# Gadget show reviewing TiVo v SkyHD



## Major dude (Oct 28, 2002)

Noticed a preview of a TiVo review next week at the end of this week's show.


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## VirginMediaPhil (Nov 27, 2009)

Again? Didn't they already do that on Web TV?


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## Tony Hoyle (Apr 1, 2002)

They seem to do Cameras every 3-4 weeks.. Tivo is overdue by that calendar


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## John McE (Dec 23, 2003)

And since it's John that is doing the review, hopefully it'll be a serious piece, rather than the endlessly contrived manic "races" that fill what used to be a good show.


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## Zaichik (Mar 21, 2002)

I think the piece is going to be comparing TiVo with Sky+ HD. Maybe they'll test them both to destruction on an army firing range or something! 

My prediction: Sky+ HD will win - either because it's easier for numpties to use or because Sky have more HD channels. It's what's happened with all the comparison reviews I've read, despite them supposedly being about functionality where TiVo should win hands down.


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## jonphil (Aug 7, 2002)

I often feel it's whoever gives them the most money who win on any tests!
I take many reviews on the Gadget Show with a pinch of salt, I like the show but it's entertainment, not a serious gadget review.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Zaichik said:


> My prediction: Sky+ HD will win - either because it's easier for numpties to use or because Sky have more HD channels. It's what's happened with all the comparison reviews I've read, despite them supposedly being about functionality where TiVo should win hands down.


Unfortunately, you are correct.


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## Brangdon (Feb 9, 2001)

Zaichik said:


> My prediction: Sky+ HD will win


If they tested a version with a working iPad/iPhone app, then TiVo will win.


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## VirginMediaPhil (Nov 27, 2009)

John McE said:


> And since it's John that is doing the review, hopefully it'll be a serious piece, rather than the endlessly contrived manic "races" that fill what used to be a good show.


John already did this comparison a few weeks ago on Web TV.


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## OzSat (Feb 15, 2001)

I too think Sky+ will win because it has more channels and is very easy to use.

On the facilities side where Sky wins - there is the red button multi-screen option and also the dynamic EPG, which only a few channels use, which TiVo can not do.

For every 1 thing Sky has TiVo doesn't - TiVo has 10 things Sky doesn't have.


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## John McE (Dec 23, 2003)

I'm just grateful it isn't the appalling Ortis (even though it's pronounced Otis!) doing the review. Did he originate from Blue Peter, 'cos his entire presentation style is what you'd expect if he did. No wonder Channel 4 fired him from their sports presentation.


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## VirginMediaPhil (Nov 27, 2009)

John McE said:


> I'm just grateful it isn't the appalling Ortis (even though it's pronounced Otis!) doing the review. Did he originate from Blue Peter, 'cos his entire presentation style is what you'd expect if he did. No wonder Channel 4 fired him from their sports presentation.


He was on Short Change (Watchdog for CBBC), and presented links on CBBC One and possibly CBBC Two. Not CBBC Choice or CBBC on Choice however. I think he presented XChange as well, not sure.


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## John McE (Dec 23, 2003)

That explains his presentation style. Perhaps someone should tell him he is talking to tech savvie adults now, and not 5 year olds!


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## Zaichik (Mar 21, 2002)

My favourite GS presenter is John Bentley because his intonation and facial expressions are so bonkers. When he was speaking French to Jason the other week, I thought he was going to explode!


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## John McE (Dec 23, 2003)

Yes, he reminds me of the bird (Eagle?) in the Muppet Show. But Suzie is still my favourite presenter by far... and I'm gay!


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Well that was actually quite a decent (and fair) piece. Only missed out Tivo's "undelete" function.


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

Watch it here:
http://fwd.channel5.com/gadget-show/videos/jon-test/skyhd-vs-virgin-media-tivo

Not the totally sky-biased review I was expecting (if you ignore the first 2 mins)
"sky+ has been better than anything else available"
"sky remote is better becacue we've all become familiar with it over the years" 
Also totally unaware TiVo has been around longer than 6 months.

While he does mention most tivo features, doesn't spend enough time on important stuff
e.g. blink and you'll miss auto-recording wishlists - shown more as a search

Otherwise pretty good short review.


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## VirginMediaPhil (Nov 27, 2009)

Still don't like that new theme tune. And after they got the composer to come on the show a couple series back, too.

The cynical part of me thinks this is part of Richard Desmond's alleged "we're not paying for library music anymore" rule.


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## Major dude (Oct 28, 2002)

Interesting that he used his daughter for the first time as a co-reviewer who turned out to be more impressed with TiVo than he was. I was wondering why he did that and whether there was some covert reason for it.

I still do not know why reviewers do not appreciate that TiVo is nicer to use than any other PVR. 

Still 4 out of 5 is the right score for VM TiVo anyway.

Especially I was less than enamoured with VM last night becaused ironically their network failed from 19.30pm til 12.05am the following morning.


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## OzSat (Feb 15, 2001)

Major dude said:


> Interesting that he used his daughter for the first time as a co-reviewer who turned out to be more impressed with TiVo than he was. I was wondering why he did that and whether there was some covert reason for it.


I think is houses where there are teenagers - they will account for the majority of viewing hours.


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## cyril (Sep 5, 2001)

Yeah - Jon Bentley is so used to his sky+ he doesn't fully realise what TiVo can do. I guess he's forgotten that going to the planner requires guide and green which are inconveniently located on the sky remote and requires 2 presses for one of the most used actions.His complaint about the TiVo remote is nothing compared to that fault! I prefer the TiVo remote overall, and once the qwerty remote arrives its no contest


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## kmusgrave (Oct 13, 2000)

cyril said:


> Yeah - Jon Bentley is so used to his sky+ he doesn't fully realise what TiVo can do. I guess he's forgotten that going to the planner requires guide and green which are inconveniently located on the sky remote and requires 2 presses for one of the most used actions.His complaint about the TiVo remote is nothing compared to that fault! I prefer the TiVo remote overall, and once the qwerty remote arrives its no contest


You can get to the planner on Sky with 1 button - Play

I personally prefer the Sky remote to the Vm peanut. The original peanut was a lot better.


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## cyril (Sep 5, 2001)

I was thinking more about the to do list which you have to go to the planner and then page down on as pressing play only goes to last watched. I guess it's not such a problem unless you have dozens of show and dozens scheduled to record like I used to.

Agreed though that the new TiVo peanut is not as well thought out as the old TiVo one, but the new slide out qwerty remote should be neat.

Being colour blind the over use of the coloured buttons in the sky interface doesn't help.


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## megazone (Mar 3, 2002)

Can anyone in the UK rip the video so those of us outside of the UK can see it? Damn geographical restrictions.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

My pleasure. Though I don't know how long it will be available for 
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHmwQR5A2go[/media]
Direct Link


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## Tony Hoyle (Apr 1, 2002)

cyril said:


> I was thinking more about the to do list which you have to go to the planner and then page down on as pressing play only goes to last watched. I guess it's not such a problem unless you have dozens of show and dozens scheduled to record like I used to.
> 
> Agreed though that the new TiVo peanut is not as well thought out as the old TiVo one, but the new slide out qwerty remote should be neat.
> 
> Being colour blind the over use of the coloured buttons in the sky interface doesn't help.


Sky also had the rather convoluted way of getting to HD channels.. Not only did you have to do Guide/Green but then you then had to press the red button to get to them.

Even they could see how stupid that was and they removed that requirement in an update eventually.

Generally though I'd criticise Sky on reliability rather than UI - I lost count of the number of programmes failed due to 'power cut'... and the way it deleted series links - seemingly at random - got on my nuts.

The Tivo would be a lot better if VM hadn't grafted their overcomplex menu structure from the V+ onto it.. I never understood why you had to have about a dozen different 'catchup' menus each containing basically the same thing, when 1 menu with a search would have done.

Somewhat agree on the peanut (although John Bentley was barking.. there's never a *need* to use Clear, as it's just a shortcut, and having it out of the way stops accidental presses). The S1 peanut had just the right number of buttons.. adding more doesn't help.


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## Brangdon (Feb 9, 2001)

I dislike the peanut remote so much that I don't use it. I have a One For All instead. And Clear is one of the more frequently used buttons. (And to make a short-cut key hard to access surely defeats the object.)

Although I agreed with most of Jon's criticisms, it seemed to me most of them were cosmetic, and the core functionality was better in TiVo. I hope VM/TiVo take his comments on board. They really need to do better with the UI.


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