TiVo Coming to Canada?

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TiVo Coming to Canada?

Word has it that TiVo is starting to support Canadian guide data in preparation for a launch in the Great White North (or South, for those of us in Detroit). We haven't tested this ourselves yet, but the latest Tivo software allows entering a Canadian postal code, selecting a Canadian provider, and getting Canadian guide data.

Thanks to Erik Pettersen for the tip! (Previous Canadian TiVo howto post)

by George Hotelling September 14, 2005 in TiVo

Comments

So how can we confirm this. Can someone try a Postal code and then change it after?

Posted by: Bill christie at Sep 14, 2005 9:42:21 AM

Too late!

I bugged Tivo for years about this - with no luck. Then the cable and satellite companies started distributing their boxes on the cheap.

My Scientific Atlanta box may be buggy and the UI may be crap - but now that everyone is used to dual-tuner, full digital recording, fully integrated with the cable-box it will be almost impossible to switch people back.

That being said, we need real competition: multi-tuner Tivo boxes with digital inputs and integrated cable-card support, as well as cable-card support from Canadian cable companies would force the competition to fix their products - and everyone would win.

I assume that will happen when pigs fly.

Posted by: JodyP at Sep 14, 2005 9:43:18 AM

Hooray, Detroit! ;)

Posted by: Brandon Martus at Sep 14, 2005 9:45:49 AM

Who cares? Instead of waiting for Tivo I went ahead and built a Myth box and I seriously doubt I would ever go back. I could understand the appeal of Tivo back in the days when they were really the ONLY choice, but nowadays the open source HTPC market is smoking and unlike Tivo there are no restrictions on what you can do with the content you record.

Posted by: James Ryan at Sep 14, 2005 12:10:34 PM

What is with the arrogance of some geeks? People need a serious reality check.

I'm a hardcore geek, but I'm not so arrogant as to think that just because I can build a MythTV box that everyone can, or will. That's moronic. The open source HTPC is FAR from 'smoking'. It is a niche of a niche, it is completely negligible compared to the commercial DVR market, and that's the hard truth. MythTV and FreeVo do nothing to dent the commercial DVR market, nothing.

I am NOT knocking MythTV, FreeVo, etc. They're very nice in fact. But geeks need to wake up and pay attention to the world at large and stop thinking that what they and their friends do represents the market in general. Even most geeks who are capable of building a DVR - don't! They buy one - because building a DVR is lower on their priority list than other things. I use TiVo because it 'just works', and I already have a To Do list that tends to grow rather than shrink. I can spend my 'free time' working on my new house, or dicking around with MythTV... my house comes first.

The average person doesn't have the skills to put together their own DVR. And most of the people who do have the skills can't be bothered to do so. Enthusiasts to not represent the general market.

Hell, just about anyone reading this is unlikely to be truly representative of the general market.

Posted by: MegaZone at Sep 14, 2005 1:41:47 PM

I second that. Plus, I can't get my sister or mom a myth tv box for christmas and expect them to be able to use it. The TiVo on the other hand is reliable, will stream mp3's and is small enough to fit on a tv cart with the dvd player.

Posted by: warrenpeace™ at Sep 14, 2005 8:11:03 PM

Its true! I changed my setup last night and it shows all rogers channels

Posted by: dod at Sep 16, 2005 7:31:27 AM

Check out, http://www.tivocanada.com/

Seems semi-official.

Posted by: ptivo at Sep 16, 2005 10:50:31 AM

I have been asking tivo to do this for so long and cant wait till it arrives in canada ontario Rogers personal TV Blows compared to tivo i tried tivo at a cousins house in chicago AMAZING, i gave up on rogers personal tv after a month of use not worth the money for that shit i want my tivo

Posted by: jsark at Sep 16, 2005 8:38:23 PM

I also agree with James Ryan.

Posted by: jsark at Sep 16, 2005 11:15:25 PM

Looks like it is official: http://www.tivo.com/1.6.1.asp#9

Posted by: MegaZone at Sep 18, 2005 2:09:28 PM

I am completely capable of building an HTPC DVR, but I purhcased a TiVo. Why? Cause I just plugged in the TiVo, set a few things, and poof, it works! I haven't heard of needing anti-virus on my TiVo, and I've never had to rebuild a registry or re-install the OS with TiVo. I think my most frustrating problem ever experienced with TiVo was being too lazy to get up and fetch new batteries and instead leaning WAY WAY off the couch to make the TiVo respond to the remote.
I love my TiVo because it requires almost 0 of my attnention to work properly. Man, once you tell it where you live and what cable package you have, you don't even have to set the damn clock.

Oh... and I didn't have to BUILD the damn thing! Got to love that!

Posted by: Jeff at Sep 18, 2005 7:53:14 PM

What is the cost of a MythTV, or FreeVo (including your time) compared to the cost of a Tivo with their subscription fee? I don't know how much your time is worth to you, but even at a conservative 8 hours of investigate/purchase/assemble/install/configure/tweak will buy a couple of years worth of Tivo subscription fees for me. Not to mention the difference in hardware costs, and the wife appeal factor for the look of just another black box that blends in with the stereo unit, rather than a computer in the living room look.

Posted by: splitsec at Sep 20, 2005 8:04:58 AM

I really can't be bothered with MythTV -- way, way too much work for too little benefit. I have a TiVO Series 1 and have been using Simplicity to load it with Zap2IT data but this will be a welcome change, as it's still a minor pain, plus Simplicity isn't the most maintained piece of software.

Posted by: stu at Sep 27, 2005 3:29:17 PM

Who cares about Tivo... EPN is basically the same thing... does the same stuff as Tivo. Perhaps not as much, but they got the same program ahead of time, rewind, pause, stop, save in memory box, program to record for a whole season, ect... (doesn't have pictures though)

www.videotron.ca EPN/PVR(one in french the other in English) box same function as Tivo...i'm very satified, i love it, i cannot watch T.V. at other people's place now, 'cause it bugs me when they can't rewind. :D

Posted by: Audrey at Oct 7, 2005 8:28:54 PM

If I buy a Tivo and import it into canada, does anyone know if the 1-877 phone number will work up here for the initial setup?

Posted by: Ken at Nov 9, 2005 4:27:01 PM

vancouver, bc

i need a myth tv or freevo genius to contact me urgently. money and rewards, not to mention widescale respect attached to people who dont bring a bad attitude with them.

i look forward to hearing from you.
adam

Posted by: Adam Adams at Nov 11, 2005 10:03:33 PM

Tivo, Myth, are the same thing... Try to calibrate the two and you'll find the master of DVR's. I have found away to combine the two and have created somthing so fast so superior to anything you fellow nerds have every seen... Join me nerds, join me in the future and we will record untill we drop... The spatial filter must be ready at the clock tower at 12:00am just as the lightning hits. I will need a safety etinuator. Shnerve out!

Posted by: steve shnerve at Jan 30, 2006 7:37:28 AM

Posted by: steve shnerve at Jan 30, 2006 7:37:31 AM

Posted by: steve shnerve at Jan 30, 2006 7:38:10 AM

Posted by: steve shnerve at Jan 30, 2006 7:38:12 AM

Posted by: steve shnerve at Jan 30, 2006 7:38:48 AM

Hi ,
can anyone email the 'simplictiy' program for series 1 tivo

Posted by: Niggzso at May 6, 2007 8:36:39 AM

TiVo Coming to Canada?

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