Comcast Tivo Poll

So far so good. Also keep in mind that their is a software (and maybe firmware) upgade coming soon to the comcast tivo's that will solve some nagging issues.

 

I am surprised at the number of smash responses there have been. Although I love the concept, it is unusable on a daily basis. I can live with slow menus, etc; but the green screen is too much to deal with 2-3 times a day. And unfortunately I am one of the ones that can't get around it by pressing Tivo, etc. I am forced to restart; which in itself takes about 10 minutes.

As I said, I love the idea of this, but I can't believe that Comcast let this go out to the public (and now advertises for it) when these bugs are not resolved.

The only reason I haven't returned mine are because as much as my wife hates it, she can't go without the recordings that are on there...so we are stuck.

Can't wait for my HTPC Vista Media Center PC to be completed.

 

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Make sure your video output in the tivo menu is set to 1080 fixed.

that got rid of my green screens

 

Thanks for the suggestion; just confirmed it is already set that way.

 

I have never seen this green screen that everyone keeps talking about.

 

weird, also make sure its set that way in the box's menu (power box off from front panel and press menu

i believe this is also one of the issues to be resolved with the new firmware

 

I've been extremely pleased with my Comcast TiVo.

 

I started with one Comcast Tivo box on our family room TV. Worked great, decided to replace the noisy old original Tivo we have in our bedroom. Comcast shows up to install the second Tivo and after 60+ minutes of fooling around comes to the conclusion the box he was given is not Tivo capable. He promised to return the next day with the right box. The next day another tech shows up with a box that looks like it's been bouncing around in the back of his truck for a year. Dirty, scratched, etc. I asked him for a new box as I didn't want to deal with a refurb on the new technology. He promised to return with a new box. This was right before MA school vacation week - we went away. Come back and Comcast Tivo box number one is alternating between a flashing dot and all 8's on the front display. No picture whatsoever! Oscar night! Call Comcast and 45 minutes on the phone later have an appointment for the next day. The original offer was 4 days out... The tech shows up the next day, diagnoses the problem as 'need to change the box' but sheepishly states he can't because he is unable to contact Comcast via phone to initiate the download. Yes, Comcast's phones weren't working... Tech promises to escalate to his boss and return the next day. The next day the supervisor comes, installs both boxes - took about 3 hours for the Tivo software downloads to complete (why not give the techs the Tivo software on a USB stick?!?) and get the boxes operational. Fingers crossed - both boxes are working now. I'm hoping the early adopter pain and suffering is behind me!

 

Because the ultimate goal is to not have a technician there at all (unless of ocurse its your first DVR box). The goal is to be able to push the software onto the DVR box. The technicians are coming out now and making sure that the process goes smoothly and also to note when things hiccup so it can be fixed going forward.

I think once we hear that comcast is expanding the TiVo service beyond Boston, thats when I think we will know that comcast is comfortable with doing installs without a tech involved.

 

The biggest problem with NOT sending a tech is that the signal levels need to be right for the internal DOCSIS modem to function properly, if the signal isnt right and you attempt to "push" the software to the box, it could render the box useless until a technician can come replace it and correct the signal levels.

also FWIW I have done more than a few installs on these boxes and id say that about 3/4 of the time the signal levels are NOT within the needed parameters when I arrive.

 

Do you see this being correctable someday in the future or will a truck roll always be needed? And do you suspect it will be the same through out the country?

 

well, we offer self install kits for our internet modems and those have the same signal requirements so I assume it will be done at some point in the future, but from what i can tell these boxes are very dependent on signal so unless you are absolutely sure the signal is good where you have your dvr (not off a bunch of splitters, no rg59 wire etc....) I'd say the tech visit is a wise investment in your future sanity if the thing starts flaking out and cant get guide info (and then doesn't recort your show) because the modem cant communicate priperly with tivo.

 

I got an early one of these in Mid January.. liked it a lot, but had quite a few green screens and had to reboot a couple times to wake it up.

Then, one day, I too got the 8888, then .... thing happening. I was told that the thing was repeatedly trying to reboot itself.

The service tech showed up 2 or 3 days later to replace the box. The new one had updated software (maybe the last box failed during a software upgrade?) which cleaned up a few of the HMI problems I had been having.

It also added an option to go to standby, not sure what that does... (does it wake itself back up to record?)

I do love the tivo recommendations.. never know what it may catch for you.

The only thing I wish they had done for me was to let me keep the cablecard for free that I had previously had in my tv, so when the box fails I can still watch TV while waiting days for them to come replace it.

 

one of the votes for trash is from user named GuidoTKP, who has himself listed as living in Idaho. I didn't realize the Comcast TiVo was released in Idaho already.

oh and all of his non archived posts are in the DirecTV forum. hmm

 

I was just looking also and noticed user Jebberwocky who is listed as living in Illinois voted "trash". Jebber do you really have the comcast tivo?

 

I needed a "pretty good" option in that poll. Almost there, not quite yet due to continuing performance lags in the interface.

 

ok, wait 2 weeks or so for the firmware upgrade that is coming and then vote.