# XFINITY On Demand User Interface: the worst



## Tivolition (Jan 12, 2002)

Anyone else hate the Tivo XFINITY On Demand user interface? All the drilling down and menu navigation. Why do they have separate menus for HD and SD? That should be a preference stored in the configuration you set and forget. It's particularly bad for watching the next show in a TV series. Why can't it at least put the most recently rented TV series at the top of the list? Instead you have to drill down like you've never watched it before. It doesn't tell you which shows have been watched once the rental expires. 

FOr TV shows, it should remember the last show watched and provide a link to the next show in the series or at least back to the list of shows from that season. 

The Tivo Search is the only work-around to save a few button pushes, but it's still a lot of navigation to get back to the next show in a series. It's great to have On Demand available on the Tivo, but man what a bad interface.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Have you used a comcast box? What did you expect? Contact the owner of the app, comcrap!


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## lgnad (Feb 14, 2013)

its actually pretty much exactly like it looks on Motorola boxes, unless they have updated it in the last year (not likely, since they want everyone to switch to X1)


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## chiguy50 (Nov 9, 2009)

I'm not terribly interested in VOD, but my biggest complaint when I do use the Xfinity VOD on my TiVo Premiere is that the shows fail to play about 50% of the time. When it fails, I get various messages essentially telling me to try again later (or even to reboot my box). Usually, I can get another show to play immediately afterward or go back to the original show somewhat later and it will play successfully.

I don't know whether my 3Mbs DSL connection is partly responsible, but it is an irritating glitch.


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## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

chiguy50 said:


> I'm not terribly interested in VOD, but my biggest complaint when I do use the Xfinity VOD on my TiVo Premiere is that the shows fail to play about 50% of the time. When it fails, I get various messages essentially telling me to try again later (or even to reboot my box). Usually, I can get another show to play immediately afterward or go back to the original show somewhat later and it will play successfully.
> 
> I don't know whether my 3Mbs DSL connection is partly responsible, but it is an irritating glitch.


Welcome to Comcast. Just about every time I try to use VOD on my cable box I get an error and have to call customer service to get it to work. I wouldn't expect anything different on Tivo.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

i hate the gui too, but rarely have i seen an error in tivo (maybe twice since launch in our market). comcast has never redesigned it from the original launch as far as i can tell. come to think of it, i can't name another gui in widespread use for 10 years without a makeover.

comcast supports their vod gui with the same effort they place into everything they do...very little, focused on what they want, and not focused on the customer or users at all. i'm just glad it's in english and not filipino.


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## Tivolition (Jan 12, 2002)

jrtroo said:


> Have you used a comcast box? What did you expect? Contact the owner of the app, comcrap!


I switched to the Tivo XL4 after suffering with the Comcast DVR for too long. I had hoped that Tivo would enforce better UI standards on their box. I guess not.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

I don't hate it one bit. Because I have a TiVo, so I have no use for XoD! What is the big draw of XoD? You have a TiVo. USE IT!

I played with it a bit when it first came out just to see how it worked, and I got the cardio.gsm error like half the time, but often I'd left-arrow out of that, and then the show would play. Bizarre. I haven't been in that app in months.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Bigg said:


> I don't hate it one bit. Because I have a TiVo, so I have no use for XoD! What is the big draw of XoD? You have a TiVo. USE IT!
> 
> I played with it a bit when it first came out just to see how it worked, and I got the cardio.gsm error like half the time, but often I'd left-arrow out of that, and then the show would play. Bizarre. I haven't been in that app in months.


One rather useful feature is when the sucky TiVo Roamio Pro fails to record something, at least it has Xfinitiy on Demand support to be able to watch it later.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

Bigg said:


> I don't hate it one bit. Because I have a TiVo, so I have no use for XoD! What is the big draw of XoD?



hbo
watching shows that aren't available to record, but are on vod
picking up missed shows due to guide or recording errors
watching shows again after you've already deleted the recording
picking up first episodes of new shows you missed setting a sp
picking up episodes of shows you don't normally record (after online stories or comments peak your interest)


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

dswallow said:


> One rather useful feature is when the sucky TiVo Roamio Pro fails to record something, at least it has Xfinitiy on Demand support to be able to watch it later.


Huh? TiVo is extremely reliable.



NorthAlabama said:


> hbo
> watching shows that aren't available to record, but are on vod
> picking up missed shows due to guide or recording errors
> watching shows again after you've already deleted the recording
> ...


1. Season Pass for those shows on HBO.
2. Like what?
3. Since when does that happen?
4. That's just mismanaging your DVR. And why would you want to re-watch something? That makes no sense.
5. There's re-runs of stuff that you can piece humpty-dumpty back together with.
6. Who cares. Or re-runs.

Point is, XoD is completely useless to a TiVo user who uses their TiVo properly.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Bigg said:


> Huh? TiVo is extremely reliable.


No, the Roamio Pro is an unreliable piece of crap that has been shipped out to unsuspecting customers broken without any warning and about half the customers with one will experience issues because TiVo can't be bothered testing their equipment with Scientific Atlanta/Cisco CableCARDs.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

dswallow said:


> No, the Roamio Pro is an unreliable piece of crap that has been shipped out to unsuspecting customers broken without any warning and about half the customers with one will experience issues because TiVo can't be bothered testing their equipment with Scientific Atlanta/Cisco CableCARDs.


You are the exception. Stinks to have problems, but true. Waay less complaints of issues with these boxes on the boards than any other release.


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

I have had very few problems with Roamio.

As for VOD I do use it periodically. Starz has something called early premieres where there are movies available that have not been shown yet that I might want to watch.

We just recently binged watched and caught up on Orphan Black getting to the current episode using it. I also watched the season premiere of NY Med since I did not know it started up and I missed copying that season pass over to the Roamio.

I have not once had a technical problem with it.

I do hate the layout and I also hate that providers can lockout fast forwarding.
As a result VOD is last resort but I definitely appreciate it being there.
Tivo is only as good what's being broadcast. You have to resort to other means for past shows if they are not rebroadcast in a reasonable amount of time.



Now play nice!


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

Bigg said:


> 1. Season Pass for those shows on HBO.
> 2. Like what?
> 3. Since when does that happen?
> 4. That's just mismanaging your DVR. And why would you want to re-watch something? That makes no sense.
> ...


1. hbo vod offers different content than aired on hbo through the month. since you don't use the feature, you wouldn't understand.
2. see #1
3. not often, but it happens
4. no, it's making choices while properly managing. i record and watch a lot of content, and have to decide what to keep to allow for new recordings - you cannot keep everything. 
5. not if you prefer to catch up in time for the next ep by watching soon after it aired and was missed.
6. i care, and i sometimes choose vod content over something else.

point is, vod is a nice feature that adds choice and extra content, and occasionally serves as a back-up, with a properly used tivo. if you don't fully understand how to integrate vod features into your tivo viewing, don't use it.


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## eDbolson (Oct 25, 2001)

Keep in mind you can often (sometimes?) get to on demand content directly from search.
Regardless, the TiVo interface is still superior to all of the Comcast boxes I've used. I don't know about the X1.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

jrtroo said:


> You are the exception. Stinks to have problems, but true. Waay less complaints of issues with these boxes on the boards than any other release.


Agreed. And the 4/6 CableCard issues were pretty much MSO issues, not TiVo's fault. I haven't even heard of issues with specific to Sci Atlanta cards.



NorthAlabama said:


> 1. hbo vod offers different content than aired on hbo through the month. since you don't use the feature, you wouldn't understand.
> 2. see #1
> 3. not often, but it happens
> 4. no, it's making choices while properly managing. i record and watch a lot of content, and have to decide what to keep to allow for new recordings - you cannot keep everything.
> ...


1. So? There's always HBO Go. That actually works on a regular basis. And all the big stuff is aired several times on HBO, which is the best quality out of the three options anyways.

3. If you're doing things right, it shouldn't...

4. Even the last generation of TiVos, at 2TB, hold way more than anyone really needs. I have a couple of roommates, and one of my roommates and myself have only done the "easy" cleaning, not making some actual decisions about what we want to keep or not, and we're at 41%. Even if you have FIOS, and you keep too much crap, you shouldn't be able to get anywhere NEAR running out of room on a 2 or 3TB TiVo. If you are, you clearly aren't watching it, and you should just delete some of it. These modern TiVos are basically bottomless pits.

5. There are a ton of re-runs on.

6. That's how you just end up watching garbage TV...


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## ajwees41 (May 7, 2006)

at least you have that option Cox users do not.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

ajwees41 said:


> at least you have that option Cox users do not.


True. I'd much rather be on FIOS though, which doesn't have VOD on TiVo than with Comcast with VOD.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

dswallow said:


> No, the Roamio Pro is an unreliable piece of crap that has been shipped out to unsuspecting customers broken without any warning and about half the customers with one will experience issues because TiVo can't be bothered testing their equipment with Scientific Atlanta/Cisco CableCARDs.


I held off on getting one for a long time due your threads about how crappy and unreliable they are. In general I respect what you have to say and I took it to heart. I have to say, I wish I hadn't listened to you (this time). My new Roamio Pro installed in five minutes over the phone and has been absolutely flawless for over a month since I got it. I have had zero problems with it of any kind. It's quiet, reliable and responsive. In fact, if anything this is the best TiVo box I've ever had.

As for the topic? Yes, Comcast boxes suckass and they should be ashamed of themselves for putting out such a POS. The Hard drives are too small to be of much use in the real world, they are loaded with advertising, and they are glitchy and unrefined. VOD _sucks_. If you pause it for more than five minutes it kicks you out and you have to go to another menu to restart it. That's assuming it restarts... It doesn't always do that and you have to come back later and try again. That alone is a pain in the butt. It's also glitchy and on some of the material it disables fast forward and 30 second skip so you have to sit and watch forced commercials. I tried to catch up on Game of Thrones with it and finally gave up. Watched it on my Apple TV and HBO Go instead.

I HATE how Comcast treats TiVo users too. Ever tried to watch a PPV on TiVo? The damn thing starts deleting itself from the beginning after 90 minutes. IN other words, you HAVE to be home during the PPV or it will simply delete itself. Sucks. Their own boxes don't do this and you can keep the PPV forever if you like. If Comcast didn't have TiVo I'd be gone in a heartbeat.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

bareyb said:


> I HATE how Comcast treats TiVo users too. Ever tried to watch a PPV on TiVo? The damn thing starts deleting itself from the beginning after 90 minutes. IN other words, you HAVE to be home during the PPV or it will simply delete itself. Sucks. Their own boxes don't do this and you can keep the PPV forever if you like. If Comcast didn't have TiVo I'd be gone in a heartbeat.


You have to give them credit for actually supporting TiVo. They are the only major MSO so far to do so. Even some (or all?) of the MSOs that rent TiVos don't even have VOD on retail TiVos.

Not sure about the PPV thing, as most people don't use PPV.

True, if Comcast didn't have CableCard, I would be on DirecTV with the Genie in a heartbeat.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

Bigg said:


> You have to give them credit for actually supporting TiVo. They are the only major MSO so far to do so. Even some (or all?) of the MSOs that rent TiVos don't even have VOD on retail TiVos.
> 
> Not sure about the PPV thing, as most people don't use PPV.
> 
> True, if Comcast didn't have CableCard, I would be on DirecTV with the Genie in a heartbeat.


I use PPV for the UFC PPVs. It's SO stressful knowing that if you take too many Pee breaks you'll lose your PPV. You'd think the Copyright holders would make it easier for PAYING PPV customers, not harder. It's no wonder so many people find it less of a hassle to just download the PPVs illegally.


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## drcos (Jul 20, 2001)

> 1. So? There's always HBO Go.


HBO Go isn't on the TiVo. And with Comcast, the Roku isn't an option for it.
XOD HBO has quite a few shows (in their entirety) that aren't aired on HBO anymore with any regularity (in HD) like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, etc. etc. as well as the best damn show that was ever on television, The Wire.

The interface *is* horrible and slow, and I've yet to get an XOD program to play when I get there from the search page. I can go through the XOD to get there and they play fine.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

bareyb said:


> I use PPV for the UFC PPVs. It's SO stressful knowing that if you take too many Pee breaks you'll lose your PPV. You'd think the Copyright holders would make it easier for PAYING PPV customers, not harder. It's no wonder so many people find it less of a hassle to just download the PPVs illegally.


Most people don't use PPV in the first place.



drcos said:


> HBO Go isn't on the TiVo. And with Comcast, the Roku isn't an option for it.
> XOD HBO has quite a few shows (in their entirety) that aren't aired on HBO anymore with any regularity (in HD) like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, etc. etc. as well as the best damn show that was ever on television, The Wire.
> 
> The interface *is* horrible and slow, and I've yet to get an XOD program to play when I get there from the search page. I can go through the XOD to get there and they play fine.


It works fine using AirPlay on the iPad through AppleTV, and for the completely Android folks (I have both), it will work through Chromecast. So it is widely accessible, even though it is really stupid what Comcast is doing with Roku.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

Bigg said:


> Most people don't use PPV in the first place.


They do if they want to _legally_ watch UFC events.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

I just got the summer update and notice now you can start Xfinity On-Demand shows directly from the guide listings. Much better than having to browse through the Xfinity interface.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

bareyb said:


> They do if they want to _legally_ watch UFC events.


Yeah, the overlap between the UFC market and the TiVo market is a really, really tiny sliver of two already small circles on a Venn Diagram...


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## moedaman (Aug 21, 2012)

Bigg said:


> Yeah, the overlap between the UFC market and the TiVo market is a really, really tiny sliver of two already small circles on a Venn Diagram...


 Does it really matter how small the market is though? It still exists and the service should work correctly.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

moedaman said:


> Does it really matter how small the market is though? It still exists and the service should work correctly.


Exactly. I guess he's trying to tell me since it doesn't affect _him_, I shouldn't complain about it.


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

Another example of why OnDemand is a great addition albeit a horrible interface arose tonight. I decided to binge watch the first season Rectified on Netflix yesterday.
So tonight I watched the first 3 episodes from OnDemand. After that I thought I would set a season pass. Guess what, we don't get The abundance channel in HD. However i can get the HD version from OnDemand.

So please stop it with the superior attitude! If you don't like Comcast just say it!


Now play nice!


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## chiguy50 (Nov 9, 2009)

zalusky said:


> Another example of why OnDemand is a great addition albeit a horrible interface arose tonight. I decided to binge watch the first season Rectified on Netflix yesterday.
> So tonight I watched the first 3 episodes from OnDemand. After that I thought I would set a season pass. Guess what, we don't get The abundance channel in HD. However i can get the HD version from OnDemand.
> 
> So please stop it with the superior attitude! If you don't like Comcast just say it!
> ...


Speaking of playing nice, when your wife upbraids you for leaving the toilet seat up, do you respond with "Yeah, but at least I gave you your life back!"?


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

chiguy50 said:


> Speaking of playing nice, when your wife upbraids you for leaving the toilet seat up, do you respond with "Yeah, but at least I gave you your life back!"?


 - Well that is part of what I gave her back.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

moedaman said:


> Does it really matter how small the market is though? It still exists and the service should work correctly.


PPV is basically dead, so yes, it should work properly, but it's a rather minor issue on the whole of things.



zalusky said:


> Another example of why OnDemand is a great addition albeit a horrible interface arose tonight. I decided to binge watch the first season Rectified on Netflix yesterday.
> So tonight I watched the first 3 episodes from OnDemand. After that I thought I would set a season pass. Guess what, we don't get The abundance channel in HD. However i can get the HD version from OnDemand.
> 
> So please stop it with the superior attitude! If you don't like Comcast just say it!
> ...


Yeah, that kind of sucks. Almost nobody carries Sundance TV in HD.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

Bigg said:


> 1. So? There's always HBO Go.


not on my tv, that's why i use vod.


> 3. If you're doing things right, it shouldn't...


of the many things i'm responsible for messing up, guide data and scheduling of air dates and times, and season passes, are not on the list. vod helps when others mess up, like tms.


> 4. ...you keep too much crap...you clearly aren't watching it, and you should just delete some of it.


i keep commercial free movies that air on movie channels (that cannot be transferred to pc), because i watch them again and again. what i keep stored to watch later is not crap to me, and i'll delete recordings when they age and i'm sure they will not be watched again, not to suit your personal tastes. 


> 5. There are a ton of re-runs on.


not on some channels. i'm not watching what you decide is right for me, when you think it's right for me. i watch what i like, when i want, and vod sometimes makes it easier to catch up.


> 6. That's how you just end up watching garbage TV...


one jerk's garbage is another's man's entertainment, and it isn't your decision.

once again, if you don't want to use vod, don't, however; it's not your decision which tivo services i like to use.


zalusky said:


> So please stop it with the superior attitude! If you don't like Comcast just say it!


here, here!


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

One thing I have noticed is that the commercials are different on VOD shows. 

In some cases like ABC you can't fast forward - Boo.
In some cases like Orphan Black, and Rectify they are very minimal and very easy to skip.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

Bigg said:


> PPV is basically dead, so yes, it should work properly, but it's a rather minor issue on the whole of things.


You are likely thinking about the WWE events which have been tanking on PPV. The UFC had over a _million_ buys on UFC 168. That's not minor. The alternative is streaming online and that's glitchy and lacks the controls that you get with a DVR. So while this may not be important to _you_, it does affect a significant number of Tivo users who watch UFC events.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

NorthAlabama said:


> not on my tv, that's why i use vod.
> 
> of the many things i'm responsible for messing up, guide data and scheduling of air dates and times, and season passes, are not on the list. vod helps when others mess up, like tms.
> 
> ...


Seriously... Who does this guy think he is???


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

NorthAlabama said:


> not on my tv, that's why i use vod.


You could get it on your TV.



> of the many things i'm responsible for messing up, guide data and scheduling of air dates and times, and season passes, are not on the list. vod helps when others mess up, like tms.


This rarely happens, and just about always can be managed out of happening.



> i keep commercial free movies that air on movie channels (that cannot be transferred to pc), because i watch them again and again. what i keep stored to watch later is not crap to me, and i'll delete recordings when they age and i'm sure they will not be watched again, not to suit your personal tastes.


TiVo is not an archival device. Again, HBOGo if you really want to see something again. Or Netflix or Amazon Prime if they have that title.



> not on some channels. i'm not watching what you decide is right for me, when you think it's right for me. i watch what i like, when i want, and vod sometimes makes it easier to catch up.


On most channels.



> one jerk's garbage is another's man's entertainment, and it isn't your decision.


Trashy TV will always be trashy TV, no matter who watches it. I'm not saying I've never watched trashy TV, that would be a lie, but I acknowledge it's trashy, and try not to watch very much of it...



> once again, if you don't want to use vod, don't, however; it's not your decision which tivo services i like to use.


I've still proved my point, which is that VOD is basically pointless if you have a TiVo, since if you use your TiVo correctly, you won't need VOD.



bareyb said:


> You are likely thinking about the WWE events which have been tanking on PPV. The UFC had over a _million_ buys on UFC 168. That's not minor. The alternative is streaming online and that's glitchy and lacks the controls that you get with a DVR. So while this may not be important to _you_, it does affect a significant number of Tivo users who watch UFC events.


PPV in generally is pretty dead, since movies have moved to VOD or other platforms, so there's little left on PPV.

The audience for UFC and TiVo is a teeny, tiny overlap.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

Bigg said:


> You could get it on your TV.


i do, it's called vod.


> This rarely happens


thanks for agreeing this happens. when it does, vod is there.


> TiVo is not an archival device


unless you pay for my tivo, you don't get to dictate how and when i watch recorded content.


> On most channels


thanks for agreeing i'm right, again, vod is one solution.


> Trashy TV will always be trashy TV, no matter who watches it.


claiming all vod to be trash is ridiculous, and a baseless lie - you seriously need help.


> I've still proved my point, which is that VOD is basically pointless


no, you haven't, the opposite - the fact you qualified your statement proved mine.


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## FitzAusTex (May 7, 2014)

A tivo is an archival device if I use it that way (and I do). No idea why I am astounded when someone on a site such as this is so narrow-minded to be unaware that other people watch, and utilize their devices differently than they do. 

In my opinion, tivo functions far better than a Time Warner DVR, but only somewhat better than my 2007 Dish vip622. My 622 does some important (to me) things better but my tivo does other things better (no surprise since dish was successfully sued by tivo for patent infringement). The Time Warner roku app is quite good, but I sure do wish my tivo could do vod directly.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

NorthAlabama said:


> i do, it's called vod.


Or HBO Go on your TV.



> thanks for agreeing this happens. when it does, vod is there.


Or just recording a repeat.



> unless you pay for my tivo, you don't get to dictate how and when i watch recorded content.


I can still inform you what it was and was not made to do.



> thanks for agreeing i'm right, again, vod is one solution.


A crappy solution to a problem that rarely ever exists in the first place.



> claiming all vod to be trash is ridiculous, and a baseless lie - you seriously need help.


I NEVER said ANYTHING to that effect. I was referring to specific shows.



> no, you haven't, the opposite - the fact you qualified your statement proved mine.


I've pretty well trashed every supposed "use case" for VOD. A properly managed TiVo makes VOD utterly useless.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

Bigg said:


> Or HBO Go on your TV.


why? i have vod.


> Or just recording a repeat..


there aren't always repeats aired, that's what makes vod superior.


> A crappy solution to a problem that rarely ever exists in the first place.


it's only a bad solution for you, and your self-imposed tivo management style. it works just fine for many, many more users. if it didn't, it would not be supported.


> I can still inform you what it was and was not made to do.


you can try, you would most certainly fail - based solely on your responses, i would never limit myself to your shackled advice. tivo can do more than you imagine.


> I NEVER said ANYTHING to that effect. I was referring to specific shows.


no, you never mentioned specific content. you described all vod as "reruns" and "trashy tv", re-read your posts.


> I've pretty well trashed every supposed "use case" for VOD.


not for anyone who sees beyond your severely limited vision.


> A properly managed TiVo makes VOD utterly useless.


only if someone defines "properly managed" by your narrow and restrictive hallucinations. try expanding your horizons sometime, you might be surprised.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

Ignore him. I picture a little green fat man under a bridge typing with glee. If he wants to use his TiVo incorrectly, let him.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

Whatever. It's pretty darn clear that VOD is pointless on a properly used and managed TiVo.


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## FitzAusTex (May 7, 2014)

Bigg said:


> Whatever. It's pretty darn clear that VOD is pointless on a properly used and managed TiVo.


It is in no way, shape, or form clear that VOD is useless on "a properly used and managed TiVo".


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

I think this thread is going nowhere except making a certain persons reputation go downhill. It all sounds so childish. We have pointed out multiple cases where VOD has stuff that is available that is not on the regular broadcast schedule.

Yes you might be able to get some of that through alternative sources but you probably have to pay for those.

Here is just a simple list of things that are not available to record but are available from onDemand:

HD showings of content where you only get SD via broadcast - Sundance and many of the multiplex channels

The equivalent of DVD extras for many programs/shows.

In many cases there are less commercials where they allow you to skip forward.

Back catalogs of shows. It is in most cases impossible to bingewatch and catch up on a newly discovered show. I just did that with Rectify and Orphan Black. If you want to pay for additional media providers it may be possible but you may be outside the Tivo arena at that point and this defeats your argument.

If you have a dual tuner Tivo its most likely your going to run into tuner conflict and VOD can sure help you deal with that.

This is an absolutely crazy conversation anyways. It's like saying they shut down Hulu and Netflix Streaming because you can already do it through the Disc delivery system.

Time to Ignore!


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Bigg said:


> Whatever. It's pretty darn clear that VOD is pointless on a properly used and managed TiVo.


Comcast has content that is only served via On-Demand. For instance, you can subscribe to HereTV, then you can get all HereTV content OnDemand. There is no full-time HereTV channel on Comcast.

TiVo can't do anything with this sort of content, except to provide guide info and start up the Xfinity OnDemand app to view it. And it's not available any other way (unless you get lucky and some other channel also is showing it).


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

zalusky said:


> Back catalogs of shows. It is in most cases impossible to bingewatch and catch up on a newly discovered show. I just did that with Rectify and Orphan Black. If you want to pay for additional media providers it may be possible but you may be outside the Tivo arena at that point and this defeats your argument.


Definitely have to give a +1 for this with HBO, looks like almost every series they've run is available with XOD. I'm eventually going to watch Carnivale just because they have it, so that reason alone makes it worth having.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

dswallow said:


> Comcast has content that is only served via On-Demand. For instance, you can subscribe to HereTV, then you can get all HereTV content OnDemand. There is no full-time HereTV channel on Comcast.


I was going to give you HereTV, I hadn't heard of it before, until I looked at their website, and found that you can subscribe to the their channel through YouTube independent of your cable provider, and not have to deal with XoD's atrocious interface.

HBO is just ridiculous. It's all on HBO Go. WAY easier to use than the mess that's XoD.


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## lgnad (Feb 14, 2013)

Please stop feeding the troll. Apparently he doesn't know how to use the search feature, and if you are too busy to manage your tivo's recording with 100% accuracy you should take it out back and smash it, office space-style. If you miss the first run of a show, it is obviously trash tv, and you are an ahole for considering watching it. Oh, and you should always buy other devices to access a subset of shows offered because the user interface requires two extra clicks and isnt pretty enough, and simply using search from within the Tivo interface somehow also isnt good enough.

And dont you dare mention that you use leave the Tivo interface to use netflix or Hulu. To speak such blasphemy, he might go completely postal on your ass, over and over no matter how much it totally works for you for a wide variety of reasons. None of them will meet his standards, and hence: they should not meet yours.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Bigg said:


> I was going to give you HereTV, I hadn't heard of it before, until I looked at their website, and found that you can subscribe to the their channel through YouTube independent of your cable provider, and not have to deal with XoD's atrocious interface.
> 
> HBO is just ridiculous. It's all on HBO Go. WAY easier to use than the mess that's XoD.


I prefer getting things through one consistent interface if at all possible, and TiVo lets me do that with Xfinity On Demand. And while I might not say "never," since YouTube is owned by Google, I'm not particularly willing to give them opportunity to profit from me, especially by outright paying for services from them.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

Bigg said:


> HBO is just ridiculous. It's all on HBO Go. WAY easier to use than the mess that's XoD.


Um, except all I have hooked to my main TV is the Roamio. I'm not hooking my laptop up to my TV or buying Chromecast, Roku etc. just to get HBO Go on my plasma when I can easily watch whatever I want on HBO with XOD.

Your use case is not everyone's, a fact that you consistently choose to ignore.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

with the summer 20.4.2 update, i'm starting to like the vod quick links in the guide when pressing the "info" button (like already in search). it's a great shortcut, no launching of the vod interface.

i've used vod, netflix, hulu+, mlb, podcasts, and youtube with my pxl. i have a blu-ray player with a faster menu and response, but the video quality is the same as tivo, and it's more of a hassle to switch to a different device than wait an extra 5 seconds for tivo.

never once have i added together all the extra seconds tivo takes to load, and said to myself at the end of the day "i wish i had those extra 15 seconds back tonight from using tivo over my blu-ray".


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

dswallow said:


> I prefer getting things through one consistent interface if at all possible, and TiVo lets me do that with Xfinity On Demand. And while I might not say "never," since YouTube is owned by Google, I'm not particularly willing to give them opportunity to profit from me, especially by outright paying for services from them.


What problem do you have with Google? They are one of the most likable large companies out there!



slowbiscuit said:


> Um, except all I have hooked to my main TV is the Roamio. I'm not hooking my laptop up to my TV or buying Chromecast, Roku etc. just to get HBO Go on my plasma when I can easily watch whatever I want on HBO with XOD.
> 
> Your use case is not everyone's, a fact that you consistently choose to ignore.


How can that be a main TV without streaming devices, Blu-ray, etc? Apple TV with iPad does HBO Go, as well as Android/Chromecast, so both platforms are well covered there.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

Bigg said:


> What problem do you have with Google? They are one of the most likable large companies out there!


unresponsive to customer chat or emails, and no customer service or support, period. google is great until something goes wrong, unlike tivo, apple, amazon - heck, even comcast has a local office.


> How can that be a main TV without streaming devices, Blu-ray, etc?


not everyone has a blu-ray or wants multiple boxes. apple, roku, amazon, and others cost more and need extra equipment. why would anyone purchase extra equipment & services across several places, when tivo makes it available in one box, and for one price?


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

NorthAlabama said:


> unresponsive to customer chat or emails, and no customer service or support, period. google is great until something goes wrong, unlike tivo, apple, amazon - heck, even comcast has a local office.


I don't think anyone expects support from Google. They don't offer anything that would warrant support...



> not everyone has a blu-ray or wants multiple boxes. apple, roku, amazon, and others cost more and need extra equipment. why would anyone purchase extra equipment & services across several places, when tivo makes it available in one box, and for one price?


Most people do. Most people don't have as many as I do, but most people have a couple of boxes. I've seen some people have two or three gaming consoles and do all their Blu-ray and streaming that way, others that don't game have streaming boxes to work with their ecosystem of choice...

TiVo is an excellent DVR and a really crappy streaming device. Each device should do what it does best!


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

Which totally misses the point about HBO and XOD, which is that YOU DON'T NEED HBO Go to watch pretty much all of their stuff with a Tivo on Comcast.


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