What's the last word on the Comcast Tivo Brand DVR?

You may be confused; there is no "Comcast Tivo Brand DVR". However Comcast has been working on pushing a version of TiVo software into their existing HD DVR's. They've been "working on it" for over a year now with no official release date in sight.

Black Betty was kind enough to post these links to other threads on the subject. Have a read:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=351580

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=345154&highlight=comcast

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=342695&highlight=comcast

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=332188&highlight=comcast

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=335507&highlight=comcast

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=328599&highlight=comcast

I along with many others have said that having a TiVo UI in a Comcast box will be like putting lipstick on a pig. But that's just our humble opinion.

It is true that VOD is not currently available on TiVo S3's.

We had a POS (your guess as to what that means ) Comcast DVR...in fact we had three of them and all of them had problems. We gave them back and are quite happy with our S3. We don't miss VOD at all. Just waiting for MRV (Multi-room viewing/TiVoToGo) to kick in.

Buy the S3, you'll be glad you did.

 

As I been reading the Comcast tivo will be test markited this summer in New England area first then other area's this fall. Most likly it won't be ready until the first of the year.
No on demand or ppv will not work with Tivo. If SDV come out the tivo will not operate at 100%.

 

Take a look at this for some interesting info on On Demand and SDV for the S3. There may be hope. Credit to dt_dc

 

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Wow. Thanks.

That is the first piece of real information on TiVo and SDV I've seen since I became aware of this issue back in January.

I'm still using an HR10-250 HD DirecTivo, but I'm keeping my options open. A stable device running TiVo software is much preferable to me than having to have the family learn a new DVR OS.

John

 

Good info...thanks! I have to believe that there's just too much at stake for everyone involved to let SDV cause anyone serious problems. Like most other computer-based consumer products TiVo will be updated and models eventually replaced as time goes on. With all of the parties involved in the SDV issue, the government, cable companies, the entertainment industry...it will likely take a long time for them to sort it all out. By then I'll be ready to buy a new S6. In the meantime the S3 should have a healthy run.

Unbox can be used to download most movie and TV programming so it doesn't seem that there's any real need for PPV with TiVo.

 

It also warrants noting, as there seems to be frequent confusion on the topic, that with most cable systems "special event" PPV is still available via phone/net order.

 

I apologize in advance if this offends anyone, but why isn't this discussion in the Coffee House? Other then HD capability the Comcast software has nothing to do with the S3, yet it seems to pop up in here all the time.

 

A reasonable question -- in my mind, the reason it comes up here is that a lot of folks are looking at the S3 as a replacement for the DirecTV TiVo receivers. We come here reading about the S3, but have some concerns about how Cablecards, etc. are working with the provider. The Comcast device, if it shows up, could combine the goodness of dual tuner HD with the TiVo interface, with the finger pointing avoidance of the device coming from the service provider.

So -- maybe what we really need is the section titled:

"Disgrunted DirecTiVo customers who want HD and TiVo together again"

 

If you want the best of both worlds you can have it now. Just get a cable box! I have my home theater system programmed with Tivo & Comcast buttons so when I want to watch OnDemand or if I'm recording two shows already and want to watch a 3rd I tell my system to use the cable box and wola!, I have a third channel and on demand if I want it. Tivo is the greatest new product I have found in a while. I cannot recommend the Series 3 enough for anybody on the fence. Go out and buy it, you won't regret it!!! Pod casts and streaming audio from the internet is just added bonus features you can accomplish with this unit. I'm still amazed at all it can do.

 

A better solution would be for the mods to add a new subforum for the Comcast-Tivo partnership, just as there is one for the DirecTV boxes. And yes, I understand it is not commercially available yet, but it is well past the vaporware stage.

 

I agree with the poster about getting a comcast box and a S3 if you want to do PPV and ON Demand. It will give you the best of everything. However the price would be in my area an additional $8 a month. However, in my area comcast is offering up to two additional cable boxes for free for one year when you sign up for the digital package. This might be the way to test things out.

 

Just do what I did. I kept the Comcrap DVR for watching VOD(i.e. Howard Stern). I have an enclosed cabinet. I was getting worried about the heat it gave off, even when powered off. It is something akin to decaying plutonium, and just as dangerous, at least to components in the cabinet!

On Friday, I went to the customer service counter to turn it in for the new small cable box. I'd post the url, but i'm not up to 5 posts yet. It's Motorola DCT-700.
.
It's small, receives VOD, doesn't run hot. Best of all, the $10/month DVR charge is gone, and the little box is free. All I use it for is VOD.

 

I might miss OnDemand, too, if it were available in HD but Cox OKC doesn’t offer it. Thus, I found that I almost never used OnDemand, even when I had an HD DVR from the cable company that could receive it. In the four-plus months I have had my S3, I have not missed OnDemand, not once, not even a little. That might change when and if Cox OKC starts to offer HD programming that way. So far, though, there is no indication that is going to happen in the foreseeable future.

 

It appears to me that Comcast and Verizon are using the same Motorola hardware. As was pointed out in other threads, Verizon is using software from Microsoft. A friend (lucky bastard) has FIOS and their HD DVR. From what I've seen, I would be more than happy with it.

I think the hardware is fine, the software Comcast is using is crap. If Comcast gets Tivo software on their hardware, and the pricing is comparable to Tivo's monthly fee, it will be a no-brainer for me...

 

My Comcast franchise has a single cable box free with a Digital package, however I have no interest in having one in my house. However if one were truly enamored of PPV or OnDemand, they could take advantage of this deal.

Considering I have never felt the need to use OnDemand or PPV, it's a non-issue in my book, I have a Tivo and know how to visit network websites and use bittorrent, On Demand has always seemed silly.

(I can see how with rugrats, one might find positives in VOD however)

DIane

 

An even better one is a Cable dvr with Tivo since Cox is also going to use it.

ajwees41

 

Agreed. I hadn't heard about that one...