# TiVo launched yesterday in Australia



## sfalvey (Feb 26, 2004)

Well TiVo arrived in the shops here yesterday. Its supposed to be available for demos until it officially goes on sale at the end of the month however this message does not seem to have made it to the shops and they are selling them if you ask. Although the sales person thought I was asking for a TV with a funny accent, took a few minutes of pointing at a display model to get the message through.

I picked up mine last night and I am reasonably impressed. Some bits work very well, others aspects I guess are still to launch (such as online scheduling) or perhaps are just quirky launch of service issues such as the channel scan not picking up all the channels in my area.

However I can confirm its a PAL output and it uses DVB-T. Launch price is A$699 for the unit and A$79 for the wireless adapter (even though the web site said A$59). Seems quite steep however it does include "free" lifetime subscription. 

No mail order at the moment for those of you eager to see what happens when you plug it in in the UK, unless of course you know someone who might go buy one and sent it to you....


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## CarlWalters (Oct 17, 2001)

A$699 = £339 (to save everyone else looking it up  )


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## 6022tivo (Oct 29, 2002)

CarlWalters said:


> A$699 = £339 (to save everyone else looking it up  )


£339 with LIFETIME????:up:

Sounds too good to be true.?


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## Automan (Oct 29, 2000)

Who makes your new Austrailan Tivo?
Does it have a built in ethernet network connection?

Automan.


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

More info:
http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Featu...hen-it-launches-will-it-work-with-foxtel.aspx
It does have an ethernet connection, but this reads as though it gets guide data over the air:
"It's synchronised using free to air digital programme guides in order to work out what to record. " ?


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## wonderboy (May 27, 2003)

What's that bit about it not being able to skip Ads? This seems a bit weird...


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## sfalvey (Feb 26, 2004)

Its TiVo branded so I dont actually know. There is no manufacturer mark apart from TiVo. Yes, it has built in wired ethernet it looks just the same as the TiVo HD. Strangely even though its been brought out by Channel 7 there is no branding that I can see for them either. 

The ad skipping is referring to the SPS30S 30 second skip which has also been removed from the US models, you can still ff/Rev through ads although I think that even with FFx3 it still runs slower than on the Series 1 US and UK models I have.

The startup movie is no longer the TiVo guy + balls its a 3 minute advert for TiVo.

It does not appear to use the over the air EPG as far as I can make out. It still downloads it from the TiVo servers.


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## blindlemon (May 12, 2002)

sfalvey said:


> Its TiVo branded so I dont actually know. There is no manufacturer mark apart from TiVo. Yes, it has built in wired ethernet it looks just the same as the TiVo HD. Strangely even though its been brought out by Channel 7 there is no branding that I can see for them either.


Maybe based on the TiVo reference platform?

http://www.gizmolovers.com/2008/01/08/tivo-prepares-to-sweep-the-globe/


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

sfalvey said:


> The ad skipping is referring to the SPS30S 30 second skip which has also been removed from the US models, you can still ff/Rev through ads although I think that even with FFx3 it still runs slower than on the Series 1 US and UK models I have.


Umm, 30-second skip still going strong here on all my TiVo's... no problems I've heard of at all. Where did you get the idea that SPS30S was being removed?


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## Mostin (Mar 26, 2005)

This is all news to me till tonight!! Specs are on the au website here http://www.mytivo.com.au/index.php

Have to say, this has got me excited. It sounds like such a good deal aswell or am i missing something. From what i see it uses the freeview 7 day guide?!?


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## 6022tivo (Oct 29, 2002)

Vital statistics: The TiVo® box is 42 cms long, 32 cms wide and 7.5 cms tall 
Hard disk: 160 GB (up to 60 hours Standard Definition or 30 hours of High Definition) 
Digital sound: Connect to your home theatre system for digital sound with an optical digital audio cable (sold separately) or by using a HDMI cable 
S-Video out: S-Video provides a high quality picture. When you use the S-Video port, you'll need to connect a separate cable for audio 
Component video out: This provides a HD picture. Connects to a TV or A/V system. Use a separate cable for audio 
Composite video and stereo out: Connect the left and right audio cables (white and red) to these jacks for analog stereo sound. Connect the three coloured cables to the matching input in the TV for analogue video and audio 
Ethernet: Use this port to connect the TiVo® box to your home network with an Ethernet cable 
2 USB ports: These connect to a USB network adaptor. The USB port will allow you to connect our WiFi adaptor 
HDMI™ out: Connects to a TV, home theatre system or A/V receiver. HDMI™ technology provides a pure digital connection for HD video and digital audio all in one cable (sold separately) 
E-SATA: This expansion port will allow you to connect a TiVo® external hard drive to your TiVo® (Not currently available) 
Antenna: Connect a Coaxial RF cable from your TV antenna to this port to receive digital broadcasts over the air 
Features
Activation of the TiVo® service enables the following features for you to use on your TiVo® box:

Access to digital terrestrial broadcasting signal 
Dual Tuner, Digital Video Recorder (DVR) which provides the following functionality: 
Tune and record available free-to-air channels 
Record two programs simultaneously with playback of a third program which has already been recorded 
Play 
Pause 
Fast/step forward 
Fast/step reverse 
"Now Playing" list which lists broadcast and broadband recordings 
160GB hard-drive 
Electronic program guide (EPG) for free-to-air channels, which allow you to record programs based on EPG information 
Search, which provides you with a variety of ways of finding and recording broadcast content 
Season Pass® recording feature, which automatically finds and records every episode of a series all season long 
WishList™ search feature, which finds and records programs that feature your favourite actor, director, team or even topic 
TiVo® Suggestions, which allow you to rate programs and program your TiVo® box to suggest and automatically record similar programs you may enjoy 
KidZone™, which allows you to restrict playback and consumption of television by restricting the programs that appear in your Now Playing list and channels that are viewable on live television 
Remote online scheduling via online interface to Yahoo!7, which enables you to schedule recordings on your TiVo® box using the internet (and can be accessed by logging on to http://yahoo7.com.au/tvguide). You can choose to record any broadcast television program airing in the following seven days 
Access to broadband content and applications 
Access to updates and new features 
Closed captions 
Parental controls, which allow you to lock channels or set ratings limits based on content 
Support High Definition (HD) TV resolution formats (1080i, 720p, 576p) as well as Standard Definition(SD) formats 
Supports HDMI 1.2 
Supports 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios


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## andyjenkins (Jul 29, 2001)

So if I'm reading this correct ........

*IF* the unit will work in the UK, it will *only* work for Freeview (RF in) - and not for cable/satellite based services, correct ?


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## Aussie (Jan 11, 2001)

andyjenkins said:


> So if I'm reading this correct ........
> 
> *IF* the unit will work in the UK, it will *only* work for Freeview (RF in) - and not for cable/satellite based services, correct ?


Correct, the box has no cable card, external input or IR Blasting capabilities.
It's DVB-T Over the air only. Nothing else.

I bought one on Thursday last week, I like it. I'm keeping a PAL Hacked Series 1 for PayTV.

Cheers
Ron


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## sfalvey (Feb 26, 2004)

dswallow said:


> Umm, 30-second skip still going strong here on all my TiVo's... no problems I've heard of at all. Where did you get the idea that SPS30S was being removed?


Sorry must have that wrong, i thought they had disabled for Series 3 and THD.



Mostin said:


> From what i see it uses the freeview 7 day guide?!?


I dont think so. It still seems to have to pick that up from TiVo mothership. The EPG guides in Oz are now + next on DVB-T (maybe a paid one I'm not sure) plus we get broadcast video channels by each of the main channels which just display rolling schedule data. Complete waste of MUX space. Channel 7 had to negotiate to get the guide data for the other channels for the TiVo service and I cant see anywhere (other sources) where this stretches to more than 7 days. They were originally hoping for 2 weeks but I guess they competitive channels didn't agree. For some reason schedule info has been considered Intellectual Property or Copyright or similar here in Oz so even getting a proper EPG on DVB-T has been an issue.



andyjenkins said:


> IF the unit will work in the UK, it will only work for Freeview (RF in) - and not for cable/satellite based services, correct ?


Correct. No external source in option, shame really, I would have thought they could have left that option there to expand the service beyond the very limit DVB-T choice we have (realistically about 5 channels + their HD counterparts).



Aussie said:


> I bought one on Thursday last week, I like it.


Same here, although there seem to be a few teething problem, the TiVo does not go into standby when you press the TV power button on the TiVo remote. The tunning in does not support the frequency for digital channel 7 mux in my area and seems to think I should be receiving the south NSW channels instead of the nearer MUX channels for my area. Unfortunately as it still doesn't officially launch until the end of the month I cant even call the support folks for another 2 weeks!



Aussie said:


> I'm keeping a PAL Hacked Series 1 for PayTV.


Same here again, although I am concerned that at some point there will come a C&D from TiVo regarding this..........


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## iankb (Oct 9, 2000)

sfalvey said:


> The tunning in does not support the frequency for digital channel 7 mux in my area and seems to think I should be receiving the south NSW channels instead of the nearer MUX channels for my area. Unfortunately as it still doesn't officially launch until the end of the month I cant even call the support folks for another 2 weeks!


You can often get around that by entering a different postal area code to where you actually live.


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## terryeden (Nov 2, 2002)

Whether it picks up UK DVB-T depends on if the tuner is capable of picking out our channels. As I summarised http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=5857577#post5857577

They only use 8K 64QAM, we use a mix of 2K/8K and 16QAM/64QAM. So it should pick up some channels - assuming the tuner can handle our 8MHz spacing rather than their 7MHz.

So much for a global standard....


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## BungeeCork (Jul 27, 2008)

I'm a Tivo first-timer. I bought one last Tuesday. My jaw dropped when they offerred to sell it to me, I thought the launch date was fixed in stone. I brought it back on Wednesday and swapped it for another and kept it. Am happy with it so far but the more I find out about Tivo elsewhere I become less happy.

First impressions before powering on were that it looked and felt cheap and badly put together (my first one rattled). The channel scan was disappointing - it registered all channels but didn't display any 7 or 9 channel. My Samsung TVs inbuilt HDTV tuner reported 7HD signal strength at 84 to 88. Moving the aerial cable over to the Tivo and the Tivo reported 7HD at 48 to 50. That's why I brought the first one back, that and the audio from the Tivo was twice as loud as my other TV input devices (VCR and DVD). Had the same signal level and audio issue on the second Tivo so I kept it and am getting Mr. Antenna to visit next weekend. I'll live with the sound because I'll probably watch TV through the Tivo. 

To summarise, I'm happy enough but I wish it didn't have the following issues;
* the Tivo TV tuner SEEMS to be inferior to my old Topfield STB and my new Samsung TV, and that's based on my experience of 2 Tivos
* the Tivo audio SEEMS twice as loud as other TV input devices, and music doesn't sound all that good via the Tivo, sounds a little mangled, and it was the same on my first Tivo
* you can mark which channels are your favourites but you can't re-order them (something you can do on a Topfield STB and on a Samsung digital TV). In Australia the channel order is all over the place, I'd like to have ABC1 and ABC2 next to each other and at the begining of the channel list)
* you can't bring up a channel list to select a channel to change to (OK you can use the guide for that but even that shows a scroll list)
* and today when playing back recorded TV shows the volume level was going up and down slightly 

Other than all of the above, I'm a happy little Tivo-mite


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Re: volume, if you make a HDMI connection to your TV, then the signal sent would be exactly what was broadcast?

The re-ordering channels things is oftem mentioned when people first get their TiVo; then thay start to use it as-designed (ie, you watch 95&#37; of non newes/sport through Now Playing) and you realise the channel order is irrelevant.

Sounds like you're using TiVo to channel-hop live TV. It's not designed for that.


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## BungeeCork (Jul 27, 2008)

No HDMI cable with the Aussie Tivo 

I'm already watching mostly through the "Now Playing" so you're spot-on there, even for news (I'm not home on time for the 7pm main evening news here so I've added that to my Season Pass list).

Even so, it has a channel up and a channel down button so if you want to channel-hop...


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## Milhouse (Sep 15, 2001)

BungeeCork said:


> Even so, it has a channel up and a channel down button so if you want to channel-hop...


I've only ever used the channel up/down buttons when testing a new IR code...


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## bignoise (Oct 7, 2000)

Come on then, who's going to be the first to get one of these units into the UK and give it a proper testing?


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## mej20 (Jul 6, 2008)

I am having that volume fluctuation that you mentioned... it is very noticeable on ABC1 e.g. when watching the news. Does anybody know what causes this and what the cure is?


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## terryeden (Nov 2, 2002)

http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24179134-15306,00.html

He also revealed the Tivo digital recording device brought to Australia by the Seven Network had been a surprise hit.

Seven launched Tivo as a direct free-to-air counter to Foxtel's IQ device and gave Harvey Norman exclusive rights to sell the product for the first six weeks.

Seven is supporting the Tivo with ads in high rotation during the Olympics.

"We have sold more than three times what I would have expected -- and again, I think the Olympics have been a factor.

"I didn't think Tivo would be a big seller. Sometimes you just never know."


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## bixbarton (Jan 2, 2004)

bignoise said:


> Come on then, who's going to be the first to get one of these units into the UK and give it a proper testing?


More to the point, what's holding TiVo back from bringing this box to the UK market? Come on TiVo!

Ditch the customer service deal with Sky, team up with BBC/ITV/Freeview instead! Or C4 - ooh, there's a thought...

If TiVo were to announce a Freeview branded version of this box coming to the UK, I'd ditch Sky+ without second thoughts.

The UK market is prime for TiVo now. Sky+ has had its own way for too long, even Virgin had to rebrand their box as V+ and Freeview Playback has become Freeview+ - come to think of it, didn't Tiscali change the HomeChoice box name to Tiscali+?

Freeview+ too many different boxes, horrible remote controls.

TiVo, one box, one awesome remote control.

Help us TiVo, you're our only hope...


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