# Any news on Comcast's Tivo III?



## mnylen (Feb 11, 2003)

Had Comcast install their HD DVR this weekend and I got the feeling that we are getting close to having a DVR with Tivo sw for Comcast. Anyone know the latest on this? mid to late '06 is what I have found so far, but that was in blogs written last year...


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## tazzmission (Oct 15, 2002)

I am not sure myself. but the rumor is it will be a software upgrade for one of Comcast's current HD DVR's. It is supposed to be out by the end of the year.


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## Cruzan (Dec 21, 2001)

tazzmission said:


> I am not sure myself. but the rumor is it will be a software upgrade for one of Comcast's current HD DVR's. It is supposed to be out by the end of the year.


The day they release it, I'm switching. Better PQ, local sports in HD, and I can keep Tivo for the foreseeable future.


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## cheerdude (Feb 27, 2001)

For the OP - Keep in mind that there are two different things that are upcoming from TiVo

1) Series 3 ... which is the new HD CableCard TiVo.

2) Software upgrade on the current Comcast HD PVRs.


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## tazzmission (Oct 15, 2002)

Cruzan said:


> The day they release it, I'm switching. Better PQ, local sports in HD, and I can keep Tivo for the foreseeable future.


I might be doing the same. Will see...

Series III is looking like the best option for me. But price might be an issue...


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## mnylen (Feb 11, 2003)

cheerdude said:


> For the OP - Keep in mind that there are two different things that are upcoming from TiVo
> 
> 1) Series 3 ... which is the new HD CableCard TiVo.
> 
> 2) Software upgrade on the current Comcast HD PVRs.


Do you know if Comcast will be offering the Cablecard Tivo? Well, hopefully the SW of my Comcast DVR arrives before I go back to DTV...


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

mnylen said:


> Do you know if Comcast will be offering the Cablecard Tivo? Well, hopefully the SW of my Comcast DVR arrives before I go back to DTV...


By Law... Comcast has to offer a CableCard

The CableCard TiVo (aka the T3) will most likely be sold by TiVo, Inc..


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## rmark39 (Jan 31, 2006)

Has anyone heard anything about the timeframe for the Series 3 release?


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## jautor (Jul 1, 2001)

rmark39 said:


> Has anyone heard anything about the timeframe for the Series 3 release?


The official word from TiVo for Series3 was "this year". Anything more granular than that is speculation. I've seen rumors as early as summer, and as late as 4Q... I'd place my bet on August/September - in stores in time for Christmas...

Jeff


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

rmark39 said:


> Has anyone heard anything about the timeframe for the Series 3 release?


Just ball park figures of "Later this year... " from the 2006 CES

Most are "guessing" that means Holiday Season 2006 at the earliest.


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## phodg (Mar 18, 2002)

Any idea of a likely price point ?


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

phodg said:


> Any idea of a likely price point ?


I don't think I have even seen a rumored $$$ amount... other then Expensive.
At least none with a good reasoning behind it.


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## slocko (Mar 5, 2004)

wow, i can't believe i am actually contemplating leaving Direct. Comcast is not in my area, but I do have Fios and if the Series 3 becomes a reality, I would have another choice.

I didn't like the screenshots too much on the FIOS DVR, but if I go by the UTV experience, MS is capable of updating their software frequently to bring it up to snuff.


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## seanmcgpa (Jul 1, 2002)

I, too, have grown pretty unsatisfied with Directv (picture quality in HD is crap compared to my mother-in-law's Comcast HD). And what once was a huge bargain isn't that much better than Comcast.

As soon as the Tivo III comes out with Cablecard, I'll switch.


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## formulaben (Jan 27, 2003)

It can't come soon enough...


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## DixonJDixon (Feb 14, 2004)

Anyone heard anything? I'll take the flakiest rumor you got.


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## tweekerz (Oct 13, 2002)

Me too, I am waiting for the Tivo version Comcast DVR for HD... still using the AT&Tivo Series 2 on my Mitsubishi WD-52525 52" DLP. Damn TIvo/comcast taking too long for HD support


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

aww here I thought this would be one of the boxes they gave away for free


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## DDayDawg (Jul 13, 2004)

Does anyone know if the TiVo3 with cable card is going to use that absolutely ****ty TV Guide version of the grid guide? So far that's what you see in all the cable card units and I refuse to buy anything with that piece of junk guide on it.
Thanks!


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

DDayDawg said:


> Does anyone know if the TiVo3 with cable card is going to use that absolutely ****ty TV Guide version of the grid guide? So far that's what you see in all the cable card units and I refuse to buy anything with that piece of junk guide on it.
> Thanks!


I would highly doubt TiVo would succumb to that piece of cow dung. I had a Sony DHG unit (actually went through three defective units), and TVGOS is just plain awful. Happy to say I returned the last of those units several weeks ago and am socking away the $$ for the SA Series 3.


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## fastep (May 22, 2004)

Bierboy said:


> I would highly doubt TiVo would succumb to that piece of cow dung. I had a Sony DHG unit (actually went through three defective units), and TVGOS is just plain awful. Happy to say I returned the last of those units several weeks ago and am socking away the $$ for the SA Series 3.


I actually like the tvgos except that it doesn't show who the actors in movies are(very strange). Other than that, I think it's ok. I like how it allows you to customize channel order and move 24 hours ahead with different colors for different show types, etc.

The fact that you had 3 defective units is wierd. What was defective, the unit itself or the guide data? If it was guide related, maybe you had a problem getting good reception from your local analog PBS station?

Either that or you have really really really bad luck!


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## Mark W (Dec 6, 2001)

Tivo software for the existing Comcast hardware? Does this sound correct to you folks? I don't know much, but that sounds kind of crappy to me. What about a remote? If it doesn't have a peanut, it isn't a Tivo to me!

This really has me worried, it's sounding like Comcast will have some Tivo/hybrid creature, not a real Tivo.


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## SullyND (Dec 30, 2004)

Mark W said:


> This really has me worried, it's sounding like Comcast will have some Tivo/hybrid creature, not a real Tivo.


That's the way the deal has always been.



TiVoPony said:


> There's a dual tuner HD box coming next year that will work with both cable and ATSC.
> 
> Or, if you have Comcast cable, there's a version of TiVo coming that will work on the 6412 dual tuner HD cable platform.
> 
> Both are dual tuner HD, and both are planned to be out next year.


If you want the full TiVo experience you will still be able to get a CableCard from Comcast and put them in an S3.

I would not be surprised for them to come out with peanut remotes for the 6412.


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## Mark W (Dec 6, 2001)

Yeah, but how much will that Series 3 be? High up front cost and high monthly cost are not for me.


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## ccoulson (May 24, 2003)

I spoke to my local Comcast office yesterday (Foster City, CA) and they tell me that *any* cable card based solution will NOT have access to certain features, like Comcast On Demand and Pay Per View. What does this mean for the Comcast/Tivo unit which is supposed to have a Cable Card???


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## SullyND (Dec 30, 2004)

ccoulson said:


> What does this mean for the Comcast/Tivo unit which is supposed to have a Cable Card???


As posted above, there are two device which will have TiVo and the ability to use Comcast cable.

The device from Comcast is a modified Motorola Box which will not have cablecard, it will just be a STB with the TiVo OS. The Series 3 is a separate device all together. Series 3 is not the Comcast box, however it will work with Comcast if you use a CableCard.

A CableCard device will not necessarily have all the features that a Cable Co STB will have (Like VOD)


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## Onazuka (Sep 22, 2001)

ccoulson said:


> I spoke to my local Comcast office yesterday (Foster City, CA) and they tell me that *any* cable card based solution will NOT have access to certain features, like Comcast On Demand and Pay Per View. What does this mean for the Comcast/Tivo unit which is supposed to have a Cable Card???


I thought that was true for CableCard 1.0 but that the new CableCard 2.0 due out this summer allowed for all the features like On Demand and Pay Per View since it could communicate both ways.


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## jcricket (Sep 11, 2002)

Onazuka said:


> I thought that was true for CableCard 1.0 but that the new CableCard 2.0 due out this summer allowed for all the features like On Demand and Pay Per View since it could communicate both ways.


The "true" CableCard 2.0 standard was supposed to do everything you said by enabling secure two-way communication between the STB and the cable company (CC 1.0 is one-way).

However, the discussions around the CC 2.0 standard have been stalled for quite some time and the update to the CC coming out this summer, while called CC 2, is really "Multistream CC1" (meaning you can have a dual-tuner DVR using one CableCard). It won't enable those PPV and OnDemand features.

So, on the Series 3 box where it says "CableCard 1.0" and "CableCard 2.0/multistream" it just means you can use the second slot for one "CC 2.0" card and get dual-tuner functionality.


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## slacker9876 (Sep 1, 2004)

Cruzan said:


> The day they release it, I'm switching. Better PQ, local sports in HD, and I can keep Tivo for the foreseeable future.


 I have not read the whole thread but this is untrue. I have Comcrap and D* today. I am working on restoring my HR10-250 becuase cable quality is soo poor in SD, which apparently we will need to tolerate for at least 5 more years.


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## feldon23 (Mar 13, 2001)

Mark W said:


> Yeah, but how much will that Series 3 be? High up front cost and high monthly cost are not for me.


If you're scared of $599-999 up front and $12/month, then consider other options. TiVo is the premium DVR.


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## formulaben (Jan 27, 2003)

Anyone with any new news regarding Tivo and Comcast?


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