TiVo on special (again!)

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1085 posts

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Reply # 589201 2-Mar-2012 09:11
Jaxson: I fired mine up tonight for the first time, just in case it was dead but it all went through fine. It's quite a convoluted setup process, in that you have to register online and that account doesn't get formalised until after some time (meaning some features of the unit don't work straight away). There are quite a few steps to go through, and quite a lot of information you're required to hand over. The main thing that struct me is how professional the literature is. Everything is very nicely packaged and you get the wifi usb dongle as well. Having had lots of budget devices, and some that were freeview approved too, it was quite refreshing to have everything packaged so well. Sure is ugly though! Fan is quiet but it looks like it's actually a VCR. Made in Mexico, Nov 2009, so that's kinda getting on a bit. With a web scheduling facility this is all looking very good for $200! I just need to work out how to best configure the harmony remote for this, given getting to the 'standby' section is a bit long winded through the menu system. Or do I just opt to not even bother given nothing really changes in standby mode?! Don't bother with the standby, all it does is cut the video/audio output, everything else keeps running as normal. You could shut it right down but its a pain starting it again because it takes so long to load, and it kind of defeats the purpose of the device. Artificial intelligence is no match, for natural stupidity!

Jaxson

4261 posts

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Reply # 589206 2-Mar-2012 09:19
scuwp: Don't bother with the standby, all it does is cut the video/audio output, everything else keeps running as normal. You could shut it right down but its a pain starting it again because it takes so long to load, and it kind of defeats the purpose of the device. Yeah the standby mode appears to be cosmetic really, mainly to turn off the lights at the front. What is the 'shut it right down' procedure? I'm not planning on doing it, but as there's no power button on the remote etc I wasn't sure how to turn it off properly. Is everyone just configuring their device to 'never turn off' under the harmony setup?

rphenix

554 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 589209 2-Mar-2012 09:25
scuwp: Don't bother with the standby, all it does is cut the video/audio output, everything else keeps running as normal. You could shut it right down but its a pain starting it again because it takes so long to load, and it kind of defeats the purpose of the device. Thats my one grump with the unit. They could have made it much more efficient with a suspend/resume process, and bios style wake up alarms, to run scheduled recordings saving power when the device is not needed.

old3eyes

4182 posts

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Reply # 589211 2-Mar-2012 09:29
Jaxson: scuwp: Don't bother with the standby, all it does is cut the video/audio output, everything else keeps running as normal. You could shut it right down but its a pain starting it again because it takes so long to load, and it kind of defeats the purpose of the device. Yeah the standby mode appears to be cosmetic really, mainly to turn off the lights at the front. What is the 'shut it right down' procedure? Turn it off at the wall.. Regards, Old3eyes

JAYJAY

101 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 589214 2-Mar-2012 09:36
Picked up the replacement unit yesterday from Noel Leeming. Went through the re-registration process with the new unit. I did have to deactivate to dead unit on the site. Not particularly difficult and plenty of warnings along the way. Activation was easy again. For $199, you just cannot go wrong. All the bells and whistles and it's such a nice machine. I've got the new one in the bedroom and it is so quiet. I don't bother with standby. While the set up is lengthy, you get out what you put in. I think it is bloody brilliant that I can set up multiple recordings online using the TiVo Genie, use the drop down list to select my living room TiVo, set up recordings on that and using the same drop down list, go and set up a completely different lot of recordings on my bedroom TiVo and it goes ahead and schedules them. Add in pyTivo... and then you're really cookin' ! :D Love my TiVo.

Klipspringer

1389 posts

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Reply # 589229 2-Mar-2012 10:10
Lets face it, the Tivo looks a bit dated, especially when the extrnal wifi adaptor is hooked up. Everybody seems to ask, "what is this thing on top" LOL But I love it. Its one of those appliances that people have either a love/hate relationship with. Functinality wise, its great. The menu is a bit dated, but it does the job at a great cost, and for $0 per month. We had mysky, which was a more sexy looking device. But she lacked the brains and she had very high running costs. Offense can never be given, only taken ...

freitasm

BDFL
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Geekzone

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Reply # 589277 2-Mar-2012 11:16
Jaxson: freitasm: it's functional, comes with a web scheduling tool, mobile web site for remote management. No other DVR has this - and not at this price. Not disagreeing with you in any way. It's just a comparatively big unit for this sort of thing. Ugly is maybe a stretch, just that's the comments friends have made. It's similar in style to a VCR, as contrasted to say the Magic TV box, which is a bit smaller with rounded edges etc. Yes, but those rounded edges make it difficult to blend with a home theatre setup too ;) Mauricio Freitas (Geekzone Admin, Devil's Advocate, my blog, technology disclosure, my tweets, Web Performance Optimization) Geekzone Price comparison \| Amazon Kindle order page \| How to get the best out of Geekzone \| New Zealand IT Jobs \| Geekzone News \| Jinglebugs

Jasonsbx

14 posts

Geek

Reply # 589557 2-Mar-2012 19:48
rphenix: scuwp: Don't bother with the standby, all it does is cut the video/audio output, everything else keeps running as normal. You could shut it right down but its a pain starting it again because it takes so long to load, and it kind of defeats the purpose of the device. Thats my one grump with the unit. They could have made it much more efficient with a suspend/resume process, and bios style wake up alarms, to run scheduled recordings saving power when the device is not needed. Does the same as MySky i.e. is always recording so at any time you can skip back 30min or so. Sky however does seem to offer a range of power saving options which may stop this.

Jaxson

4261 posts

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Reply # 589589 2-Mar-2012 21:37
I've heard you can change to a channel like 999 or something, where it can't get a signal. That way the unit isn't buffering non stop overnight etc. CGA should cover us all for a few years yet though....

Jaxson

4261 posts

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Reply # 598336 21-Mar-2012 18:42
Hey is there any trick to getting audio out of the TIVO optical out port? I'm using hdmi to TV, but want optical to the receiver for 5.1 shows. I had this previously on my old freeview PVR, but I'm getting light, but no signal out of the optical port?

old3eyes

4182 posts

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Reply # 598342 21-Mar-2012 19:22
Jaxson: Hey is there any trick to getting audio out of the TIVO optical out port? I'm using hdmi to TV, but want optical to the receiver for 5.1 shows. I had this previously on my old freeview PVR, but I'm getting light, but no signal out of the optical port? From memory it just went on my two sets.. Regards, Old3eyes

Jaxson

4261 posts

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Reply # 598348 21-Mar-2012 19:29
Damn, I was hoping there was something more to it, but agree it should just work. I'll try another cable just in case. How do you skip forward a day in the EPG?

Skolink

951 posts

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Reply # 598361 21-Mar-2012 20:13
old3eyes: Jaxson: Hey is there any trick to getting audio out of the TIVO optical out port? I'm using hdmi to TV, but want optical to the receiver for 5.1 shows. I had this previously on my old freeview PVR, but I'm getting light, but no signal out of the optical port? From memory it just went on my two sets.. Isn't there an option to switch between Dolby Digital and PCM or something? I haven't used it myself, just the default on HDMI.

Jaxson

4261 posts

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Reply # 598388 21-Mar-2012 21:10
Ha, shame It was the optical cable. Weird, worked fine on the last freeview PVR but not on TIVO. Swapped in a spare one and it's working fine....

Jasonsbx

14 posts

Geek

Reply # 598389 21-Mar-2012 21:16
Jaxson: Damn, I was hoping there was something more to it, but agree it should just work. I'll try another cable just in case. How do you skip forward a day in the EPG? Enter key while in EPG

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