Major Tivo Withdrawals

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Major Tivo Withdrawals

Designer Mike Davidson is having major Tivo withdrawals after moving from a DirecTiVo combo unit to a Comcast HD DVR. Mike offers up a comparison, but the most telling quote is this one:

I’ve begun watching less TV simply because I hate interacting with it so much.

I know others that call the Comcast HD DVR "the worst interface on earth." Like I said a couple days ago, I hope CableCARD support becomes widespread so that customers that want HDTV without an ugly dish can still use Comcast, but not be tied to a set-top box they don't like to use.

by Matt Haughey July 27, 2005 in News

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This is total trolling. Sure the Comcast's interface isn't as polished as TiVo's, but the thing just plain works. I have two of them and a TiVo. My TiVo has not been used in months. With Dual HD-Tuners and TiVo-like subscriptions, I just don't understand why anyone would be so down on it.

Posted by: Bryan at Jul 27, 2005 5:18:06 AM

And...he's way off on his review of the Responsiveness. Anyone who's used TiVo knows that TiVo is painfully slow when changing channels. Talk about a biased review.

Posted by: Bryan at Jul 27, 2005 5:20:35 AM

Yeah, this is a little over-the-top. I can't comment directly because we have the non-MS interface, but bitching about the ability to time-shift and record HD because the UI isn't as good as Tivo's is a little nitpicky. I think the non-MS interface sucks and could use a lot of work, but a lot of that is because I build applications and we spend a lot of time on user interface design and information architecture here. I could come up with 100 improvements to the UI but, at the end of the day, I come home to an HD version of Pardon the Interruption I can 30-second skip through the commercials on.

Couldn't his rant go the other way, e.g., "Shame on Tivo for not getting in bed with Comcast so I could enjoy their UI in Comcast's DVR"?

Posted by: Tom Clancy at Jul 27, 2005 5:36:47 AM

Thanks for linking to my review Matt.

Guys... remember, I'm coming from a Sony *DirecTivo* which is a lot better of a device than the standalone Tivos. It already had two tuners, was as responsive as responsive could be, and was just a general joy to use in every way (besides not having high def).

And as for the responsiveness of this new box, yes, it really is that bad. If you have the non MSFT version and yours isn't as bad, then fine... but this thing really does suck. One of the nice touches with the Tivo was that even when an operation did take a second or two to work, the box gave you an audio "bing" to let you know it had received your command. The Comcast box has no such feature. It is the lack of thoughtful features like this that is killing me.

Also, let's not act like I now all of a sudden have a ton of HD stuff to record. HD programming still only accounts for less than 5% of what's on the dial.

Posted by: Mike D. at Jul 27, 2005 7:32:08 AM

Who actually makes the box in question? Scientific Atlanta? Or is it Motorola or someone else?

Posted by: Rakesh at Jul 27, 2005 9:23:27 AM

I agree that these dual tuner cable DVRs are junk compared to Directv dual tuner DVR. Fast forwarding locks up over and over on the dual tuner cable DVR. Does not hit the mark on passing through commercials like Tivo. My 5 year was so upset trying to stop after fast forwarding through commercials. She told me she wanted Tivo back. My other kids and my wife agreed so I went back to Directv Tivo standard. I am missing HDTV but believe me it is better to have a real DVR. A Tivo person does not use the guide. A Tivo person records and watches the play list. New folders are great with the new software. If I need to search out something it is superior to a cable DVR where I can search out key words as and many more searchable features. I am waiting to hear whether Directv is going to produce their own DVR. I have heard rumblings that the current Directv HDTV DVRs do not support the MPEG4 from the newly/planned launched satelites.

Cheers!

Posted by: Magoo at Jul 27, 2005 9:45:14 AM

It's a Motorolla box. And Mike, I will definitely concede the complete lack of feedback is a problem. Some operations hiccup and can take 5-30 seconds to complete. I had to figure out a way to confirm it was working on my input (i.e., that it did receive the remote command but was still working on it) without taking any action because I'd wind up stopping or deleting a recorded show due to button mashing.

They have all sorts of usability problems. And yet, it records TV ok. Unfortunately, you have to learn to use it rather than in being intuitive, but it's not exactly dying in slavery in the Sudan.

Posted by: Tom Clancy at Jul 27, 2005 10:15:30 AM

Rakesh: It's made by Motorola and those of us in Seattle get stuck with the Microsoft interface.

Magoo: Yeah, the current HD DirecTivos won't be compatible with the new satellites but DirecTV will give you a new box for free. That said, however, better to wait for the new boxes than to pay for an expensive old one.

Posted by: Mike D. at Jul 27, 2005 10:21:39 AM

Heh, another person I know having trouble with the Comcast UI:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ernie/29094743/

Posted by: Matt Haughey at Jul 27, 2005 3:48:42 PM

I played with a friend's comcast motorola DVR and it was crap. Several times it gave no UI input as to when I had pressed record, but was happily queueing up commands so when it got done doing what it was doing, it went ape playing those commands.

Also, the recording a show ui sucks. 5 letters, up down on each one, ick.

And the 15 hour record time for HD was unacceptable.

I am still on DirecTivo SD and looking forward to see what Verizon TV brings over FTTP

Posted by: Steve at Jul 27, 2005 7:28:35 PM

Sounds like the reviewer is talking about the Microsoft driven Comcast box.

I can only speak for the iGuide (non-Microsoft) box, which I love. It's not as refined as the Tivo interface, but it's still a great product and when looked at in total, blows my standard-def Tivo out of the water.

Posted by: Marklar at Jul 28, 2005 6:57:44 AM

Major Tivo Withdrawals

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