Future Tivo support for EPG etc.

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surfisup1000

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#159745 11-Dec-2014 11:05

I don't like the panasonic 835 freeview recorder I recently purchased (the interface is really bad, perhaps partly because it gets epg data from the broadcast signal).

So, I'm looking into Tivo. It looks really easy to use

From what I understand, Tivo downloads the EPG data from a central server (owned by who?).

But, I found out the company that 'owned' Tivo was recently liquidated.

I'm guessing that 'Spark' now maintains Tivo data.

But, given that Spark no longer sell Tivo i'm guessing that they will stop supplying epg data at some point.

Anyone from Spark have any idea about whether Tivo will continue to be supported?

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#1195536 11-Dec-2014 12:51

You are right, the Companies Register says that Hybrid Television Services is in liquidation.
It is (or was) owned by TVNZ and Australian Seven Media Group.
Telecom (Spark) were just a retailer (initially exclusively) along with Harvey Norman etc.
I expect that TVNZ would take over the guide data server here. Perhaps Spark since they have the most to lose (in terms of product refunds).

mattwnz

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#1195551 11-Dec-2014 13:24

Skolink: You are right, the Companies Register says that Hybrid Television Services is in liquidation.
It is (or was) owned by TVNZ and Australian Seven Media Group.
Telecom (Spark) were just a retailer (initially exclusively) along with Harvey Norman etc.
I expect that TVNZ would take over the guide data server here. Perhaps Spark since they have the most to lose (in terms of product refunds).

How long would they have to support it for, after having last sold it. I think mine is 3 years, and if the EPG suddenly stopped working due to the company running it no longer doing so, I guess I would have to return it to Noel Leemings for a refund.

old3eyes

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#1195552 11-Dec-2014 13:28

My EPG is still going strong though it has gone from 14 days to 8 days ahead. Still a good box though and will miss it when it dies and can't be fixed..

Regards,

Old3eyes

Behodar

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#1195582 11-Dec-2014 14:33

I'm hopeful that Vodafone will sell the Vodafone TV box outright at some point, as at present it seems to be the only box out there that's similar to Tivo (thinking of my parents, who currently have a Tivo but won't want to pay $15/month for Vodafone's box).

But hopefully that's still many years away :)

Edit: It looks like the TV box is free on an unlimited plan, so that might be a possibility later, but I digress!

sonyxperiageek

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#1195586 11-Dec-2014 14:51

It's a shame how our TiVo boxes can't be like the US versions.

Sony

MikeB4

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#1195587 11-Dec-2014 14:55

I wonder if the long term future of TiVo in the US is a bit bleak. As for here, be gone completely before Xmas 2015

freitasm

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#1195588 11-Dec-2014 14:55

TiVo data comes from AU - providing they're alive there...

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mattwnz

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#1195597 11-Dec-2014 15:14

KiwiNZ: I wonder if the long term future of TiVo in the US is a bit bleak. As for here, be gone completely before Xmas 2015

I thought in the US it was going well. If the EPG in NZ goes before xmas 2015, there will be a lot of people returning them to the retailer under the CGA I suspect. Maybe cheaper for them to bring it to NZ to manage the EPG, as how much would that cost to do? THhs is all speculation though. Quickflix is on the tivo, so maybe thy will buy it?

MikeB4

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#1195598 11-Dec-2014 15:20

TiVo in the US has about half the subscribers it had at its peak circa 2005

Skolink

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#1195600 11-Dec-2014 15:26

Behodar: ... the Vodafone TV box outright at some point, as at present it seems to be the only box out there that's similar to Tivo ....

You're not referring to the thing that was called the T-Box are you? That has the worst UI I've ever used! I agree it has similarities (other than usability).

scuwp

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#1195601 11-Dec-2014 15:28

I think recording broadcast TV is on it's way out anyway. On-demand & streaming will replace all broadcast TV in time, and all the TiVo's & Freeview boxes etc will be obsolete.

My bet on TiVo is that they will keep it alive just long enough to avoid any claims under the CGA (5 years a reasonable expectation for a recording device going 24/7?) and then stop any support including EPG, which will render it useless.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

MikeB4

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#1195602 11-Dec-2014 15:32

The last ones sold here from memory were sold by Noel Leeming very cheaply about 3 to 4 years back

scuwp

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#1195608 11-Dec-2014 15:47

KiwiNZ: The last ones sold here from memory were sold by Noel Leeming very cheaply about 3 to 4 years back

In that case I concur with your Xmas 2015 deadline.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

MikeB4

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#1195610 11-Dec-2014 15:50

I feel TiVo's end here will be messy.

I moth balled my TiVo a few months back.

Behodar

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#1195611 11-Dec-2014 15:52

Skolink: You're not referring to the thing that was called the T-Box are you? That has the worst UI I've ever used! I agree it has similarities (other than usability).

Ugh, I'd heard that it used to be bad but was improved with updates, but this doesn't sound good! Although hopefully you don't have to go into "Now Playing" to find your recordings (it took ages for my parents to get used to that when they got their Tivo).

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