I don't get it. TiVo works well with OTA. I don't know what OTT is...
It official, the shine is off the TiVo.
This weekend my wife and I were talking about cord cutting as a downsizing measure since most of our children aren't living at home any longer. I was surprised that she suggested letting our current TiVo's die and to not replace them. I asked why and she mentioned all the efforts the cable company has gone to to prevent MRV, and the issues with the tuning adapter when we had it. She was a big fan of the technology but it looks like she's starting to consider OTT and OTA service as a primary means of consuming video. She did say that we would likely keep one for general use, but to not replace the other two.
I kind of agree with her. I've been disappointed with how TiVo has been slow to address issues and add new functionality. I'm seeing TiVo more and more as a dead end device and not seeing much of a future in the current generation of products. TiVo is also pricing themselves out of the market as far as I'm concerned with their 19.95/month plans and if the only option I have is that, lifetime or no TiVo, it'll be no TiVo at all for me.
Having said all this, my current setup will likely last for several years, but we have entered into a downsizing mode with regard to TiVo. It might not happen quickly, but I can see us with only one or no TiVos in 2-5 years, and none of them will be premieres.
I kind of agree with her. I've been disappointed with how TiVo has been slow to address issues and add new functionality. I'm seeing TiVo more and more as a dead end device and not seeing much of a future in the current generation of products. TiVo is also pricing themselves out of the market as far as I'm concerned with their 19.95/month plans and if the only option I have is that, lifetime or no TiVo, it'll be no TiVo at all for me.
Having said all this, my current setup will likely last for several years, but we have entered into a downsizing mode with regard to TiVo. It might not happen quickly, but I can see us with only one or no TiVos in 2-5 years, and none of them will be premieres.
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Office of Travel and Tourism....
Some people don't think it's a good value to pay $19.95 a month or lifetime for just the 5 or 6 stations they can get locally OTA.I don't get it. TiVo works well with OTA.
After removing channels I'm not interested in (spanish and religious), I still have 33 OTA channels.
This weekend my wife and I were talking about cord cutting as a downsizing measure since most of our children aren't living at home any longer. I was surprised that she suggested letting our current TiVo's die and to not replace them. I asked why and she mentioned all the efforts the cable company has gone to to prevent MRV, and the issues with the tuning adapter when we had it. She was a big fan of the technology but it looks like she's starting to consider OTT and OTA service as a primary means of consuming video. She did say that we would likely keep one for general use, but to not replace the other two.
There's no cable company, cable cards, or tuning adapters if you go OTA. Tivo + OTA = easy and cheap I have six. CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CW, and PBS.After removing channels I'm not interested in (spanish and religious), I still have 33 OTA channels.
None of them have sub-channels? I have 17 channels.I have six. CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CW, and PBS.
Same here. In fact CW is a sub channel of Univision and is not even in HD. All sub channels of the others are either SD versions of the same channel or constant weather/news feeds.I have six. CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CW, and PBS.
Dan
Ditto. I assume only major metro areas have much more than that, and I have to wonder how much duplication there is in the programming, and how long the abundance will last.Same here. In fact CW is a sub channel of Univision and is not even in HD. All sub channels of the others are either SD versions of the same channel or constant weather/news feeds.
Dan
I think I found what "OTT" means.
From http://www.trenderresearch.com/profiles/blogs/cutting-the-cord-part-6-roku
From http://www.trenderresearch.com/profiles/blogs/cutting-the-cord-part-6-roku
over-the-top (OTT) video set-top boxes
I can't keep up with the programming on just my OTA channels. How can anyone cope with a cable lineup?Some people don't think it's a good value to pay $19.95 a month or lifetime for just the 5 or 6 stations they can get locally OTA.
I have 3 lifetime tivos and I'm only OTA with 60+ channels and OTT. I think the opposite, I think it's a great value for just OTA not for cable. What other OTA tuner does DVRing, VOD via Netflix, bbuster, wand others. Not to mention pandora and whatnot. A cable dvr offers almost the same functionality with their own VOD offerings and tightly integrated with their system. TiVo can't match an Mso's box value offering while nothing can offer a tivo's OTA value offering.Some people don't think it's a good value to pay $19.95 a month or lifetime for just the 5 or 6 stations they can get locally OTA.
And it's a good value to pay for cable channels you don't watch? I had BHN's "Triple Play" + "Ultimate Pack" + "HD Pack" + CableCARDs and my monthly bill was $173.60/month after taxes. Now I'm saving $1049.88/year after cutting just cable TV in Spring 2009. That figure is after factoring in paying for internet, phone, and Netflix, so that's fully realized savings. By not paying BHN for their TV service, I paid for PLS and hardware on all 3 of my TiVos, and then some.Some people don't think it's a good value to pay $19.95 a month or lifetime for just the 5 or 6 stations they can get locally OTA.
One has to consider how inferior the competing OTA DVR's are. For example, the Channel Master 2 tuner OTA DVR does NOT use Name Based Recording, but sets hard times like a VCR. Now there are a lot of people who are willing to work with that because there is no monthly fee, but for me, that was a deal breaker. I wanted to get the predecessor model of the Channel Master, but I didn't want a VCR type of DVR.
So, I do pay what I think is a fairly high monthly rate ($12.95), but having NBR is worth it to me, but I understand how many others would balk at that. Each has to find what they can live with. The Sezmi DVR does OTA (2 tuners, of course) for $4 per month, but it may still be buggy and that is why I haven't switched yet. A Sezmi system is less than $150 and only $4 per month. NICE! If they can get working better.
To the OP: The TiVo as an OTA ONLY device has been extremely solid for me. The problems the TiVo has are more with cable and those horrid CableLabs Cable Cards and the whole Switched Digital Video fiasco. Does Cable really want TiVo working well with their service? Meanwhile OTA only on a TiVo is an extremely positive experience. Consider keeping the TiVo's at first and see how things go; you can always get rid of them later. Don't forget you can also access on-line content on the TiVo's.
So, I do pay what I think is a fairly high monthly rate ($12.95), but having NBR is worth it to me, but I understand how many others would balk at that. Each has to find what they can live with. The Sezmi DVR does OTA (2 tuners, of course) for $4 per month, but it may still be buggy and that is why I haven't switched yet. A Sezmi system is less than $150 and only $4 per month. NICE! If they can get working better.
To the OP: The TiVo as an OTA ONLY device has been extremely solid for me. The problems the TiVo has are more with cable and those horrid CableLabs Cable Cards and the whole Switched Digital Video fiasco. Does Cable really want TiVo working well with their service? Meanwhile OTA only on a TiVo is an extremely positive experience. Consider keeping the TiVo's at first and see how things go; you can always get rid of them later. Don't forget you can also access on-line content on the TiVo's.
Sez who?........ The Sezmi DVR does OTA (2 tuners, of course) for $4 per month, but it may still be buggy and that is why I haven't switched yet. A Sezmi system is less than $150 and only $4 per month. NICE! If they can get working better.
........
There can't be any guarantee that the Sezmi service cost won't be increased eventually, to oh, say.... $12.95/mo. Or even worse: disappear completely. Unless enough units are sold, providing the service at any price won't be profitable.
The only one of my current TiVo's capable of native OTA recording is my HD. The other two only have analog tuners. So, for OTA I'd likely keep the HD since it's on a 12.95/month plan, but I'm not paying 19.95/month to record six channels. With the one HD I'd still be using it for OTT, local Video transfer from a server, and OTA recording. Also because I rent my antenna options are limited, so only the strongest channels would be available to me.To the OP: The TiVo as an OTA ONLY device has been extremely solid for me. The problems the TiVo has are more with cable and those horrid CableLabs Cable Cards and the whole Switched Digital Video fiasco. Does Cable really want TiVo working well with their service? Meanwhile OTA only on a TiVo is an extremely positive experience. Consider keeping the TiVo's at first and see how things go; you can always get rid of them later. Don't forget you can also access on-line content on the TiVo's.
I am also one of those who think OTA is where TiVo shines. I have 3 TiVos only used for OTA they all work great. Without the ability to time shift about the only thing I could watch is the early news (in bed by 8:00 most nights due to work) and the only reason I can stand OTA programing is because I can skip through the commercials.
So I would say my TiVos have a very high value for me.
Regarding the cost well it is what it is but I was lucky enough to pay less for my Premiere with lifetime than what a channel master OTA DVR costs. A 4 tuner OTA HTPC would cost less than 2 Premieres with lifetime but I like using a TiVo better than a HTPC.
Thanks,
So I would say my TiVos have a very high value for me.
Regarding the cost well it is what it is but I was lucky enough to pay less for my Premiere with lifetime than what a channel master OTA DVR costs. A 4 tuner OTA HTPC would cost less than 2 Premieres with lifetime but I like using a TiVo better than a HTPC.
Thanks,
I am not sure why you are talking about $19.95/mo plans. You should be able to buy a Premiere for $199 and obtain service either at $9.95/mo or $99/yr.The only one of my current TiVo's capable of native OTA recording is my HD. The other two only have analog tuners. So, for OTA I'd likely keep the HD since it's on a 12.95/month plan, but I'm not paying 19.95/month to record six channels. With the one HD I'd still be using it for OTT, local Video transfer from a server, and OTA recording. Also because I rent my antenna options are limited, so only the strongest channels would be available to me.
Mainly that's because it's on the high end of TiVo's service offerings and when planning you plan for the worst. It's also not very likely Tivo's service pricing will be going down. Last, in 2-5 years if my HD is still operating I'm not going to want to pay in bulk (Lifetime or otherwise) for that old a device. (We've already made the decision that we will not be getting a Premiere since the current feature set it has is no better than the HD we currently have.) At the most I may slap a larger drive in it when we go OTA since all recordings will be HD.I am not sure why you are talking about $19.95/mo plans. You should be able to buy a Premiere for $199 and obtain service either at $9.95/mo or $99/yr.
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