dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
uniqs
50
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

1 recommendation

GTFan to Mike Wolf

Member

to Mike Wolf

Re: [TiVo] TiVo access to XFINITY On Demand

Ethernet streaming of what, live TV? That requires a tuner. The software update is to allow the tuner to be allocated dynamically which could allow it to be used with a 2-tuner box as needed without forcing one to be assigned to the Mini. A tuner is still required no matter what.

Xfinity VOD won't require a tuner from the Premiere, it's IPTV.

Morac
Cat god
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ

1 recommendation

Morac

Member

said by GTFan:

Xfinity VOD won't require a tuner from the Premiere, it's IPTV.

That's incorrect. Xfinity VOD on TiVO is not IPTV.

Xfinity VOD on the Premiere works the same way it does on Comcast's own boxes. The only difference is that TiVo boxes use the Internet for a return channel where as cable boxes use a DOCSIS modem QAM return channel.

The Premiere requests a program via an Internet gateway. The server assigns a QAM channel for the stream and tells the Premiere what channel to tune to.

At that point all video/audio goes through the QAM channel, while control and feedback is done via the Internet (TCP/IP).

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf to GTFan

Member

to GTFan
No not live tv, of recorded programming stored on the TiVo already.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

1 edit

1 recommendation

GTFan to Morac

Member

to Morac
said by Morac:

said by GTFan:

Xfinity VOD won't require a tuner from the Premiere, it's IPTV.

That's incorrect. Xfinity VOD on TiVO is not IPTV.

Xfinity VOD on the Premiere works the same way it does on Comcast's own boxes. The only difference is that TiVo boxes use the Internet for a return channel where as cable boxes use a DOCSIS modem QAM return channel.

The Premiere requests a program via an Internet gateway. The server assigns a QAM channel for the stream and tells the Premiere what channel to tune to.

At that point all video/audio goes through the QAM channel, while control and feedback is done via the Internet (TCP/IP).

Wow, thanks for the clarification. No wonder it's taking so long to roll out and IMO that's uh, a really dumb way of doing it when you already require HSI to get it working anyway. And you tie up a tuner that would keep you from using VOD if all of them are recording something. Just stream it from servers and roll it out to everyone just like you do with Xfinity on PCs or Xboxes, but that's Comcast for you.

Morac
Cat god
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ

1 recommendation

Morac

Member

said by GTFan:

Wow, thanks for the clarification. No wonder it's taking so long to roll out and IMO that's uh, a really dumb way of doing it when you already require HSI to get it working anyway. And you tie up a tuner that would keep you from using VOD if all of them are recording something. Just stream it from servers and roll it out to everyone just like you do with Xfinity on PCs or Xboxes, but that's Comcast for you.

It might be a "dumb way" of doing it, but because the video is not going out over Internet, Comcast's doesn't need to compress the hell out of it like they do for XBox/PC version. I haven't tried the Xfinity VOD on XBox, but I've read the compression artifacts are very noticeable. I haven't seen any compression artifacts when using Xfinity VOD on my Premiere.

Also it can run using a "low" (1.5 mbps) bandwidth DSL connection. You don't need to use Comcast's HSI.

Plus from Comcast's perspective it's easier since they feed VOD to their own boxes using QAM anyway so everything that's available on their own boxes is available on TiVo. The only difference is the return channel, which should be very easy to set up with the proper hardware.

Granted I had an older crappy Motorola HD box, but Xfinity VOD on the Premiere much more responsive than it was on my old cable box. It actually responds instantly to button presses (pause, rew, ff) where as my old box took a few seconds to respond.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan

Member

But the tradeoff is that they apparently have to enable it on every headend, so it's literally taking them years to get it rolled out. Pretty much like every new Comcast DVR, in other words. If they had done it like they did on the Xbox, every Tivo Premiere user with decent HSI would have it now.

Morac
Cat god
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ

1 recommendation

Morac

Member

said by GTFan:

But the tradeoff is that they apparently have to enable it on every headend, so it's literally taking them years to get it rolled out. Pretty much like every new Comcast DVR, in other words.

Yes and no. I believe the Internet gateway is not headend related. For example my Premiere is connecting to a gateway somewhere out of state. What needs to be enabled is for the local headend hardware to be able to talk to said gateway. TiVo and Comcast use SeaChange's Cardio service to do VOD.

I don't know how hard that is to set up, but it can't be all that difficult since they managed to turn on the entire state of NJ (with some exceptions) over the course of a few weeks.

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf

Member

I'm still in that "exception" of New Jersey lol

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

1 recommendation

telcodad

MVM

said by Morac:

I don't know how hard that is to set up, but it can't be all that difficult since they managed to turn on the entire state of NJ (with some exceptions) over the course of a few weeks.

said by Mike Wolf:

I'm still in that "exception" of New Jersey lol

FYI - you just got a response to your post on the Comcast Help and Support Forum about these "exceptional" areas of NJ, from Ted Hodgins (aka "ComcastTeds"): »forums.comcast.com/t5/Vi ··· 5#M12933

"Scheduled to be available in the remainder of NJ in early May 2013. Thanks for your patience."

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf

Member

Yeah I was just about to post the response lol »forums.comcast.com/t5/Vi ··· 5#M12933

Looks like early May 2013. Pretty cool. We'll see if it has anything to do with the supposed Cisco CableCARD firmware update or new features being brought with the S26 software update on the Cisco boxes.
Mike Wolf

Mike Wolf

Member

Nope, as I've heard from others who already have the new firmware, it has nothing to do with the Xfinity On Demand service. Must be a configuration change at the headend then.
Mike Wolf

Mike Wolf

Member

Billing department contacted me and informed me that the current Multi Stream Scientific Atlanta branded PKM800 cablecards running Cisco branded firmware from 2010 was outdated and that I needed to install Cisco branded PKM801 cablecards running Scientific Atlanta branded firmware from 2009 in order to "have cablecards that are compatible with Xfinity On Demand for TiVo" which won't even be available for Cisco/SA markets for NJ until May
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

they can't update the old cable cards?

and you should get more then just you have to wait for may. push for free channels or x$ off your bill. And it does not hurt to say that dish and directv have real nice DRV boxes.

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf

Member

I actually have considered Dish/DirecTV because of how high my bill has been getting but the major problem is the terrible internet they supply, one being Verizon DSL which I absolutely will NOT go back to and the fact that I don't want to lose the use of my TiVo's. When I told Comcast about my consideration of jumping ship they literally wished me good luck and hung up. Either they know that FiOS isn't in my area and that they have a stronghold in my area, or they've gotten wise and now call our bluffs.

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4

Member

I'm hearing more and more people having trouble getting promotions from Comcast. You'd figure they'd be bending over backwards to keep people from cutting the cord. I guess they don't care.

FifthE1ement
Tech Nut
join:2005-03-16
Fort Lauderdale, FL

FifthE1ement

Member

said by mikedz4:

I'm hearing more and more people having trouble getting promotions from Comcast. You'd figure they'd be bending over backwards to keep people from cutting the cord. I guess they don't care.

As I said in my other RANT post they don't care. They are so large that it means nothing to them. They figure they have nothing to fear. You really can't use their service to cut the cord as the caps will stop you. The only give lip service to internet viewing such as HBO Go, Netflix, ETC... I have heard them tell customers if you don't like it then go to U-Verse or Dish. And that is why they are ranked one of the worst companies in America.

5th