The most important question has not been answered yet...

[M_at]

Is there a startup video?

Can you get it to play on demand?

Can you upload a copy to YouTube?

Wanna see, wanna see, wanna see :)

[cwaring]

LOL! I've been wondering that myself for a while but never got around to asking anyone who might know :D

[jonphil]

Youtube has the USA Premiere startup video, not sure if it's the same. A lot of people say it's dull compared to the S1 video.
Hope not as I do have the shortcut on my Tivo to play it :)

[okonski_uk]

There is on the US Premiere (see You Toob), I would imagine as part of the Tivo ethic it will remain. The video in widescreen and HD is pretty good, and almost a mini epic. Search for 'Tivo Startup'.

I did have a key sequence for the S1, I must see if I can remember it for this one.

Already there.....

PS The USA S1 startup is much classier - Sky got their corporate colours, but the US originl (dark blue) is much nicer. You can see them all on YT.

[M_at]

Yup I know that the US ones and UK S1 videos are on YouTube.

And TiVo themselves tell you how to play the video

http://www.tivo.com/mytivo/tipsandtricks/index.html

Just getting sorta giddy excited and I haven't even had a call yet.

I'd also be interested in the Aus/NZ startup video :)

[jonphil]

Premiere startup video. Only smokie can confirm if the VM Tivo is the same

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSzxHfHGHic

[royfox]

I've not seen a start up movie on the vmtivo

[jonphil]

Oh, so does that mean no startup vidoe, or a much better one? :-)

[smokie]

No, no startup video. See screens.

There is not a lot of feedback from TiVo during boot up at all. Different lights on the front, then eventually just the two leftmost green lights are on.

My TV (LG) acts a little strangely. There must be a point during boot up (just before completion) when the output signal is interrupted from TiVo. So my TV starts flashing No Signal. However it takes a power off/on (or maybe input change, not tried that) to get it back.

Sorry to disappoint!!

[M_at]

You mean I'm going to have to sing the TiVo music to myself when I power it up?

What if you follow the shortcut as detailed in the link above to get it to play the startup video without rebooting?

[jonphil]

:( no startup video boooo lol

I'm guessing the interuption you notice smokie is maybe the box switching modes. it maybe has the startup screen in one mode then switches over to 1080i of whatever you have it set so the boot screen is still shown even connected to a non 1080i TV.

[smokie]

Shortcut doesn't seem to do anything.

I have output set to 1080i which displays OK on the LG and see the boot sequence, such as it is, but when the box settles down I have "no signal" on the display, so at the end it certainly switches something, and it could be a telly fault that it doesn't refresh once it's lost it. Changing to a different source then back again fixes it. Possibly a telly problem I suppose.

[John McE]

No start up video?!!! That's it, I'm cancelling my installation! (grin)

[merlin]

:( no startup video boooo lol

I'm guessing the interuption you notice smokie is maybe the box switching modes. it maybe has the startup screen in one mode then switches over to 1080i of whatever you have it set so the boot screen is still shown even connected to a non 1080i TV.

That's so disappointing... :(

[cwaring]

No start up video?!!! That's it, I'm cancelling my installation! (grin)
Yeah. I'm out too :D Maybe I should start another Petition to get one into the next software update :p

[qwiki]

Perhaps its an 'easter egg' and you have to go and find it. Let's hope, as I was really looking forward to a new animation too :(

[cwaring]

If so I just hope someone can find it before April :p

[John McE]

Why April? Is that when they are finally going to call you? (grin)

[RichardJH]

Why April? Is that when they are finally going to call you? (grin)

Easter is in April

[cwaring]

Why April? Is that when they are finally going to call you? (grin)
Don't joke. That is looking increasingly likely :mad:

However....

Easter is in April

[Pete77]

Virgin had the Tivo guy taken off what they now boringly call the Home key on the UK remote so if there is going to be any video at all I am sure it will be one showing a picture of Richard Branson in a woolly sweater and not one of a Tivo guy.:eek::mad::down::down::down:

[okonski_uk]

Jeez - they get TiVo and then do everything they can to mute the brand? No icon on the unit or the peanut? Looks as though they're only going into this with minimal commitment on the original branding. Their "Starting Up" screen is a throwback to the V+. but back in 2000 Sky at least got their customised opening animation, why on earth didn't VM? Were they unaware the could?

Probably.

[M_at]

I support the removal of the TiVo button if Virgin Media's plans to roll out the software to existing V-HD boxes is to happen. They already have the bulk of the buttons needed - apart from the Thumbs and recording ones.

This makes it possible to have a single set of instructions across multiple box types - even if they don't currently run TiVo software.

[Pete77]

I support the removal of the TiVo button if Virgin Media's plans to roll out the software to existing V-HD boxes is to happen. They already have the bulk of the buttons needed - apart from the Thumbs and recording ones.

I would support the replacement of the remotes on these V+ HD boxes so that Tivo boxes can standardise on having a Home page key with the Tivo guy on it.;):p

There are plenty of examples of branded products that still show the brand of a component supplier on them or in them as well. Take tyres or instrument binnacles on cars for instance. Or as a more comparable example being the prominently Microsoft branded operating system on numerous well known brands of personal computer.

It is in the nature of a company like Virgin to try to oppressively stamp its own brand on everything but Tivo should have resisted them as it is very important for them to establish their operating system brand in the UK. As things stand the operating system doesn't appear to say Tivo in it anywhere so Virgin could just claim it was the new upgraded software for their units.

If Tivo can't establish their brand in the UK there is little hope of them selling a generic model that can support satellite cable or DTT down the road. Of course that is no doubt exactly how Virgin likes it.:eek::mad::mad::mad:

[big_dirk]

I would support the replacement of the remotes on these V+ HD boxes so that Tivo boxes can standardise on having a Home page key with the Tivo guy on it.;):p

There are plenty of examples of branded products that still show the brand of a component supplier on them or in them as well. Take tyres or instrument binnacles on cars for instance. Or as a more comparable example being the prominently Microsoft branded operating system on numerous well known brands of personal computer.

It is in the nature of a company like Virgin to try to oppressively stamp its own brand on everything but Tivo should have resisted them as it is very important for them to establish their operating system brand in the UK. As things stand the operating system doesn't appear to say Tivo in it anywhere so Virgin could just claim it was the new upgraded software for their units.

If Tivo can't establish their brand in the UK there is little hope of them selling a generic model that can support satellite cable or DTT down the road. Of course that is no doubt exactly how Virgin likes it.:eek::mad::mad::mad:

You make a lot of assumptions. Mainly that TiVo want to re-establish themselves as a brand in their own right in the UK. I personally can't see why they wouldn't want to do that, like you say they could diversify into non-cable markets. The thing is though, they havn't been bothered to release anything a box in the UK since 1999 so maybe they're not bothered about the UK?

[M_at]

I would support the replacement of the remotes on these V+ HD boxes so that Tivo boxes can standardise on having a Home page key with the Tivo guy on it.;):p

It's costing them enough to get the TiVo software - not much change of that.

There are plenty of examples of branded products that still show the brand of a component supplier on them or in them as well. Take tyres or instrument binnacles on cars for instance. Or as a more comparable example being the prominently Microsoft branded operating system on numerous well known brands of personal computer.

And the TiVo branding is still on there.

http://www.hdtvuk.tv/virgin-tivo-2.jpg

He's there next to the clock.

But lets get it straight - Virgin asked TiVo to bring to them an improved version of the UI and middleware that could replace the Liberate stack they've been running for years.

TiVo did not launch anything here - the risk is Virgin's and it's appropriate that they get the prominent branding.

It is in the nature of a company like Virgin to try to oppressively stamp its own brand on everything but Tivo should have resisted them as it is very important for them to establish their operating system brand in the UK. As things stand the operating system doesn't appear to say Tivo in it anywhere so Virgin could just claim it was the new upgraded software for their units.

For the reasons I state above TiVo had no choice - they're providing software. Nothing else. You don't see OpenTV or NDS' branding on Sky boxes and to have multiple forms of branding on the Virgin box weakens Virgin's position in the market.

If Tivo can't establish their brand in the UK there is little hope of them selling a generic model that can support satellite cable or DTT down the road. Of course that is no doubt exactly how Virgin likes it.:eek::mad::mad::mad:

That's what TiVo signed up to - Freeview & Freesat would not sign up to provide a TiVo box, Sky are wedded to NDS so the only viable partner left is Virgin. TiVo signed a deal with them and they knew exactly what that would lead to.

From the press release at http://pr.tivo.com/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=CA934452BA6418EF&version=live&prid=565587&releasejsp=custom_150

Virgin Media will become the exclusive distributor of TiVo services and technology in the United Kingdom.

Personally I'd love to see a DVB-T2 enabled box and cable card take off in the uK but that just isn't going to happen :(

[Pete77]

And the TiVo branding is still on there.

http://www.hdtvuk.tv/virgin-tivo-2.jpg

He's there next to the clock.

I had to look hard several times to spot him. He's so small there that it won't mean anything other than to those who have had a Tivo before. I presume that is why Virgin's management was prepared to let it go.

I wonder how many of you who are getting the new Virgin cable box will be planning to source a US remote from the Tivo Premier series with a Tivo guy on it that is compatible with the Virgin Tivo. I am sure that www.tivocentral.co.uk will start importing them if they can find a suitable source.

[RichardJH]

I had to look hard several times to spot him. He's so small .
He gets bigger as your TV gets bigger. You might want to put in your order
http://gizmodo.com/5442012/panasonics-152+inch-3d-plasma-the-biggest-tv-yet :D:D

[Pete77]

He gets bigger as your TV gets bigger. You might want to put in your order
http://gizmodo.com/5442012/panasonics-152+inch-3d-plasma-the-biggest-tv-yet :D:D

How many kilowatts an hour of electricity does that thing use. And what percentage of the average UK house price does it cost to buy.:eek:

[RichardJH]

How many kilowatts an hour of electricity does that thing use. And what percentage of the average UK house price does it cost to buy.:eek:

no idea but at least you can see the Tivo Guy

[Pete77]

no idea but at least you can see the Tivo Guy

I'm not so sure about that as he will still only occupy precisely the same percentage of the total screen area and therefore continue to be likely to be lost in the background.:(

[Pete77]

Panasonic claims their 152 inch behemoth draws an average 2.62kw an hour and a peak 3.7kw although at www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Plasma/4K2K/Panasonic/Panasonic_Launches_a_152_Inch_4K2K_Plasma/4864 they have it down as being 4.5kw.

Based on Panasonic's more conservative average consumption figure of 2.62kw what would seem to give an electricty cost of about £400 per annum for 3.5 hours per day of use or about £2,750 per annum of electricity consumption for 24/7 operation.:eek:

[cyril]

How many kilowatts an hour of electricity does that thing use. And what percentage of the average UK house price does it cost to buy.:eek:

Well the 103" is about £40k and the 85" is £28k, so maybe £150k?

Or about the price of a parking space in Knightsbridge.