Repairing a Freeview box (was Freeview STBs and TiVo)

[Adrian C]

I have two TiVo's hence two lifetime plans, but purchased sometime ago. We are pretty much a standard-def household hooked on watching programme content rather than purity of delivery. TiVo has never really let us down on the latter, and my machines have been spinning upgraded disks for over six years now. I'm also a software geek and there are a few toys installed including networking options.

The majority of TiVo's business plan was stuffed when they got into contract with Sky to handle the subscription payments and phone support

- and Dixons to handle marketing on behalf of Thomson.

Thomson had problems selling the expensive machines in Dixons as PVRs were an unknown thing back then. But murdoch took one look at the PVR / EPG interface concept and (badly) ripped it off to create Sky+. Even key elements of TiVo's US advertising were lifted wholesale to create Sky+ advertising. Phone the remains of their TiVo support with a problem and it's likely ye'll be encoraged to swap 'up' to Sky+.

Over me dead proverbials ...

[ARWadsworth]

Can I have one for free?

Adam

[dmc]

Really? I've never had that when I've rung them. Far from it!

Aye. I want HD. I don't like paying sky. I hate the idea of paying them even more just to get the HD part of the box enabled!

Darren

[fred]

In article , geoff writes

Are we doing secret santa this year?

I've been good :-)

[geoff]

In message , ARWadsworth writes

I'll stick one on the back of a postage stamp ...

[Tim Downie]

Thought not.

Tim

[dennis]

You don't have to own a TiVo to decide you don't want one. Have you owned a media centre PC and a SKY+HD and every other PVR? Thought not.

[Tim Downie]

I have owned several other PVRs and tried many more at friends' houses. Whilst the TiVo doesn't match them all for features (heck, it's ten years old now), in terms of usability I've yet to see anything better.

I think Darren summarised one of the TiVo's other great features in his message.

[dennis]

So have I and I still don't see what a TiVo gives over some others.

IMO its not easier to use than sky+ either. In fact its damn hard to have a look on another channel while you are recording one.

Even sky+ will record following seasons if the provider bothers to put the data in the stream.

Anyway the new download services will end the need for pvrs if they actually get the quality better.

[Tim Downie]

?? Looking at the program guide whilst it's recording is a doodle. It's not "damned hard" to have a look at another channel whislt it's recording, it's impossible as it's effectively a single tuner machine.

Are you *sure* you've tried a TiVo?

Tim

[dennis]

Yes, are you sure you have tried the others?

This is pointless as the choice is personal preference as the TiVo doesn't offer any killer features.

It actually lacks features these days, like not working with HDMI+HDCP. This will ultimately confine it to the dustbin of history. Just as it will with most Freeview, analogue pvrs and sky+.

[Tim Downie]

Then how is it that you found it "damned hard" to look at another channel when anyone who had actually tried would know that that isn't possible? If you meant it was heard to look at the program guide, then again it's clear you haven't tried one.

Of course I haven't tried others but as it's becoming clear you haven't tried the TiVo, a machine you're deriding, I'm interested to know on hwhat basis you're deriding it.

Of course it will. I've never said that it wouldn't. I still maintain that it's probably the easiest PVR to use around. Even after all these years I've yet to try another one that I would consider as good.

The good news is, that should you change your mind, you can still buy one (used) from Tivoland with a lifetime contract for £149. How many of today's PVRs would still command that kind of price after 10 years? They can be had cheaper from Ebay (£70-£90) but even so, I think that speaks volumes for how well built they are and how great they are to use, even after all this time.

Lastly, how many PVRs have been featured on the Simpsons? ;-)

Tim