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The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
byclang_jangle ( 975789 ) * writes:
I would expect that those of us who like to use our computers for video would already have these capabilities without spending $200/yr on a subscription. I know I do.
byivan256 ( 17499 ) writes:
Me too.
I pay $100 a year for the subscription.
The subscription to TiVo is worth every penny just for the lack of having to fiddle with it all the time.... Getting the updates installed with no time investment, etc...
And that's before you take into account its ability to record encrypted QAM, since it's cableCARD certified.
I used to use a home-built DVR, but TV just doesn't matter enough to me to invest the time. I'd rather throw (much) less than a day's pay at it once a year and not have to think about it.
byjedidiah ( 1196 ) writes:
The "fiddling" with a home-made DVR is driven primarily by other "fiddling".
Set it up and leave it alone and it tends to stay setup. That first part is the trick.
Once you make Tivo the combination of a random collection of spare parts and some
software, you are going to blow away Tivo's strength in this area. It will be like
trying to run MacOS on a non-mac using some hack.
Simply put: Tivo is last to the party and is in serious danger of being left
behind by everyone.
If you are already accustomed to the more p
byivan256 ( 17499 ) writes:
If you are already accustomed to the more powerful features of PC PVR software
then a PC running Tivo software is not going to be that compelling.
You're right. I don't see the appeal of running TiVo's software on a PC. Just give me the box.
Could I go back to my PC based DVR which lacked recording encrypted HD, and neded to be reconfigured when the "free" data sources changed/went away, or when my channel lineup changes? What features am I missing? I can record my shows to DVD if I want... I can watch in multiple rooms... I can watch on the road...
The only reason TiVo is being left behind is that the less-featured cable company DVRs are "good enough"
byjedidiah ( 1196 ) writes:
If you are already accustomed to the more powerful features of PC PVR software
then a PC running Tivo software is not going to be that compelling.
You're right. I don't see the appeal of running TiVo's software on a PC. Just give me the box.
Could I go back to my PC based DVR which lacked recording encrypted HD, and neded to be reconfigured when the "free" data
sources changed/went away, or when my channel lineup changes? What features am I missing? I can record my shows to DVD if
1) My PC based DVR can record encrypted content. Tivo's edge here is gone now.
2) Data sources don't change that often. If you are groping in this then you
really don't have that much to whine about.
3) Tivo will screw the pooch just the same when the guide data doesn't keep up.
At least with a open platform I can fix my own problems myself.
I want... I can watch in multiple rooms... I can watch on the road...
The only reason TiVo is being left behind is that the less-featured cable company DVRs are "good enough" for almost everybody. PC DVRs are a speck in TiVo's rear view mirror.
...so I can put "extenders" in as many rooms as I like and they
will all see the same content? That's certainly news to me. Any
ra
byivan256 ( 17499 ) writes:
1) My PC based DVR can record encrypted content. Tivo's edge here is gone now.
What hardware/software do you use for this? Something new must have come out recently... As recently as a year ago I was unable to find a legal device that would allow me to record encrypted QAM from my cable connection. Even the devices that claimed to be able to do it, but were bundled with Windows media center couldn't actually get the job done as expected (could only decrypt when saving to DRM encumbered WMV).
...so I can put "extenders" in as many rooms as I like and they
will all see the same content? That's certainly news to me. Any
random PC in the house can be another "extender"? News to me.
Yup. As long as the "random PC" is running Windows, MacOS, or Wine. I watch the shows that are
byjedidiah ( 1196 ) writes:
Of course I am adding "extra requirements".
That's why I'm not a Tivo user. I have "extra requirements".
I want a client-server solution and I want open access to the
content so I can put it on any device I like.
It's MPEG2, there's simply no excuse for it to be an engima.
byivan256 ( 17499 ) writes:
"Extra requirements" is fine. It's just hard to discuss something with somebody if they're always moving the goalposts.
It does what I said it does... not the extra stuff you added on. If it doesn't work for you, so be it. I have a feeling it *would* work for you though, 'cause there's a big difference between "any device I like" when the list is made up of what you'd actually use and "any device I like" when the list is made up of any device you can think of such that you can say "See! It sucks! It doesn't
byjedidiah ( 1196 ) writes:
What part of "open" and "client-server" did you not get previously?
There is nothing in Tivo-land that approximates a Media Server Extender.
End of story.
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byivan256 ( 17499 ) writes:
What part of "open" and "client-server" did you not get previously?
There is nothing in Tivo-land that approximates a Media Server Extender.
End of story.
Why should there be? Another TiVo dies everything an extender does, plus more, for less money than any pure extender on the market. (Unless you know of some HD extender for less than $149? I didn't think so.) If you want a software extender, a TiVo comes with one for free.
If you don't think the TiVo->TiVo or TiVo->Tivo Desktop architecture is "Client-server" then I don't know what else to say about it.
The only sticking point is "open", which again, is only a sticking point if the closed architecture d
byjedidiah ( 1196 ) writes:
Why should there be? Another TiVo dies everything an extender does, plus more, for less money than any pure extender on the market. (Unless you know of some HD extender for less than $149? I didn't think so.) If you want a software extender, a TiVo comes with one for free.
If you don't think the TiVo->TiVo or TiVo->Tivo Desktop architecture is "Client-server" then I don't know what else to say about it.
Ok... so I go into the living room fire up my Tivo and automagically
see all the same content that any of my other Tivos can see?
So.... I can stop MythBusters in the living room and pick it up in
the bedroom or the play room, or on any PC accessable in the home
network?
That's quite a claim.
You know, some of us have closets full of old Tivos, so you
might want to ease up on the overselling there.
Some PC running some oddball desktop software is not an extender.
byCramer ( 69040 ) writes:
No. Tivo does not have a remote control api. You can retrieve and watch any non-copy protected content from one tivo on another. One would assume all of your tivos are connected to the same inputs, so if one is recording MythBusters, any of the others should be able to tune to the same station.
What you are asking for is a central media server. To my knowledge, no one has ever built such a thing within the price range affordable to mere mortals. And before you get the idea to bring such a thing to marke
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