Painfully slow!

Distortedloop · 09-21-2009, 10:39 PM

Every time I try the TiVo Search Beta it's so slow as to be totally useless. I can't even test it to give feedback on the interface and features with any sense of reality.

Example, I just used my iPhone camera to record how long it takes to get from one menu to another. To go from a playing NetFlix movie to the Search Beta and schedule one recording took ELEVEN MINUTES. I can post the video to YouTube if anyone wants to see it for themselves.

Two of the eleven minutes were user error, I selected HD view, and it takes two minutes for that to load, and in frustration waiting for it to load I accidentally hit the arrow button and got dumped back to the low-def screen. Every change in menu selection seems to take 90 seconds to 2 minutes.

What's worse is that I understand there should be recommendation icons at the top of the screen, but only two show up, the first on the far left is a show suggestion, the second on the far right is an advertisement. If I arrow through the blank screen on the top, it stops, and if I wait a minute or two, the program info will show up for some show, but never the icon. Finally I hit the button to see more info, and then it takes a few more minutes for the record button to become active.

Meanwhile, on the far right of the screen is a big empty box that looks like it should have a picture of the show, or maybe even (this would be really cool if it did...) a trailer of the show.

My TiVo is a Series 3. I am on an internal hardwired gigabit Ethernet LAN, which goes to a Verizon FIOS 20/5 WAN line. The TiVo's Ethernet cable is CAT 6 and goes through one hub/switch before hitting the router. I have a Mac Mini home theater attached to the same network switch and it has no networking issues to the outside world (hulu, netflix, downloads, trailers, etc), so I doubt networking is the issue.

As is, I don't even want to test this again. It hasn't changed in 6 months since the last time I tried it. I can deal with bugs and crashes on something labeled "beta", but give me a break, this is "alpha" at best. Beta implies it's somewhat ready for primetime and we just need more testers to make sure nothing subtle got missed. Who can possibly test this when they'll waist at least ten minutes per show they try to find?

Joe3 · 09-22-2009, 01:35 PM

This is what I can't stand. I couldn't get away with this where I work and just leave people out there in the company ether-net. It seems they have abandoned this project.

carios23 · 09-22-2009, 01:42 PM

I have been wondering about this feature...is it ever seeing daylight?

orangeboy · 09-22-2009, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distortedloop

Every time I try the TiVo Search Beta it's so slow as to be totally useless. I can't even test it to give feedback on the interface and features with any sense of reality.

Example, I just used my iPhone camera to record how long it takes to get from one menu to another. To go from a playing NetFlix movie to the Search Beta and schedule one recording took ELEVEN MINUTES. I can post the video to YouTube if anyone wants to see it for themselves.

Two of the eleven minutes were user error, I selected HD view, and it takes two minutes for that to load, and in frustration waiting for it to load I accidentally hit the arrow button and got dumped back to the low-def screen. Every change in menu selection seems to take 90 seconds to 2 minutes.

What's worse is that I understand there should be recommendation icons at the top of the screen, but only two show up, the first on the far left is a show suggestion, the second on the far right is an advertisement. If I arrow through the blank screen on the top, it stops, and if I wait a minute or two, the program info will show up for some show, but never the icon. Finally I hit the button to see more info, and then it takes a few more minutes for the record button to become active.

Meanwhile, on the far right of the screen is a big empty box that looks like it should have a picture of the show, or maybe even (this would be really cool if it did...) a trailer of the show.

My TiVo is a Series 3. I am on an internal hardwired gigabit Ethernet LAN, which goes to a Verizon FIOS 20/5 WAN line. The TiVo's Ethernet cable is CAT 6 and goes through one hub/switch before hitting the router. I have a Mac Mini home theater attached to the same network switch and it has no networking issues to the outside world (hulu, netflix, downloads, trailers, etc), so I doubt networking is the issue.

As is, I don't even want to test this again. It hasn't changed in 6 months since the last time I tried it. I can deal with bugs and crashes on something labeled "beta", but give me a break, this is "alpha" at best. Beta implies it's somewhat ready for primetime and we just need more testers to make sure nothing subtle got missed. Who can possibly test this when they'll waist at least ten minutes per show they try to find?

I'm thinking with this issue and the issue you're having with Netflix being painfully slow, you've got an issue not relating to either app. Are you using the same DNS servers with the Tivo and Mac? Are both the Tivo and Mac using DHCP? Or are they both statically assigned an address? As mentioned in the Netflix thread, switch the Tivo and Mac ports to see if the port is bad on the router/switch.

greggt007 · 09-22-2009, 03:35 PM

same problem here. my netflix and tivo search beta take minutes to load. once a netflix movie is selected it streams fine. it took probably 4 tries of 5 minutes each (queue of remote presses exiting it the other 3) waiting for the beta to pop up so i could finally switch to swivel. unusable.

it is noted i am having other networking issues at this time (ethernet not working, had to switch to wireless), as well as my season pass list being reordered. maybe my tivo (ex-hard drive) is dying.

dalmeida · 10-01-2009, 06:56 PM

This is my problem as well. It takes several minutes for the search menu to even show. I've stopped using it obviously since it's virtually unusable. It's still annoying when I inadvertently select it. I don't have as large a problem with the population of the Netflix list but it is relatively slow. Network connection is wired directly to internal switch in router via less than 50ft cable run to patch panel and 3ft jumper to switch.

My setup:
TivoHD + 1TB external Drive
ATT DSL 6MB PPPoE
cat5C Ethernet network
Netgear Fr114p router
DLink DGS2208 gigabit switch
DLink DSS8+ 10/100 Switch
Netgear WG102 Access point
Speedster 4100 DSL modem

Distortedloop · 10-05-2009, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangeboy

I'm thinking with this issue and the issue you're having with Netflix being painfully slow, you've got an issue not relating to either app. Are you using the same DNS servers with the Tivo and Mac? Are both the Tivo and Mac using DHCP? Or are they both statically assigned an address? As mentioned in the Netflix thread, switch the Tivo and Mac ports to see if the port is bad on the router/switch.

Yep, same DNS servers on the TiVo as the Mac. I use OpenDNS.

Browsing podcasts on the TiVo is horrible as well. Seems like any networking access is terrible.

Distortedloop · 10-20-2009, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distortedloop

Every time I try the TiVo Search Beta it's so slow as to be totally useless. I can't even test it to give feedback on the interface and features with any sense of reality.

...

I'm back to report that this issue has finally been resolved. NetFlix and the TiVo Search beta are both snappy and a pleasure to use now.

Believe it or not, all it took was to go to the settings screen and RESTART the TiVo from that menu!

Please note that I had rebooted the TiVo on more than one occasion by pulling the plug out of the wall when the system was so slow to respond that it appeared locked up. Why a RESTART rather than a POWER OFF reboot was required blows my mind, but there it is.

I suggest anyone with this issue who might come across this thread try a RESTART.

It was the TiVo support phone number that gave me the idea. I didn't actually talk to anyone, but while on hold waiting in the queue the recording advised most issues can be fixed by restarting from the restart menu. I figured I better try it that way before a real life person asked if I had. Glad I did; sorry that I assumed power off was same as programmed restart.

Thanks to everyone who responded trying to help me figure this out.

jgreen1280 · 11-08-2009, 01:44 AM

I am still seeing this issue. Currently running kickstart 57.

I see the slowness in these areas only:

1. YouTube (when opening app, searching, typing. once open, plays great)
2. Netflix (works awesome, except for the 3 to 5 min for the app to load...and, i dont dare press the page down button...will lock the tivo up for 10+ min...its faster for me to get online, move to top of queue, then go back into netflix. Once movie starts, HD quality always!)

3. Tivo search - whole app locks my tivo up

This has been ahppening since i purchsed unit....I thought it was normal till my mom purchased one for her house.. her unit, a refurb which she purchased for $150 and I paid $300 for mine, with a 54g wireless card works perfect!!!! quick in every aspect.

I thought it was my hard drive going bad, so I replaced (tivo wanted me to pay to have "fixed" which is bull-s***!!!) no change....next, unplugged my wired nic, used my moms wireless card in mine, thinking maybe my onboard nic was hosed...no go...same results...

I want to buy another one, but still pissed that I purchased a bum unit and tivo will do noting to assist....first they said it was my cable (internet), they had me do a speed test and read them the results because they didnt believe me: 25,000 k down and 10,000 k up....next, they thought since i wasnt using a linksys or belkin router, the level 3 "engineers" said: oh, sonicwall, whats that...thats the problem...plug directly into the cable modem...with tat, I humored them.... 10 bux says you can guess how that helped....um...yeah, it didnt....

Dont think im going to stay with tivo after this experience...I will probably switch to a high-end media center since msft would be better help than tivo support at this point..

I LOVE MY TIVO.....just wished the company running the box would help thier current paying customers instead of trying to f' with them.... can i talk to the developers directly please!!!!!! I'M sick of dicking around with L1 techs....

Sorry everyone for the venting session....any suggestions from anyone would be much apreciated... I would LOVE to stay with tivo!!!!!! when it works, it works awesome....its just those 3 apps above....amazon ondemand works flawless, along with all the other online features....just those 3 are broken.

Thanks in advance!!!!!!