How would you change TiVo Search?

[bkdtv]

Last updated: January 18.

This is your chance to influence the direction of TiVo Search and potentially the future of the entire TiVo interface.

How would you change or improve TiVo Search?


Requested Features & Interface Changes
Netflix integration with the ability to directly select and add programs to the Netflix queue -- TiVo response (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=6976614#post6976614)


Alternative text input method (using number keys / T9 / Zune Marketplace scrolling input (http://www.zune.net/NR/rdonlyres/3DA519EB-F1EE-445C-8D7B-77277D2A450D/0/wifi.wmv)) If you aren't familiar with Zune Marketplace search, click the link - it's 39 seconds in

The name of the current search method would be indicated in smaller letters below the word "Search." Switching between search input methods could be done with:


default input selection on Search Options;


a thin vertical bar running up the left side of the screen, with selections for "Keyboard" (default), "Numeric" (like a cell phone), and "Scroll" (like Zune Marketplace Search); or


a toggle between input methods using a button on the remote, such as Aspect or Thumbs+/Thumbs-.


Index sports teams in search and create a main page for every major sports team, just as you do for actors and series.

When you search on Lakers, you could select the "Los Angeles Lakers" team page. This would include an Upcoming menu with a list of all upcoming games for that team. The user could also create a wishlist to record all new games.

For college teams, you could add Upcoming plus a separate menu to list all upcoming games for other teams in the same conference. You could call this "Related Events," "Conference Games" or "Division Games," or something more specific like "Upcoming Big12" or "Upcoming Big10."


Index all episode titles, so when you input the name of a specific episode, you get the name of the show with the episode name in parenthesis. By default, partial matches would be prioritized last. For example, searching on "Return to Sender" would return "Dexter (Return to Sender)" in search results. If necessary to avoid clutter, you could display episode title matches only when more than X characters are entered.

This function would be extremely useful for searching many types of documentary-type shows, which have a generic, non-descriptive title. On these programs, the episode title often serves as the descriptive title. A user may remember all or part of the episode title, but not the program title.


When setting up a WishList from a search, provide the option to specify HD only.

If possible in a future version of the TiVo software, add additional wishlist categories like "Prefer HD" (to record the HD version of a program if both SD and HD versions exist, but still record SD version if no HD version exists) and "SD only" or "Ignore HD."


On movies, add a "Credits" menu below the "Cast" menu. The "Credits" menu would show the director, producers, and writers.


Allow users to search on actors when the filter is set to display only free / recordable programs.


On the initial search screen -- before the user actually performs a new search -- reserve the first two spaces on the top-bar for "TiVo Daily Picks - <Date>" and "Most Popular on TiVo <Week of X/XX - X/XX >." Clicking select on "TiVo Daily Picks" would show the daily picks for the day. Selecting "Most Popular" would display the 25 most-recorded shows. This is the same information on TiVo.com -> Find TV Shows (http://www3.tivo.com/tivo-tco/index.do).

In Search Options, the user would be given the option to hide Daily Picks and Most Popular.


Make it easy to find season premieres


Dedicate one of the first squares on the top-bar to a "Season Premieres on TiVo" graphic. Selecting this would show a list of all pilots and season premieres upcoming in the next two weeks. Only show this graphic if there are upcoming season premieres that the user can actually receive (i.e. they get the channel). In Search Options, the user would be given the option to hide the "Season Premieres" square, just as they could hide Daily Picks and Most Popular.


Dedicate 1-2 squares in the shows that have their pilot or season premiere in the next two weeks. Only prioritize season premieres that the user can actually receive (i.e. they get the channel).


Differentiate season premieres in the top banner in some way, such as NEW SERIES or NEW SEASON text overlayed on the series image.


Allow the user to search on "season premiere" -- search results would list all series with a first-run pilot or season premiere showing in the next 14 days



Add "Save these Options" to Search Options allowing the user to keep their filters and sorting options whenever they exit the program.


Provide the "Youtube Search" option for actors


When a specific episode selected through Episode Guide is not showing in the next 14 days, give the option to create a wishlist for that episode.


Search recorded lists across multiple TiVos to support "Watch Now (MRV)" for shows stored on another box in the home.


Much like remote scheduling, add a selection for "Use this TiVo: " to the Season Pass Options and Record Options screens. If the user only has one TiVo in their home, this option would be grayed out and indicate the current DVR. If the user has more than one TiVo, then the user would be able to choose the DVR where they want to record the program.

Furthermore, if there is a conflict with a new recording on the selected TiVo, then you might give the user the option to schedule the recording on a different DVR.


On movies, show ratings from RottenTomatoes.com (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/); this would take the form of the RT logo followed by either a % or a 1-10/10 rating.


Allow users to vote thumbs up / down to the suggestions at the top of the screen; shows given a thumbs down would not be suggested again in the banner bar.



In Search Options, include the setting to "Exclude programs rated with with Thumbs-down" from search results. That way, results for the user could become more tailored over time as they rate programs.


On the program screen, add a separate menu for movie reviews / awards (if and only if such information is available)


When a program is part of a guru guide, consider adding a link or a menu for "Guru Guide." This could take the form as a "Guru Guide" link under the "If you like this..." menu.


Add support for Yahoo widgets (http://connectedtv.yahoo.com/newsroom/images) (sports scores, weather, etc) in banner bar at the top of the screen.


When you select YouTube on the Bonus Features menu, display the YouTube results inline in TiVO Search. Stop requiring users to exit to a completely separate app. There should only be one application with one interface.


Hulu


Offer a new TiVo remote with a slide-out keyboard, like this one from Vizio (http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/vizio-takes-the-cover-off-connected-hdtv-netflix-blockbuster/). Alternatively, support standard / wireless USB keyboards.


Integrate videos from PC shared folders in search.


Aesthetic Changes
Increase menu and menu selection width, as seen in the press shots.


Add the vertical divider between the second and third frames, as seen in the press shots.


Center "Press ENTER to filter results" on the center pane, as seen in the press shots.


Reduce the size of the thumbs up/down graphics and display them to the right of the program name, rather than the left.


Since TV is the only current source of HD content, consider merging the TV and HD icons so you have one version of the TV icon for SD and another version of the TV icon when a program is available in HD. In the future, you would also have separate icons for Amazon Unbox and Amazon Unbox HD, Netflix and Netflix HD, etc. This merged TV+HD icon would be used on Search results; the HD icon would still be used under Upcoming, etc.


Eliminate excess space on the Episode Guide between the "Jump to Season" selection and the first episode.


On the page for a specific episode, change record text from "Record next episode" to "Record this episode."


In the Episode Guide, consider moving the season and episode numbers to the first line so twice as many entries can fit on the screen. This would allow six or seven episodes per page.


Other Changes
Improve performance: eliminate lag during text input.

If it is not possible to eliminate lag with with the current implementation (refining results after each input), then wait until the user pauses their "typing" to display results.

[magnus]

+1 for Adding Netflix.

I did try the new search out but did not see any Jaman or CinemaNow links but maybe I did not do enough searching.

[Mindflux]

Speed

Uniformity with the 'keyboard' in all the menus (This includes the new Search Beta)

[johnny99]

Hulu

[modnar]

Shortcuts for typing letters - like the numbers on a phone keypad.

[nrc]

1. They definitely need to improve text input. Waiting on cursor move responses while inputing text is absolutely going to kill TiVo's entire approach to this if they can't solve it. Even if the current system doesn't change it must, at an absolute minimum, be faster and more responsive. Wireless or slow ISP connections aren't an excuse for this. If it doesn't work for the average customer it doesn't work period.

2. They currently give the "Youtube Search" option for program entries but it should be added for actors.

3. As mentioned repeatedly, NetFlix needs to be in there. TiVoPony pointed out that it would be difficult or impossible with the current NetFlix API so everyone with that suggestion needs to start feeding that back to NetFlix as well.

4. When stepping through the suggestions at the top of the screen you should be able to give a thumbs up or down to the program and that should affect whether the show still appears up there.

5. When setting up a WishList from a search it would be nice to have an option to specify HD only.

6. Added features in the program screen could include things like movie reviews, awards, presence in guru guides, etc.

[moyekj]

Make it a Tivo native application, not HME based (though I know that will likely never happen). Cut back on all the graphics that slow things down too much. Seems to me the application strives more to try and "look cool" than to focus on actually helping find things. The top graphics bar for example is way too big and mostly not useful to me.
Of course I have to agree Netflix integration is a must to supplement YouTube & Amazon which I don't use.

My number 1 request:
GIVE US A WAY TO EASILY FIND SEASON & SERIES PREMIERES which has been a long-requested feature which never seems to make it's way into these various search mechanisms.

[ciper]

Put the USB ports to good use by adding the ability to use a keyboard.

[moyekj]

I'm also disappointed that search still doesn't behave as I would hope/expect. Simple example, enter the following as keyword:
lakers
I would expect all upcoming NBA basketball games featuring lakers to show up as matches but they don't. Just like with the normal Tivo search you have to enter the proper show title (NBA basketball) for it to show up and then plow through all results to find lakers games. I would have hoped this search engine would be smarter and look beyond just show titles, but perhaps that's too much data to expect quick searches on...

[E94Allen]

I thought I should mention again what I wanted earlier but seem this thread is better place to request the features so I would like to add wishlist ability in the Episodes and Episode Guide so I could record what I (we) missed due to possible problem such not recording or because CC has disappeared or channels has disappears whatever reasons it might be so I would like to be able to create wishlist automatically directly from clicking on that specific episodes and have ability to record that episode and only that episode if we wanted to.

[ZeoTiVo]

On TiVo website you can choose which DVR to setup the recording on.
Add that feature into this TiVo Search and I can search for shows I want to record and then decide which TiVo to record them on along with instant feedback on conflicts so I could decide to record on a different DVR in the house if needed.

[moyekj]

On TiVo website you can choose which DVR to setup the recording on.
Add that feature into this TiVo Search and I can search for shows I want to record and then decide which TiVo to record them on along with instant feedback on conflicts so I could decide to record on a different DVR in the house if needed. EXCELLENT SUGGESTION ! Especially in this case where HME is using information on Tivo servers anyway it should have full access to all your Tivos information (since you have to opt in anyway to use this application).

[modnar]

Make it a Tivo native application, not HME based (though I know that will likely never happen).
I can't agree with this more. I haven't seen a single HME based app that has performed as fast as I would think the average consumer expects from a set-top device.

[MickeS]

#2 in the OP is the only one I really feel strongly about. With as much text input as the TiVo interface needs for some apps right now, it needs to be taken care of.

Would also be great to find a way to do a TiVo Search like interface for the Music & Photo apps.

Another improvement would be if it would find shows on other TiVos in the network and give the option to play those using MRV, like TiVo Search does now for the Now playing list on the TiVo that search is being used on.

[BruceShultes]

Unless it is speeded up significantly, don't remove the current search selection when the new one is taken out of beta and released.

The new one is so slow it is almost unusable at this point.

[magnus]

I was just thinking about this one and went to add it to the thread. It would be good to have search show which Tivo a show is already being recorded on and have a setting to get a season pass from that Tivo. Sometimes 2 tuners just aren't enough.

On TiVo website you can choose which DVR to setup the recording on.
Add that feature into this TiVo Search and I can search for shows I want to record and then decide which TiVo to record them on along with instant feedback on conflicts so I could decide to record on a different DVR in the house if needed.

[janry]

I thought I should mention again what I wanted earlier but seem this thread is better place to request the features so I would like to add wishlist ability in the Episodes and Episode Guide so I could record what I (we) missed due to possible problem such not recording or because CC has disappeared or channels has disappears whatever reasons it might be so I would like to be able to create wishlist automatically directly from clicking on that specific episodes and have ability to record that episode and only that episode if we wanted to.

I want to 2nd this. We miss a few programs each year due to various issues. I create a wishlist whenever we do. While playing with this feature last night, I discovered such a wishlist I had set up had the wrong title information (speeling error :D). I wondered why I'd that episode had never come up again. LOL


Having this create at least the title information for a wishlist would help a lot since we don't have a real keyboard to work with.

[mathwhiz]

I have to agree about the speed. It is making me wonder what software will be left on my TiVo - everything is running over the network now. Which means if my network connection is done I lose more and more functionality. I would like to see more features added running right on my TiVo for increased speed and reliability. Going into the Music, Photos, and More area already takes 10-15 seconds for the menu to become usable. New features are nice - but only if you can actually use them without waiting. I'll take a faster older interface before a newer slower one.

[ciper]

Please view the first image of this post http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=415697
Something like that would make TiVo search (and all other functions) far easier to use.

[bkdtv]

I have to agree about the speed. It is making me wonder what software will be left on my TiVo - everything is running over the network now. Which means if my network connection is done I lose more and more functionality. I would like to see more features added running right on my TiVo for increased speed and reliability. Going into the Music, Photos, and More area already takes 10-15 seconds for the menu to become usable. New features are nice - but only if you can actually use them without waiting. I'll take a faster older interface before a newer slower one.
The beta version of HDUI Search is run completely from TiVo's servers. This allows TiVo to make the application available to everyone without the need to install beta software on the customer's box. It also allows TiVo to update and improve the application daily based on feedback. It allows TiVo to experiment with "under the hood" changes to improve performance. The final version of TiVo search may or may not run from customer's own box -- TiVo hasn't said. Clearly, in the final application, most customers will not tolerate the launch delays and intermittent pauses that occur during input and navigation.

[raghu1111]

At least experimentally : Ability to type from my laptop. Tivo could publish an interface for applications to send keys to Tivo as though there was a wireless keyboard connected.

[raghu1111]

Ability to go to search just from 'Tivo' + shortcut.

I like Netflix on Tivo, but find it tedious to go through 5-6 screens to reach 'Watch Instantly'

[Mindflux]

Ability to go to search just from 'Tivo' + shortcut.

I like Netflix on Tivo, but find it tedious to go through 5-6 screens to reach 'Watch Instantly'

5 screens? TiVo Central -> VOD -> Netflix (which then shows you the list in your queue).

That's pressing select a total of 3 times along with a few up/down cursor movements.

[ZeoTiVo]

5 screens? TiVo Central -> VOD -> Netflix (which then shows you the list in your queue).

That's pressing select a total of 3 times along with a few up/down cursor movements.

then "watch instantly" then scroll the list

[steve614]

The beta version of HDUI Search is run completely from TiVo's servers. This allows TiVo to make the application available to everyone without the need to install beta software on the customer's box. It also allows TiVo to update and improve the application daily based on feedback. It allows TiVo to experiment with "under the hood" changes to improve performance. The final version of TiVo search may or may not run from customer's own box -- TiVo hasn't said. Clearly, in the final application, most customers will not tolerate the launch delays and intermittent pauses that occur during input and navigation.

Agreed. I'm cutting Tivo some slack for the slowness right now being this is something new and in beta.
I'd much rather have them test it this way instead of a software update/modification which could potentially cause a bug in some other function.

[tjkrz]

Please please please speed it up. This is my biggest complaint with Tivo. It's very unresponsive, and this new UI does little to improve it. I'm not sure why this is so difficult to implement...it was never this bad on my Series 1.

[rkcarter]

* Any sort of better keyboard support (standard USB keyboard support and/or better remote with slide-out alphabetical keys and/or allowing T9 and/or text-messaging inputs, and/or one I'd love in general -- a web interface that supports all the menu functions I could connect to at home; ideally password-protected if desired).

* Exact title searching. As one example of many, I got a new TiVo up last week. New episodes of "Life" won't be on until February. Just try setting up a wishlist search for "Life" on digital cable and just see how many things you'd have to subtract out to just get "Life" (and, of course, every day brings new ones, often in episode titles of other series). Same with "Heroes." As with "(HEROES)" meaning "optional," perhaps the display could show "[HEROES]" for "exact title."

* Additionally, exact-title searching could help with another peeve of mine -- that there's no way in normal program-search to just say "give me all episodes of "Seinfeld reruns on all channels," without specifying each channel... which could mean that the channel you get them on drops "Seinfeld" and/or some other channel picks it up, and you'd never know.

* Knowing the difference between series title and episode title. I don't care if they are separate fields or if there's a way to tag them series/episode/don't-care. In fact, I suspect don't-care is the rarest case for most people, really (that would also help with the problem immediately above this one -- in my "Life" example, many are showing shows with the word "Life" in an episode title). I imagine, ideally, if someone wanted all shows with "Heroes" in series *or* episode title, they could put "(Heroes)" optional in both fields.

* People have suggested thumbs-downing the results from a search. I propose a slightly different, broader way -- a search check-box entitled "Exclude Thumbs-Down Shows." That way I could have a genre search that potentially gets better over time.

* An TiVo-wide HD option that can be defaulted in Settings and overridden in individual cases -- three choices: Normal, "Prefer HD showings" or "Never record HD shows" (apparently some Over-the-Air channels in digital cable will show both HD and normal-def, so this will soon become a problem for people with non-HD sets if I get that correctly -- they won't be able to simply exclude a channel from "Channels I Receive" without losing some SD content).

Throw those in, and I'll fall in love all over again.

[rkcarter]

* Any sort of better keyboard support (standard USB keyboard support and/or better remote with slide-out alphabetical keys and/or allowing T9 and/or text-messaging inputs, and/or one I'd love in general -- a web interface that supports all the menu functions I could connect to at home; ideally password-protected if desired).

And to clarify, I'm not talking about the TiVo.com site on the web interface, I'm talking about the TiVo itself's local web interface. I don't think you can do all that much from it, but I admit it's been a long time since I tried.

[nrc]

This evening I noticed that on the details screen for Movies there is no information about writer or director. With Swivel Search I frequently find a movie I like and then select the director to find other movies by that director. Every movie screen in the new search should have a "Credits" section along with the "Cast" section. The "Credits" section would contain the director, writer, and producer.

I'd also love to see a section for each actor, director, etc that lists all of their movies whether they're available for recording or rental at that time or not. This would make it simple for me to create a Wish List for a specific movie when it does air. This would be especially useful if it listed new releases. That way I could easily create a Wish List for a movie when it's released and catch it as soon as it comes to cable.

[Joe3]

"The newly tuned search engine also displays the most popular search results of the day automatically, even when typing only a single letter."

How can you say most popular? We don't vote!

The number of hits do not account for the number of mistakes (Not even a key board for entry). and

What about hits you get by going after wild goose chases. Search is not accurate enough to be called, "most popular".

Let us vote on the most popular!

Please look at the "Digg" Model. Its a more honest way of getting to what we think is good.

Democratize, let us vote! :o :o :D

Its participatory, gives a sense of Community and is a more positive and fun experience! :up:

[ontheway]

Does anyone really utilize search results after one or two characters have been entered. It appears that the search feature (youtube behaves this way too if I am not mistaken) takes place after each keystroke and if that is correct this slows things down a lot which would seem to account for the delay in entering new characters. I would rather be able to input however many characters I want and then hit the select key to start the search.

[bkdtv]

Does anyone really utilize search results after one or two characters have been entered.Certainly! In fact, I would be very surprised if most searches involved more than a few characters.

One letter will now display most popular shows. With B, you get shows like Bones, Boston Legal, Big Bang Theory, and Burn Notice. With C, you get shows like Chuck, CSI, College Football, Californication, and CSI: Miami. With E, you get shows like ER, Eureka, Eleventh Hour, and Entourage. With H, you get shows like House, Heroes, and How I Met your Mother. With M, you get shows like Mad Men, My Own Worst Enemy, Monk, and The Mentalist. With T, you get shows like Terminator: SCC, The Tudors, Top Chef, Two and a Half Men, and True Blood.

I can't recall seeing a single network series that required more than two input characters.

[DianaMo]

This would be unlikely, but just in case it becomes possible in the future...

How about an option requesting a text file of the closed captions from the program or sports telecast sent to the Tivo user's email adddress?

[DianaMo]

Obtain better baseball telecast listings.

Usually the baseball listings start with "MLB Baseball"

Of course, we want to search by team, not sport.

Also would like to more easily determine if the game is LIVE or a re-broadcast.

Thanks!

[MichaelK]

add my vote for doing something about sports Team listings

[DianaMo]

I'd like to see something like Google News Alerts by keyword but for tv listings instead of news stories.

That was you could have a web based list of keyword searches for tv programs that wouldn't have a limit of how many searches you can run and it would save your searches.

[ontheway]

Certainly! In fact, I would be very surprised if most searches involved more than a few characters.

One letter will now display most popular shows. With B, you get shows like Bones, Boston Legal, Big Bang Theory, and Burn Notice. With C, you get shows like Chuck, CSI, College Football, Californication, and CSI: Miami. With E, you get shows like ER, Eureka, Eleventh Hour, and Entourage. With H, you get shows like House, Heroes, and How I Met your Mother. With M, you get shows like Mad Men, My Own Worst Enemy, Monk, and The Mentalist. With T, you get shows like Terminator: SCC, The Tudors, Top Chef, Two and a Half Men, and True Blood.

I can't recall seeing a single network series that required more than two input characters.

bkdtv,

Yes one letter brings up a lot of the popular series and a whole lot more to sift through, but my question was does anyone really do single letter searches not will they bring results.

Let me get some clarity on what I think is happening, if it is not then my issue is non existant. Does the Tivo perform the search after each character is entered? It appears that it does and perhaps that is why subsequent key entries don't appear immediately.

For instance if I enter "B" and then , the use the arrow keys to naviagte to the next letter I want to enter, the UI cursor lags behind what I enter via the remote which is frustrating.

Again, my personal preference would be to enter the characters I want to search on (whether it be 1 character or 5) and then have the search performed, but I accept that not everybody would feel this way.

Thanks,

Scott

[DianaMo]

A qwerty keyboard remote would be greatly appreciated.

I'm imagining a classic Tivo remote that opens in the middle to display the keyboard.

Those of us who use the Youtube feature on the series 3 Tivo would really benefit from the use of a faster way to type.

[rkcarter]

For instance if I enter "B" and then , the use the arrow keys to naviagte to the next letter I want to enter, the UI cursor lags behind what I enter via the remote which is frustrating.

Again, my personal preference would be to enter the characters I want to search on (whether it be 1 character or 5) and then have the search performed, but I accept that not everybody would feel this way.

Thanks,

Scott

Scott, I think that the real problem is the first paragraph. I don't care if search results start to pop up myself, as long as it doesn't cause a pause in entering the next keystroke. The system is either inappropriately waiting for those results before paying your entry more attention, or the pay-attention-and-write-to-the-screen-when-you-press-a-remote-key part of the software is losing out in resources to the do-the-search-from-what's-typed-in-so-far part. That's what should be fixed.

[DAccardi]

Ability to go to search just from 'Tivo' + shortcut.

I like Netflix on Tivo, but find it tedious to go through 5-6 screens to reach 'Watch Instantly'


you go thru 2 screens, not 5 or 6. If you count the TiVo Main Menu page, then 3.

[DAccardi]

Integrate the C drive from you computer in the search, I have tons of videos on my computer and it would be nice if somehow they can search your computer for what you are looking for also. At least search the tivo directory.

[DAccardi]

Does anyone really utilize search results after one or two characters have been entered. It appears that the search feature (youtube behaves this way too if I am not mistaken) takes place after each keystroke and if that is correct this slows things down a lot which would seem to account for the delay in entering new characters. I would rather be able to input however many characters I want and then hit the select key to start the search.

Great idea and I 2nd it.

[MichaelK]

swival search seems not to search until you pause your "typing"- if you keep hitting keys it waits to search. If you pause a bit between your ups, downs, lefts, and rights then it goes and does it's business.

I wonder why this isn't behaving that way.

If it's becasue they eventually plan to run it locally off the hardware then no problem. but if it's going to be up on the net someplace then they should go the way they did with swival.

[bkdtv]

swival search seems not to search until you pause your "typing"- if you keep hitting keys it waits to search. If you pause a bit between your ups, downs, lefts, and rights then it goes and does it's business.

I wonder why this isn't behaving that way.

If it's becasue they eventually plan to run it locally off the hardware then no problem. but if it's going to be up on the net someplace then they should go the way they did with swival.The whole purpose of searching on each letter is to continually refine the results. If a user wants to find HOUSE, and they enter H, they can stop moving to O when they see that HOUSE is displayed. Searching on movies can take 2-8 characters to find the desired program, but the user won't know how many characters they need unless the results are refined after each input. If you wait until input is complete, then you're asking the user to guess how many characters they need. Users will exert more effort inputting unnecessary characters.

If what you propose is necessary to eliminate the lag for a significant percentage of users, then I am all for it. But don't you think the best option would be the existing implementation (i.e. continually refining results after each input) without the lag?

[rkcarter]

The whole purpose of searching on each letter is to continually refine the results. If a user wants to find HOUSE, and they enter H, they can stop moving to O when they see that HOUSE is displayed. Searching on movies can take 2-8 characters to find the desired program, but the user won't know how many characters they need unless the results are refined after each input. If you wait until input is complete, then you're asking the user to guess how many characters they need. Users will exert more effort inputting unnecessary characters.

If what you propose is necessary to eliminate the lag for a significant percentage of users, then I am all for it. But don't you think the best option would be the existing implementation (i.e. continually refining results after each input) without the lag?

I'd much rather, given the choice, choose the other way. If keyboard input is preferred, I can always DECIDE to stop between keystrokes and await results. This way, with results display preferred and keypresses ignored, I have no choice.

[nrc]

I'd much rather, given the choice, choose the other way. If keyboard input is preferred, I can always DECIDE to stop between keystrokes and await results. This way, with results display preferred and keypresses ignored, I have no choice.

I think they figure that since they're guessing what you might be entering based on popularity you may think you need to put in more than you do.

[MichaelK]

The whole purpose of searching on each letter is to continually refine the results. If a user wants to find HOUSE, and they enter H, they can stop moving to O when they see that HOUSE is displayed. Searching on movies can take 2-8 characters to find the desired program, but the user won't know how many characters they need unless the results are refined after each input. If you wait until input is complete, then you're asking the user to guess how many characters they need. Users will exert more effort inputting unnecessary characters.

If what you propose is necessary to eliminate the lag for a significant percentage of users, then I am all for it. But don't you think the best option would be the existing implementation (i.e. continually refining results after each input) without the lag?

I much prefer the UI paradigm where one types and results constantly get refined. Lots of places use it and it's nice- there's all sorts of places that MS does that. Facebook does it. So yep i like that alot.

BUT the 64,000 question is can tivo pull that off without horrific lags. So far it appears NOPE. So it's quicker i think to type H-O-U and then pause and hope tivo finds House. Rather then type H wait, type O and wait again and then it gets it.

To me, bottom line- the SPEED is most important to whatever method.

[javabird]

I know this app is mainly intended for HDTV's, but I'm using a TivoHD on a HD-ready TV using Native format. The search menu text is too small to easily read on my TV...
so, please make a version that is readable in 480i.

[Larry in TN]

An HD-Ready TV *IS* an HD TV. Connect your TiVo to one of it's HD inputs.

[matt@thehickmans]

1. add ability to filter on release year for TV episodes

2. add ability to filter on number of stars for movies.

[dratoff]

I like the new search. I like the way you handle shows with multiple seasons. I would like the ability to record an individual episodes. For example. Let's say I want to record the third episode of season 2. I would like to add that particular episode to my season passes. Thank you.

[bkdtv]

I like the new search. I like the way you handle shows with multiple seasons. I would like the ability to record an individual episodes. For example. Let's say I want to record the third episode of season 2. I would like to add that particular episode to my season passes. Thank you.Sounds like you want the menu option to create a wishlist that will automatically record a specific episode the next time it is shown.

[E94Allen]

Sounds like you want the menu option to create a wishlist that will automatically record a specific episode the next time it is shown.

Yep you explained this very well and I requested this feature while back as well.

Edit: I would add something more to this. People don't always want record in HD so when create wistlist in mind I would like to make it SD only or HD only as option or better yet let me pick which channel to record. Something like that.

[rkcarter]

Someday I would love to see the TV show search and Wishlists more consolidated.

A few ideas there:

- At least for broadband users, an ability (perhaps as an additional option to TV show and/or Wishlist search) to see all the show names that TiVo knows about anywhere from past or present, so just because, say, "The Invaders" (1960's science fiction show) isn't on in the next two weeks or currently on a local channel, if the service TiVo builds its data for has ever had it in their line-up, it shows up. Ideally, somehow a way to tell you're looking at a series or a one-shot (i.e. is "Heroes" the TV series or "Heroes" the movie?) and perhaps a year (is it 1978 "Battlestar Galactica" or 2004+)? TiVo does know the difference in most cases I can think of, so it has some way of internally representing that.

Given that information, you can do a few things with Wishlists you can't do now:

- Unambiguously identify which show -- right now if you want "Heroes" or "Life" on your list while they don't have any episodes in the next two weeks, you either have to add an actor (which may not be presented in the information in reruns, etc. so it's unreliable) or try subtracting all the other things that may come up and keep at it every few weeks ("LIFE" -"ON MARS" -"MY SO CALLED" -"IS BEAUTIFUL" -... ).

- Be channel-independent. You find out that G4 is rerunning those old Heroes episodes, great, you can set a Season Pass for that. But when G4 quits, and SciFi starts rerunning them instead, your Season Pass just became useless. When NBC discontinued "Scrubs" and ABC bought it, you wouldn't have to worry about missing anything if you missed that news.

- Do different things for First-Run and Reruns -- "Heroes" First-Run, keep all, Save-until-I-delete; "Heroes" reruns, keep 5, Save-until-space-needed.

- Know you're getting the show title as opposed to the episode title. If "Random Show That You Hate" had an episode called "Life," your "Life" wishlist wouldn't get it if your wishlist/season pass knew you were getting the TV series.

[nrc]

- At least for broadband users, an ability (perhaps as an additional option to TV show and/or Wishlist search) to see all the show names that TiVo knows about anywhere from past or present, so just because, say, "The Invaders" (1960's science fiction show) isn't on in the next two weeks or currently on a local channel, if the service TiVo builds its data for has ever had it in their line-up, it shows up. Ideally, somehow a way to tell you're looking at a series or a one-shot (i.e. is "Heroes" the TV series or "Heroes" the movie?) and perhaps a year (is it 1978 "Battlestar Galactica" or 2004+)? TiVo does know the difference in most cases I can think of, so it has some way of internally representing that.

Good idea. This is similar to a suggestion that I made in regard to Movies. When I look at a cast member (or writer, director, producer which need to be added) I should be able to see every movie (or as you suggest, TV program) they've been in. It shouldn't matter whether it's airing or available for rent at that particular time.

As you mention, this could be an option in the search setup "All programs" vs. "Coming Soon." Come to think of it, you could have a third option "Available Now" that would include only what can be downloaded or viewed right now (or say within the next hour).

This would be great for setting up wish lists for movies or programs that aren't available in the current guide or rentals. Ideally you could set up a wish list to record a movie in HD the first time you see a trailer for the movie just by looking it up in search.

Which brings up another Wish List option. You should have the option of having a Wish List alert you through a message if something available for rental matches a Wish List.

[jludman]

+1 sports team listings

[zEli173]

I really dislike that TiVo only gives two options for resolving conflicts when I schedule a new recording. The first option is to clip or cancel a newly scheduled recording, the second option is to clip or cancel the existing scheduled recording with the lower season pass priority (not exactly sure what happens when the recordings aren't part of a season pass). I want TiVo to give me all the options, which means allowing me to clip or cancel the higher priority recording. Start by including this functionality in the Beta search.

Also, another +1 on the sports team names!

[outpost]

I find text entry slow and awkward, because when you hold the arrows down to go quickly to another letter, the cursor will jump out of the text box.

I would like to be able to hold an arrow down and fast cycle through all the letters to the letter I want. Then, maybe the 8 second jump and forward jump buttons could be used to leave the text box.

[DianaMo]

I'd like individual, searchable listings for each program on Book TV.

http://www.booktv.org/schedule.aspx

Thanks.

[javabird]

Make a way to change the display of the Search menu to accomodate 480i.

I have my TV set to Native and Smart Screen, and although I can see the whole Search menu, the text is just too tiny. I need a way to make the text larger.

[E94Allen]

I would like to add "Only in SD" as option since they already have option for HD only in Wishlist. I perfer SD because due to having a limited space (20 hrs in HD space).

[nrc]

5. When setting up a WishList from a search it would be nice to have an option to specify HD only.

When creating a wishlist from TiVo Search there's now an option an option to record only in HD. :up:

[ciper]

When creating a wishlist from TiVo Search there's now an option an option to record only in HD. :up:

The devil seems to be in the details. The option doesn't work based on resolution but rather if the content was originally shot in HD and flagged that way.

The difference is that a movie shot on film may be displayed in HD but isn't flagged HD and such a wishlist would miss it!

[MichaelK]

now that i got the 'more info' box with the latest update, and this seems to have taken the place of swival search, and I started playing around a bit. I'm noticing it's not always clear about HD. Specifically I had a season pass for something (this old house). I tried to figure out if the same show on another channel was now in HD. But it wasn't clear to me until i actually set up the second season pass on the HD channel and then checked the info there.

Would like it to be obvious ALL the time what's HD, so it's easier to pick those out.

[NJ_HB]

When trying to Record an upcoming program through the Find Program Menu and there is a conflict, TiVo should automatically schedule the next available recording or present a list of the next 'available' showings to make scheduling easier.
Currently if there is a conflict you can only cancel and replace the original recording or do nothing.

[MichaelK]

When trying to Record an upcoming program through the Find Program Menu and there is a conflict, TiVo should automatically schedule the next available recording or present a list of the next 'available' showings to make scheduling easier.
Currently if there is a conflict you can only cancel and replace the original recording or do nothing.

i'd one up that and have it give a choice like moxi does of which 2 of the 3 programs you want to prioritize- that sounds way cool.

[Capmeister]

Coming from DirecTV, I'd like if the search kept your current tuner in a window so I can search AND watch at the same time.

[MichaelK]

boo hiss no way

laughing.

If they were to do that I'd appreciate an option to shut it off. Sometimes I dont want the "noise" of the active tuner in the background. Or worse yet I dont want to see the score of the game that I have recording in the background.

[Capmeister]

Yeah, I suppose offering it as an OPTION would be nice. But obviously the speed of the thing is the main problem.