New to TIVO and I am very disappointed so far...

[DJ Qube]

I just hooked up my first set of TIVO's, an HD and an HD XL. My cable cards don't come in until Thursday, but I couldn't resist playing around with it, since so I have heard so many people raving about how nice it is... The HD XL had Software v9.4 on it so I started playing around with the features.

My previous DVR experiences were the Scientific Atlanta 8300HD from Time Warner LA and the Motorola QIP6416-2 from Verizon FIOS. Knowing what else is out there, here are some thing that I am very disappointed with with the TIVO hardware / software setup.

1) Channel guide in both list view and grid view is VERY slow. Channels and schedules are stored in memory, so why does it take so long to refresh a screen when you page down? I gave up channel surfing when I went from analog to digital years ago, but on TIVO I can't even guide surf anymore!

2) Every type of programming, whether it be movie, sports, etc, show up in the same blue color on the guide. This information is already in the system, since you can do your filters. Why can't they implement this already? I've been on other forums and there are requests for this from a long time ago, and the only response from people that matter is "I agree. This would be a nice feature." :rolleyes:

3) If something is scheduled to be recorded, show that in the guide! For Christ's sake this is BASIC STUFF, PEOPLE! Just like the previous item, the only response is "I agree, this would be a nice feature". If it's so nice and so requested, then do something about it!

I updated to Software v11 last night, and nothing on my top three has been addressed. TIVO has been around for years. It should be a much more mature product than this. I'm gonna wait until my cable cards arrive to see just how usable / unusable it is compared to my last 2 DVRs. If there isn't some kind of super magnificent feature that I'm not aware of yet, I think I'm going to have to cancel my service and eat some restocking fees. :(

[MickeS]

1) has never been an issue for me, I've never noticed it being slow on my machines.

I wholeheartedly agree with 2) and 3), especially 3. It's crazy that it's not implemented after all these years.

I would never cancel service because of that though, I don't usually watch live TV so it's not a big deal to me, but it definitely should be there (though I use the To Do list anyway, so it wouldn't matter much to me).

I guess others who say "I agree" feel equally indifferent about this as I do - many of us "old timers" simply don't use the guide that much.

[bkdtv]

Be aware that your TiVos (and the program guide) will be less responsive than normal for the first 2-3 days, while guide data is indexed in the background.

I, like many on this forum, watch recorded or time-shifted programs almost exclusively. For searching, recording, and skipping commercials, no box can match a TiVo. That said, there's no question that program guide UI on the standalone TiVos is outdated. If you spend most of your time channel and guide surfing, then TiVo may not be for you.

You might want to check out these tips (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=5929134#post5929134) for the TivoHD. These tips will also show you some of the unique things that TiVo can do.

Note that TiVo has worked to modernize their program guide with genre highlighting and record indicators, but for now, that is only available in their software for Comcast boxes. A screenshot of that below. At the very least, it shows that TiVo is aware of the deficiencies in their guide interface, and is working on something better for a future software release or a future product.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2294/2126646108_7b9e2d4104.jpg?v=0
Screenshot courtesy of Steve Garfield.

Despite the deficiencies of the program guide UI, I would note that the actual program information on the TiVo is the best you'll find anywhere. You cannot underestimate the importance of accurate guide data, especially when it comes to reliable recording.

[sathead]

Your #2 and #3 points are valid.
There's no real answer as to why neither has been addressed over the years other than "it's on the list". The other most requested missing feature is a hard drive free space indicator... that's even more basic than your above requests.

That being said... give the TiVo's a chance, they will grow on you.

[TolloNodre]

I've been on other forums and there are requests for this from a long time ago, and the only response from people that matter is "I agree. This would be a nice feature." :rolleyes:


Sorry you're disappointed, but I'm not sure why you bought a product when you already knew it didn't work the way you wanted. :confused:

[lrhorer]

I have a better tip. Don't use the guide. I don't and haven't for years, with exception of the few months when I was forced to. With the TiVo it is completely unnecessary. The guide was a poor solution to a problem developed over 50 years ago, long before solid state electronics and the advent of programmable computers and databases. I was for a time forced to use a Scientific Atlanta 8300HD, and the experience was excruciating. The box is a genuine P.O.S., at least when running the SARA software, and while I had intended to wait a few months after the introduction of the S3 TiVo for the prices to fall from the initial $800 mark, when the S3 did come out I could not possibly care how much it cost. Getting rid of the @#%@ SA box was far more than worth it. After more than 6 months of continuous swearing and spitting whenever attempting to make use of the 8300HD, I was thrilled to spend the extra $400 or so just to relieve my blood pressure.

While the list of vomitous "features" of the 8300HD is exceedingly long, by far the worst "feature" was the fact one was forced to use the guide. It didn't help that, even as guides go - there being no such thing as a "good guide" - the guide on the 8300 was particularly lousy.

[westside_guy]

I've never understood the reason behind even having those guides on a Tivo - it's like the newspaper TV listings of the past 30-40 years. It seems like a very inefficient way to look for shows to watch. Tivo lets you search for specific shows, specific genres of shows, specific actors... and then lets you see all the times those particular shows are on. No clicking around from channel to channel, hoping to maybe see something of interest. Why fall back to the "old way" of doing this? Tivo appears to do exactly what you're asking for; it just doesn't follow the old print-based paradigm you're used to.

If you really prefer the old way - basically channel surfing - then maybe getting a Tivo was the wrong choice for you (I hope that doesn't come across as a slam, because it's not intended that way). The whole point of Tivo is that it purports to offer a better way of doing things. Most of us own them because we agree that it's significantly better. If you don't agree, then really it's just a waste of your money.

[astrohip]

I have a better tip. Don't use the guide. I don't and haven't for years, with exception of the few months when I was forced to. With the TiVo it is completely unnecessary.
Perhaps I am misreading something, how does one "not use the guide"?

For example, I'm sitting watching TV/TiVo. I know every Saturday night is when the big cable channels show their new movies (HBO, Starz, etc), so I hit guide, quickly jump to Saturday using the day ahead button, scan the 7PM (CST) movies, and hit record if there are any I've been waiting for.

I usually do this once a week, takes about 30 seconds. How would you do this without a guide?

[bkdtv]

For example, I'm sitting watching TV/TiVo. I know every Saturday night is when the big cable channels show their new movies (HBO, Starz, etc), so I hit guide, quickly jump to Saturday using the day ahead button, scan the 7PM (CST) movies, and hit record if there are any I've been waiting for.

I usually do this once a week, takes about 30 seconds. How would you do this without a guide?Set your TiVo to automatically record all new (first-run) movies and put them in a "New Movies" folder?

You can also do the same thing for new series "pilot" episodes.

[Grey Griffin]

For example, I'm sitting watching TV/TiVo. I know every Saturday night is when the big cable channels show their new movies (HBO, Starz, etc), so I hit guide, quickly jump to Saturday using the day ahead button, scan the 7PM (CST) movies, and hit record if there are any I've been waiting for.

I usually do this once a week, takes about 30 seconds. How would you do this without a guide?

Honestly, in more than 5 years of having a Tivo I think I've used the guide only 2 or 3 times to set up a recording. Most of the time I just use the title search feature or look at upcoming programs for a Wishlist. If I want to scan a particular channel I use the Record by Time or Channel => Browse by Channel feature. That way I can scan all the upcoming shows for a particular channel and the shows are marked if they've already been picked up by a Season Pass or Wishlist.

[Cainebj]

I usually do this once a week, takes about 30 seconds. How would you do this without a guide?

Maybe it's what you are used to in the DVR world. I dropped my TiVo about 3 years ago and switched to a Time Warner DVR (I guess by Scientific Atlantic) - I used it for a week and took it back. There was no wishlists by actors, everytime I paused a show and when to watch it again, it STARTED OVER.

It drove me nuts.

Anyway - Add me to the list of people who NEVER look at TiVo's guides.

I would also browse by channel,
OR I have a wishlist set up for HD movies and usually on the weekends, I see what HD movies are playing and record the ones I want.

That's generally how I get the new premium movies that I haven't seen.

[ah30k]

I use the guide all the time. I like to just browse what is out there for my viewing. Its like window shopping. If you only use genres, favorite actors etc then you might miss other items of interest. I usually do a quick spin through the HD channels taking a peak at current showings. My favorite channels, I'll take a peak at what is coming up soon.

BTW, there is a general nasty tone towards us that like to guide surf. Its lot like we're Luddites.

BTW2, why are we still using channel numbers to organize channels. I'd like to reorganize my channels into groups without regard to the arbitrary number assigned by my MSO.

[mikeyts]

Note that TiVo has worked to modernize their program guide with genre highlighting and record indicators, but for now, that is only available in their software for Comcast boxes. A screenshot of that below. At the very least, it shows that TiVo is aware of the deficiencies in their guide interface, and is working on something better for a future software release or a future product.To me, it just shows that Comcast insisted that they included the set of features present on every other leased cable box in use today :rolleyes:. Inset video on every dialog, annotations in the guide, etc.

As for all you "don't use the guide" folks--stuff it. There are probably a bunch of features of TiVo that you use and I never will and vice versa (obviously, since you don't use the guide and I do :)). Sometimes I don't feel like watching any of the stuff that I have recorded and I want to see what's on various channels right now. Without the guide, how do you suggest that I do that? It's not unreasonable to ask that the guide work well and be as informative as possible.

Sometimes, I use the Live Guide to page through upcoming programs on premium movie channels, selecting things to be recorded over the next several days. How else would I do that? As powerful as Wishlist Search is, it's lacking some things that I'd need, like a filter for channels.

As for his performance beef, as I play with the guide right now, both the Live Guide and Grid Guide are responding pretty quickly to commands. It also seems to display the "Now Playing" dialog much more quickly. I just got the version 11 firmware loaded last night and think that they may have made some significant performance strides.

[JWThiers]

Like was previously stated it takes 2-3 days after the initial setup for the guide data to index. After that things speed up

[WO312]

I agree with those who say to just use it for a while. I have both a TivoHD and a TWC SA8300HD. The SA is only good for 2 things: I watch those shows that I record because I was already using both tuners on the Tivo, and it acts as a nice caller ID for my TWC phone service.

Watch a few programs and see how much easier it is to navigate through the viewing - 30 second skip, skip to tick, skip back through tick, much more responsive FF and RW, etc. You will find that it's like driving a Ferrari instead of a Mack truck.

Not to mention neat features like remote online scheduling when you find out about a show when you're away from your Tivo, or out of town.

I do agree about highlighting programs in the guide that are set to record.

[ZeoTiVo]

I usually do this once a week, takes about 30 seconds. How would you do this without a guide?
I have no issues with someone wanting to use the guide but I find it too small to give me all the info I want and too manual as well.

I use wishlists to search for things I want - like all Sci Fi movies on any channel. Some wishlist I set to auto record with a keep at most of 5 or 10. Then I do not even go look for what is coming but just open up now playing and watch something when I want.

If I want to see what will be recorded then I go to "To Do list" and even if the channels are 50 numbers apart in the guide, they are one after the other in "to do List"

so I see those as great ideas for someone who uses the guide as their main info point. I join the camp though of not using the guide screen much unless I am looking for what is on a specific channel in the next few hours.

[zaknafein]

First let me say that I have both a TiVo HD, and an SA8300HD (with TW Navigator software) sitting side by side.

The TiVo is, IMO, immeasurably superior to the SA box.

I think the major issue here is that you've come from the SA8300HD, and haven't yet gotten fully acquainted with the TiVo's design philosphy.

The TiVo guide is, admittedly, a bit lacking in a few facets, but the TiVo interface itself provides you with much better tools for getting the information you need than the guide.

Want to know what's going to be recorded, go to the To-Do List (Shortcut, TiVo-2), want to record something, go into Find Programs and search by title or browse by channel or program type.

Once you've gotten used to the different philosophy, check out Wishlists. These give you power and flexibility that the SA box could only dream of.

Like I said, TiVo just goes about it a different way. A TiVo is a DVR first, that happens to operate on cable TV systems. It is designed to orient the interface around finding programs to record, and viewing them at your leisure.

The SA box, OTOH, is a cable box that has had a half-assed DVR reluctantly shoe-horned into the mix. Even though it can record stuff, it's still just a cable box, and everything about it still revolves around live TV.

Enjoy your new TiVo.

[astrohip]

Set your TiVo to automatically record all new (first-run) movies and put them in a "New Movies" folder?

You can also do the same thing for new series "pilot" episodes.
I actually have WL that do both that ("pilot" and "Movies/HD+2008"). They would record far too much for me. And it's not near as selective. So I use them as WL, not ARWL.

Honestly, in more than 5 years of having a Tivo I think I've used the guide only 2 or 3 times to set up a recording. Most of the time I just use the title search feature or look at upcoming programs for a Wishlist.
I use WL by the dozens. With rare exception, they are *not* ARWL. If there is a movie I am jonesin' for, I might set up an ARWL for it. Otherwise, I simply scan the "Show All WL" screens, picking out the ones I want. I usually do this every 5-7 days. I actually enjoy it, but that's because I prolly need to get a life. :rolleyes:


Maybe it's what you are used to in the DVR world.
No, it's what I'm used to in the TiVo world. I've only been using TiVos since 2002, so I'm fairly new to them. I only have 61 SPs and 77 WLs, so I'm kinda new to those also.

Seriously (and I tried not to use sarcasm, but your post just kinda invited it), I just use my TiVo differently than you. There is no right or wrong. And I'm always open to new TiVo ideas, which is what prompted me to post my original questions, asking how people *never* use the guide. I truly thought I was gonna hear about some computerized search process or something. I didn't expect to be lambasted over it (and I realize most of you didn't).

I use the guide all the time. I like to just browse what is out there for my viewing. Its like window shopping. If you only use genres, favorite actors etc then you might miss other items of interest. I usually do a quick spin through the HD channels taking a peak at current showings. My favorite channels, I'll take a peak at what is coming up soon.
+1000. Window shopping is a great description.

BTW, there is a general nasty tone towards us that like to guide surf. Its lot like we're Luddites.
Since the entire TiVo philosophy is "TV my way", one would wonder why anyone would negatively criticize anyone else's TiVo style. But they do. :eek:

[wkearney99]

There are two different ways to view the guide (and I can't recall which is which). I despise the one that uses blocks to show a number of channels all at the same time. I prefer the one that shows the channels on the left and the upcoming hours for that channel on the right. It just seems much faster to use this format (named Tivo guide?) when scrounging around looking for programming. I find the old school "tv guide" sort of format utterly unusable as it's just too slow.

As for putting a blip on the guide indicating something's on the To Do list, yeah it'd be nice. Once upon a time I might have insisted on it. But after a few years of being FREED FROM THE SHACKLES OF PROGRAMMING SCHEDULES it's just not important to me. Given how many programs are repeated during the overnights or in coming days I can focus more on the CONTENT and not the SCHEDULE. The only things that still force the scheduling are broadcast networks so those programs get higher thumb ratings that cable channels. That way the Tivo sorts it all out for me. There are, of course, going to be conflicts I might miss. C'est la vie, it's just television, it's not like it's IMPORTANT or anything.

Oh, and what's the Tivo-# shortcut for jumping straight to the To Do list?

[steve614]

Since the entire TiVo philosophy is "TV my way", one would wonder why anyone would negatively criticize anyone else's TiVo style. But they do. :eek:
I notice that, too. I've probably been guilty of it myself. :o

There are two different ways to view the guide (and I can't recall which is which). I despise the one that uses blocks to show a number of channels all at the same time. I prefer the one that shows the channels on the left and the upcoming hours for that channel on the right. It just seems much faster to use this format (named Tivo guide?) when scrounging around looking for programming. I find the old school "tv guide" sort of format utterly unusable as it's just too slow.


And I'm just the opposite. I was raised with the newspaper TV guide "grid".
I've tried to use the Tivo Live Guide, but I just can't do it. I like to see what's on NOW on all channels with as few remote presses as possible.
I could see how the live guide would be useful for scheduling recordings, but isn't that what Season Passes and Wish Lists are for? :D

[Adam1115]

The guide was my biggest disappointment when I first switched to TiVo.

Keep working with it, you'll find that the other awesome features make this not a big deal.

[wkearney99]

And I'm just the opposite. I was raised with the newspaper TV guide "grid". I've tried to use the Tivo Live Guide, but I just can't do it. I like to see what's on NOW on all channels with as few remote presses as possible. I could see how the live guide would be useful for scheduling recordings, but isn't that what Season Passes and Wish Lists are for? :D

As I mentioned, I'm tremendously pleased that my Tivo makes it possible to all but ignore WHEN a show is programmed. I get to watch what I want, when I want to watch it. I am not chained to the TV and it's schedules. I have too many other things I want to do with my time.

All I have to know is what station is carrying the content I want. Yes, if I know the actor, genre or other wishlist info I can search for it, and that works well. But I do find that certain stations are likely to carry more programs I'll want to watch. So I like to use the Tivo Guide to browse within just that channel. It lets me surf ahead within that station alone to see what's coming. I can then easily create a recording or season pass from it (or wander over to everything else via swivel search). I don't have to care if the program is on in the middle of the night (which is sometimes better as it maximizes using the tuners). I don't have to care whether I'll be awake or available to watch it live. I can wander ahead up to two weeks, picking and choosing what I want recorded.

I almost never bother to jump around looking for anything live or upcoming within the next few hours. I greatly prefer to be able to go right to the Now Playing List and watch what's already been recorded. This even applies to network broadcasts. I usually don't start watching the live programs to at least 20 minutes into their broadcast. That way I can fast-forward through the commercials and "catch up" to live TV at the end of the program.

Even if the TV Guide format was faster I still wouldn't use it. It would still leave me chained to the schedule the broadcasters are dictating. No thanks.

There are lots of things we were all 'raised with'. Sometimes letting go of some of those habits can be rewarding.

[wkearney99]

Oh, and what's the Tivo-# shortcut for jumping straight to the To Do list?

STFW dragged up, that it's Tivo-2 to jump right to the To Do list. There are more:

* TiVo+TiVo = Now Playing List
* TiVo+0 = Plays the boot animation
* TiVo+1 = Season Pass Manager
* TiVo+2 = To Do List
* TiVo+3 = WishList Search
* TiVo+4 = Search by Title
* TiVo+5 = Browse by Channel
* TiVo+6 = Browse by Time
* TiVo+7 = Record Time/Channel
* TiVo+8 = TiVo Suggestions
* TiVo+9 = Showcases

[davezatz]

I have a better tip. Don't use the guide. I don't and haven't for years, with exception of the few months when I was forced to. With the TiVo it is completely unnecessary.

I still watch a decent amount of live programming and frequently flip around the guide. It looks better than it used to, (hey, the grid guide was an after thought to the Live Guide) but it's still too slow and could be improved. The ReplayTV(s) I owned in 2000 displayed little red dots next on shows to be recorded... BUT we have come a long way.