# VM offering the chance to join the TiVo beta test team



## Mimizuku no Lew (Jan 3, 2011)

http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/TiVo/Virgin-Media-TV-Powered-by-TiVo-Picture-Quality/td-p/500443


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## geekspeak (Oct 1, 2002)

Mimizuku no Lew said:


> http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/TiVo/Virgin-Media-TV-Powered-by-TiVo-Picture-Quality/td-p/500443


"During this time we've issued numerous software releases to ensure the product is something we can be truly proud of."

They have to be joking


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Why? Are they lying? Have they not issued software upgrades? I'm certainly happy with my Tivo. If you aren't perhaps you should send it back!


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## Karnak (Jan 13, 2003)

I see this a lot too, particularly on the Virgin forums. "Not fit for purpose", "I don't want to pay my subscription", "blah blah blah".

I like my TiVo too. Sure I had a problem that required a box swap (which did piss me off) but I'm more than happy with the TiVo itself.


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## John McE (Dec 23, 2003)

I'm sure the OP was querying the "numerous" bit - surely there have only been two updates, certainly that I recall being discussed here.

Do I like my VirginTIVO. Yes - but not nearly as much as I loved my original TIVO which, except when it was downloading or organising data, responded instantly to any command. Put simply, the VirginTIVO usually doesn't.

The suggestions bar taking up half of the windows is still just as pointless - it continues to recommend programmes you couldn't PAY me to watch, in genres I am not remotely interested in (children's cartoons being the obvious one), as well as the odd programme that I'm already recording on a regular basis.

The search function, so elegent and simple on the series 1 is so taken up with recommending actors, that it's made finding an actual programme far more laborious - and who the hell regularly searches for an actor anyway, apart from celebrity stalkers! Two or three characters entered on the old one, and the programme I was looking for was either selected or in the right-hand list. Now I have to type in most of the programme title before it is even on the list. A huge step back IMHO. Searching by program title should be the default, with an option to search by other things like actors name if required as a secondary function.

And as for the extra functionality, I don't use it often enough for it to be useful - certainly not at the expense of speed. Millionaire is quite good though - and Youtube would be good if only it included more than a fraction of what is available from Youtube online.


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## Karnak (Jan 13, 2003)

I'm sure there have been 4 updates since I had the TiVo in Feb. I'm guessing there have been a lot more since they started testing it last year.


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

John McE said:


> and Youtube would be good if only it included more than a fraction of what is available from Youtube online.


I think this is youtube's fault/issue though - as all non-computer youtube implementations show a subset of youtube content.


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## sjp (Oct 22, 2001)

Karnak said:


> I'm sure there have been 4 updates since I had the TiVo in Feb. I'm guessing there have been a lot more since they started testing it last year.


4 since install on Mar 7th, 5 if you count whatever it arrived with though you wouldn't get to see it in operation.


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## Mimizuku no Lew (Jan 3, 2011)

John McE said:


> I'm sure the OP was querying the "numerous" bit - surely there have only been two updates, certainly that I recall being discussed here.
> 
> Do I like my VirginTIVO. Yes - but not nearly as much as I loved my original TIVO which, except when it was downloading or organising data, responded instantly to any command. Put simply, the VirginTIVO usually doesn't.
> 
> *snip*


To be fair though, those are TiVo issues, not VM-specific issues. You'd have the same complaints if VM had never launched a TiVo in the UK and TiVo had released the Premiere over here.



mikerr said:


> I think this is youtube's fault/issue though - as all non-computer youtube implementations show a subset of youtube content.


This is correct. I get the same problem with the YouTube app on my Sony TV and Blu-ray player.


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## richw (Jul 27, 2002)

John McE said:


> I'm sure the OP was querying the "numerous" bit - surely there have only been two updates, certainly that I recall being discussed here.


4 updates so far:

19/02/2011	15.1.Y30-01-3-C00 (version at install)
17/03/2011	15.1.AE4-01-3-C00
24/03/2011	15.1.AE6-01-3-C00
07/04/2011	15.1.AE8-01-3-C00
10/05/2011	15.1.01-01-3-C00


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## geekspeak (Oct 1, 2002)

I was told there would be weekly updates. Have ANY of the 8 pages of bugs logged on here been fixed. Certainly non that affect me (on an almost daily basis), have. The 3rd tuner was enabled (with its bugs) and that is all I have seen that is new. Now they have said they will be concentrating there efforts for the next 3 months on looking into whether or not the picture quality needs improving. Hence my amusement at their statement, "During this time we've issued numerous software releases to ensure the product is something we can be truly proud of." and subsequent lack of faith for the future, supported by similar opinions being expressed in the US.


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## Mimizuku no Lew (Jan 3, 2011)

Who told you there'd be weekly updates? I've not seen that on any official source.


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## Karnak (Jan 13, 2003)

I pressed on this issue when I ordered my TiVo.

I was told "probably every few weeks, initially", which has been what has happened,


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## jonphil (Aug 7, 2002)

back to the main subject of the thread.

Anyone been accepted as a beta tester yet?
I know you can't say what you are testing just wondering if people are getting replies yet.


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## richw (Jul 27, 2002)

Apparently they aren't closing applications until Sunday night, so I doubt anyone has heard anything yet.


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## nbaker (Sep 28, 2002)

Did anyone get a reply about this?


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

I would have thought that anyone on the beta would not be able to say anything at all. First rule of Beta club - you cannot talk about beta club, etc.


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## jonphil (Aug 7, 2002)

ColinYounger said:


> I would have thought that anyone on the beta would not be able to say anything at all. First rule of Beta club - you cannot talk about beta club, etc.


lol


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## Karnak (Jan 13, 2003)

I would have thought that some details would have 'leaked' to the rest of us by now if the beta had actually started.


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## nbaker (Sep 28, 2002)

That what I was thinking.

With the "Major" update being October not much time left for a proper beta test.


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## Karnak (Jan 13, 2003)

No one (of any note) at VM has confirmed October officially. I read rumours of Neil Berkett referring to it in the emails he sometimes replies to customers with but nothing concrete.

I'd bet money on it being later than that.


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## richw (Jul 27, 2002)

Karnak said:


> I would have thought that some details would have 'leaked' to the rest of us by now if the beta had actually started.


IIRC one of the conditions of the Beta was to agree to a fairly strict NDA, so anyone who is in a position to say anything is almost certainly restricted from doing so.


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## Karnak (Jan 13, 2003)

I believe there was an nda, yes. There is no way that would have stopped some news leaking.


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## VirginMediaPhil (Nov 27, 2009)

Karnak said:


> I believe there was an nda, yes. There is no way that would have stopped some news leaking.


Well, obviously it did.


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## jonphil (Aug 7, 2002)

Karnak said:


> I believe there was an nda, yes. There is no way that would have stopped some news leaking.


Defeats the point of an NDA and I doubt anyone would risk being removed from Beta testing for leaking some news.


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## nbaker (Sep 28, 2002)

VirginMediaPhil said:


> Well, obviously it did.


How do we know for sure? the beta might not of even started yet


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

HAVE not OF ( Sorry! That (and "then" instead of "than") are my pet hates


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