Discussion
I've just read that the wonderful Tivo is going out of production. Is this true ? Is it going to mean that the box will stop doing its magic tricks ? It's the only bit of technology in my house that earns its keep (other than those in the garage) !
>>> Edited by jondokic on Sunday 26th January 23:10
>>> Edited by jondokic on Sunday 26th January 23:10
just cpoied this of the tivo forum...
9 Jan 2003: TiVo Conference Call gives UK gloomy outlook
TiVo's CES conference call painted a gloomy outlook for UK TiVo owners. Thomson have now stopped manufacturing TiVo boxes, and TiVo said: "The UK is a small market"; They will "not invest incrementally in the UK"; It is a "loss making venture"; They will "continue to support the service indefinitely"; They are hoping some of TiVo's partners will bring new hardware to the UK; Tivo will "only do it if profitable" (invest in the UK).
9 Jan 2003: TiVo Conference Call gives UK gloomy outlook
TiVo's CES conference call painted a gloomy outlook for UK TiVo owners. Thomson have now stopped manufacturing TiVo boxes, and TiVo said: "The UK is a small market"; They will "not invest incrementally in the UK"; It is a "loss making venture"; They will "continue to support the service indefinitely"; They are hoping some of TiVo's partners will bring new hardware to the UK; Tivo will "only do it if profitable" (invest in the UK).
Sadly TiVo have been stuffed by some very poor marketing, and, I guess, the whole buggerdly situation with being first to market with a new idea about which Joe Soap in Dixons has no clue. Ah yes, and then there was the product placement, a.k.a. hiding, by the retail outlets. That helped too... not.
I wonder, incidentally, if anyone knows how Sky+ is doing by comparison? Probably quite well, as it's been marketed to the Nth degree from day one.
Shame: TiVo's a good product, and I wouldn't be without mine - absolute life-saver. Even regularly records I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue off Radio4 for me - and that's priceless.
I wonder, incidentally, if anyone knows how Sky+ is doing by comparison? Probably quite well, as it's been marketed to the Nth degree from day one.
Shame: TiVo's a good product, and I wouldn't be without mine - absolute life-saver. Even regularly records I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue off Radio4 for me - and that's priceless.
Sorry news indeed I know that the boxes have been very hard to get. I bought mine and a friend was really struggling to find one when he saw what it could do.
I notice taht the subscrption is to sky tv which makes me wonder if sky+ have had anything to do with the boxes going.
It does seem odd that such a cracking product has such a poor marketing. Every person I've told about my machine would love one. There is a market for it pity I don't have lots of money in the bank as I for one would start making them and selling. What a shame.
I notice taht the subscrption is to sky tv which makes me wonder if sky+ have had anything to do with the boxes going.
It does seem odd that such a cracking product has such a poor marketing. Every person I've told about my machine would love one. There is a market for it pity I don't have lots of money in the bank as I for one would start making them and selling. What a shame.
Hmmm. I've been hunting around on the net for a bit more info. It looks as though they're going to keep the subscrption update service running (and I should bloody well hope so, given what it costs) but I'm not holding out too much hope. This: www.showshifter.com/ would seem to offer much the same abilities, but the technical PC aspects are way beyond me.
Sky+ would seem to be the reason for the Tivo's demise, as Sky 'market' -ha ha ha- the Tivo in the UK. However, Sky+ does not, as I understand it, allow you to record radio (so I would miss out on both the Archers omnibus and Dead Ringers) nor does it have Tivo's mysterious psychic abilities, nor does it allow for the storage capacity to be upgraded (A tame IT bod helped me to more than double the Tivo's recording capabilities)
Sky+ would seem to be the reason for the Tivo's demise, as Sky 'market' -ha ha ha- the Tivo in the UK. However, Sky+ does not, as I understand it, allow you to record radio (so I would miss out on both the Archers omnibus and Dead Ringers) nor does it have Tivo's mysterious psychic abilities, nor does it allow for the storage capacity to be upgraded (A tame IT bod helped me to more than double the Tivo's recording capabilities)
I'd recommend against PC based solutions unless you're a gold-plated dyed in the wool techie. I've played with a number of capture solutions, and they've all had downsides of various sorts, mostly an inability to capture large amounts of video without stutters in sound or picture.
If you're looking to archive stuff to VCD/DVD/big hard disc, then that's another issue entirely.
Given that TiVos are available for around 150 quid, and I imagine Sky+ must be a similar price, it doesn't really make a lot of sense to use a dirty great PC, with a horrid user interface, in preference to something you control through a remote and your telly.
Another thing is that TiVo has always said they won't cast customers adrift in the event of a "tits up" corporate situation: the information on supplying guide data would be released if it looked like TiVo inc was going to die.
That said, only the UK market is in the aforementioned nipples-skyward situation, so that's slightly different kettle of seafood. Hopefully they'll stick to their word, after all, they are getting a regular revenue stream which I guess ought to cover provision of the guide data still.
Fingers crossed eh?
If you're looking to archive stuff to VCD/DVD/big hard disc, then that's another issue entirely.
Given that TiVos are available for around 150 quid, and I imagine Sky+ must be a similar price, it doesn't really make a lot of sense to use a dirty great PC, with a horrid user interface, in preference to something you control through a remote and your telly.
Another thing is that TiVo has always said they won't cast customers adrift in the event of a "tits up" corporate situation: the information on supplying guide data would be released if it looked like TiVo inc was going to die.
That said, only the UK market is in the aforementioned nipples-skyward situation, so that's slightly different kettle of seafood. Hopefully they'll stick to their word, after all, they are getting a regular revenue stream which I guess ought to cover provision of the guide data still.
Fingers crossed eh?
still thinking about getting a Tivo as none of the PC based PVRs to everything I need..
question is, how does the TiVo interact with Sky Digital.. is it a question of programming the EPG on both devices or is there any integration?
It seems if you already have Sky Digital, then Sky Plus has to be the way to go.. boxes are opn Ebay at the mo for about £160 upward..
as an aside, does anyone use a Psion Wavefinder to record radio broadcasts etc..?
question is, how does the TiVo interact with Sky Digital.. is it a question of programming the EPG on both devices or is there any integration?
It seems if you already have Sky Digital, then Sky Plus has to be the way to go.. boxes are opn Ebay at the mo for about £160 upward..
as an aside, does anyone use a Psion Wavefinder to record radio broadcasts etc..?
CarZee said:question is, how does the TiVo interact with Sky Digital.. is it a question of programming the EPG on both devices or is there any integration?
The integration is absolutely fine. TiVo goes inline between your Sky Digibox and the TV, and controls the digibox for you using it's own IR sender. Only downside of TiVo with Sky digital is that if you're recording something from Sky, you can't watch another digital channel as you've only got the one tuner.
With Sky+, it has two (and a modified LNB on the dish), reflected in the cost: discounted from £300 to £250 this month, according to the mag.
TiVo has its own EPG which seems pretty good - that's what the tenner a month sub is for.
Interesting to note that Sky is only just advertising the new Sky+ software update to allow you to rewind live TV. TiVo's been doing that since day 1. Ah well.
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