TivoHD non-technicial questions

[matthaught]

I am looking at getting a TivoHD. I have TWC in Raleigh NC and they just pushed out a huge update to my current HD DVR which is more of a downgrade to me, so much so that I am wanting to now pay the high install fee for the cable card and get a tivoHD. I have read plenty of technical info on the box, but I am looking for some more "touchy-feely" attributes of the TivoHD's UI that I can't find answers to.

1. One of the downgrades with the new TWC "update" is that there is a now a 3-4 second black screen between changing any channels where there was none before. What used to take me under a minute to scan my favorite channels, now is quadrupled. What is the channel changing delay like with a TivoHD using a M cable card?

2. Is the guide or whatever Tivo calls the program menu in widescreen? Every HD cable/DVR box I have had always displayed it in 4:3 with black side bars for the menus and such. Waste of space. Also, is it at all scalable? I have a largeish tv, and good vision, so showing only two hours of programing is a pain (plus it is at 4:3, even worse).

3. Can I program in favorite channels? I am guessing that this is pretty basic. I currently have a favorites button that lets me quickly cycle through my 20 or so favorite channels. I used to, before the upgrade, also be able to cycle through the favorites on the "guide", can the TivoHD do this? It was a nice time saver to see what is on.

Thanks, Matt

[TriBruin]

I am looking at getting a TivoHD. I have TWC in Raleigh NC and they just pushed out a huge update to my current HD DVR which is more of a downgrade to me, so much so that I am wanting to now pay the high install fee for the cable card and get a tivoHD. I have read plenty of technical info on the box, but I am looking for some more "touchy-feely" attributes of the TivoHD's UI that I can't find answers to.

1. One of the downgrades with the new TWC "update" is that there is a now a 3-4 second black screen between changing any channels where there was none before. What used to take me under a minute to scan my favorite channels, now is quadrupled. What is the channel changing delay like with a TivoHD using a M cable card?

I have very little lag between channel changes, I don't know how much that depends on the Cable company and how much is the Tivo.

2. Is the guide or whatever Tivo calls the program menu in widescreen? Every HD cable/DVR box I have had always displayed it in 4:3 with black side bars for the menus and such. Waste of space. Also, is it at all scalable? I have a largeish tv, and good vision, so showing only two hours of programing is a pain (plus it is at 4:3, even worse).

It is pretty much 4:3, but overlays a 16:9 video just fines. The scale is not adjustable, but you change the layout from a Grid to a list version. This will allow to see more lists (about 8-9 shows) on a single channel, along with the current show on 8-9 channels.

3. Can I program in favorite channels? I am guessing that this is pretty basic. I currently have a favorites button that lets me quickly cycle through my 20 or so favorite channels. I used to, before the upgrade, also be able to cycle through the favorites on the "guide", can the TivoHD do this? It was a nice time saver to see what is on.

The TivoHD does not have a "Favorites". However, one the biggest advantages, for me at least, is the ability to remove channels from the channel lineup that I (a) don't receive (movie channels) or (b) don't care about (shopping channels). This can eliminate at least half of the channels in your lineup.

Thanks, Matt[/QUOTE]

[JimSpence]

That delay in changing channels with the "new" TWC upgrade is probably because they rolled out Switched Video. It takes some time for the cable box to communicate to the central office what channel has been requested if it is one not already in the stream. At least that how I understand it. For me, that's another reason to not use cable. :)

People used to complain about the delay in changing channels with DirecTV, but this new and improved SV system is ridiculous from a user standpoint.

[jrm01]

The TivoHD does not have a "Favorites".


Sure it does. You have the option of setting up the Guide for"

All Channels
Channels I Receive
Favorites

[thomb]

The TivoHD does not have a "Favorites". However, one the biggest advantages, for me at least, is the ability to remove channels from the channel lineup that I (a) don't receive (movie channels) or (b) don't care about (shopping channels). This can eliminate at least half of the channels in your lineup.


The TivoHD does have favorites. If you go to Settings > Channel list, you can not only check the channels you receive, but you can use the thumbs up button to flag your "favorite" channels. Then you can filter your guide with either all channels, channels you receive, or favorite channels.
Tom

[hkellogg]

Hate to bump this but tivo really dropped the ball on this I absolutely hate the fact that I cant hit one button to start to cycle through my all my favorite channels it might just make me sell my tivo and use a crappy company dvr

[bkdtv]

Hate to bump this but tivo really dropped the ball on this I absolutely hate the fact that I cant hit one button to start to cycle through my all my favorite channels it might just make me sell my tivo and use a crappy company dvrWhy not just eliminate all of the channels you don't want to see from the guide? My guide has about 40 channels.

The "cycling" approach of the cable company DVR is a poor substitute for the ability to completely customize the guide. Cable companies do that in part so customers are constantly reminded of the programming they do not receive and could add to their account.

You can still record and manually tune channels you hide from the TiVo's guide. Search will also search those programs on the hidden channels.