcast DVR software, but not a deal breaker.

4. I would REALLY like a menu which shows how much disk space is left... Though we have had a lot of HD shows recorded without issue, I have NO IDEA on how much space/time is left. I believe it is a 160Gb drive in the unit, but not sure about compression and how much space a HD show takes up.

For the additional $2.95/month, I guess it is worth it, but really don't feel that Comcast should charge anything additional (the $9.95/month is plenty to cover costs and make money). Plus, I don't have a piece of hardware that may or may not work down the road, may get outdated, etc... I kind of like the idea of leasing technology as it changes so much.

Lastly, if you ever need to contact TIVO support, DON'T CALL as you will wait for hours on the phone. Go the Comcast web site and do the LIVE CHAT with support. I have done this 3 times so far and never had to wait more than 5 minutes.

So, while I may not be a TIVO cheerleader, I am at least not as ticked off as I was previously and am satisfied with the service. Just another opinion here :)

[mtchamp]

Good to hear that north of Boston some updates went out that have improved things. People are saying Comcast will do a major update across the NE region in July. I had the crazy 8's problem and returned the box until we get the update. We often have a power failure that last just a second, but enough to send the box into the crazy 8's loop and only a new box fixes that problem. I'll be back on board as soon as Comcast makes the announcement here that the new software is out and golden.

[stevegarfield]

I'm now watching last season's Mad Men On Demand via TiVo. This is a great feature that I'm sure will generate a lot of revenue for paid movies.

I can't find a good way to see HD movies that are coming up...

Does anyone have a solution to this? I probably have to wait for the update to get this.

Other than that, the Comcast TiVo records what I want when I want. Except for The Bachelorette, After the Final Rose.

My regular TiVo recorded it, my Comcast HD TiVo did not.
Just re-checked to make sure and my TiVo went to 888, then came back.

First time I've seen that...

[VivaLasVegas]

I'm now watching last season's Mad Men On Demand via TiVo. This is a great feature that I'm sure will generate a lot of revenue for paid movies.


I had real problems with OnDemand when I had my Comcast/TiVo box. The first problem is that you're using one of your two tuners to watch OnDemand. I would ALWAYS get interrupted watching OnDemand b/c TiVo wanted to change the channel to record something. I'd let it change the channel - only tio find out that the other tuner wasn't recording anything! Then I'd have to switch tuners and navigate (slowly) back to what I was watching OnDemand. The 2nd problem was that if I happened to be navigating OnDemand menus on the hour or half hour, I would miss a scheduled recording.
Then finally my OnDemand stopped working completely.

Now I have a TiVoHD.

[Bonanzaair]

Now I have a TiVoHD.

And you will never look back!


Bonanza