TiVo still has all those features plus some of the cool, newer stuff like movie downloads. Only thing you lose with Series3 is TTG and MRV.archaic0 said:
Tivo DVR Simulator?
Is there a website with a simulator for several models of Tivo receivers? Where I could look at the menus and explore how it works before I buy one?
I currently own a series 2 Philips Tivo 7000 series and love it. I've had it for several years and I've done an upgrade to it by adding a 160gig drive. The DirecTV HD upgrade that is coming however is making me start my search for an HD receiver.
My concerns aren't like those others have with hardware or hookup, but rather I'm more worried about losing the features I've gotten used to. Namely things like being able to sort the Now Playing list into folders and the dual-tuner swap ability.
At the least, maybe those of you with HD receivers already can tell me if at least these two features survived to the new models?
And if you don't know what I mean by the dual-tuner swap ability, I'm refering to the fact that with my current dual-tuner Tivo I can be watching live TV on two channels and swap between the two tuners by pushing the down arrow. And it's not like the previous channel thing, because then you lose the buffer. I mean both tuners with their own buffers intact and just swapping between them.
I don't watch live TV very much, but when I do, the commercials kill me. So I usually pick two shows and when a commercial comes on I pause that tuner and swap to the other tuner. When a commercial comes on that tuner I pause it as well and then swap back. After only one or two program segments I've got plenty of buffer built up on both tuners that I no longer have to watch commercials on either one.
I could just start recording both channels and go read a book for 30 min or so, but that's not nearly as convienient.
Also, can anyone tell me why on earth they added that middle step to the guide button??! That's insanely annoying to have to hit guide twice every time! Please tell me that feature isn't on the new Tivos or that I can skip it somehow! Personally I have never once hit the guide button and wanted to filter at that moment. Actually I've never used the filter ability in any way ever, but with my current Tivo I like that it's there if I ever did want it, hidden under a second menu where it belongs and not forced in front of my face EVERY time I look at the guide...
I have a normal newer receiver that does that and a friend of mine has a DirecTV DVR (non-Tivo) that does that and it drives me crazy. (if you couldn't tell)
What about the tivo style program guide? I also love that. The grid guide is slow and only lets you see out an hour. I love being able to look 4, 5, or 6 hours ahead per channel with zero effort. Granted you look ahead at one channel at a time, but the guide draws SO fast compared to the grid guide that it's a non-issue. I can see the next 5 or 6 hours of TV for 10 channels inside of 10 button presses and 10 seconds. With the grid guide you can't hardly see 5 hours of the schedule on ONE channel in 10 seconds because the darn thing draws so slow.
Any input is appreciated! Thanks!
I currently own a series 2 Philips Tivo 7000 series and love it. I've had it for several years and I've done an upgrade to it by adding a 160gig drive. The DirecTV HD upgrade that is coming however is making me start my search for an HD receiver.
My concerns aren't like those others have with hardware or hookup, but rather I'm more worried about losing the features I've gotten used to. Namely things like being able to sort the Now Playing list into folders and the dual-tuner swap ability.
At the least, maybe those of you with HD receivers already can tell me if at least these two features survived to the new models?
And if you don't know what I mean by the dual-tuner swap ability, I'm refering to the fact that with my current dual-tuner Tivo I can be watching live TV on two channels and swap between the two tuners by pushing the down arrow. And it's not like the previous channel thing, because then you lose the buffer. I mean both tuners with their own buffers intact and just swapping between them.
I don't watch live TV very much, but when I do, the commercials kill me. So I usually pick two shows and when a commercial comes on I pause that tuner and swap to the other tuner. When a commercial comes on that tuner I pause it as well and then swap back. After only one or two program segments I've got plenty of buffer built up on both tuners that I no longer have to watch commercials on either one.
I could just start recording both channels and go read a book for 30 min or so, but that's not nearly as convienient.
Also, can anyone tell me why on earth they added that middle step to the guide button??! That's insanely annoying to have to hit guide twice every time! Please tell me that feature isn't on the new Tivos or that I can skip it somehow! Personally I have never once hit the guide button and wanted to filter at that moment. Actually I've never used the filter ability in any way ever, but with my current Tivo I like that it's there if I ever did want it, hidden under a second menu where it belongs and not forced in front of my face EVERY time I look at the guide...
I have a normal newer receiver that does that and a friend of mine has a DirecTV DVR (non-Tivo) that does that and it drives me crazy. (if you couldn't tell)
What about the tivo style program guide? I also love that. The grid guide is slow and only lets you see out an hour. I love being able to look 4, 5, or 6 hours ahead per channel with zero effort. Granted you look ahead at one channel at a time, but the guide draws SO fast compared to the grid guide that it's a non-issue. I can see the next 5 or 6 hours of TV for 10 channels inside of 10 button presses and 10 seconds. With the grid guide you can't hardly see 5 hours of the schedule on ONE channel in 10 seconds because the darn thing draws so slow.
Any input is appreciated! Thanks!
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
What are TTG and MRV?Ishma said:TiVo still has all those features plus some of the cool, newer stuff like movie downloads. Only thing you lose with Series3 is TTG and MRV.
TTG - Tivo to go, download shows to your computer, and back
MRV - multi room viewing - transfer from tivo to tivo
MRV - multi room viewing - transfer from tivo to tivo
OK, well I don't have those things anyway... although I did want them but was told that my receiver and DirecTV didn't support them.
no simulators but the TiVo web site is pretty well set up to explain all the features.
http://www.tivo.com/whatistivo/index.html?WT.ac=HPTkovr_what
The menus are pretty consistent between models save for featurs that are different of course. Also what kind of TV service will you use with the TiVo?
http://www.tivo.com/whatistivo/index.html?WT.ac=HPTkovr_what
The menus are pretty consistent between models save for featurs that are different of course. Also what kind of TV service will you use with the TiVo?
I'm a DirecTV subscriber, is that what you mean by TV service?
I don't have an HD package yet, but as soon as my locals are available via satellite then I'm on board. That's the only thing I've been waiting on thus far because 50-70% of my TV watching is local channels (as much as I hate to admit that).
Having even 100 HD channels does me no good if I'm not watching them, right? So the locals in HD was my selling point. Last I heard was fall of this year... anyone have a hard date?
I don't have an HD package yet, but as soon as my locals are available via satellite then I'm on board. That's the only thing I've been waiting on thus far because 50-70% of my TV watching is local channels (as much as I hate to admit that).
Having even 100 HD channels does me no good if I'm not watching them, right? So the locals in HD was my selling point. Last I heard was fall of this year... anyone have a hard date?
then you are pretty set on wanting a DirectTV DVR and the fetaures of a TiVo will not be of any use to you.archaic0 said:I'm a DirecTV subscriber, is that what you mean by TV service?
I don't have an HD package yet, but as soon as my locals are available via satellite then I'm on board. That's the only thing I've been waiting on thus far because 50-70% of my TV watching is local channels (as much as I hate to admit that).
Having even 100 HD channels does me no good if I'm not watching them, right? So the locals in HD was my selling point. Last I heard was fall of this year... anyone have a hard date?
Please post on the locals in the DirectTV forums they have here. The people that would know are there
Wait, Son of A ...
There isn't a new HD Tivo for DirecTV is there? It's all their own brand...
&*#!
There isn't a new HD Tivo for DirecTV is there? It's all their own brand...
&*#!
Kind of feels like getting slapped in the face with a trout, doesn't it? Unfortunately, since TiVo and DirecTV had a falling out, you are not likely to see HD TiVo for DirecTV any time soon.archaic0 said:Wait, Son of A ...
There isn't a new HD Tivo for DirecTV is there? It's all their own brand...
&*#!
If you want HD, and local channels make up most of your viewing, depending on your location your best option could be the new Tivo HD with a OTA antenna. You may want to add basic cable also.
Yes, it does.
While I really like Tivo as a company, and have since I first head about them, my biggest problem with the DirecTV software is stupid stuff like that double guide issue. How many times do we hit the guide button in an evening? I couldn't begin to count but if it's 50, then it doubles to 100, if it's 100, then 200. That's just dumb from a user interface standpoint no matter how you look at it.
Losing the dual-tuner swap is just a small loss, but it's a loss none the less.
That guide thing is really bordering on a deal breaker though... I really don't care that much about HD channels, I don't see any 'problem' with the SD broadcasts I watch now so going HD is just a normal upgrade to keep up with the times for me and an excuse to replace aging equipment. It's not life changing by any means.
So a couple hours ago I was still excited about the new HD stuff coming up... now I'm just annoyed... such is life I guess...
Thanks everyone for your input though.
While I really like Tivo as a company, and have since I first head about them, my biggest problem with the DirecTV software is stupid stuff like that double guide issue. How many times do we hit the guide button in an evening? I couldn't begin to count but if it's 50, then it doubles to 100, if it's 100, then 200. That's just dumb from a user interface standpoint no matter how you look at it.
Losing the dual-tuner swap is just a small loss, but it's a loss none the less.
That guide thing is really bordering on a deal breaker though... I really don't care that much about HD channels, I don't see any 'problem' with the SD broadcasts I watch now so going HD is just a normal upgrade to keep up with the times for me and an excuse to replace aging equipment. It's not life changing by any means.
So a couple hours ago I was still excited about the new HD stuff coming up... now I'm just annoyed... such is life I guess...
Thanks everyone for your input though.
I don't care enough about HD to go to the effort of putting up an antenna or I would have done that long ago. The beauty of it all was that for me I wasn't going to have to change anything really. Replacing a receiver is a 10 minute deal and DirecTV swaps out the dish for me and viola I'm HD.jrm01 said:If you want HD, and local channels make up most of your viewing, depending on your location your best option could be the new Tivo HD with a OTA antenna. You may want to add basic cable also.
Hanging an antenna and changing service providers is more work than it's worth to me at the moment. Maybe that'll change over time, but for now I guess I'm just staying put.
you are really missing out on HD. You will love your major network shows in HD when they becomd available to you.
The good news is that the stupid guide button behavior has been fixed in the latest software release from DirecTV... (and in previous 'beta'-type releases). But it's still no TiVo in terms of useability.archaic0 said:Yes, it does.
That guide thing is really bordering on a deal breaker though... I really don't care that much about HD channels, I don't see any 'problem' with the SD broadcasts I watch now so going HD is just a normal upgrade to keep up with the times for me and an excuse to replace aging equipment. It's not life changing by any means.
Jeff
(edited to truncate because it was rambling)
Well the guide button fix is a large piece of good news... that guide button middle step is annoying.
I'm not overly excited by HD really, but mainly because I have a great looking SD signal now so there isn't a 'problem' per se that needs to be fixed. I don't have any grain or static or compression artifacts in my current signal so the jump to HD hasn't been a priority for me. In fact the opposite has been true so far with my HD friends seeing artifacts from poor compression methods quite often and me with my SD signal not seeing any of that. Maybe I just don't have enough resolution available to see the problems... but not seeing those problems results in a higher overall image quality, so who's really got better definition? *smile*
(I know that's a temporary problem, I'm not serious on that point)
You'd think I'd be a prime candidate for HD though, I watch my daily TV on a projector so I have a 120 inch TV in my front room. You'd think that I'd immediatly notice an HD signal difference and be after it hard core. While I very well may 'notice' a difference, I don't see being able to see the pores on the face of a TV character as a life changing event. For movies, that's another discussion, but for typical TV shows? Meh.
The thing I WOULD immediately appreciate is clearing up the format issue. Get everyone over to 16:9 already. Letterbox everything while shooting and make it work until you can get 16:9 cameras.
Since I'm running a projector currently it's not a problem for me at home because I can watch 4:3 or 16:9 content without any distortion with little impact on image size. Friends however, insist on stretching the 4:3 signal to fill their tiny little 60 inch screens and I just can't stand oval shapped car tires or watching a hot little actress being stretched to 30 pounds fatter.
Even the 16:9 content is distorted in the average 16:9 TV household because it's broadcast letterbox and the 16:9 TV owner doesn't know how to put their TV in a mode that will drop the black bars off the screen. This distortion is minimal compared to the 4:3 stretch situation, but it's still annoying. It's even very strange that the same person will INSIST on stretching 4:3 content just to fill their entire screen, yet they let the letterbox content fill space with black... grrr.
I'm just too picky I guess... but I just can't ignore it when people screw with the original aspect ratios and distort things.
If you're interested, here's my front room:
My Front Room
Well the guide button fix is a large piece of good news... that guide button middle step is annoying.
I'm not overly excited by HD really, but mainly because I have a great looking SD signal now so there isn't a 'problem' per se that needs to be fixed. I don't have any grain or static or compression artifacts in my current signal so the jump to HD hasn't been a priority for me. In fact the opposite has been true so far with my HD friends seeing artifacts from poor compression methods quite often and me with my SD signal not seeing any of that. Maybe I just don't have enough resolution available to see the problems... but not seeing those problems results in a higher overall image quality, so who's really got better definition? *smile*
(I know that's a temporary problem, I'm not serious on that point)
You'd think I'd be a prime candidate for HD though, I watch my daily TV on a projector so I have a 120 inch TV in my front room. You'd think that I'd immediatly notice an HD signal difference and be after it hard core. While I very well may 'notice' a difference, I don't see being able to see the pores on the face of a TV character as a life changing event. For movies, that's another discussion, but for typical TV shows? Meh.
The thing I WOULD immediately appreciate is clearing up the format issue. Get everyone over to 16:9 already. Letterbox everything while shooting and make it work until you can get 16:9 cameras.
Since I'm running a projector currently it's not a problem for me at home because I can watch 4:3 or 16:9 content without any distortion with little impact on image size. Friends however, insist on stretching the 4:3 signal to fill their tiny little 60 inch screens and I just can't stand oval shapped car tires or watching a hot little actress being stretched to 30 pounds fatter.
Even the 16:9 content is distorted in the average 16:9 TV household because it's broadcast letterbox and the 16:9 TV owner doesn't know how to put their TV in a mode that will drop the black bars off the screen. This distortion is minimal compared to the 4:3 stretch situation, but it's still annoying. It's even very strange that the same person will INSIST on stretching 4:3 content just to fill their entire screen, yet they let the letterbox content fill space with black... grrr.
I'm just too picky I guess... but I just can't ignore it when people screw with the original aspect ratios and distort things.
If you're interested, here's my front room:
My Front Room
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
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