# Adios TIVO



## royfox (Apr 5, 2004)

Hi all.
Ive had TIVO series 1 for over 8 years now. Its fantastic, and we love it to bits.. But the time has come to move on to new pastures as the tivo is now getting a little long in the tooth, funny enough, not in terms of technology, but in terms of usability and picture quality.

Ive just purchased a Foxsat HDR unit with a view of cancelling my Virgin service (Virgin V+ box up for sale) and getting rid of Tivo (Tivo series 1 up for sale).

Just wanted to say something formally on the forum before i depart.

TIIVO.. PLEASE for the love of ***

Don't abandon the UK loyal customer base. Im sure myself and everyone else on this forum would instantly buy a new series tivo that has twin tuners, freesat / freeview compatible / HD and SD / with a 500gb drive.

I really can not understand the reluctance to re-enter the UK market as it would pay back considerably well.
Roy


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## Nero2 (Aug 22, 2005)

Roy,

What are you planning on doing with your old Tivo box?

Thanks


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## royfox (Apr 5, 2004)

Im going to sell it.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

royfox said:


> (Virgin V+ box up for sale)


No it's not. It should be returned to VM or disposed of. I can't remember whether it's illegal to sell or illegal to buy - or both! - but you certainly cannot connect _anything_ to VM's network that you did not get off VM themselves as part of _your own_ installation.

You need to either get VM to collect it, or dump it.

Besides, I wouldn't have a V+ given while I still have my Tivo as the speed of it and the UI is appaling; plus it doesn't do Wishlists.


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## royfox (Apr 5, 2004)

Hi Carl.. hope you are well?
Two things..
1. I purchased the V+ box for 150 pounds from Virgin, surely this makes it mine to do as I wish with?
2. I'm canceling virgin down so I will not be attaching anything to the virgin line coming in. I'm going to be using freesat for all my needs from now on.

Roy


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## RichardJH (Oct 7, 2002)

royfox said:


> Hi Carl.. hope you are well?
> Two things..
> 1. I purchased the V+ box for 150 pounds from Virgin, surely this makes it mine to do as I wish with?
> 2. I'm canceling virgin down so I will not be attaching anything to the virgin line coming in. I'm going to be using freesat for all my needs from now on.
> ...


Surely the £150 was installation so the box iitself is still VM property



> Virgin legal stuff :-V + Offer: Available to all new Virgin TV customers (subject to status and credit checks). Offer also available to existing Virgin TV customers who keep their existing set-top box (at a cost of £5 a month) in addition to their V+ connection. Existing Virgin TV customers should call 0845 840 7777 to get this offer. (Calls cost 6p per min from a Virgin phone.) Installation fee is £75 (usually £150). V+ subscription is included with TV Size: XL. There is a £5 a month charge for TV Size: M and TV Size: L. £75 installation offer ends 5th January 2009.


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## DeadKenny (Nov 9, 2002)

Almost certain that V+ box is Virgin's property. The fee would have been installation. If you cancel they'll arrange a collection of the box (though they have been known to forget).

When they were NTL they would go after people putting up boxes and cable modems on ebay.

And yes, unauthorised equipment is not allowed to be used on their network. Anyone you sold to would have to either hack the box to try and get free programmes (illegal), or ask Virgin to authorise it (and then Virgin would likely refuse and demand to know where they got it from).


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## OzSat (Feb 15, 2001)

&#163;150 is the standard V+ installation fee - and they do not sell them stbs.


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## jdwood37 (Dec 6, 2002)

I've looked around for replacements but so far didn't get:-

Quiet fan
Rock solid reliability (6months without reboot)
Large hdd (upto 1TB)
20 days guide data
The nearest thing I found that's as good (actually better) is Windows Media Center but it needs more fans/noise/heat etc & I don't think I'd be happy going on holiday leaving it on 24x7!


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

royfox said:


> Hi Carl.. hope you are well?


Fine thanks, Roy.



> 1. I purchased the V+ box for 150 pounds from Virgin, surely this makes it mine to do as I wish with?


Already covered by other posters.



royfox said:


> 2. I'm canceling virgin down so I will not be attaching anything to the virgin line coming in.


Sorry. Bad explanation.  I meant that, even if you gave it away, the _recipient_ could not legally attach it to _their_ system; as per DeadKenny's explanation


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## royfox (Apr 5, 2004)

LOL.. thanks for the feedback.. In all honesty, Virgin can have he box back it really is dreadfully slow and has now real intelligence at all.
It seems strange that Tivo series 1, although now old, has never been bettered. Tivo must know this.. if they launched again in the UK, i believe they could easily out sell SkyHD and Virgin V+ and the Humax of this world.

Anyway.. got my Humax Foxsat HDR ordered now and it is arriving in a few days time. I may just keep the V+ and the Tivo just in case,,,, you never know do you???

Roy


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## DeadKenny (Nov 9, 2002)

royfox said:


> Tivo must know this.. if they launched again in the UK, i believe they could easily out sell SkyHD and Virgin V+ and the Humax of this world.


Humax / Freesat stuff maybe yes if they could launch an official Freesat box with TiVo EPG. Sky and Virgin, no.

Both Sky and Virgin are closed markets effectively for PVRs. The vast majority of their customers would not even consider there could be an alternative, and (especially with Sky) the marketing of their own products is too strong, no matter how rubbish they are.

Besides that, nothing can be done until Ofcom force Sky and Virgin to open up their platforms to competition, e.g. by allowing an official Sky CAM to be placed into a competitor DVB-S based box. Otherwise there's no way of getting a true digital stream recording (legally), and we're back to the same quality as TiVo S1 with all that A/D conversion.


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## royfox (Apr 5, 2004)

Deadkenny,
Thanks for that information.
If I may, could I ask a question not related to the thread?


Now that I will have two HDMI components with at least two Optical outs as well. (Apple TV and Humax).
Im trying to locate a switcher that is not massively expensive that could maybe accept all the above..

~My set up:
Panasonic 42 inch Plasma - 1 x HDMI input
1 x Apple TV, 1 HDMI output and 1 optical output
1 x Humax HDR, 1 HDMI output and 1 optical output
1 x Bose lifestyle 15 5.1 system, only accepts RCA.

Currently I have an optical to RCA converter for the Apple TV.. this is only capable of taking one input thou.
Any suggestions please.
Roy


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## Pugwash (May 23, 2003)

I bought a Sony 5.1 receiver on ebay a few months back - a model dated a few years but with three optical inputs and one rca for audio. It's now full, but for under &#163;100 a bargain.

If I run out of HDMI (got two and both used now) I'll probably get a newer amp with HDMI switching.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

DeadKenny said:


> Besides that, nothing can be done until Ofcom force Sky and Virgin to open up their platforms to competition...


Don't forget that while Sky simply uses an existing Satellite to package and broadcast their channels on, which isn't really 'closed' at all; only the CAM issue is stopping them, which _is_ a Sky thing  the cable infrastructure has built from the ground up independently. Why should VM (who now own said network) let anyone else onto it?

I would be happy for Tivo to license their OS to VM for their v2 V+ Box which is due sometime this year, hence my previous petition.


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## royfox (Apr 5, 2004)

Carl,
Is there any subject you dont have a petition for???


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Yes, and two's not _that_ many


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## DeadKenny (Nov 9, 2002)

royfox - as Pugwash suggests, an AV receiver with suitable switching might be best.

I don't have one with HDMI, switching but many have that now. I haven't looked into it recently but I would have thought you can pick up some cheap ones (around the &#163;100 to &#163;200 mark?) especially from places like Richer Sounds. The best thing about these is often they'll do a single HDMI output to the TV, and will cross-convert (and sometimes upscale) other inputs from composite through to component, to HDMI.

My current amp does the same but without the HDMI inputs and outputs component instead. I use that for everything except my HD DVD player which is HDMI, and TiVo has to be hooked up via SCART to the TV.

Alternatively you can get HDMI switchers. Joytech do a cheap range of such switchers (they've been doing SCART switchers for years too).


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## royfox (Apr 5, 2004)

Thanks again for the help and information.. I have to admit, now the time is here to disconnect the TIVO, i'm starting to feel reluctant.. only last night the TIVO helped us out with a program we set a wish list for and we completely forgot it was on... um perhaps I can find a home in another room for the little devil... 

Carl..
No offense meant, there were  after the comment... 

Roy


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

...and none taken, Roy


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

jdwood37 said:


> I've looked around for replacements but so far didn't get:-
> 
> Quiet fan
> Rock solid reliability (6months without reboot)
> ...


FYI both Sky+ and V+ can have their hard disks upgraded fairly simply, as the operating / menu system isn't stored on the drive like a TiVo.

...and you can of course add a 1TB drive to a TiVo


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Ermm.. no, mike. As per previous posts, the V+ Box remains the property of Virgin Media and therefore _cannot_ be upgraded with a higher-capacity disk drive. Well, legally at least. If someone wanted to break the T&C of your services rental contract and risk prosecution or whatever, then I guess that's up to them


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

Mike said _can_ as in potentially, not should.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Hmmm. Okay


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## royfox (Apr 5, 2004)

Hola Tivo again...

Well I have had the Foxsat HDR and I do think this is as close to Tivo as any of the PVRs (not tried MCE) out there.. BUT.. Her in doors... just can not get to grips with the UI.. so I've had to re-install the Tivo, controlling the Humax HDR... it was an expensive experiment but at least it proves that Tivo really is still king of the UI even if it's lacking in features..

Come on Tivo.. get a series three out for us people in the UK..

Anyway.. nice to be back...
Roy


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## cyril (Sep 5, 2001)

royfox said:


> Hola Tivo again...
> 
> Well I have had the Foxsat HDR and I do think this is as close to Tivo as any of the PVRs (not tried MCE) out there.. BUT.. Her in doors... just can not get to grips with the UI.. so I've had to re-install the Tivo, controlling the Humax HDR... it was an expensive experiment but at least it proves that Tivo really is still king of the UI even if it's lacking in features..
> 
> ...


My SWMBO doesn't like the Foxsat UI either, but she seems okay with TiVo and Sky+HD.

The onkyo 576 is a nice £200 HDMI av amp with 4 hdmi inputs that sends audio +video over hdmi (unlike cheaper amps which only send video over hdmi)


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