Official AVS TiVo HD Topic! - Page 153

Hey, don't pick on Krypto... he just is pointing out that he doesn't like the new monthly fees (albeit in a slightly over the top fashion). I've owned Tivo's for 5 years and would have a hard time swallowing their new monthly fee's myself. In fact I've always thought their monthly fees were too high. Every time I bought a Tivo, I signed up for a lifetime plan because the monthly plans were ridiculous.

I've got a few ideas as to why seemingly intelligent people pay what they do for a Tivo. So many devices these days seem to complicate our lives. The TivoHD harkens back to the days where you just sat down and watched TV. I came from a multi-tuner HDTV setup. It worked pretty well at recording, but as is typical of most PC I had to update drivers, patch programs, and constantly do all this pain in the butt maintenance on my HDTV. None of this stuff was hard, but there was a lot of it. I tried one of the subscription-free boxes (from LG) and keeping it running was even harder than a HTPC.

I really thought I'd gone to TV heaven when I decided to try a TivoHD. It just worked. I never missed a recording, the remote is by far the best single device remote I've ever used, and the Tivo keeps on updating itself automatically. There really is not a single device in my home theater that is as easy to use and works as well as my TivoHD. Surely that is something worth paying for.

I've tried almost everything, and honestly believe the Tivo with a lifetime subscription to be the best choice. It really is not all that much money compared to other options ($600 and you're set for life).

The question to ask is if you really want to mess with a HTPC or not...remembering that a good HTPC with a tuner and a couple of cablecards will probably cost close to $600.

I've heard good things about the Moxi DVR, but did not try it because I need to be able to move recordings to my PC. The Tivo enables this via TivoToGo.

I assume that you do not have a cable system with SDV? That is really what makes me consider switching from TiVO - it is better than it used to be but not 100%. Granted, it isn't Tivo's fault, but I can't believe they haven't been able to integrate the functionality into the new boxes yet! That might get me to upgrade.

SDV and the copy protection bit BS - both TWCs fault, but both making me consider going back to their boxes (with multi-room).

xnappo

Yeah, I'm using it for OTA recording and a bit of basic cable. I've got basic cable for a few stations (mainly FOX) that don't reach me OTA. Network TV combined with renting (or buying) DVDs and Blu-Rays gives me more than enough to watch every day.

Well stated and captures the essence of paying to own a TiVo. Yes, it is an expensive component when compared to the "competing" devices, but unlike the competing devices -- it just works. The UI is simple enough for my wife; it has been totally dependable in recording what it has been told to; the Tribune guide has been complete and up to date with schedule changes.

Like you said, we just sit down and watch TV -- but with TiVo it's on our terms.

And let's not forget to mention the either kmttg or TiVo Desktop software can be told to transcode the recordings for portable devices during the TiVo --> PC transfer. That was a concern of KryptoNyte.

Since you provided this link, this is an opportunity for me to talk about something that has bugged me and troubled me for a long time.

I think bfdtv is either dead, in a long coma or in prison. He just very suddenly up and disappeared around June of 2010, never to be heard from again in any of his usual internet places. And he had been posting in these various locations on a consistent basis just prior to the disappearance.

I find it equally curious that nobody ever seems to talk about it or wonder about it or express concern. This is a guy who provided more useful guidance than anyone else probably in the entire history of Tivo, yet nobody seems to give a jack shite care. And I've checked. I've done occasional searches to see if anyone is asking about him or if anyone knows anything, but it's as if he never existed. Very strange. x 10

Yes, even before he disappeared in mid-June his posting frequency dramatically dropped off from the beginning of May, '10. I'm sure a lot of people, myself included, have wondered what happened to him, but unless someone who knows him personally comes forward what can one do. Like the rest of us, bfdtv is an anonymous being on the Internet. In that sense, once you stop posting or change your handle you do indeed cease to exist. I too hope nothing bad happened to him (prisoners do have Internet access) but I doubt we'll ever know.

[quote=Hyrax;20888350]Hey, don't pick on Krypto... he just is pointing out that he doesn't like the new monthly fees (albeit in a slightly over the top fashion). I've owned Tivo's for 5 years and would have a hard time swallowing their new monthly fee's myself. In fact I've always thought their monthly fees were too high. Every time I bought a Tivo, I signed up for a lifetime plan because the monthly plans were ridiculous. QUOTE]

Tivo is merely competing with the Cable Cos on an even keel by offering thier service on a monthly basis rather that paying it all up front. For those who want to bite the whole bullet at once, that option is still there.

Pay me now or pay me later.

Yes, slow, I've been doing video/PC work as a hobby since the mid 1990's. I was trying to point out that there aren't many mainstream devices, such as TiVo/cable STB/sat. STB that seem to allow for it, without some reservation.

I knew about TiVo's ability to move files to the PC before purchasing the TiVo device. When I spoke to TiVo support about which files I wouldn't be able to transfer, they shrugged their shoulders ... so is it basically a crapshoot? You just record and then hope the show will be something that can be transferred/transcoded, or is there a way to check this in the guide prior to recording?

I also understand TiVo has a $25 piece of software that will ease some of the transcoding complexity burden for folks who need that kind of thing.

What ... did I leave my webcam on again?!?!

Let me ask this ... for you folks that have dumped big bucks on the "one-time" fees, or perhaps older hardware, has TiVo ever abandoned your service plan, or your device, with compensation for you that seemed less than fair?

If you are recording from cable and the cable co sends out the copy-once flag for a program (i.e. PPV or VOD), that program cannot be transferred to PC over the network. That's about the only DRM rule TiVo plays by. No OTA broadcasts are copy-restricted. Anything you record OTA can be transferred to PC.
That would be TiVo Desktop. There is also kmttg which is a popular freeware program for transferring from TiVo to PC. kmttg can link to helper apps (handbrake and ffmpeg) and transcode the source for portable devices (just create a profile for your device if it isn't already listed).

I bought VideoReDo TVSuite and edit OTA stuff that way. You can strip the TiVo tag off and play the raw MPGs. The commercial and regular editing features are pretty decent. You can also use it to burn the MPGs to DVD if you want to keep them that way.

TiVo has always been fair, and I'm still happy with my "older" hardware. Although the Lifetime Sub is attached to the equipment, they will replace a failed unit for $50 or $150 depending on status of warantee and maintain the original subscription. When they offered uprade to "newer" equipment (primier), they offered us lifers a half price lifetime sub on the new box, while allowing you to keep the lifetime sub on the original hardware.

VRD is excellent software and well worth the price. Highly recommended for TiVo users that want to edit on PC.

His posting output at one time did drop for a period of a month or two, but then came back again to post fairly regularly. But nothing like this dropoff into complete obscurity.

I just checked his youtube account again (I assume it's his account, however, it's "bkdtv" there vs "bfdtv" on this and the tivo forums). There is a fresh sighting I guess you could say. He "thumbed up" a nature video a month ago.

Hopefully this means all is well and he simply grew bored with Tivo or at least grew tired of being "the answer man" when it comes to all things Tivo. Taking the time to answer questions, especially when it requires detailed elaboration, really eats away at your own time. I don't think people really and truly appreciate that often enough. They'll suckle your knowledge teat bone dry and leave you with a simple, "Thanks!". That's if they even manage to do that!

http://www.youtube.com/user/bkdtv#p/u

Just to reiterate what Kelson said, what you can copy off a Tivo is completely up to your cable company. I think local settings may even be different depending on your regional cable company office, but I really have no way to test this theory. The settings appear to almost always be by station and not by individual content.

It does depend on the cable provider. About a year or more ago I could xfr every program including HBO, Starz, Cinemax, local HDs, etc. Then the pay stations (HBO, etc) were then restricted (can't transfer to ANYthing including another TiVo) but Showtime was left 'open' until a few months ago where they closed that final loop. The only shows I can transfer to my PC or my other HD Tivo are shows not from pay stations (HBO, etc).

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte
So I grabbed the $99 TIVO premiere box from a local Best Buy today. Coming from the SageTV (and other HTPC video recorders) community, I am utterly astonished at the "financial rape" that is referred to as TIVO.

I was utterly astonished that people still willingly submit to rape at Best Buy

Well, now that we know bfdtv is still alive, nobody has to worry about that particular scenario anymore.

If he ever gave his real name in order to register on any of these sites, and someone could get ahold of it somehow, it'd be fairly easy to at least come up with his address.

Done. Again, thanks for the suggestion. As it turns out, Best Buy "un-rapes" quite easiliy.

Good Move

i'm definitely going to get this. I'll sell two of my lifetime premieres to cover the cost of it with lifetime.
I might even consider selling four of my lifetime Premieres to get two of the Elites. It depends on how much I can get for my Lifetime Premieres.

Why am I not surprised to hear you say this

It won't work with AT&T's Uverse and other providers - only digital and FIOS connections/stations.

By other providers, do you mean providers like D* and Dish that do not adhere to digital cable TV standards? Or am I missing something here?

No OTA or analog channels.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/07/t...rage-to-retai/

I may buy the Elite sometime but would have to think long and hard about doing it for so long as the price is $500 for the box plus the service subscription, which, even with the multi-subscription discount, is $400. I have never considered anything but lifetime on any of my TiVo boxes because I tend to keep them for a long time. For example, I have had my Series3 for nearly 6 years. That makes the $199 I paid for lifetime on it the bargain of the century.

One good thing I noticed about the Elite is that all 4 tuners are QAM. Thus, it can simultaneously record 4 HD shows. All of the earlier DVRs from other manufacturers with 4 tuners that I know anything about can record only 2 HD shows at a time. For me, and I suggest most others, SD tuners are virtually useless in this day and age.