Tivo - experiences?

MadReferee · Jan 30, 2004

re: Does any one know how to hook one to PC and have the PC dial the modem to connect when the TIVO needs to.

Check out the TIVO Community forums. If it can be done someone there has either done it or can tell you how.

TIVO Community Forums

MadReferee · Jan 30, 2004

Oh by the way, the PC software in the TIVO box is Linux based.

Have fun.

MikePA · Jan 30, 2004

Paul, I'm confused (nothing new there) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) What's the difference between the Tivo using it's modem to dial versus your PC dialing? Wont they both be calling from the same number?

PBMAX · Jan 30, 2004

If I can get it do dial the PC. IT would be connecting to the INTERNET vi the local phon co and thus no long distance. Since it would reach out over the local ISP verses dialing longdistance to directly connect to TIVO. Same IDEA has connecting over DLS OR CABLE. BUT MUCH SLOWER.... 26.4 is my average speed.

PBMAX · Jan 30, 2004

BEEN didiging at Tivo Forums just have had little time and no luck. I gues I need to register at one and ask for help. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MikePA · Jan 30, 2004

Tivo has local numbers in each of the 4 area codes in Alabama. Have you checked at the Tivo site to see if it'd be a local call?

Old_Hickory · Jan 30, 2004

( There's really no comparison )

That makes a believer out of me.
The Master has spoken. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

heehaw · Feb 9, 2004

i have the dish network equiv. of tivo, i think they call it a PVR, personal video recorder, the first models did not require a monthly fee, and you can buy them off ebay. as far as i can tell, it works the same as tivo..it doesn't make any phone calls unless i order a pay per view movie, which i haven't done, but i like having the caller id show up on the tv, so i keep the line plugged in anyway..i think i have a model 508.
heehaw

PBMAX · Feb 11, 2004

No local numbers here, incase I didn't metion it, it is litterally long distance to call just down the road /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif . But they now have an 800 # so it should be no problem. At least for the tivo sevice. I don't no yet if the Pay perview is toll free. I also found a feature that is supposed to detect if the phone-line is in-use and try again later.This should keep our dialup from being dumped /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif I will test it out later.

The PVR mentioned, I believe (but not positive)was by a diff company (forget the name) and I don't think they are selling them now because they were very easy to hack...They were also very easy to connect to gether and swap recorded info to be watched in the other room. Tivo Doesn't do this yet but ru-mer has it the next gen Tivios will be able to be connected to gether in thier own network so you could watch programming recorded on one on a different tivo in a different room.... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I left the old receiver connected for now so we can record 2 shows at the same time. While still surfing /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif other wise you can record 2 while watching something u previously recorded... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I can see now once the 90 day warranty is up I'll be adding an additional drive for more storage and probable get on for the master bed room so the wife can have her own. Then just run the needed coax between rooms....

My only real complaints thus far.Though nothing I can't live with... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
Takes a good 2-5 min to boot up it is a PC after all on LINUX
Has a hesitation when changing channels. This impeeds my supper dupper high speed "How the heck can you see whats on" Asks the wife- surfing.

I do wish it still had the different profiles like the standard receiver. My wife and I have quite different taste in some areas. As it is you only have 3 options
ALL channels
Selected channel (Not the correct terming) programmed all we can receive here
Favorite channels. programmed the most watched here.

These choices effect what you see in the guide,

Ya'll have fun now I think I'll play catchup been out on the road again...

sendero · Feb 15, 2004

I love TiVo and 95% of the tv I watch has been pre-recorded on it.

It costs 12.95 a month for the program guide. You could use it without the program information, but it wouldn't be near as good.

TiVo has a smart fast forward that makes it pretty easy to skip commercials. And I always do that.

TiVo has to be connected to a phone line to download program info. Over the 3 years or so I've had it , twice it got messed up and could not download program info for a long time. At one point, I was so po-ed I almost cancelled it - but then it started working again for no apparent reason.

All in all, a video recorder is really nice, especially with a nice large hard drive (I replaced the 30gig in mine with a 120 gig and now I can save a LOT of video /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif) and it will totally change the way you watch tv. Instead of plopping down and settling for the best thing on at the time, you can watch something you really wanted to see. I give it 2 thumbs up /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Alan L. · Feb 16, 2004

TIVO/DirectTV is great! I have built a movie library of about 100 DVDs so far, since last July when I got the TIVO machine for $250 at Circuit City. Paid about 400 for the DVD recorder. Its great too.

My unit will record 2 programs at once, but only after I get two cables run to it, which I have not yet done.

bebster · Feb 17, 2004

I'd love to expand my Tivo to 120GB of storage. Can you give me some pointers how I might go about doing that?

MadReferee · Feb 17, 2004

Go to this web site. They are the BEST in the business for doing TIVO upgrades.

TIVO upgrades here

slowrev · Feb 17, 2004

Tivo has just made a deal with Neilson to provide viewer data for a fee.

PBMAX · Feb 17, 2004

Sendereo with DirecTV the service is 4.95 per month for the whole house. So no matter haw many TIVO u have its 4.95. Plus the program info comes over the SAT not the phone. The phone is for pay per view and transmitting out what you watch... I left mine unplugged from the phone for the 1st week and all the programming still showed up within 3 days.

Ibrahim · Feb 17, 2004

I would be thrilled if the networks actually used services like TiVo to show what people REALLY wanted to watch rather than just basing them on the old-ratings system.

People WATCH something not because it's what they really want to watch, but it's what is on. But maybe they'll get a taste of what most people want to watch based on what shows TiVo records.

Personally, I have no problem with my TiVo data being used for such purposes.

-Ibrahim

PBMAX · Feb 18, 2004

yeah I don't mind if they see what I watch. If they truly use it to put out more progems that I would like to see.

I think the biggest complaint comes from Marketing folks. Cause now you only have offset your Tv Watching by 10 min and you could easily skip most if not all comercials. There is even a company trying ot get stations to do continues adds on the top or bottom 1" or so of the screen while you watch your favorite shows /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Do to the skip feature of PVR's. Me I would just put some thing over the bar to black it out...If it was wasted on Comercials why would it matter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

PBMAX · Feb 19, 2004

Have had the detect if phone is in use option set to On and so far the wife has not complained about being bumped of the dial up....

I do whish they had put 2 out puts to the TV on the DIRTV TIVO to go with the 2 tuners so I could use them with the PIP feature of my Sony TV. Rather than having to hit info and choosing the other tuner.

Have seen the color flicker in odd ways when watching a recording. Not often but can be odd to watch. I have found if I hit the 8sec rewind it goes away.

The remote could have been better designed. No options for VCR, AUDIO, OR other devices. Just the TV pwer and input and have not yet found a Universal remote that says outright it will control a TIVO with all its function. Am considering a $20 learning remote by Phillips at Lowes...

Any body found a uni remote worth trying...???

fishman · Feb 19, 2004

Pburns that is a good question. I currently don't have tivo and run all of my entertainment stuff through a multifunction digital tuner amplifier thingy (someone please help me with the terminology /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) Anyway, short answer is that I control everything with the remote for that item and it has additional inputs that I assume could be used for hooking up a tivo unit. Will this work? It's a slightly different problem than Pburns, I believe, but similar.

And I have checked out the tivo forums. Unbelievable. How can people spend so much time talking about something like tivo when there's really interesting forums out there talking about interesting stuff like tractors. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I understand about every 5th word or so. Gaaaa.

MadReferee · Feb 19, 2004

I have the Sony Integrated Remote Commander. Its a touch screen remote that is programmable and it runs my Sony Tivo and all the other Sony gear just fine. Crutchfield sells them for $169.

Sony RM-AV3000 Touch Screen Remote