Considering TiVo

-- What is TiVo

-- Are there any new models coming out

On 9/12/06 the Series 3 became available, this unit is designed to be used with cable cards on your digital cable system, analog cable, or over the air.  Earlier in 2006 a Series 2 model was released with the capability to record two shows on a cable system.  At prsent we dont know of any new models in the near future.

-- Why should I get a TiVo rather than a DVR from my cable provider

-- Does TiVo work with Digital Cable?

-- Can TiVo record two things at once?

Most standalone Tivos cannot, and no software update will allow them to. That would require two tuners, two MPEG encoders, and additional inputs that they don't have.  There are now Series 2 models that have this capability.  Make sure to buy the dual tuner model.

The DirecTV/Tivo combo boxes have dual tuner hardware and with the 2.5 software and two DirecTV inputs can record two things at once.

The new Series 3 is able to record two things at once.

-- Will TiVo be around this time tomorrow...next month... next year?

Its a common concern. Somebody bought those Betamaxes and LaserDisks. It has been common in the tech media to predict doom for TiVo. They say that groundbreakers never succeed. In spite of the naysayers, there is a lot of positive things happening at TiVo. They have great name recognition, and positive new contracts with Cox and Comcast to provide TiVo software for some cable company set top boxes. 

It is far more likely if there ever was any trouble that TiVo would be purchased by another company.  Innovation would likely cease, but there is little chance we'd be left with a doorstop.

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-- Relationships between TiVo, Phillips, Sony, Tribune, and the networks..

TiVo, Inc. writes the software that runs on TiVo machines. Therefore, they are responsible for software updates and supporting the TiVo service. Their Customer Service will assist users with software and schedule issues, and sometimes with hardware problems, although they may refer users to Philips or Sony for those.

Philips, Sony, Thomson, and Hughes manufactured series 1 TiVo hardware units, and they make their money selling the hardware. They are responsible for hardware problems and repairs, upgrades to the hard drive, etc. Series 2 TiVos have been manufactured directly under the TiVo brand name as well as Sony. Hughes and TiVo co-developed the series 2 DirecTiVo.

TiVo makes its money from the subscriptions to the TiVo service. It makes little money from the sale of TiVo hardware units. Therefore, TiVo has no interest in selling units without the TiVo service.

TiVo does not generate its own program schedule information. It currently gets that from a company called Tribune. Future products will use other sources. If anything is wrong with the schedule data, TiVo has to get Tribune to make the corrections (hence Marcel's job). Tribune's current schedule and lineup data is reflected at http://www.zap2it.com

TiVo is working with various networks, such as NBC, Showtime, and Starz, to provide services such as TiVoMatic, which pops up an icon during previews of a show, allowing the TiVo user to schedule the show for recording by pressing a button on the TiVo remote. TiVo wants to maintain good relationships with all the networks, which is one reason why TiVo will probably not offer a feature to automatically edit out commercials, since many of the networks depend on advertising for their revenue.

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-- What Does Lifetime Service Mean?

** Note: lifetime service is no longer available for new purchases  **

Here are the facts from the TiVo.com FAQ (Online Support, Features, Lifetime Service). Details on the DirecTV combo boxes added with information from TiVolutionary. See here and here.

• Applies to the lifetime of the receiver (not of the subscriber).
• Remains in effect after storage capacity upgrades by the manufacturer or an authorized vendor. (None currently available.)
• Remains in effect when the receiver is repaired or replaced during service by the manufacturer or an authorized vendor.
• Accompanies the receiver in case of ownership transfer.
• Cannot be transferred to a receiver from a different manufacturer or to a receiver with a different model number.
• Each standalone receiver purchased requires its own service subscription.
• Service subscription for a DirecTV/Tivo receiver is mirrored to other DirecTV/Tivo receivers on the same account by the DirecTV mirroring fee, so secondary receivers don't require a TiVo subscription. Any DirecTV rules for mirroring (like being attached to the same phone line) apply.
• TiVo service does not "mirror" from a standalone to a DirecTV/Tivo receiver or from a DirecTV/TiVo receiver to a standalone.

If you signed up for lifetime service before January 21, 2000, you get a one-time exception to the rules, allowing you to move your lifetime subscription to a new machine you purchase as a replacement (such as a bigger unit). This was done because there was so much confusion, and the wording before that date was more vague.

Gift cards for Lifetime subscription were sold through Best Buy.  If you can find that on ebay, you can still use those cards to apply Lifetime to newly purchased hardware.

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-- Does TiVo do "Commercial Skip"?

ReplayTV, and many VCRs, have a  feature to skip over commercials automatically. Instead of that, TiVo has fast-forward with auto rollback, which works as follows: When fast-forwarding at the 20x or 60x speeds (2 and 3 arrows), wait until you see the show restart, then press Play, and it should back up to just the return of the show (assuming you have Nintendo reflexes, which I don't :) ). 60x backs up more than 20x, and 3x doesn't do it at all. It does the same thing on rewinding 20x and 60x. This difference between Replay and TiVo gives rise to many debates over skip versus fast-forward w/auto rollback.

There is a unofficial, undocumented way to turn on 30 second skip. This will turn the "skip to end" (->|) button into 30 second skip. To try it, enter the following sequence of buttons: Select-Play-Select-3-0-Select. Entering the code works best while watching a recorded show. The code will toggle 30 second skip off/on so enter it again to switch back if you don't like it. Also, after any reboot, the button will revert to original standard functionality. 

-- Can I watch one thing while recording another?

With DirecTV/Tivos with 2.5 software and two connected satellite feeds, yes you can. More specifically, you can can record one show while watching and buffering a second live show, or watch one of two shows that are recording, or watch one of two shows being buffered but not recorded, or record two shows while watching a third prerecorded show.

Standalone TiVos can watch one prerecorded show while another show records but they cannot record one channel while buffering another. You can also start watching a show that is currently being recorded from the beginning while TiVo continues to record the rest. However. they only have one tuner/MPEG encoder so can only process one incoming signal at a time. But in standby mode they will pass their RF input straight to the RF output the same way a VCR does when it's TV/VCR switch is set to "TV". As with a VCR this won't work for every setup but if your current setup lets you to record something on the VCR while watching something else on the TV, a standalone TiVo should also allow it. Also, if you are using a cable box, you might be able to split the cable before it goes into the cable box and send it directly to a second input on your TV. This will allow you to watch a non-digital, non-scrambled channel through your TV (no pausing, etc) while TiVo records another channel.

Electrophobia has diagrams that will help wire your TiVo with your existing setup.

-- Does TiVo work with HDTV?

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-- Do I really need to buy a subscription? 

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-- What TiVo models are available?  Where can I get the best deal?

-- I hear TiVo wont let us skip ads anymore?

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