How many UK users left?

[EddieBaby]

Had one almost since launch, and been paying £10 since then too! D'oh!

Although we get a 37" Samsung LCD delivered soon and I'm wondering about my options.

Nero are selling a PC based version of the Tivo UI in the states - doesn't seem like they want to sell if over here though :-( Plus they still want to charge the sub..

Ed

[EdGillett]

498.

Had mine since 2001 and was a monthly subber until about a year ago (muppet).

Haven't powered it up since moving over to a Huma 9300T about 8 months ago though. Prior to that had Sky with an upgraded SkyHD box (kept Tivo running on Freeview for a backup).

Ditched Sky and just have Freeview again now (and a free V box, but that's only cos I have the VM broadband since our ADSL signal is pants ... anywho, I digress)

I miss my Tivo. It looks sad unplugged on the shelf upstairs. I keep delaying the dreaded time to photograph it and put it onto the bay of fleas ...

*blip blip blip*

It remains one of the most amazingly enduring examples of usability first and foremost that I've not seen anywhere else. Come back to the UK with a S4 (or whatever) and reclaim your bloody crown from the DVR morons Tivo!!

[chrisphilaeva]

499 - Me and the missus love it

Have had a tivo for years, however recently it GSOD took a while to get it back to life!
We had a V+ box installed during this period, but now Tivo is back up and running V+ is just used for (sparse) HD recording.

Will keep using it as long as I can.

[globbitz]

500 .....but stopped my subscription (of too many years than I can remember) when Virgin Media stopped their Analogue service in November 2008. I'm now a sad owner of a V+ box - which is absolutely DIRE in the extreme.

LONG LIVE TiVo!

[TerryN]

501
Had it since 2001. Disk failed recently so upgraded with new disk and cachecard. Wouldn't be without it

[kitschcamp]

502

Just got the inlaws a TiVo with lifetime and original discs (just replacing them for them). I've spent a day giving them lessons on how to use it :)

[Dr Spanner]

Mine is sitting in the kids play room with a lifetime sub and a sky multiroom. The 120Gig HD that I updgraded to a few years back is on the way out and it keeps freezing so I now have two choices?

1. Get a new HD either buy one preconfigured from ebay or try to remember how I did it myself.

2. Stream from one of the two SKY+ HD boxes I have in other rooms to the kids playroom vi CAT5 and save the £10 a month multiroom.

Why do I feel guilty if I choose 2?

:)

[Calmic]

I've had my beloved Tivo since November 2000 - absolutely the best 600 quid I've ever spent. Since stuck a bigger disk in it, but that's all the modding I've done.

It's lasted me this long and I haven't seen anything I'd want to swap it for, however yesterday we had some kind of power surge or something and it has gone on the blink for the first time ever. It only sporadically recognises remote control input and frequently just freezes completely. Anyone got any ideas?

[martink0646]

Hi Calmic,

Someone will be along shortly to give you a proper answer but try looking for stray sources of IR; remote control down the side of a cushion, lights, plasma screen facing the TiVo etc.

Martin

[Calmic]

Thanks Martin - I've looked but can't see anything (I initially even thought they might have changed the lightbulb in a streetlight outside or something), and it wouldn't explain the lockups either...

[ash10]

Still going strong after six years or so - really glad I bought the lifetime subscription! :)

Bigger disk these days, and could really do with a CacheCard... :rolleyes:

[tartan_haggis]

504 I think.

Bought a TiVo and upgraded it a couple of years ago. Sold it when I moved house and got Sky+ HD.

Now decided to buy TiVo again, and in fact have bought two. One has a lifetime subscription.

Despite the lack of twin tuner recording and no HD support (in the UK), the TiVo user interface and EPG just can't be beaten. Even by the new Sky+ HD EPG.

Bought my girlfriend a Humax Freesat HD+ box, but the UI and EPG still don't come close to TiVo.

Looking forward to adding Cachecards to the two new boxes and getting them up and running again.

[Pete77]

Despite the lack of twin tuner recording and no HD support (in the UK), the TiVo user interface and EPG just can't be beaten. Even by the new Sky+ HD EPG.

Looking forward to adding Cachecards to the two new boxes and getting them up and running again.

“There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7)

Welcome back to the fold Tartan Haggis. I know I would have felt like you if I had ever tried to give up my Tivo. Which is why I never gave it up in the first place.;):p

As to the dual tuners issue isn't that why the +1 channel and BBC IPlayer were invented.:cool:

[Haggis440]

Had ours about 10 years, not sure exactly how many.....it was so long ago. Still as it arrived with its original 40gb of drive space (don't want to increase it as the wife will only fill it up with Eastenders). just about to add a turbonet card to do the updates over the internet.

[strocky]

Have a freeview HD recorder also - but is terrible in comparison, nasty unresponsive menu's, keeps dropping the season pass for Click on BBC News 24 and others.
Been upgraded to Mode 0 playback for better quality recordings and a 400Gb drive fitted - Tivo is still the best PVR and now with more "+1" channels even the lack of dual tuners is less of an issue.
My only gripe is the telephone dial up for updates, the unit is not near a phone point and internet/wireless access would be so much better.

In short the only way you'll get my Tivo is to rip it from my cold dead hands (or until Tivo stop supporting in the Uk!)

Buy a tivonet card and get your Tivo networked and you can get your updates via your broadband :up:

[big_dirk]

506

[mhopley]

507

I've Just bought another one to replace the humax box in the kids room. Couldn't stand the slow epg on the humax.

New Tivo has lifetime sub with original 2 disk setup. I just need to get around to putting a new drive in.

[Ellistar]

508 and 509

[worm]

510 - Just set one up for the mother-in-law and she loves it.

[Jabamusic]

511, 512 and 513 - (Mine, the children's and a spare just in case!!)

Jaba

[calpj]

514

[childe]

515 - best gear I have ever bought (Oct 2000), but I am getting frustrated with the picture quality. I'm not sure it will survive my eventual move to a 42" or bigger screen. However I have a V+ box in the other room, and if that is the best the competition can offer then maybe I will endure the poor picture to keep all the other great Tivo exclusive features.

[colinreed]

516

[Timdownieuk]

517.

Got mine donkey's years ago (with lifetime sub). Had to replace HD (from TiVoland) a few years ago but other than that, it's been incredibly reliable.

Still the dogs b*llocks in terms of usability IMO. I'm keeping mine until one of us dies. ;-)

[pubman72]

518

[magic_man]

519 and trying to convert others!

[fac13]

520

[robin0]

521 522 -two more

[campbeji]

523

[taid]

524

now being held to ransom by sky so want to go freeview/freesat (not "freesat from sky" ..

got to find a Tivo compatible box

[Trevor73]

525
526 (spare #1)
527 (spare #2)

taid - Bush BFSAT02SD Black Freesat SD for £48.99 at Argos

[misterbleepy]

528 - good to see this forum is still active (like my TiVo...)

[Pete77]

524

now being held to ransom by sky so want to go freeview/freesat (not "freesat from sky" ..

got to find a Tivo compatible box

Why not just unsubscribe from Sky and continue using the unsubscribed Sky box with your Tivo on which you will still receive all the main channels and far more channels than a Freesat box can currently get in its EPG.

[JimMellish]

529.

Bought my Tivo in Feb 2001 with a lifetime sub. It now sits next to a Humax 9300 and the Tivo is superior in every way - especially when recording series which have to be checked every week on the Humax. Long live Tivo.

[Elijay]

530

I bought my Tivo in Feb 2001 with a lifetime sub. A friend upgraded it in 2002, not sure what he did but it has two hard drives. Just removed the outer case to get rid of all the DUST. And I'm keeping mine until one of us dies. ;-)

[Furball]

531 Mine
532 Mums one

Bought ours in 2001 and upgraded the drive 2 yrs later .........and touch wood that drives still going 24/7 six years later :eek:

Both are lifetimed subs

Fur

[cheeseypeas]

533 Had one for about 6 yrs now I think. Its just gone wrong and we are looking to change the drive. We just love it and my wife is complaining lots about missing eastenders.

Just wish it could record two channels at once, a new tivo for the uk market would be ace.

[Pete77]

533 Had one for about 6 yrs now I think. Its just gone wrong and we are looking to change the drive.

I take it you are aware of www.tivocentral.co.uk, www.tivoheaven.co.uk and www.tivoland.com They all provide pre-configured replacement drives for a Tivo that you can just drop in.

Or see the DIY guide at www.steveconrad.co.uk/tivo/upgrade3.html

[cheeseypeas]

Yeah, thanks Pete for that. I have upgraded the drive to a single 250gb a few years ago. I have a bak file backup and thought that I would just plop it on a new drive as the old 250gb is knackered.

Thought about one of these Western-Digital-WD2500AVJB-AV-250GB-7200rpm-8MB-Cache-35-PATA-IDE-100-CE hard drive at savastore (wont let me post link) as it says it is for consumer av units but I have heard that there is probs with WD drives. Is this one OK or am I just better going for the green power SATA drive?

Cheers:up:

[Pete77]

Thought about one of these Western-Digital-WD2500AVJB-AV-250GB-7200rpm-8MB-Cache-35-PATA-IDE-100-CE hard drive at savastore (wont let me post link) as it says it is for consumer av units but I have heard that there is probs with WD drives. Is this one OK or am I just better going for the green power SATA drive?

I believe many of the latest Western Digital IDE drives won't work in a Tivo along with many of the latest Seagate IDE models due to firmware issues.

The Green Western Digital or Samsung SATA drives do work so long as you use the correct IDE to SATA converter. Tivoheaven and Tivcentral I think both sell a converter that they guarantee will work in a Tivo.

[bradleyem]

534. Still going here - do most of my recordings on it, even though I have sky HD.

[mikefgrant]

535

But now going to advertise my 40 + 80 G lifetime subscription TIVO plus PACE freeview adapter on ebay:(

With V+ HD and the wider channel choice, I find that I rarely use the TIVO now.

Still the best piece of kit I ever owned!

[nickjbooth]

536 Me
537 My spare
538 My parents

[HappyHiker]

539 but just got Sky HD today, so its just being used by the kids from now on.
best gadgets ever:-

1. TiVo
2. iPhone
3. errm... nothing qualifies as a three yet... that flexy led paper stuff that doesn't use power to keep the same page printed like an e-reader looks like it might though, if they ever release it...and it'll have to be colour:D

[tonywalk]

3. errm... nothing qualifies as a three yet... that flexy led paper stuff that doesn't use power to keep the same page printed like an e-reader looks like it might though, if they ever release it...and it'll have to be colour:D

Well, yes the un-flexy e-ink screens are bombing out of the door at the mo. Flexi mono screens could be out next year. Colour e-ink screens are currently in prototype and are probably 2-3 years off. Flexi and colour were both recent stories on Engadget.

[BigH]

539 but just got Sky HD today, so its just being used by the kids from now on.
best gadgets ever:-

1. TiVo
2. iPhone
3. errm... nothing qualifies as a three yet... that flexy led paper stuff that doesn't use power to keep the same page printed like an e-reader looks like it might though, if they ever release it...and it'll have to be colour:D

3. = Popcorn Hour

538 - finally caved in and getting V+ next week - can't help thinking I've made the wrong decision

[NeilCoburn]

540. I had V+ too but never caught on in my house. Everyone uses the TiVo, including my 3 year old

[spitfires]

541

I'd be lost without my TiVo :cool: Just wish I'd bought a lifetime sub back in 2002. Oh well - it's only cost me £910 in subs :eek: ....hmm wish I hadn't worked that out now!

[johnnyFRS]

542

[digital_S]

Just wish I'd bought a lifetime sub back in 2002. Oh well - it's only cost me £910 in subs :eek: ....hmm wish I hadn't worked that out now!About the same for me. Embarressing, isn't it! :o

[Andrew Dade]

543

[cndawes]

Still going strong with an unmodded unit :)

[cramar]

545 & 546...

Although I'm using Sky HD downstairs for the Mrs. (when it works..) all the good stuff is still captured by TiVo upstairs (the 2nd is a spare)

God I wish I could go back to just TiVo... :-(

[dot2dot]

547..

bought it 7 years ago - never any trouble.

one of the best - ok the best gadgets i have ever bought - it will never be topped... (will never go sky)

thinking of buying another one in case mine has problems... (lifetime o course)

[msui772]

548 Me :-) I'm still amazed that nothing comes close...

[msui772]

549 & 550 My parents... :-)

[DJBlack]

551 & 552

[dmsdemon2]

553 & 554 (my parents)

I've had my Tivo since April 2000. I've upgraded the hard disk once when it gave out 4 years ago. My second freeview box has just died - it took me a few days to find a suitable replacement. I had the spectre of having to use something other than Tivo - horror - but I'm sorted once more as of 3 hours ago!

My parents have had a Tivo for 4-5 years. Last year it "had a problem" according to my dad, who suggested replacing it with a DTB PVR. My mum chained herself to the Tivo! Turned out to be an aerial issue;it has been fine ever since.

[Penny Cook]

555 (556 and 557 if you include the basic 40GB and the 300GB LT I keep as spares in the attic - just in case...)

[Ovit-UK]

558 Still using and loving mine along side my $ky HD box and Samsung V+. :)

[Andy Davies]

557

Unplugged mine over the weekend so I guess the number needs to come down by one

[arturus]

558

But not for long - have bought a Mac Mini to sit under the telly, running Plex at the moment to serve up archived material and photos, etc.

Trying out an eyeTV freesat tuner on my main computer. It's able to receive BBC HD as well as all the freesat channels. Works really well and recorded programmes can be streamed to the Mac Mini to watch on the big TV with no extra work.

EyeTV have an iPhone app that will let me stream live and recorded TV to my phone anywhere I can get a wifi connection, as well as select programmes to record, etc.

I think I'll be getting a second unit to sit under the TV and I will be retiring the Tivo and Sky freesat box at the same time.

Are Tivos still worth anything on ebay I wonder?

[cwaring]

I'm guessing that, with the news re Virgin Media, this figure will be dropping rapidly towards the end of next year? ;)

Are Tivos still worth anything on ebay I wonder?
I hope so. Will have two to shift, hopefully before the end of 2010 :)

[ally]

hi guys,

I have just bought one on ebay, mainly to play with although if the tivo virgin thing happens soon il get that and get rid of this one.

my question is where do i start? it has a lifetime sub, its not been delivered yet. what software/ hardware will i need to make this usable on virgin?

i really appreciate the help, bit of a gadget girl so not a complete noob if i need to make some mods. :)

Ally

[cwaring]

my question is where do i start? it has a lifetime sub, its not been delivered yet. what software/ hardware will i need to make this usable on virgin?
Depends which STB you have. If it's a new one like the Samsung then you won't need to do anything and it should work "out of the box" using the front ir blaster. (You set this when you go through the Guided Setup.

If you have one of the older Pace boxes then you might - though more probably will - need one of the 'cable dongles' which you can get off ebay.

[ally]

ok, so i shouldn't start downloading lots of software and stuff ready for it then, i just have to be patient :/ not good at patience thing, dyin for xmas already lol. thanks for the advice im sure ul be giving me lots more useful info once it arrives, i hope they ship it quickly!

i know its only got a 40gb hdd so i imagine its an unmodded one. was more bothered about the lifetime sub.

[ally]

its not a V+ box no, actually i use a dm800 for the virgin channels hoping dreambox works ok with it will hav to check that out. i truly love the dreambox but the epg only does one day on cable which really is poor.

[cwaring]

I wasn't meaning "is it V+ or not". I never even assumed it was a V+. There are at least three or four different standard cable boxes in use on VM's network. At least two Pace models and a couple of Samsungs I believe. Which one you have determines whether or not you will need the digital dongle :)

As for which hacks to get. I have a turbonet card, tivoweb, endpad, autospace and channel logos. Unless you're technically minded, you might prefer to buy a new hard drive with all the main hacks already installed. There are a good few sites to choose from. In no particular order...

www.tivoheaven.co.uk
www.tivocentral.co.uk
www.tivoland.com

[ally]

i would ideally like to get it on either wlan or lan, tivoweb would be great. i am happy to do the hacks myself if its easy if risky then i can pay.

i think its a pace box il have to check that. was hoping i could try pick up a cheap network card on ebay or something?

[ally]

if i buy a 500gb hdd myself how hard would it be to set up with the mode0 etc? £89 seems steep compared to £36 for the drive elsewhere.

[TCM2007]

Did someone say "off topic"?

[cwaring]

if i buy a 500gb hdd myself how hard would it be to set up with the mode0 etc? £89 seems steep compared to £36 for the drive elsewhere.
Depends how technically-minded you are and how closely you can follow instructions :) You will also need a PC with two spare IDE channels and a CD Drive.

Did someone say "off topic"?
I don't know. I didn't hear anything ;):p:D

[deesee]

559

Still going strong, my best buy ever, apart for my wife, who cost me 7shillings and sixpence (37 pence) licence, 50yrs ago, bargain.






























































9

[deesee]

What happened, why such a big page:confused:

[cwaring]

I assume that 9 was supposed to be a :p or something; maybe :confused:

[RichardJH]

actually i use a dm800 for the virgin channels

Isn't using a Dreambox on a Virgin cable against their T & C's and may be theft of a service. :(

[cwaring]

If it's not supplied my VM themselves, then yes.

[ally]

only used for free chans i just prefer being able to stream to it etc

[cwaring]

There are no 'free channels' on Virgin Media :(

[steveroe]

Please can you take this off topic discussion into a new thread!

[cwaring]

If I were an Mod, I'd happily move some posts for you :)

[Couchy]

560 :)

[BlackberryIpod]

561. But not for too much longer. :-(

[Dave Parry]

562 even though its still buzzing.

[BlackPrince]

I've just fitted a clean 500GB drive (courtesy Steve/Ashmead Boy/TivoHeaven) to my old TiVo and given it to my next-door neighbour in exchange for him insuring me on his SLK. Spent this evening going through guided setup with him and teaching him the basics. He's happy as a sandboy.

[mikerr]

in exchange for insuring me on his SLK.
Sounds like a good deal ;)

[avbuse]

563, although technically, it's just an owner. retired my beloved Tivo for the inferior, but HD, V+ box.

So excited about the collaboration between Tivo and VM!!

[ericd121]

What happened, why such a big page:confused:If you edit your post (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=7652952#post7652952), you can take out all the empty lines.

564, BTW with two Tivos.

[Tylerdyrden]

565 - I've got 2 as well, but only neither is working at the mo' - HD problems ..

[AndrewThomson]

566 - still going strong

[ALanJay]

568 (still using two of them in different locations)

[seymour999]

569

[WasBeen]

570 - Stock original 40Gb twin drive. Still loved, but not used for about 6 months.

Really, REALLY, Looking forward to my virgin box getting TiVo'd

[vpwsys]

571... still going strong, and still more reliable than Sky+ HD

[Bryher.scudamore]

572

I've got two and if only I could find a new STB that worked with the IR blaster, I would be even more happy.

I love my TiVo's and Virgin won't come to the Cornish countryside so I can't benefit from this new deal.

[Andy10UK]

573.

I've got two working boxes (one of which has a cachecard with, I suspect, frazzled memory that I can't be bothered to take out) - plus a third "frankenspare" in the basement that mother doesn't know about...

[robertivo]

30.

I have 2 plus 1 broken

[BrianHughes]

30.

...

That'll be 574. :)

[Filw]

575 :)

Still going strong and I also use it for a handy work-reachable command line web access! :D (TivoWebPlus + Hackman)

[Kelduum]

576, although I suspect the 120GB disk I fitted 6 years ago may be slowly dying...

Looking forward to some VM/TiVo thing though - or even the Nero LiquidTV/TiVo thing being available in the UK.

[UKPronto]

577, hopefully my UK Beta TiVo keeps working until I work out if I can get a Virgin Media box to replace it.

[UKPronto]

Oh and my parents have two TiVos and my sister has another. I can't imagine any of them would post on here but if they count then that's up to 579.

[sundip]

I'm still using it. :)

[ch_hym]

me too - that 581 users....

Also interested in the Virgin Media beta box...

[Georgiegirl]

I have three 584

[asifgillani]

I have one too (since 2000!)

585

[micklen]

Yup mine was late 2000 or 2001

586

[TrevorCotterell]

587 - since 200 I think.
588 - my son has one of my spare ones (and there's a backup to the spare)
589 - my brother Tim

[Phil B]

590 - Since Sep 2001. Have considered alternatives many times, but my teenage daughter has grown up with TiVo and is very emotionally attached to it. When I've talked about possibly retiring and replacing it, she reacted like we were getting rid of our much loved dog.

She was suspicious of the VM news until she was reassured that TiVo buddy would appear on the box. Mr Branson, please note my daughter will not give me approval to buy it unless TiVo buddy comes down the slide when it boots up. As a concession, we will allow you to replace the "as recommended by Sky" message :eek:

[martink0646]

590 - Since Sep 2001. Have considered alternatives many times, but my teenage daughter has grown up with TiVo and is very emotionally attached to it. When I've talked about possibly retiring and replacing it, she reacted like we were getting rid of our much loved dog.

She was suspicious of the VM news until she was reassured that TiVo buddy would appear on the box. Mr Branson, please note my daughter will not give me approval to buy it unless TiVo buddy comes down the slide when it boots up. As a concession, we will allow you to replace the "as recommended by Sky" message :eek:

Hi Phil,

The link below is a hack to place the startup animation on your Now Playing screen if you are interested.http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=309987

Martin

[tefster]

591 - One more here

[Tiny Clanger]

592 - though since my LNB stopped working (terrestrial signal is dreadful where I am) I can't actually add anything new to the TiVo until I go up a ladder.

Mind you, with the size of the drive I've got fitted, there's still a load of stuff to watch :)

[Typh-X]

593 - active
594 - unused (kept for spares) - unboxed picked up about 2004 for £85 :o

[dmchapman]

595 - although, Sky box appeared to die last night :-(

So, do I get another sky box from somewhere, or give in and buy into virgins V+ box and hopefully upgrade to the VM TiVo whenever it arrives?...

How bad is the V+ box? I know the old TVdrives were *painfully* slow - is this still the case with the V+?

[mikerr]

How bad is the V+ box? I know the old TVdrives were *painfully* slow - is this still the case with the V+?
V+ is the TVdrive unit with different plastic front.

[dmchapman]

V+ is the TVdrive unit with different plastic front.

Ha! I did wonder.

So, is it painfully slow? Is it going to drive me mad after a TiVo/Sky combo?

Is the new V+ any better (and if so, is there anyway I can make sure I get one!)

[mikerr]

So, is it painfully slow? Is it going to drive me mad after a TiVo/Sky combo?
Yes its slow, but just about usable.

Only season passes though, no wishlists/suggestions, nor even a search for titles - there is an a-z to scroll though...

It's basically a normal STB with record facility added on.

Is the new V+ any better (and if so, is there anyway I can make sure I get one!)

The new "tivo V+" doesn't really exist just yet.. its still in early development stages. Wait til next year.

[flip]

596 lifetime sub, running along side a sky hd box, TiVo has it's own sky box and multiroom sub. Getting real tired of sky+ missing and clashing programs now. Did not realise how backwards sky+ was until I got a HD box. Would love a HD TiVo for sky (not in virgin area)

[20039700]

597 used now we have got rid of sky + HD in a cost cutting measure to help us buy a house lol

598 kept for spares

[PaulFozz]

Long time since I was on here. Still using mine at the moment, changed over from a sky box with expired free viewing card to a cheap Goodmans freesat box last night. Am intending at some point to replace it with a Humax HDR but will need to wait until I get a job! :-(

Have had good service out of the tivo box but my brother has a Humax and I'd like to move to one of those really.

[aleks]

599. And I'm looking for another one now to deal with overlapping programmes.

[lazyboybrum]

am i 600
i've had mine from new,no mod and no changes

[steveroe]

am i 600
i've had mine from new,no mod and no changes

601 by my count, PaulFozz was 599 and aleks 600.

[Big G]

I'll be 602 and 603 then :)

Original one was purchased from that electrical store I can't remember the name of that's probably gone bust by now that was knocking them out for £99 on the queens golden jubilee extra bank holiday in June 2002!

Second 'backup' one was purchased from dixons online a little while later when they also were clearing them for £99 :up:

[chrisphilaeva]

Guess I must be #604:)

Have had it for years, my other half swears by it (so easy to use). Hopefully will be able to change my V+ box for the Tivo VM one sometime soon!

Series 1 400GB Cachecard

[pgamble]

Hi guys

I purchased mine just before they stopped selling in the UK for £150.

I'm on the 3rd disk upgrade.

It still runs beautifully. I have to say we haven't exploited many of the original clever features for many years because they stopped working (i.e. thumbs up/down finding similar programme automatically), so it's mainly for season passes.

I have just built a new cinema system with a Denon 2310.
I have my high end PC connected over HDMI, Xbox360 and Sony freeview PVR DVD recorder all offering 1080p native or upscaled (the latter) and Dolby Digital.

The Tivo / Sky is the only exception and for that reason this week I ordered SkyHD to be installed tomorrow.

It was a hard decision ... but lacking HDMI and Dolby Digital, IR blasters, two boxes instead of one, Tivo increasingly poor programme accuracy, inability to record two sky channels concurrently ...

I'd really like to keep using the Tivo but being an idiot (I knew the service was likely to stop shortly after buying) I still pay £10/mth - probably £700 since I've had it.

I don't want to keep paying that as the HD pack £10/mth offsets it.
What are the options for still using it ... can you get cheap life time subscriptions somewhere ? Can you sensibly use it without the subscription ... manual recordings, imported TV guides ? I have no intention of trying to breach licence ... just looking at all the options as I don't want to ditch it.

I know I will be frustrated by the rubbish series links and lack of strong search capabilities on Sky+ ... and I still love the start up graphics :-)

Paul.

[mikerr]

can you get cheap life time subscriptions somewhere ?
The lifetime subscription goes with the machine,
and a lifetime-subbed tivo unit is often sold on ebay and eleswhere for less than the £200 cost of a lifetime sub alone.
Can you sensibly use it without the subscription ... manual recordings ?
It will still have the live buffer, and manual recordings as you say - note without guide data
so now playing will consist of "manual recording 8:30 @ BBC1"
- but thats a poor excuse for a tivo :eek:

[Pete77]

It still runs beautifully. I have to say we haven't exploited many of the original clever features for many years because they stopped working (i.e. thumbs up/down finding similar programme automatically), so it's mainly for season passes.

Suggestions in the UK only stopped working for about six months but were restored when their loss turned out to be the result of the same database fault as was also affecting the US Series 1 Tivo models (Tivo initially seemed rather more concerned about not continuing to maintain a promised service in the USA than in the UK) . If you aren't getting any Suggestion I can only suggest that you have them turned off or haven't bothered thumbing anything since your last hard drive upgrade.

If you live in a Virgin Cable area the new all singing and dancing Virgin Tivo with triple tuner, HD recording etc should be available here some time later this year.

As to not buying the Lifetime Sub if I hadn't believed there would be a Tivo service for the next 20 months then I wouldn't have bought the Tivo at all and I also reckoned I would have had cause for a claim on my credit card if Tivo's service had ended before I had enjoyed 20 months worth of viewing....

[healeydave]

I'd really like to keep using the Tivo but being an idiot (I knew the service was likely to stop shortly after buying) I still pay £10/mth - probably £700 since I've had it.

I don't want to keep paying that as the HD pack £10/mth offsets it.
What are the options for still using it ... can you get cheap life time subscriptions somewhere ?
Paul.

Perhaps item 3 might be of interest:

http://tivoland.com/Tivoland/Systems.html


Regs
Dave.

[Pete77]

Perhaps item 3 might be of interest:

http://tivoland.com/Tivoland/Systems.html

It seems amazing this swap out is now available for only £60 unless you already know something about the likely future of Tivo Service for the Series 1 UK machines that we don't:eek:

[cwaring]

Did you actually click through and read what what was there?

We have a number of systems that were ex-demonstrators, staff boxes etc that have lifetime subscriptions already assigned.

So no, Dave does not know anything we don't other than how to spot a business opportunity when he sees one, I guess :D

[healeydave]

It's not really spotting a business opportunity at this point in time either, its the same stock I've always had, I've constantly put different packages together and changed prices over the years as any business does.

I don't know whether this idea is any better than the others I've had :-)

I'm hoping it might help some long term TiVo users (without a sub) keep using their boxes, even if they are retiring them from the main room.

[Pete77]

What Account Status would these units have?

5 - Lifetime or 11 - Evaluation?;)

[healeydave]

5 - Lifetime

[Pete77]

5 - Lifetime

In which case this sounds like a very good deal indeed for anyone still paying £10 per month to Tivo for a sub on a UK S1 unit.

I suppose you are basically working from the premise that you quite probably have more unsold Lifetime Subbed boxes sitting in your stores than you are possibly likely to sell before the Virgin Tivo launches (so hugely denting the level of sales of Tivo S1 boxes from that point on) and that a person who already has a Tivo is not likely to be willing to pay nearly as much for one with a Lifetime Sub as someone who does not have one at all

Only six months to recoup the investment sounds like an excellent deal to me though as I personally feel confident that with the re-entry of Tivo to the UK marketplace (in conjunction with Virgin) but no replacement solution being offered for Sky, Freesat or most importantly Freeview customers that Tivo will still be offering service on the S1 UK models in two or indeed quite possibly even in another five years time.

Tivo has never so far made a Lifetime subbed unit redundant that is still operational and it seems to be an important article of faith for it to never do so for as long as Tivo continues to remain an independent company operated form Aviso in Calfornia.:up:

[healeydave]

I don't know quite what I can say to assure you this is the honest truth, but the Virgin box has nothing to do with it at all!
People that are in the market for a new Virgin box are not going to be potential customers for one of my Series 1 machines.
The stock I have left was earmarked to use as service and repairs, if someone can make use off and benefit from the exchange offer, that's great but I'm not out to try and off-load them all of a sudden, I don't have significant numbers left to warrant that practise.
Quite honestly, with the value of series 1 Tivo's now, I'm surprised people even bother trying to sell them on ebay. Put them in a second reception room or on the bedroom tv. You've got to be a pretty anal AV connoisseur to insist on having HD in the bedroom as well :-)

[cwaring]

I don't know quite what I can say to assure you this is the honest truth...
It's only Pete that seems to be making anything of it. No change there then ;)

[lloyd]

I guess I must be number 606.

Purchased as a ex-demo from Powerhouse after much web searching, probably about 2003, only to discover the IR sensor did not work. Quickly replaced under warranty, and never looked back. Now has upgraded drive and cachecard.

[dmchapman]

Sorry folks, but need to knock one off the total. I've just phoned and cancelled my Sub :-(

Sky box died, had a V+ installed and loving it so far. It's not a TiVo sure, but 3 tuners is a big win - and finally some HD material :-)

Felt guilty cancelling it. Box is still sat here in the living room looking at me. Might have to cover the little TiVo mans eyes :-/

Still, once Virgin launch their TiVo box I'll be first in the queue! Reading and willing to Beta test!

Darren

[mikerr]

Still, once Virgin launch their TiVo box I'll be first in the queue! Reading and willing to Beta test!
Virgin will being going tivo on all boxes, so your V+ will convert into a tivo, either by box replacement or automatic over the air (OTA) software upgrade. :up::up:

[thesik]

607

Same box has been going strong since TiVo was launched in the UK without any problems (although having said that...)

Already on Virgin so will wait for them to bring out their TiVo box and then upgrade to that.

[gex]

608 - Front room
609 - Bedroom
610 - Kids Play room
610 - in a box somewere as a spare

[dd_]

If we're going by user, then I'm 609. Back in Tivoland again and back on the forum.

[Cali]

611 - original unhacked/unmodified machine
612 - 'new' box just bough from a colleague with network card and upgraded hard drive - not operational yet...

[Pete77]

611 - original unhacked/unmodified machine
612 - 'new' box just bough from a colleague with network card and upgraded hard drive - not operational yet...

The thread is meant to be about how many Tivo users are left and not about how many Tivos are still in use.

[Cali]

The thread is meant to be about how many Tivo users are left and not about how many Tivos are still in use.

So how are you defining a user?

[Pete77]

So how are you defining a user?

You could always PM Colin Younger who started this thread back in Post 1if you wanted to be sure.

I'm sure that two Tivos in a household used by two people count as two but two Tivos used by only one person probably only count as one user.

[ColinYounger]

Please don't PM me. It really isn't that important.

[Pete77]

Please don't PM me. It really isn't that important.

In post #1 you said:-

I think 20 odd people are left here...

Having now been so extensively proved wrong on that figure I suppose that it no longer really matters whether we are counting remaining Tivo users or the number of Tivos that are still in day to day use.

[mikerr]

I think Colin originally meant how many active forum posters in the UK forum,
but it now serves as a "welcome" thread for people to check in with their ticket number ;)

[ColinYounger]

+1 for mikerr. I'm glad I finally contributed something useful here, as minor as this thread is. :D

[Pete77]

+1 for mikerr. I'm glad I finally contributed something useful here, as minor as this thread is. :D

And it happened even without the thread ever gaining Sticky status and with it remaining throughout as just a normal forum discussion thread.

I also don't remember any criteria being imposed for posting in it other than that one had to be a forum member. From what I have seen most people who have posted in this thread have belonged to the forum for quite a long time, even if some of them don't post on here all that often.

[BrianHughes]

+1 for mikerr. I'm glad I finally contributed something useful here, as minor as this thread is. :D

Hi Colin.. I just wanted to say that I think this has been a really interesting thread. Before you started this we hadn't a clue how many Tivo owners passed by. I think 20 odd is a good estimate for the number of most active posters.

It's also interesting to see how many people have got their families & friends to get Tivos or have spares for themselves.

So thanks Colin. :up:

Brian

[katman]

I'm sure that two Tivos in a household used by two people count as two but two Tivos used by only one person probably only count as one user.

But surely then.... four people in a household fighting over a single Tivo should count as four users if its the people we are counting and not the machines ;)

[madcat0607]

613.

200GB Cachecard, TivoWeb, Lifetime.

Still working beautifully but unfortunately now running off a Philips/Pace Freeview box and can't seem to get the Tivo blaster to change channels on it. Still have the "sky extra room" I think it was called which allows us to watch sky in another room using the 2nd RF out coming into it but the Sky HD box doesn't output 9v on the RF out so we can't change Sky channels from upstairs. :-(
Unless we're lucky enough to be watching the correct channel, when the Tivo kicks in it records whatever's going. so we mostly rely on our Sky box to do the business now.

Hate Sky+ (HD), the new interface is better than last but Tivo's interface and abilities still way outclasses sky in our opinion.

[EvilBoB]

Another one to knock off the total - my sub was cancelled last week due to a HD requirement by the missus.

[digitaria]

a HD requirement by the missus.

Wow - that seems rather unusual. My missus is happy as long as TiVo remains operational. If we ever go HD, it will be at my behest. The excellence of TiVo is my main deterrent!

[tdenson]

614 originally mine now in use at my mother's.
615,616 sitting on shelf for spares

3 years after retiring ours (for a Humax - spit!) my wife still refers to Tivoing something. Just bought a Toppy and feel I have just about regained functionality I had with Tivo.

[Ovey]

617

Bought mine for Christmas 2002, still going strong on second HDD. Need to get around to networking it soon! Whole family loves it. Think I'll buy another.

[JustinBaron]

618 - Just bought a replacement from Dave after the death of my hard drive (RIP) hence back on the group to try and remember how to add all the modules I used to have.

[welshpedro]

619 - Lifetime sub, 320gb, net card, tivoweb etc. with Virgin Media Digital
620 - Monthly sub, 120gb, net card, tivoweb etc. with freeview.. may sell soon as I dont use much.
621 - no sub, packed away, 120gb (I think)... I really should sell \ freecycle this one

[Alex14]

622 Lifetime Service for last 4 years
623 Lifetime Service recently bought for my Mum
624 Lifetime Service recently bought for my sister

1 40Gb non-subscription just as a standby recorder and for spares if needed.
User of Hooch to upgrade to SATA and use of Telnet on Turbonet.
Like to know what's on offer when Virgin comes on stream!

[ericsean]

625

Just before virgin brings out a new one - bugger

[The Obo]

626 - lifetime sub since 2001

[Proteo]

627 - Me
628 - Bro

[nbaker]

629 - Lifetime sub

[szpoog]

630 - lifetime sub.

[n1ckT]

631 - lifetime sub

[DaveLane]

632 - lifetime sub. I want a Series 4!!

[cwaring]

Joine VM and you will get one ;):p:)

[Pete77]

632 - lifetime sub. I want a Series 4!!

And you shall have it some later this Autumn if you live in a Virgin cable tv area and are happy with the range of channels and video on demand content provided by Virgin.

Unfortunately if you don't there is as yet no provision for a new Tivo to be available to the rest of us in the UK who live in non Virgin Cable land but we have to remain eternally hopeful that Virgin will eventually also come out with a combined Freeview and VoD Tivo model nationwide, especially if they could say acquire TopUpTv and provide few real time subscription channels like Sky One, Eurosport, National Geographic and Sky Sport by that means.

[DaveLane]

And you shall have it some later this Autumn if you live in a Virgin cable tv area and are happy with the range of channels and video on demand content provided by Virgin.

Unfortunately if you don't there is as yet no provision for a new Tivo to be available to the rest of us in the UK who live in non Virgin Cable land but we have to remain eternally hopeful that Virgin will eventually also come out with a combined Freeview and VoD Tivo model nationwide, especially if they could say acquire TopUpTv and provide few real time subscription channels like Sky One, Eurosport, National Geographic and Sky Sport by that means.

I live "well" outside Virgin Cable Land - I'm hoping there will be some hacks to link it up to Sky Satellite later. Tivo beats Sky+ in every way - even with my really old box! :up:

[cwaring]

I'm hoping there will be some hacks to link it up to Sky Satellite later.
PMSL. Seriously? :confused: YOu must be joking, right?

[asantaga]

633 & 634 : Ive got two, :-) Love my tivo(s)

[DaveLane]

PMSL. Seriously? :confused: YOu must be joking, right?

Yes!

[deesee]

My tivo has already been counted, but has been taken out of commison, it is now used upstairs with my Manhattan 500 multisat box and works fine using manual record.

[cwaring]

Yes!
A hack to make a VM box work with Sky? Yeah. I think that might be against their T&C in some way :p

[Ricta]

Number 635, My Tivo been faultless since the day i got it in '03'

[cwaring]

You're obviously not fiddling with it enough ;):p

[White Monk]

Number 636 - lifetime sub - bought from Currys in January 2001 - still unmodded.

Used mainly for wishlist reminders as my one won't programme my Pace Sky+ HD box.

[Teepee]

637 500Gb. with Cachecard Mine (In use)
638 " " " Mine (In use)
639 " Mine (Spare)
640 160 Gb. Turbonet, No sub. Used for 'development', o.k. playing
641 120 Gb. Airnet My girlfriend
642 160 Gb. My mother

Well you can't have too much of a good thing!

[Pete77]

637 500Gb. with Cachecard Mine (In use)
638 " " " Mine (In use)
639 " Mine (Spare)
640 160 Gb. Turbonet, No sub. Used for 'development', o.k. playing
641 120 Gb. Airnet My girlfriend
642 160 Gb. My mother

Well you can't have too much of a good thing!

So that makes 3 users left and not five by my count.

ie. 638, 639 and 640.

[FJSRiDER]

So that makes 3 users left and not five by my count.

ie. 638, 639 and 640.
Er, so I'm 641?

Monthly sub and 120Gb disk upgrade I did ages ago. Had it since 2003 and would miss it if it was gone. We got a Panasonic DMR-EX 77 DVD recorder but use it much less than the simple-to-use TiVo.

Occasionally it misses a channel change and buggers up a recording - I'd love a new replacement with built-in digital tuner - if only they'd sell one!

[sledger]

642
Lifetime sub
BUT how much longer unless we get the daily call problem fixed?

I have posted twice on this in the Daily Call Problem thread (a forum thread that though recent is mysteriously difficult to access) but no help or replies. Customerr service say is is NOT fixed and no numbers provided here work for me, Might be a BT problem too? But we need it sorted please. And soon.

[velocitysurfer1]

643
brought unsubbed and unloved (in poor condition) from ebay for £20.00 (inc postage) to use as spare parts

[cwaring]

You're in the wrong place, mate. The iPhone forum is that way ----> :D

(Took me a minute to figure out what he was on about ;))


ETA: The message referenced in this post has now been deleted. I won't delete this one though as it woud distrupt the other replies; even the rude one below ;)

[daveh]

You're in the wrong place, mate.

So are you. This is a thread about how many UK users are left, not a platform for your random thoughts.

[RichardJH]

So are you. This is a thread about how many UK users are left, not a platform for your random thoughts.

The message that Carl was referring to has now been deleted and you may not have seen it. If that is not the case your comment is harsh and out of place. :):)

[SPR]

So that makes 3 users left and not five by my count.

ie. 638, 639 and 640.

Pete - you seem confident in your count; how do you know that nobody who previously said that they were a UK user has now bailed?

Do you think you should trawl back through the thread & individually confirm by PM that they still are, just to be sure? :D

[cwaring]

Well you can count me out, of course. So that's 642; unless I've already been dis-counted? (Make up your own jokes if you like, just don't post them here :p)

[Pete77]

Do you think you should trawl back through the thread & individually confirm by PM that they still are, just to be sure? :D

I have decided to delegate that task to you as both your methodology and commitment to the job looks as though it is far superior to mine.;):D

[iankb]

ETA: The message referenced in this post has now been deleted.It's always a good idea to include any spam messages in a quote before you report them, so you don't look stupid after it's been deleted. ;)

Just make sure that you remove any embedded advertising links first, so you don't perpetuate the spam.

[cwaring]

It's always a good idea to include any spam messages in a quote before you report them, so you don't look stupid after it's been deleted. ;)

Well I obviously am stupid 'cos I didn't think of that :o :D

[TrainManG]

I'm the (un)fortunate owner of 8, yes eight(!!) TiVos, and I'm working on the latest one. Usual trouble of the Yanks not speaking to Sky and the normal delay of getting it kicked in! Lah Di Dah!!!

[Pete77]

Well I obviously am stupid 'cos I didn't think of that :o :D

You might very well say that, but I could not possibly comment.;):p

[cwaring]

Makes a change, Pete :D

[destiny]

Still here but have problems with Freeview Box and Sound.

[Pete77]

Still here but have problems with Freeview Box and Sound.

Time for a new Freeview box or may be even a Freesat one perhaps? Both Sky Freesat boxes and the BBC/ITV Freesat boxes are on the whole much better maintained in terms of things like firmware upgrades etc.

[rkv]

643 and 644 lifetime since 2001.

I use them for recording standard definition TV shows for TV's on which I also have V+ HD boxes. I am really looking forward to finally having the latest software and HD support from TiVo.

BTW, TiVo should do something for those of us who have been their abandoned vanguard in the UK for all these years.

[irrelevant]

Might have to subtract one.. I'm /still/ on a monthly sub with my TiVo but am thinking of cancelling .. I've had no sound and a juddery picture for a few weeks, and a tweak to the PSU only sorted it briefly. The other box I have was giving a sparkly screen before I swapped them over last year. I've also got a US model series 1 in cupboard somewhere, but can't sub that over here obviously..

We've got a Sky HD box sat next to it, and that gets the most use, simply because the picture quality is so much better on a 50" plasma, even though it's as slow as molasses and has a dreadful UI.. The TiVo has been running in a "backup" role, catching stuff that the Sky box misses, corrupts or simply decides that a season has finished even through it hasn't. But with no sound, well, it's not a lot of use for that...

Could definitely do with TiVo launching a new HD box over here. Sadly, I think Sky has the market sewn up.

[FJSRiDER]

Could definitely do with TiVo launching a new HD box over here. Sadly, I think Sky has the market sewn up.
I think it's TiVo who are losing out and not Sky who have the market sewn up at all. I'd expect there are way more people without Sky who used to 'video' programmes from analogue who now could really do with a modestly priced, easy to use Freeview 'TiVo' than there are who want to pay for 'satellite' channels that they don't need....

[irrelevant]

I think it's TiVo who are losing out and not Sky who have the market sewn up at all. I'd expect there are way more people without Sky who used to 'video' programmes from analogue who now could really do with a modestly priced, easy to use Freeview 'TiVo' than there are who want to pay for 'satellite' channels that they don't need....

Too many cheap freeview PVRs out there now, though. Even our telly, itself, will pause and record from freeview if I plug some USB media into the side. Have to say, though, that the UI on every one I have played with has been dire..

[katman]

I think it's TiVo who are losing out and not Sky who have the market sewn up at all.

Depends what you watch. Most of the programs I like are on the discovery/NatGeo/History channels and also Hallmark (Law and Order etc)

I have no choice but to use $KY as Virgin isnt available down my street despite being surrounded by Virgin cabled streets :(

[cwaring]

I have no choice but to use $KY as Virgin isnt available down my street despite being surrounded by Virgin cabled streets :(
You should send an email to "cablemystreet AT virginmedia DOT co DOT uk" and explain the situation. The company is actively looking to fill in streets such as yours.

[FJSRiDER]

Too many cheap freeview PVRs out there now, though.
Which is the same problem for marketing Sky+.
Even our telly, itself, will pause and record from freeview if I plug some USB media into the side. Have to say, though, that the UI on every one I have played with has been dire..
We have a (was reasonably expensive) Panasonic DVD/Hard drive recorder and it has an astonishingly dire interface.

[katman]

You should send an email to "cablemystreet AT virginmedia DOT co DOT uk" and explain the situation. The company is actively looking to fill in streets such as yours.

I did....

We have completed an in-depth investigation into the area you suggested for cable infill. Unfortunately to make this area serviceable would be very expensive - working out at around £1111 for each property in the area. Our current business rules only allow us around £300 per home - so we cannot proceed at this time.

[calpj]

-1... 643 TiVo retired, sadly missed and replaced with a hugely inferior Windows based Media Center. Free guide data, multiple tuners, HD output, optical sound output, expandability and more all won out.

I just wish it was a TiVo though...

[comfysofa]

Still here - its been a couple of years since ive last logged in (tivo hard disc just corrupted) so im currently restoring a stock image....)

Apparently i can use a 1TB disc (sata) - how do i do that then....that'd save a load of hassle as ive got 2x 400's in at the moment....

Anyway - nice to see its all still here...

[irrelevant]

Might have to subtract one..

Just phoned to cancel... needed to tidy up the media corner in the front room, and as the TiVo has had no sound for at least six weeks, despite tweaking the PSU, it's been pulled out for now. I don't think I can justify the £10/month when I'm not using it at all..

(16 mins on an 0844 waiting to speak to someone, and it was so long since he'd taken a TiVo call he had trouble with his password getting into the right bit of the system! Then he spent five minutes chatting about how good the TiVo was, weren't Virgin going to do one, etc..! He also thought that they weren't going to be doing TiVo CS much longer..)

Anyway, as and when I find the time, I'll look into getting one or other of these repaired, or maybe look for a second hand box, with lifetime sub this time.. I don't really want to let go...

[comfysofa]

Well, as i said in another thread....it really does just keep getting better and better...bought a Hooch disc, a sata to ide drive converter and a 1tb green western digital, and now it has more storage space than ever before, doesnt crash, i would say is 20% quicker (but it is pretty empty at the moment but ive put a fair few season passes on) for once even the tyserver installed first time as well and quite happily catalogs in the background. The hooch install even has the tivoweb software preinstalled as well! cant say better than that....this thing is so good its even worth the trade off for HD just to keep using it.

[AlanMWhite]

I have one ,full sub....coming up 10 years I think!!!!!!

[Rolf213]

643, UK TiVo with lifetime sub, still working

[smokie]

644 just switching to VTiVo

[WeeClare]

Swapped my original tivo from 2000 to December 2009 with a monthly sub for a lifetime sub, brill.
Got my original when it just launched and still swear by it today. It's excellent

[DB70+]

645 Lifetime sub Tivo from Ebay 3 Years ago very pleased with it and will continue with it as not on cable. 500mb disk with turbocache card and tivoweb.
Also using Digiguide.

D:)

[TCM2007]

How many of the 645 are about to be decommissioned in favourof a VM device I wonder.

[microbe]

Not necessarily de-comissioned but do have VM Tivo coming next week. Sadly my total paranoia has me fertling about this week transplanting the source from cable to Freeview. I know the new one's a TIVO, but it's from VM so I'll believe the reliability when I see it, until then... SWMBO would most definately be peeved if the new fangled contraption displayed that lovely, 'you don't subscribe to this...' or beter yet, ' this channel isn't (or wasn't) availible..' at 7.30 on alternate weekday evenings when when Corra was suposed to be recording!

Even if newbie does turn out to be the canine's gonads, the old boy is subscribed and working, no way would I cancel, rather pass it on to a cheapskate I know who'd put ebenezer Scrooge to shame - he's had Tivo for 8 years and uses it oldy worlde style as a replacement for his VCR - manually setting it and never even subscribed in the first place! Shame for it really.

P

[alextegg]

I'm keeping my old VM box and old TiVo transplanted to another room for now, but will probably switch that to Freeview after a while.

£5 extra a month for the second box with a free install/rewire was tempting. If nothing else, if 2/3 tuners isn't enough, I'll be able to SD record on the old TiVo as an extra cover, or use it to record children's TV :)

[spitfires]

How many of the 645 are about to be decommissioned in favour of a VM device I wonder.
Good question... http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=464330

[mjd]

I have had my S1 TIVo for 10 years, Lifetime sub for 8. Have SKY +HD but still only use the TIVO for my recordings / the season pass rarely lets us down when a new season starts.

The interface is second to none.

Would like to upgrade TIVO HD to 1 TB and have mode 0, but not sure if its a worthwhile investment ??.

I paid up front for a lifetime subscription and would expect it to be honoured

[RichardJH]

I paid up front for a lifetime subscription and would expect it to be honoured

That sounds a bit like buying life insurance as a guarantee never to die :D

[Pete77]

Would like to upgrade TIVO HD to 1 TB and have mode 0, but not sure if its a worthwhile investment ??.

I would wait for when the 2TB model is launched with the three tuners properly sorted out and is available to all levels of Virgin Media tv susbcriber.

[mikerr]

I paid up front for a lifetime subscription and would expect it to be honoured

How many TiVos are still in the same state (unopened, same drives) as purchased ?

[cwaring]

I know the new one's a TIVO, but it's from VM so I'll believe the reliability when I see it, until then...
No. It's a CISCO box with TIVO software. VM have had nothing to do with it.

[Pete77]

How many TiVos are still in the same state (unopened, same drives) as purchased ?

Has Tivo ever deactivated the Lifetime Sub of anyone who took steps to stop their device becoming Unfit For Purpose by maintaining their consumable hard drive component in the same way as one would change a car's oil and oil filter or replace its brake pads?

I would argue it was an Unfair Contract Term not to allow customers to maintain these consumable device components whilst retaining Lifetime service.

[mjd]

That sounds a bit like buying life insurance as a guarantee never to die :D

No Life Insurance does not guarantee that you will never die - it guarantees to pay out when you die.

If Life insurance failed to pay out to my estate when I die - i would be extremely upset and haunt the persons responsible.

[RichardJH]

No Life Insurance does not guarantee that you will never die - it guarantees to pay out when you die.

If Life insurance failed to pay out to my estate when I die - i would be extremely upset and haunt the persons responsible.

It was said very much tongue in cheek for a bit of fun, something that has been missing from the forum recently with Doom & Gloom on the up despite years of waiting for something new.

Reminds me of being told of all the Microsoft O/S from WIN95 onwards being better than before and some people having to keep it because their PC wasn't suitable for the upgrade and then after a while Microsoft informing them that they no longer support that version.

[TCM2007]

I would argue it was an Unfair Contract Term not to allow customers to maintain these consumable device components whilst retaining Lifetime service.

Yes, and you specifically ARE allowed to - so long as you use a TiVo approved service agent to do so.

[TCM2007]

Reminds me of being told of all the Microsoft O/S from WIN95 onwards being better than before and some people having to keep it because their PC wasn't suitable for the upgrade and then after a while Microsoft informing them that they no longer support that version.

That's pretty much it. I guess the software of the same vintage is Windows Me - anyone still using that?

[spitfires]

How many TiVos are still in the same state (unopened, same drives) as purchased ?:)
There have actually been a few on fleece-u-bay recently that appeared to be virgin ('scuse the pun). My sticky label is still intact & the Fireball still revolves so I could probably make it look as though it had never been touched. ;)

p.s. Mine's still got the cellophane on the front!

[White Monk]

How many TiVos are still in the same state (unopened, same drives) as purchased ?

Mine:o

[steveroe]

How many TiVos are still in the same state (unopened, same drives) as purchased ?

I have two like this.

[Pete77]

That's pretty much it. I guess the software of the same vintage is Windows Me - anyone still using that?

No one is still using it because it was rubbish and unreliable. Loads of people are still using Windows XP because it was a better operating system than Windows Vista that followed it and the Microsoft customer price for upgrading to Windows 7 is a ripoff. It only makes sense to get Windows 7 if you replace your computer.

[RichardJH]

It only makes sense to get Windows 7 if you replace your computer.

To who ?

[velocitysurfer1]

No one is still using it because it was rubbish and unreliable.

I know a number of people who are using older versions of windows, including ME, 98 and 95. In fact my mother in law uses windows 95 and office 95 because it does what she wants. She doesn't use the Internet and uses it for word processing, account and printing.

Not everyone will, can or have the means to upgrade for the sake of it.

In fact the very large blue chip company I work for is only just moving one part from of it's PC base from windows 2000 to Vista and has no intention to move the other large part of it's PC base from XP in the near future.

[TCM2007]

To who ?

Don't worry, Pete has all the Standard Opinions (Old Tech is Better, New Stuff is Rip-Off Section).

[Pete77]

Don't worry, Pete has all the Standard Opinions (Old Tech is Better, New Stuff is Rip-Off Section).

Windows 7 is clearly a decent operating system and I would have no hesitation in getting it with a new computer. Its just that Microsoft's retail pricing strategy assumes that anyone desperate to upgrade their existing operating system is prepared to be ripped off. XP is interesting as it spanned many years of sale and due to that is still receiving the same level of work by Microsoft to keep it operating reliably by way of updates as Windows 7. As and when that stops happening it will be time for a new PC and operating system.

Anyone still running Windows 95 or 98 and using the internet with it is out of their head as its just not suited for modern internet use, it might be ok for a bit of word processing. Windows 2000 is not that different from Windows XP and still a viable operating system to be using in my opinion.

You ignore that I do early adopt some technologies that made an immediate genuine difference to me like DTT/OnDigital on day one as I couldn't have my own satellite dish and only had four television channels and I was a fairly early adopter of the Tivo PVR even if I waited a couple of years longer than some of you chaps for the same reasons of greatly increased program choice (which does matter to me much more than having the latest screen technology). Your opinion on the value of each new bit of technology is also affected by your financial situation. Mine is not as good as it was. Some companies like Sky, Apple and TomTom have a cynical model of constantly milking the existing customer for more and more money without a great deal of obvious end user benefit. When you have less money you become more wary of such ripoffs.

When a product is still working after 20 years and the new ones are virtually no different like my Neff Fridge/Freezer, Dishwasher or oven then why waste money and pollute the environment replacing something that works perfectly well? And for all that I would love a fridge/freezer that gave me a precise current digital temperature readout on the front door and graph of its internal temperature in different seasons of the year etc but nobody makes one as its considered that fridge/freezers are bought by women who only care about their appearance and not their technology functions.

Women are mainly only suckers for wasting lots of money on constant new models of wearing apparel that they don't actually need just as guys constantly upgrade a perfectly good PC or smartphone when they didn't need to.

[RichardJH]

Don't worry, Old Tech is Better

Sounds like my wife. She has had her dishwasher 35 years now (since she was 19) and I am 66 now :D:D

[TCM2007]

Pete, it's the way you characterize any company that dares to try to sell you an improved product or get money out of you in any way as a rip off which makes you opinions such comedy.

[martink0646]

You ignore that I do early adopt some technologies that made an immediate genuine difference to me like DTT/OnDigital on day one as I couldn't have my own satellite dish and only had four television channels and I was a fairly early adopter of the Tivo PVR even if I waited a couple of years longer than some of you chaps for the same reasons of greatly increased program choice

Hi Pete,

Two years after launch when they had already stopped the manufacture of the units is hardly 'early adopting' by any stretching of the definition. In fact if the S1 TiVo wasn't such a long lived product & lived by normal technology product cycles rules you wouldn't only have been late you would have been buying an obselete machine!!;):D

Martin