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Current MRV users- fyi on what our competitors are providing

Discussion in 'TiVo Series3 HDTV DVRs' started by Ilene, Sep 20, 2006.

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  1. Sep 20, 2006 #1 of 45
    Ilene

    Ilene Member

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    I am starting a separate thread because the thread for MRV Must Have has been responded to by TiVo users that must only have one TiVO. Anyone who has more than one TiVo and is not using MRV - you don't know what you are missing.

    This thread is for those of us that currently utilize MRV.

    Verizon Fios just now offering something that they call a Home Media DVR which is their way of offering MRV. What I thought was interesting was that this box is facing almost the same issue that Series3 users are facing:
    "Does the Home Media DVR support HD programs streamed to the 2500 (their non-HD set top box)? No, HD programs can only be viewed on the DVR. "
    What it does do is allow SD programs to viewed between the Home Media DVR and their non-HD set top box. To use this feature, you must also be a Fios Internet subscriber.

    I am getting my Fios installed on 10/6 to go with my Series3 box with 2 cable cards. I chose not to go with their version for the same reason I have never left TiVo since I got my first Series1 box for Christmas in 2001. I fell in love immediately and as with all loves, it has its ups and downs. It also makes us blind, but let's hope that we will at least be able to transfer SD programs at the very least soon. The only incentive I see is that all of us who are transferring our lifetimes will be getting "free service" on the old box for a year. When that year runs out, why would we start paying if we can't transfer programs from one to the other?
     
  2. Sep 20, 2006 #2 of 45
    Dan203

    Dan203 Super Moderator Staff Member TCF Club

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    I'm confident that MRV will be enabled, in one form or another, eventually. The only question is whether or not it will support transfers from digital cable channels which have to pass through the CableCARD. If CableLabs says no, then TiVo will be forced to make it so MRV only works for OTA and analog channels. I'm guessing that's not as easy as it sounds, and that they're trying everything they can to get CableLabs to approve it for all channels.

    Now TTG on the other hand... TTG is completely insecure, so I'm a lot less confident that it will be approved for digital cable channels. Although I really hope I'm wrong on this.

    Dan
     
  3. Sep 20, 2006 #3 of 45
    tivoknucklehead

    tivoknucklehead Well-Known Member

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    I could live with MRV on analog channels only. As for TTG, its worthless, takes far too long to transfer shows and I have an N network. Slingbox is a far superior option than TTG
     
  4. Sep 20, 2006 #4 of 45
    ah30k

    ah30k Well-Known Member

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    Only if you have a broadband connected device. I have a portable-media-player that the kids can use when forced into going to their sisters' dance class or the like and can also be used as input into the mini-van's entertainment center.
     
  5. Sep 20, 2006 #5 of 45
    TexasGrillChef

    TexasGrillChef New Member

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    My quesiton to all on TTG is this.

    There aren't any HD Video devices currently on the market "To Go" as far as I know.

    since I can output out of ANY TIVO to a DVD and record in SD mode. Then I can Take my DVD to my computer & using any number of programs convert it for viewing on my Ipod, or other portable video device.

    Been doing that for YEARS on NON Tivo equipment.

    so my question is this... What does TTG do that I am not allready doing anyways?

    TexasGrillChef
     
  6. Sep 20, 2006 #6 of 45
    Dan203

    Dan203 Super Moderator Staff Member TCF Club

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    The current version of TTG can download programs, and convert them to portable video format, automatically. You basically just set up a rule on the PC saying to download and convert all episodes of a particular show and it does it. It's a lot easier then making a DVD in realtime.

    Also, even for just making DVDs, it save you from having to tie up the TiVo while making the DVD. The video is transfered to the PC digitally over the network, then converted on the PC. So you never have to worry about dedicating an hour of TiVo time to the DVD recorder.

    TTG is a nice feature. Unfortunately it's just not very secure, so it's unlikely to ever get CableLabs approval.

    Dan
     
  7. Sep 20, 2006 #7 of 45
    classicX

    classicX Don't scream.

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    This is more likely because of the fact that the remote set-top boxes are not HD compatible, and less likely that it's because of some restriction on HD content.
     
  8. Sep 20, 2006 #8 of 45
    Ilene

    Ilene Member

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    I currently have a Pioneer TiVo which records to DVD (which is also networked to a Series2) so that I can either record a show or transfer between the 2 boxes. I rarely used TTG. I was going to move the Pioneer to the bedroom, but that would leave me without a DVD player in the living room where the new S3 is going.

    I was contemplating purchasing a DVD-Recorder to attach. Is this the work around? Burn a recorded show to DVD then play in anything that has a dvd player?
     
  9. Sep 20, 2006 #9 of 45
    snathanb

    snathanb New Member

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    Dishnetwork 622 HD DVR does. Hook a PMP right up to it. Skip the burn to dvd, rip, encode hours of work.
     
  10. Sep 20, 2006 #10 of 45
    VoodooNYC

    VoodooNYC New Member

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    Ilene - I have a Panasonic DVD Recorder that I've been using for a few years and it is a WORKHORSE. Honestly I have recorded thousands of movies from my TiVo and this thing just never gives up. Blank DVDs are getting pretty cheap too, so I think it's a good option.
     
  11. Sep 20, 2006 #11 of 45
    jmoak

    jmoak Beware of Conky!

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    I disagree with "worthless". I use it quite alot since I began traveling again. And the "slowness" is not a prob for me, I simply queue up the programs I want and let them transfer overnight.

    Also, I think slingbox is a great product IF you have at least a 128kbps internet connection or better everywhere you go. If you frequently have no internet connection where you travel you're out of luck with slingbox.

    ...but I'll refrain calling slingbox "worthless" or decry tivo2go as "far superior" just because of how they work for me.;)
    The embedding of a tivo's unique service id number into the gop structure of a transferred video is a pretty good method of content distribution protection, in my opinion anyway. The idea of a company trying to preserve my ability to move a video from their box to any device I want to while making it possible to tell exactly where and on what box that video was originally recorded on (if I distribute my videos all over the internet they can tell it was my dumb ass that did it!) is a pretty novel idea in this uber-restrictive drm world we live in today.

    Heck it even got the fcc’s approval!

    But your right, the fcc is one thing, the uber-restrictive, "gotta-save-cable's-profit-stream" cablelabs is quite another.
     
  12. Sep 20, 2006 #12 of 45
    TexasGrillChef

    TexasGrillChef New Member

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    Sounds like it is alot easier to use. However since TTG is not yet available for S3 unts. Then my DVD Recorder will just have to suffice for the time being.

    For slingbox people.... I love my slingbox. I have 2 just for the capability of more "inputs" not to use at the same time. Although on my cable modem I do have 1.5mbs upstream! :)

    Just hoping for eSata support after christmas

    texasgrillchef
     
  13. Sep 20, 2006 #13 of 45
    HDTiVo

    HDTiVo Not so Senior Member

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    I feel very stongly that MRV will be enabled within a few months.

    People keep talking about TTG as "completely" unsecure as if it is some static carbon copy of S2 TTG. It does not have to be. Vongo (WMV-DRM), for example, is "completely" secure (unless something new has come up) and there is no reason TiVo can't accomplish something similar with the S3.
     
  14. Sep 21, 2006 #14 of 45
    Ilene

    Ilene Member

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    VoodooNYC
    Have you tried hooking up your Panasonic DVD recorder to your S3? There is another post using a Pioneer TiVo recorder (which I have also) and he was not successful.
     
  15. Sep 21, 2006 #15 of 45
    TiVoPhish

    TiVoPhish New Member

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    When I had TTG I barely used it.

    Now that I have a DVD Burner hooked up to my AV equipment I just burn to DVD (from an 8300hd). I don't bother with converting or dumping... if I want movies to go I bring along a portable DVD player (usually for my daughter) or my own laptop.

    And DVD burners have gotten CHEAP. I paid $129 for mine only because it also upconverts for improved HD viewing... I've seen them as low as $29.99 at Best Buy.
     
  16. Sep 21, 2006 #16 of 45
    VoodooNYC

    VoodooNYC New Member

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    Ilene - I haven't tried yet. I'm taking tomorrow off to set everything up for a Saturday CableCard install. I'll do it then and will post my experience.
     
  17. Sep 21, 2006 #17 of 45
    MichaelK

    MichaelK Active Member

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    exactly what I'm thinking- TTG as is wont fly (mostly becasue you can apparently expolit microsoft directshow to blow it away).

    But there very well could be TTG2 that works along with windows vista to maintain a secure system form end to end.
     
  18. Sep 21, 2006 #18 of 45
    Dan203

    Dan203 Super Moderator Staff Member TCF Club

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    The only way they could change the DRM is to change the fundimental way TTG works. And if they do that they'll break the current implimentation being used for S2 units. I just don't see that happening.

    I think that best case scenario is they get it approved but have to conform to some sort of copy protection scheme which allows content providers block transfers if they see fit, and worst case scenario is they only enable it for analog and OTA channels.

    Dan
     
  19. Sep 21, 2006 #19 of 45
    MickeS

    MickeS Well-Known Member

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    SO forget TTG and MRV for a second - why is TTCB not enabled out of the box on the TiVo Series 3? There shouldn't be any CableLabs restrictions for that, and it's supposed to be able to play WMV9 and MPEG4 if I recall correctly, which would have been great.

    This would also give Series 2 owners a way to get shows from the Series 2 over to the Series 3, albeit by having to transfer to a computer first.

    There shouldn't be any legal hurdles for this, so why is it not there?
     
  20. Sep 21, 2006 #20 of 45
    skaeight

    skaeight New Member

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    TTG is a pain. You shouldn't have to sit there and transcode a video for hour upon hours to burn a dvd. I also didn't have much luck getting it to burn actual readable dvds with either the sonic tool or nero.

    MRV is really all I would care about in regards to the series 3.
     
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