TiVo still working on a DVR with two-way features like VOD

Hi-def and DVRs go together like peanut butter and jelly, but even with all the great DVRs available today, none are perfect. TiVo offers the best overall user experience and features, but lacks a few fundamental features that most cable STBs have -- like VOD, for starters. Although this isn't TiVo's fault, when it comes down to figuring out what's right for your family, it really doesn't matter. During Tivo's earnings call yesterday, it was reaffirmed that TiVo is working one step closer to making the ultimate cable DVR by including two-way functionality using the latest CableLabs standard tru2way. For those who haven't been keeping track at home, tru2way has undergone an identity crisis, and if you go back long enough, you'll find that it was called CableCARD 2.0 -- by someone. The way this would work is that you'd have a way on a TiVo to access the cable company's UI, so good or bad, when you're accessing VOD content, you'd see the same thing as if you were using a Moto or SA Cisco box. What isn't known is if current HD TiVo owners, with the help of a tuning resolver and some software, would have access to the same features. We don't see why not, but this stuff is already way more complicated than it should be, and at this point we wouldn't put anything by CableLabs.

[Don @ Mar 6th 2008 8:46AM]

Proofread what you post...

[kastonie @ Mar 6th 2008 9:05AM]

COUGH*DICK*COUGH

[Jon @ Mar 6th 2008 9:51AM]

who gives a rats ass about proof reading , Nerd

[Gaz @ Mar 6th 2008 11:41AM]

Proof read your face...that thing is fucked up!

[Dan Davis @ Mar 6th 2008 9:37AM]

What ever happened to the TiVo/Comcast partnership?

[Neon Jebus @ Mar 6th 2008 10:06AM]

The last time I was speaking with Comcast Customer Service I asked. As you can guess the person knew nothing of it. She did oddly mention something they are planning on doing something in the cell phone business. She mentioned a partnership with Sprint.

[MegaZone @ Mar 6th 2008 6:36PM]

The TiVo software is now available to Comcast customers in New England, their first deployment territory. Comcast plans to continue ramping up marketing in New England as they get more experience with the software, and then they'll expand to other areas region by region. As announced yesterday, Cox is also now in tech trials with the software in their New England territory.

[rcappo @ Mar 6th 2008 11:08AM]

It sounds like a Mythbuntu/MythTV & bit torrent setup would work too.

[Steve Wallen @ Mar 6th 2008 11:59AM]

I love my series 3, but the UI graphics really need an overhaul. Comparing Vista MCE or Apple TV to Tivo is like night and day. I especially don't like how certain applications, like swivel search or amazon unbox, seem to be more html based rather then a native app.

[Wayne @ Mar 6th 2008 12:43PM]

Tivo doesn't want this to work with current HD Tivo boxes. Then they can charge those suckers $600 to upgrade to a new box.

[Bob S. @ Mar 6th 2008 1:01PM]

After its disastrous 9.1 Fall Update in October, it's hard to take Tivo seriously. The Tivo Community forum thread lists hundreds of bugs in a thread with more than 600 posts. (Many posts confirm previously mentioned bugs and add new ones, so it's hard to get an accurate count.) A very few users received a very limited bugfix rollout months ago but there's been nothing since. A *lot* of Tivo users are eager to defect. I still have two years on my three-year plan and I'll happily mothball the unit as soon as I can.

[Ben @ Mar 6th 2008 1:01PM]

That's funny I have two Series3 TiVos and dont' have any problems.

[pji @ Mar 6th 2008 1:54PM]

Same experience as Ben... I have 2 TiVo HD boxes and 4 Series 2 boxes. The only problems I've had since 2001 is when updates run on some boxes and not others for the media sharing, or whatever they call it these days. Obviously wasn't a problem until the Series 2 boxes came out.

FWIW, I've had the TiVo HDs since 8.1 and they run without a hitch up to the current version (9.2.something).

[Steve @ Mar 6th 2008 1:25PM]

tru2way is NOT the same as CableCard 2.0. tru2way is simply the new name for OCAP. They are both CableLabs specs, but are not the same thing. You can use OCAP/tru2way without CableCard. You can use CableCard without OCAP/tru2way.

[Ben @ Mar 6th 2008 1:27PM]

Steve,
Of course it's not, I never said it was, I said some called it that. Then I added a link that helped explain what I meant. http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/06/15/there-is-no-cablecard-2-0/

[Killerchronic @ Mar 6th 2008 2:08PM]

mythtv

[Killerchronic @ Mar 6th 2008 2:12PM]

bah, i didnt just write mythtv in the above post, but for some reason it skipped out the rest of what i said >< lol

but basically;
mythtv is a great working base of pretty much all of these things, albeit slightly harder to get up and running for the average tv watcher. i think its great to finally see companies seeing the benefits that this kinda system has and putting them into mainstream technology.

there was more than that but i really cbf to type it all again lol

[Theo @ Mar 6th 2008 10:37PM]

All major cable companies are going to "swtich network technology" wich requires two-way devices without it... bye bye TiVO No more new HD channels. check it out yourself compare the line up you have already to the cable company's HD boxes.

[tivo @ Mar 7th 2008 2:28AM]

Switched digital video is not a problem for TiVo, they will have a dongle you can plug into your existing TiVo's USB port that will allow your TiVo to continue to function if/when your cable co. goes to switched digital. Don't listen to the anti-TiVo FUD.

[Theo @ Mar 7th 2008 11:00PM]

The question is WHEN? Don't take the wrong way I love my Tivo.