TiVo Basic 288
Keith Russell writes "TiVo has announced a new TiVo Basic service. ( Press release here, CNet story here) The Basic service only offers a 3-day program grid, and doesn't include title searches, season passes, or wish lists. There's no subscription fees for Basic, however, and it can be upgraded to a full-on Series 2 unit by the usual payment options ($12.95/mo. or $299 lifetime). The first product to include it is a Toshiba DVD player with an 80 GB hard drive and progressive-scan output of both DVD and Tivo content."
Marketing mantra (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Marketing mantra (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Marketing mantra (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Marketing mantra (Score:3, Interesting)
Personally, I think it's an excellent idea. Sure, some of us geeks may still enjoy rolling our own, especially if we already have TV tuners or whatever, but for the majority of the population, it's good for Tivo to offer an entry level solution to start getting people used to the idea of a PVR.
Re:Marketing mantra (Score:3, Interesting)
The Toshiba Box: RD-X2 (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.toshiba.com/tacp/dvd/current/RDX2.htm l
Re:The Toshiba Box: RD-X2 (Score:5, Interesting)
From HDD to DVD-R Yeah! This has been when TiVo hackers have been trying to get accomplished for years.
Re:The Toshiba Box: RD-X2 (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:The Toshiba Box: RD-X2 (Score:4, Insightful)
Add that one more feature, and I'll buy.
Re:The Toshiba Box: RD-X2 (Score:5, Informative)
The model number of the device in the story's links is the SD-H400 which is a DVD player (not a recorder) combined with the 80GB hard drive and Tivo service (basic included, upgrade to full Tivo possible via extra money). This device is not currently listed in the Toshiba lineup (possibly because it hasn't been released yet?)
Personally, I consider $748 (the suggested price of the Toshiba device plus $299 for service upgrade) WAY too much money to spend on a progressive scan DVD player and a Tivo, one box or not.
Re:The Toshiba Box: RD-X2 (Score:2)
will have to be carful (Score:5, Insightful)
Tivo will have to be careful that this doesn't hurt them. By removing a lot of the power of Tivo people might try it out, hate it, and leave.
They will have to make it clear what the added features will give you. (Perhaps a 30 day free trial of the upgraded service?) I know that once I saw the good stuff I would not willingly switch back.
Re:will have to be carful (Score:5, Insightful)
Perhaps Tivo Basic should allow up to 3 season passes. Otherwise many people are likely to just think, "whoopee - it's a two-week version of TV Guide."
Re:will have to be carful (Score:5, Funny)
Looking at my list of season passes reads like a TV obituary... Firefly, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, The Tick, The Job.... sigh.
Season Pass anomolies (Score:2)
I know a title wishlist would have grabbed both of these, but it'd be nice if a season pass would follow channels, espe
Re:Season Pass anomolies (Score:4, Insightful)
God no. I'd hate to have to filter out the bazillion Simpsons episodes being syndicated if I just want to record what's on Fox. Or Friends or any other popular show that's in syndication.
If you know a Wishlist would do it, then why don't you set one up and do it the right way?
Oddly, I have a Season Pass for Saturday Night Live and the local affialiate runs full-length re-reuns
Uh, because it's the same show on the same channel? If you don't want reruns, then set the SP for "First Run Only". If it's still picking up reruns then you'll have to email TiVo about it, who will contact Tribune, who will contact the station. Odds are, however, that the station won't do anything to fix their guide data -- which is what the root problem is (if and only if you've already got the SP set FRO).
Re:Season Pass anomolies (Score:3, Informative)
Heck, TiVo has to make guesses on whether or not it's even a rerun, since not all shows have even that information (it bases it off of first air date, and occasionally gets it wrong because of this).
It's not a bad suggestion though - when www.tivocommunity.com is back up next week I'd recommend suggesting it in the Suggestions forum. TiVo does read them, and has implemented ideas
Re:will have to be carful (Score:2)
Re:will have to be carful (Score:3, Informative)
The press release mentions that recurring time-and-channel recording is available, just like your VCR.
Canada (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Canada (Score:4, Insightful)
Considering that TiVo hasn't advertised at all in three years, and seems to be living hand-to-mouth at the moment, the addition of another country might have to wait until there's a viable bottom line.
As a TiVo devotee for the past 1.5 years, though, I can only hope they make it... <crosses fingers>
Re:Canada (Score:4, Informative)
Well, their stock is up, so the markets thinking positive things about them. And while they haven't paid for the standard 30 second spots, NBC has done several placements in their TV series (Friends, Scrubs, Will & Grace). Not sure if they're paying for it or NBC's throwing it in as part of their investment.
Besides, the word of mouth advertising they get is pretty strong, and is a damned site better than lame TV spots.
Funny thing is, Tivo is hugely popular with the whole entertainment industry, outside of everyones favorite mad dog, Jack Valenti.
Yes they have advertised. (Score:5, Interesting)
I've never thought their advertising did the service justice, but I heard from a TiVo marketing person two years ago that they cut back sharply on TV ads when Microsoft started hawking the Ultimate TV.
It turned out that the UTV commercials would get people to come to Circuit City, where they found they'd have to ditch their cable or satellite and get Dish Network to get to sue the UTV. When they got turned off on that idea, the salesperson would show them TiVo, which works equally well with satellite, cable, digital cable, or rabbit ears.
Every dollar Microsoft put into TV spots helped TiVo more than Microsoft. That's one of the reasons you don't see Ultimate TV advertised anymore. (Well, that and it sucked and is basically mothballed now).
TiVo does it right. Established companies are still partnering to make new hardware. You can't say that about webTV, U-TV, or ReplayTV.
Re:Canada (Score:2)
Must. Have. Season. Pass.
Re:Can you spell CRTC ;-) (Score:2)
And it's definately Canadian Content.
I believe it's aired in the US under a different name "The Industry" to avoid frightening off viewers
In reality, it's a very funny, very accurate view behind the scenes of a television productio
Re:Can you spell CRTC ;-) (Score:2, Interesting)
I used to live in an appartment, and on a regular basis I would get one of those cable company sales person knocking on my door asking if I wanted cable. Invariably I would say: "yes, how much would it cost me to CBC + the learning channel + TV5 + discovery +...", and invariably they would x$ per month with package Z.
At this point I answer that I don't want any package, because I don't want any of my money to go to talk shows, reality shows, etc... The answer would always be, sorry we can't do
Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:4, Interesting)
Funny, I don't remember anyone buying my time from me...
Re:Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:4, Insightful)
The Dish PVRs are simply too un-intuitive. They should have licensed the Tivo software as DirecTV did.
Re:Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:2)
Re:Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:3, Insightful)
Niether of my Parents want to leave a Tivo-less existence now.
I have a close friend that just got the Dish network with built in PVR.
I checked it out.
Bleh. I mean it, bleh, bleh and bleh.
I don't like it at all. I won't tell her that though. It is not as user friendly, doesn't have the thumbs up and thumbs down b
Re:Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:2)
But I agree that the user interface could use some work. The biggest flaw (IMHO) is that the unit doesn't allow you to set auto-recording mode based on a search (ie: record everything where "simpsons" appears in the
Re:Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:4, Informative)
It's the same case for DirecTiVo
Either way, no satellite for me. $1200+ in tree removal in the way. And two of the trees in question are not on my property.
Re:Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:2, Informative)
Licensing
DirecTV licenses Tivo to power their DirecTV boxes, together they make a killer app limited mostly by the need for Dishes. DirecTV is all Digital, which plays VERY well with Tivo.
I suspect its only a matter of time before the cable companies give up on their central office based PVR systems. I tried one last weekend on Comcast, it was awful compared to the reponsiveness and
This is nothing "in the works"... (Score:2)
Re:Itsn't it a moot point? (Score:5, Funny)
Carrot Top (Score:3, Funny)
tivo BASIC (Score:5, Funny)
shhhh.... (Score:2)
(i work as a software tester on compiled BASIC medical apps. they keep trying to make it do more and more fancy stuff, all I need now is for someone to suggest slapping a TiVo into the pulmonary function testing software so that the subjects don't get bored during long serial testing days and I might just go postal...)
Sounds reasonable (Score:5, Interesting)
It's certainly a lot less data. The only real loss is the ability to look ahead two weeks to see what episodes are running and picking up specific ones. I'd assume that all the subscriptions still work.
Vacation time could be a pain, because I wouldn't be able to prioritize over the full time I'm gone.
The primary things I use the two-week lookahead are for things such as 24, Monk and Dead Zone that run new(ish) eps on multiple networks: I don't subscribe 24 on both Fox and FX, so if I miss an ep on Fox, I scan for it on FX.
Hopefully, this will bring in more sales for TiVo.
Re:Sounds reasonable (Score:2)
What?? (Score:5, Funny)
joke yet? This place is going to the dogs ...
Wonderful! (Score:4, Interesting)
It's an excellent way for TiVo to addict the masses to the glory that is the full TiVo. They probably should give people the ability to have maybe 2 or 3 season passes, but still, the concept is great.
A good idea (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:A good idea (Score:2, Informative)
I'm currently not subscribing to the TiVo service, as explained in a previous [slashdot.org] TiVo posting
Re:A good idea (Score:3, Informative)
Re:A good idea (Score:2)
Well, DirecTV's DVR service is from Tivo, and the service only costs $4.99/month, instead of the usual $12.95. It uses the built-in DirecTV program data, so that $5 pretty much subsidizes Tivo directly.
Re:A good idea (Score:2)
Hey, if people want the TV-guide feature, more power to them, but I don't. Not only that, I'm far too (justifiably) paranoid to hook up any equipment of mine to a telephone line, or internet connection... That goes double for something like Tivo, which we all know gives them full root access to the machines.
Re:A good idea (Score:2)
Is that without any subscription, and without ever hooking up to a phoneline?
Actually, it's the other way around for me. I'm not worried about what they collect (at least not very concerned), I'm very concerned about them deciding, or being legally forced, to install cripiling software on the units. I am just as concerned about a 3rd party finding some sort of Tivo explo
Re:A good idea (Score:4, Informative)
Is that without any subscription, and without ever hooking up to a phoneline?
Yep. If you buy the box and never hook it up to a phone line and never sign up for any service, you can still use it to record channel X from time 1 to time 2, and fill your hard drive that way. It also still lets you do cool stuff to live TV (you can fast forward, or with the backdoor code you can turn on 30 second commercial skip).
I don't think there's too much to worry about re: rooting your system. You could always create a CD image of the hard drive, and if the system is ever compromised, you can format the drive and recreate the virgin Tivo conditions.
Re:A good idea (Score:3, Informative)
Re:A good idea (Score:3, Informative)
Uh, so you can just tell the Tivo what programs you like and then forget about when they come on, essentially ending up with a video on demand?
Re:A good idea (Score:3, Insightful)
Could someone please... (Score:2)
Re:Could someone please... (Score:4, Informative)
1) Monthly payment of $12.95, or
2) Lifetime fee of $249.00.
Note: the lifetime fee applies to the unit, not the owner.
Subscribing to TiVo service lets you get the guide data, which is programming info up to two weeks out. This is what lets you do wishlists, season passes, etc.
New with series 2 is the "home media option", which is a upgrade available for $99.00
I'm scared now (Score:5, Interesting)
I just hope there's enough of the hacking community out there to support my addiction should TiVo ever fall in the dumps.
Re:I'm scared now (Score:3, Informative)
The main idea is if something happens they throw this switch, the boxes update, and they avoid becoming totally useless boat anchors.
tivo modems (Score:2, Funny)
which is fine, but the goddamn internal clock keeps drifting.
i wonder how many subscriptions they've lost due to dead modems?
Strictly a bundled concept (Score:5, Interesting)
I find it a little weird that the first such bundle is a DVD/Tivo box. Presumably it won't include the ability to make disk copies of DVDs! Without this feature, what the point of buying these two devices together?
The subscription is both the greatest feature and the worst shortcoming of the Tivo. The ability to easily specify what you want to watch, and even have the Tivo find similar shows for you, is beautiful beyond words. On the other hand, there's something to be said for the simplicity of the VCR.
The problem is that so many shows start early and/or end late. Often by just a few seconds, but enough to be irritating. Tivo lets you tweak this, but only at the risk of causing overlap. And when it detects overlap, the Tivo just refuses to record one show or the other -- even if both shows are on the same channel! It ought to be possible for the Tivo to act more like a VCR in this respect, but so far it hasn't happened.
Re:Strictly a bundled concept (Score:2)
I'd really like a DVD player that uses the TiVo remote. I've become used to the skip back button, and not having it is irritating.
Probably not a significant enough feature to sell the unit though.
Shown up by an AC! (Score:2)
Except you'll never hear my praise, because you posted as an AC, you silly person!
Cable company competition (Score:2)
Re:Cable company competition (Score:3, Interesting)
More info here [timewarnerwi.com].
And if it's only $5 per month and I don't have to buy any hardware up front, how is Tivo going to stay in business?
Re:Cable company competition (Score:3, Informative)
I have, and the Time Warner PVR simply sucks by comparison. Then again, I never was a fan of whatever crappy interface Time Warner uses for their regular program guide, and the PVR uses the same interface.
However, I have been steering people toward the TWPVR if they ask about my TiVo but bet turned off by the subscription fee. I am well aware of the fact that a TiVo subscription is a luxury that most can't afford. Maybe this basic service would
This is to compete with self made PVRs? (Score:5, Insightful)
In any case, this is a good idea, and great for the consumer. I already anticipate answering my fiance's mother's 5,000 questions about TiVo once she buys a DVD player with limited TiVo features in it. I also begrudingly look forward to configuring it for her - every other day - for a year.
Re:This is to compete with self made PVRs? (Score:2)
TiVo's biggest problems are high-cost in comparison to VCRs and inertia of the market with regards to VCRs.
No need to pay anything.... (Score:2)
One or the other, but not both. I'll buy the box if the service is free, or I'll pay a small monthly fee if the box is provided for me for free and is replaced for free in the event of failure or obsoletion. Given the rapid growth of techn
Re:No need to pay anything.... (Score:3, Informative)
I guess I should have provided this link [mybrighthouse.com] to any other Central Floridians who might be interested in getting this service when it's available.
MythTV... (Score:5, Informative)
A stripped down Tivo without season passes removes almost all of the usefulness of the device. MythTV has the same functionality, but it doesn't cost you anything but the hardware. I can't speak for the quality of the software versus Tivo, as I've never used a tivo, but I do find myself spouting the same "Changed the way I think about TV" rhetoric as every tivo user.
Either way, one thing I know MythTV has which Tivo does not have is automatic commercial detection. That's right. Download 0.8, play with it.
Re:MythTV... (Score:2)
myth tv [mythtv.org]
Re:MythTV... (Score:5, Interesting)
Wait a minute! Doesn't a stripped-down Tivo only cost the cost of the hardware too? Because if I read the article correctly, the basic service is free. And MythTV has the same function then, as you mentioned.
So, MythTV = cost of hardware. Tivo = Cost of hardware. But Tivo means I go to Best Buy, use my Best Buy card and plug it in. MythTV means that I piece together a PC, install MythTV, get it working and then plug it in. So I'm still way ahead with Tivo.
-BrentRe:MythTV... (Score:4, Insightful)
Currently, for example, I have some John Howe [ifrance.com] as the menu background on my MythTV box. But that's minor compared to the fact that my box doesn't record programs that advertisers think I want to see.
Re:MythTV... (Score:2)
I thought I'd try an All-in-Wonder, since there are open source drivers, but also because the TV-out picture is hailed as near DVD-player quality output...
Guess what? Fearing legal problems (which I happen to find baseless myself) the Gatos team stopped all work on TV-out for ATI videocards, which means I'm rather well screwed.
But back on the subject, computers, unfortunately, just weren't designed for TV-out, and the curren
Forget everything you know about TiVo (Score:5, Informative)
It seems to me that TiVo's strategy is to make this a must-have device for those features alone -- which are all Toshiba's hard work, not theirs -- while including the TiVo subscription features as a kind of upgrade, which no doubt is advertised prominently at the bottom of the 3-day guide every time you use it.
It's a good strategy, and I think it will pay off -- not in the sense of 90% of all purchasers becoming subscribers, but in the sense of maybe 20% of all people who wouldn't buy a TiVo because of the subscription now buy it for the DVD-recording features. Like another poster suggested, I'm sure TiVo will offer AOL-like 30-day trial subscriptions for free somewhere along the line, once enough of these TiVo-capable recorders are out there being used. Because like broadband internet, once you learn to love it, there's no going back.
Re:Forget everything you know about TiVo (Score:2)
Yep -- it's DVD-Plus, as in VCR-Plus (Score:3, Interesting)
This amounts to a nice little recording app for the DVD player(s) it's bundled with. It has little to do with TiVO other than that the company's smart enough to put its name on it to maybe get a lower-cost entry point for people to buy into its larger service. Seems shrewd, and I bet it didn't cost them m
Progressive out for cable? (Score:2, Interesting)
TiVo BASIC? (Score:5, Funny)
20 display pr0n;
30 goto 10;
What I've been looking for? (Score:3, Interesting)
Is this possible on this device? If not is there another device that is capable of doing this?
Re:What I've been looking for? (Score:2)
there's no info in the article as to whether this device does it or not. but if it has a modem (and not ethernet) as most stock tivo's, it wouldn't be fast enough to transfer any video.
Re:What I've been looking for? (Score:4, Interesting)
$200 xbox (new, you can find used ones cheaper)
$50 modchip (or try your luck with the 007 agent under fire hack, I've heard it's risky though)
$80 new stereo tuner card (or get a mono or used one)
You can pretty much do everything short of capture with the xbox, and you get to have fun hacking stuff together.
Wouldn't recomend it to my mom though...
Re:What I've been looking for? (Score:2)
There, even stream the video files from the computer to the ReplayTV in real time.
Progressive Scan output? (Score:2, Interesting)
Is it PAL and NTSC ? (Score:2, Interesting)
Does this mean that this new device will be PAL capable too ?
If so, this would be the perfect thing for us poor Aussies who don't have a Tivo. Sounds like it would probably work without a subscription too. I'm assuming I can set it to record channel 7 at 8.30 every monday, like I can a normal VCR ?
Yippee ! I'm getting a Tivo......
Tivo Basic sounds good to get the feet wet. (Score:2, Insightful)
I also thing this kinda thing would be good for people who already have one Tivo, but want another (for say family one, and a personal one) and only need the subscription features for one of them (also makes the idea of using the tivo-to-tivo features much more attractive).
This is all I really need, I know when the shows I want are on, I hat
No Season Passes? (Score:3, Insightful)
TiVo Basic will be a failure. If they even allowed perpetual timeslot based recording (i.e. grab all episodes of Buffy on Tuesdays at 8:00), but didn't let me get things that air at multiple times on different days (i.e. grab all episodes of Good Eats that ever crop up on the Food Network), it would be a worthwhile service that would hook me, but ultimately make me want to upgrade.
But this is just too gimped to even convince people that the service is worthwhile, I think.
New take on an old commercial (Score:2)
Get your TiVo outa my Playstation 3!
Seriously though, I think it would be really great to combine my (future) PS3 and TiVo. After all it already functions as my CD & DVD player why not add live TV functionality. Throw in a DVD-R drive and a FireWire port and I'm in heaven!!!
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:I want a Tivo (Score:2)
Sure, but then you have to find out when a show you like are on, find a blank tape or one with something you don't mind taping over, program the VCR, and (in my case, at least) make sure the cable box is set to the right channel before leaving for work/going to sleep for the night/whatever.
On a TiVo: Browse through the menu to find one occurrence of the show you like, and about four clicks later the TiVo will be set to record every occurrence of that show tha
Re:I want a Tivo (Score:2)
No more bouncing logos in the corner of the screen, or TV-popups. Which is what has driven me to almost completely stop watching television at this point.
I hate to say it, but maybe the fed should step in. If TV is so annoying that f
Re:But can it play MP3s (Score:2)
Re:But can it play MP3s (Score:2)
Never, so far... Hence, the question.
Re:But can it play MP3s (Score:3, Informative)
According to the press release, if you upgrade it from Basic to full Series 2, you can add Home Media Option for the usual price: $99, one-time fee. That plays MP3s over your wireless network!
Re:Tivo sucks (Score:4, Insightful)
watching the TV you WANT to watch.
Re:Tivo sucks (Score:4, Insightful)
And in the end you're not against Tivo; you're against television. As the preceding reply to your comment noted, Tivo has the opportunity to free up more "fresh air" time if your program viewing doesn't broaden after getting it.
And unless you're typing your comments on a laptop with wireless access, maybe you should get outside more often.
I have four words for you (Score:3, Funny)
(Joke!)
Re:I have four words for you (Score:2)
Re:lifetime ? (Score:3, Informative)
Whose lifetime mine or their's. I don't imagine their's to be more than a couple of years ... pretty steep anual fee.
The leftime of the electronics. If it dies in 1 year, you're screwed (unless you have an extended warranty, they honor them) I don't think the lifetime plan is a great deal myself, proved right for me when DirecTV took over mine and dropped the price to $5/month (ie 5years!)
That said, I love the idea of progressive scan output, this is definately something I'm looking for
Re:Sky Plus? (Score:2, Informative)
Thompson made a Series 1 Tivo for the UK, but have recently stopped production, it has much better functionlity, plus it can be hacked to add a network card, and extra capacity.
For a comparison between Sky Plus and Tivo, see http://www.garysargent.co.uk/tivo/TIVOvsSKY.htm [garysargent.co.uk].