TheOtherPete
join:2001-06-28
Boyds, MD
| reply to JeepMatt
Re: CableCard TiVoHD install
said by JeepMatt  :Since you have the cable cards and all in the system - do you still need to have a phone line or ethernet connected to these new guys? Yes, for the guide data and software updates.
The tivo guide data is different (and superior IMHO) to the VZ guide. |
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KenAF
join:2006-01-23
Arlington, VA
4 edits | reply to blue_trooper
said by blue_trooper :There is also onDemand content that is not in regular broadcast rotation. HBO will often have old seasons of current or former series that they are not actively broadcasting (e.g. you can watch Carnivale onDemand right now if you are so inclined). Like I said, one of Verizon's VOD advantages is that you you get access to a library of content the day you subscribe. You don't have to wait. This is a short-term advantage, though, unless you are regularly subscribing and un-subscribing to premiums.
said by blue_trooper :Also there is always a good selection of kids shows (from Nick, etc.). I'd rather pull up onDemand and ask my daughter which Blue's Clues she wants to watch than have my DVR cluttered with episodes (besides, OnDemand has the vintage "Steve" episodes and not the new ones with the lame "Blue's Room" segments!). What you've described is the old way of doing things. I guess you have never seen Tivo's Kid Zone?
You might want to check it out:
»www.tivo.com/whatistivo/tivofeat···ing.html
Basically, it creates separate Tivo environments for kids and adults. The kids environment is restricted to their content and your environment is displayed using a passcode. When they get up in the morning (or home from school) and turn on the TV, they have their version of the DVR. When you sit down at night to watch your programs, you get your version of the DVR.
said by blue_trooper :Music videos are something else I watch onDemand. If I get tired of channel surfing or if SportsCenter isn't on I'll scroll through the 100's of available videos and find a few I'm interested in seeing. If you had a Tivo, you could just create a wishlist for your favorite music genre, or favorite artists, and it would record those concerts for you -- and only when HD if you want -- and stick them in a folder. |
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acvthree
@verizon.net
| reply to JeepMatt
The Ethernet connection also provides a lot of additional features like being able to play music or view pictures stored on your PC.
There are also features like internet radio from Live365, yahoo weather, downloading movies or programs from Amazon unbox.
The HDTivo is much more than just a DVR.
Al |
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blue_trooper
join:2007-04-17
Exton, PA
| reply to KenAF
The Tivo folders are a great thing and a significant advantage over the Verizon DVR, but for VOD I'm talking about content that is available but isn't being broadcasted. There is no way Tivo is going to have that material for me. For music, I'm not talking about concerts (e.g. on MHD) I'm talking about going through the MusicChoice lists and finding the video for The Shins' "Australia", Lily Allen's "Alfie" or slightly older stuff like Radiohead's "Karma Police".
Likewise, I don't think Nick is broadcasting the older (better) Blue's Clues, or that HBO is broadcasting "Carnivale", but they are available onDemand.
(okay, plate o' shrimp... 30 seconds after typing "Karma Police" what just came on the radio? (on XPN in Philly) Weird.) |
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NOCMan
Verizon Fios User
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Flower Mound, TX
1 edit | reply to JeepMatt
No, all the tivo needs nowdays is a network connection so it can download music, movies, and updates.
Tivo can take advantage of Amazon Unbox and right now the quality while slightly less than a dvd it's still great. To me it's like my mp4 converted movies watched over my Apple Tv.
The only VOD we ever watched was for HBO and Cinemax. It was okay, but the content sucks and repeats often. With Tivo we turn on suggestions, thumb up everything we like and it does the recording for us. When I want to watch something I did not expressly tell it to record I look in the suggestions folder and there's always something I want to watch in there.
I have to add to this.
Tivo uses Tv Guide and now you get descriptions of the episode not just a general description of the program. Also as a past tivo user I never had issues with missing shows. Not saying it did not happen, but never as often as FIOS dvr's have managed to do it. |
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KenAF
join:2006-01-23
Arlington, VA
4 edits | reply to blue_trooper
said by blue_trooper :Likewise, I don't think Nick is broadcasting the older (better) Blue's Clues, or that HBO is broadcasting "Carnivale", but they are available onDemand. HBO and Showtime rebroadcast all of their original programming in a continual cycle. This week, HBO is on Carnivale episode 16 of 24, and the cycle repeats again with episode 01 in two weeks.
If you created a Tivo season pass for Carnivale today, you would have every episode in a folder by September 14.
said by blue_trooper :I'm talking about going through the MusicChoice lists and finding the video for The Shins' "Australia", Lily Allen's "Alfie" or slightly older stuff like Radiohead's "Karma Police". Of course, if that's what you like, you could create a Tivo wishlist for those as well and it would grab them whenever they are shown on MTV or any other music channel. That's the nice thing about content-based recording; you tell the box what you want and it finds it automatically without any effort on your part. |
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wmcbrine
Touched by His Noodly Appendage
join:2002-12-30
Laurel, MD
| said by KenAF :Of course, if that's what you like, you could create a Tivo wishlist for those as well and it would grab them whenever they are shown on MTV or any other music channel. Nope -- the guide data isn't specific enough to cover individual music videos (with the possible exception of a program like "Rockin' America" on Wam; but in that case, I've found that the guide data isn't totally reliable). You have to resort to recording whole multi-hour blocks of videos, and hoping that the ones you want show up.
However, a while back, Tivo announced a deal with Music Choice. So far, nothing has come of it; and I don't know if it would include videos like the ones on Fios VOD anyway. But it might. |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to KenAF
Ken-
Thanks for all the info on Tivo. I hate you all!  You now have me seriously thinking about getting one for 1 of my TV's.
I got a Circuit City email today knocking off 10%, so it would only be $269 to get one.
Maybe i'll go check one out today and play with it a bit.
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!" |
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blue_trooper
join:2007-04-17
Exton, PA | reply to KenAF
See if your Tivo can find "High School Musical 2" any time before Friday!
(Apparently a Verizon VOD exclusive, I hear Comcast VOD doesn't have it. My daughters were excited.) |
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matcarl
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY
| said by blue_trooper :See if your Tivo can find "High School Musical 2" any time before Friday! (Apparently a Verizon VOD exclusive, I hear Comcast VOD doesn't have it. My daughters were excited.) It's on Disney On Demand under DCOM |
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mikefischer99
@verizon.net | Ken, your post summarizing what makes Tivo great was... great! I liked the idea of recording all the tv show pilots, but I can't figure out how to do that. What am I missing? |
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kes601
join:2007-04-14
Virginia Beach, VA
| reply to JeepMatt
said by JeepMatt :Ken- Thanks for all the info on Tivo. I hate you all! You now have me seriously thinking about getting one for 1 of my TV's. I got a Circuit City email today knocking off 10%, so it would only be $269 to get one. Maybe i'll go check one out today and play with it a bit. I'm with you on that. After my issues with the DVR the last few days I'm about over it. |
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harley3k
join:2007-04-10
Flower Mound, TX |
Has any one gotten a TivoHD setup in Texas yet (Flower Mound area, or nearby)? I'm wondering if they have the Multi-Stream cards yet.
Also, what's the install fee for the cablecards?
thanks,
-h |
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Teasip
join:2001-05-14
Plano, TX | reply to mikefischer99
Someone recently did and commented about how it wasn't the Motorola card that they were given. |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE
·Verizon FIOS
| Hey guys!
You've convinced me to try a TIVO!
I got the Tivo HD for $269 from Circuit City (10% off) along with the Wireless USB adapter.
VZ will be out next Monday with the cable cards. I'll be moving the HD-DVR up to the bedroom, and will be swapping the HD box for a Standard box and putting that in my "front" room where I had no STB previously.
After doing more research, and seeing the Amazon Unbox feature, along with all of the "widgets" TIVO already offers, I was sold.
Maybe it will improve my PQ as well.
Harley - the cable cards will be $5.98/mo ($2.99 x 2) - and I'll see a $24.95 charge for the tech visit.
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!" |
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jasoncapecod
join:2007-07-20
New City, NY
| I'll be moving the HD-DVR up to the bedroom
i hope you don't mind the sound of lawn mower in your bedroom... i guess you'll get used to it.. my wife and i did..
with the tivo hd and verizon's cards do you still have to pay the monthly tivo charge |
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Teasip
join:2001-05-14
Plano, TX | Yep, but with Verizon uping the rental rate on the HD DVR's it's getting closer to being a wash cost wise. |
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warwickwebb
join:2001-10-02
Arlington, VA | Yeah but to be fair, they're grandfathering in existing DVR rentals at the old rate.... |
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harley3k
join:2007-04-10
Flower Mound, TX
| Thanks for the info Jeep.
I'm going to make the jump to TivoHD too.
I tried picking one up on my way home today at BestBuy but they were sold out 
I'm sure the new IMG guide is going to be cool and all, but since they haven't improved the FF/Rewind/Flashback speed, I decided to go back to Tivo. Having faster commercial-skipping action and dual-tuner buffers, is going to be nice again.
I'll keep the DVR I already have in the bedroom and send back the living room DVR. At least until (and if) Tivo gets the Multi-room-veiwing working with HD Content.
-h |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE | Harley-
If you have Circuit City's in TX - go there. They're offering 10% off online right now.
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!" |
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