TiVo : VM TiVo is like . . .

[scgf]

. . . something Microsoft would market after taking over a company producing a good product, only to ruin it in implementation.

Since I rejected my VM TiVo I have seen my decision vindicated many times over, in spite of feeling shouted down in these and other forums.

I am trying to put my finger on what is wrong with it, apart from the obvious like dire SD picture quality and confusing UI. I think I have worked it out. It is to do with the way I think and what I perceive as being logical. My computing experience has been OS/2, Linux, Mac OS X with a small amount of Microsoft Windows along the way. I now work with Windows, unfortunately, but don't see MS Windows as part of my personal computing evolution - I have always seen it as an aberration.

Those of you old enough to have experience os OS/2 will know what I mean.

The TiVo is like something which would come out of the MS stables - great idea but badly implemented.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by scgf

Those of you old enough to have experience of OS/2 will know what I mean.

I'm old enough to not only have experience of OS/2, but to have considered it an aberration. It all depends on your background. (The same applies to Linux, Windows and a very short but unpleasant encounter with a MAC, by the way).

[Toto]

Originally Posted by scgf

. . . something Microsoft would market after taking over a company producing a good product, only to ruin it in implementation.

Since I rejected my VM TiVo I have seen my decision vindicated many times over, in spite of feeling shouted down in these and other forums.

I am trying to put my finger on what is wrong with it, apart from the obvious like dire SD picture quality and confusing UI. I think I have worked it out. It is to do with the way I think and what I perceive as being logical. My computing experience has been OS/2, Linux, Mac OS X with a small amount of Microsoft Windows along the way. I now work with Windows, unfortunately, but don't see MS Windows as part of my personal computing evolution - I have always seen it as an aberration.

Those of you old enough to have experience os OS/2 will know what I mean.

The TiVo is like something which would come out of the MS stables - great idea but badly implemented.

Ahh, they don't build them like they used to argument.

VM TiVo isn't perfect, but is a considerably better product in comparison to its competition.

I think VM's implementation is fine, and will continue to evolve. Comparing TiVo as an aberration akin to Microsft makes me think that you're probably the kind of person that sees Steve Jobs image in the skirting board.

Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with Apple, I'm typing this out on my Macbook now, but I think your singular view and insipid argument on TiVo will not gain much ground, but of course may ring true with some.

For the record, I'm watching SS1 SD, and the cricket looks superb on my TV with VM TiVo thanks.

Originally Posted by scgf

VM TiVo is like . . .. . . something Microsoft would market after taking over a company producing a good product, only to ruin it in implementation..

I think the opposite is true

Never had a Tivo before and it's very clear that the worst aspect of VM Tivo is out-dated Tivo screens/functionality - like many parts of the model haven't seen the light of day for 10 years

Tivo desperately needs a market the size of VM's to boot it up the @r$e and bring it kicking and screaming into 2011

I think VM will be the best thing ever happened to Tivo

[Henkesghost]

Haven't seen TiVo but this site seems to be full of criticism for it. Mods will no doubt stamp that out like they do with most criticism of virgin, leaving this site a dull wasteland where only the status quo (not the old denim dudes) is tolerated and glaring deficiencies ignored. Seems virgin have put all there eggs in one basket with TiVo, judging by the coming soon thread it certainly isn't in bringing a better tv package to u faithful customers.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Henkesghost

Haven't seen TiVo but this site seems to be full of criticism for it.

Unsuprisingly it's more likely that people will post to forums when they don't like something than when they do

[DaBoz]

Originally Posted by scgf

. . . something Microsoft would market after taking over a company producing a good product, only to ruin it in implementation.

Since I rejected my VM TiVo I have seen my decision vindicated many times over, in spite of feeling shouted down in these and other forums.

I am trying to put my finger on what is wrong with it, apart from the obvious like dire SD picture quality and confusing UI. I think I have worked it out. It is to do with the way I think and what I perceive as being logical. My computing experience has been OS/2, Linux, Mac OS X with a small amount of Microsoft Windows along the way. I now work with Windows, unfortunately, but don't see MS Windows as part of my personal computing evolution - I have always seen it as an aberration.

Those of you old enough to have experience os OS/2 will know what I mean.

The TiVo is like something which would come out of the MS stables - great idea but badly implemented.

I think your analogy is way off the mark. I nearly sent my TiVo back but have persevered because VM are actually taking this product forward, something that the TiVo software team haven't done in the last 10 years. It's more like Apple buying a technology that has promise but isn't implemented well, repackaging it and releasing it with rejuvenation and foresight.

Personally, I think it was launched with too many big issues, however it had to come out early this year to be competitive. Tough call for VM to make, but overall I think it's the right one and come Christmas we'll have a fantastic piece of kit.

Boz

---------- Post added at 13:04 ---------- Previous post was at 13:02 ----------

Originally Posted by JethroUK

I think VM will be the best thing ever happened to Tivo

and possibly vice versa?

[toady]

Originally Posted by JethroUK

Never had a Tivo before and it's very clear that the worst aspect of VM Tivo is out-dated Tivo screens/functionality - like many parts of the model haven't seen the light of day for 10 years

To me it appears that TIVO were lazy and just rewrote the screens needed for the new system and left the others believing it would do

I think TIVO have a lot of work to do in giving the UK market the features they want, they have already started with the 3rd tuner

I'm confident that with VM pushing that TIVO will add the features we require

[REM]

I can't see the problem.

The hardware is in place and any software issues can be addressed. It's not like we're getting something old and were stuck with it.

Nothing is ever perfected. There are always people who say this or that is wrong. Are we all supposed to wait 20 years until every one agrees that Tivo is near perfect before it's released to market?

If that is the case then the hardware will be way out of date by then.

I don't mind putting up with a few niggles if it means getting the Tivo now. I know that it will get better.

[denphone]

l am very happy with my tivo and l know it will evolve and improve as time goes on.

[ekwk]

tivo is like buying a dog thinking its a pedigree only to find out after a few days its just another dog with a fancy name, and in fact it's not as good as your previous dog despite costing more.

there's way way too much 'to be sorted out later in the year' to be able to enjoy it atm and i don't even have faith that they'll implement the updates thats needed within the next 12 months. its one thing saying you're going to do this and that, it's another putting your money where your mouth is and doing it.

tivo just isn't very good when you strip away the new look and look at the basics that it should do well (series link setup, speed of the box, on demand, interactive etc). maybe in a year or so things will be different, maybe.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by ekwk

tivo is like buying a dog thinking its a pedigree only to find out after a few days its just another dog with a fancy name, and in fact it's not as good as your previous dog despite costing more.

there's way way too much 'to be sorted out later in the year' to be able to enjoy it atm and i don't even have faith that they'll implement the updates thats needed within the next 12 months. its one thing saying you're going to do this and that, it's another putting your money where your mouth is and doing it.

tivo just isn't very good when you strip away the new look and look at the basics that it should do well (series link setup, speed of the box, on demand, interactive etc). maybe in a year or so things will be different, maybe.

Well you are entitled to your opinion but l think you are talking absolute nonsense about the tivo.

[ekwk]

as long as your happy with a product thats clearly not upto scratch yet then thats all that matters i guess. i expect more.

[REM]

Originally Posted by ekwk

tivo is like buying a dog thinking its a pedigree only to find out after a few days its just another dog with a fancy name, and in fact it's not as good as your previous dog despite costing more.

No. More like you wanting a dog to rip off the heads of burglars but are given a 6 week old puppy. Just feed it and wait and it will be a fully grown Rottweiler.

Tivo is only software. Software improves. A dog's pedigree never changes.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by ekwk

as long as your happy with a product thats clearly not upto scratch yet then thats all that matters i guess. i expect more.

I have had it for 2 months now and l have had only to reboot once in that time and other then that it has been running very smoothly in that time and the tivo also has many extra's that the other boxes did not have and also tell me what things you expected from the tivo.