# System Message 2/5/11 - Your TiVo service will end soon.



## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

> Subject: Your TiVo service will end soon.
> From: The TiVo Team
> Date: Mon 2nd May 2011
> Expire: Mon 9th May 2011
> ...


.


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## LarryDavid (Jan 4, 2007)

> Subject: My TiVo service will end soon.
> From: A Subscriber
> Date: Tue 3rd May 2011
> Expire: Wed 1st Jun 2011
> ...


.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

^    :up:


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## ash10 (Jul 8, 2004)

> Subject: Your TiVo service will end soon.
> From: The TiVo Team
> Date: Mon 2nd May 2011
> Expire: Mon 9th May 2011
> ...


What I find most frustrating is that I only have menu options for _Done_ and _Delete Message_ - there doesn't seem to be one for _GFY_...


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

nor one for:
_Send 10,000 volts back up the phone line to the originator of this message_


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## baward (Dec 16, 2002)

As a Series 1 user in a non-Virgin'd-Up area (sick of receiving these messages that I can't take advantage of even if I wanted to) I say - "Virgin Anything...Never *&^%$£@ Again!!!" 

Roll On Virgin-free Tivo Series 1, 2011 style!


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

I can't believe these heartless Virgin Media marketing department people or their main partner in crime, Joshua Danovitz of Tivo, can just keep mindlessly saying "make sure you upgrade to Virgin Media before we cut off the Lifetime Service you thought you had already paid for" without even admitting to or apologising about the fact that 50% of UK Tivo S1 users who still use the box (or indeed probably a much higher percentage than that now that many Tivo S1 owners in Virgin land land have had a Virgin Tivo installed) won't be able to get any form of Tivo supplied Tivo service after 1st June 2011.

Why won't they tell us what we are supposed to do in order to go on recording television on a PVR device after 1st June 2011.:down::down::down:

Anyone else with the same question might wish to send it to the following


```
Neil Berkett, CEO, Virgin Media UK, [email protected]
```
and the following other Virgin executive director listed at http://investors.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=135485&p=irol-govBio&ID=182188


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Gordon McCallum, Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Management, [email protected]
```
The other directors are all Non Execs from outside the Virgin group so won't have Virgin email addresses although as they are all Americans they ought to know what a Tivo is and why we might be unhappy to be deprived of using one that was supposed to have Lifetime Service.

You may also wish to email the following people at Tivo about the discontinuation of Tivo service to our Tivo boxes in non Virgin Media cabled areas at the apparent insistence of Virgin Media:-


```
Joshua Danovitz, GM & Vice President of International [email][email protected][/email]
Tom Rogers CEO/President [email][email protected][/email]
Jim Barton Co-Founder [email][email protected][/email]
Joe Miller SVP Consumer Sales/Distribution [email][email protected][/email]
Mark Roberts SVP Consumer Products/Operations [email][email protected][/email]
Anna Brunelle VP Controller & Treasurer [email][email protected][/email]
Jeff Klugman, Senior Vice President, Service Provider Division [email][email protected][/email]
```
See also http://pr.tivo.com/easyir/tivo/files/03.01TiVoCompanyBackgrounder.pdf

Company Facts Founded: 1997 Publicly traded: NASDAQ: TIVO Headquarters: Alviso, CA

Subscribers: 2.7 million


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

^ Perhaps you could attach copies of the letters / e-mails which _you _have sent? 
(to give people an idea).


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Why would sending e-mails to Virgin people help?

I don't think those TiVo addresses are right; I've certainly corresponded with one of them on a different address to that.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

TCM2007 said:


> I don't think those TiVo addresses are right


They're not - he's simply guessing.

Particularly the ones for Tom Rogers and Jim Barton are wrong (you have to mail their PAs if you want to contact them - been there, bought the t-shirt).


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

TCM2007 said:


> Why would sending e-mails to Virgin people help?


Because in my humble opinion it is almost certainly at Virgin Media's insistence and not for budgetary or financial reasons that Tivo service is now being discontinued to Series one machines in the UK but not in the USA (where there is no contractual deal between Tivo and Virgin)



> I don't think those TiVo addresses are right; I've certainly corresponded with one of them on a different address to that.


Odd then that this company information web page shows that the email address format I have listed is the address format used for 90%+ of Tivo's staff and directors. Only Tivo Board Member David H Courtney has a different email address format listed there.

See http://free.salesfuel.com/CoIntell/CoDetailsPersonnel.aspx?CompanyID=1998913



> Tivo Inc
> 2160 Gold St
> Alviso
> CA 95002
> ...


and



> Personnel
> Name:	Mr. Cal Hoagland
> Title:	Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Accounting
> Email:	*[email protected]*
> ...


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

Pete77 said:


> Odd then that this company information web page shows that the email address format I have listed is the address format used for 90%+ of Tivo's staff and directors.


I'm not disputing that, but they don't all exist - try sending an e-mail to e.g. [email protected] and it will bounce as undeliverable. 
(been there, ... t-shirt, etc.)

You would, of course, know this if you've e-mailed them yourself.


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## VirginMediaPhil (Nov 27, 2009)

If I was in this position I would just buy one of the many new HD DVR that are available on a wide range of platforms, including Freeview HD, Freesat HD, Virgin Media of course, Sky, BT Vision, the list goes on.

I would suggest doing the same if you would wish to have a new HD DVR.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

VirginMediaPhil said:


> If I was in this position I would just buy one of the many new HD DVR that are available on a wide range of platforms, including Freeview HD, Freesat HD, Virgin Media of course, Sky, BT Vision, the list goes on.
> 
> I would suggest doing the same if you would wish to have a new HD DVR.


Are you sure you don't actually work for Virgin Media as you claim despite your bizarrely loyalist choice of forum name to the company?

The reason I would not get any of the PVRs that you suggest is that they are all vastly inferior to a Tivo in functionality terms as a PVR or do you just think that those of us who do not live in a Virgin cable area do not deserve to have Tivo level functionality in our PVR?

The only PVR that comes close is Windows MCE but for some odd reason you neglect to mention it and the main factor that puts most of us off considering one of those is cost and complexity in creating one plus lack of support for Sky encrypted channels.

HD is not a facility that I am willing to sacrifice other PVR functionality for as you seem to expect me to do. I have viewed programs in HD and so far as I am concerned it is a five minute wonder as a technology. Also as my eyes are not 48 years old the chances of them telling the difference from SD become less and less with each passing year.


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

Pete77 said:


> The only PVR that comes close is Windows MCE but for some odd reason you neglect to mention it .


Good though it may be, MCE is not a PVR device is it?


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

mikerr said:


> Good though it may be, MCE is not a PVR device is it?


Surely an irrelevant question as VirginMediaPhil talks about an HD DVR

Also since a Windows MCE device can easily be housed in an Intel Atom computer box as small as a Freesat or Sky HD or Virgin Tivo box I don't see why you would not consider it to be a PVR if that is the only function to which that particular computer is assigned.


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## martink0646 (Feb 8, 2005)

Pete77 said:


> HD is not a facility that I am willing to sacrifice other PVR functionality for as you seem to expect me to do. I have viewed programs in HD and so far as I am concerned it is a five minute wonder as a technology. Also as my eyes are not 48 years old the chances of them telling the difference from SD become less and less with each passing year.


Pete,

I know you are wumming as usual so I won't get wound up about this but I can't let this comment pass on two levels.

Firstly, HD is not a five minute wonder as a technology. It is a fully mainstream technology, just look at any channel launches in the past 2 years. How many are SD compared to HD & EVERY new tv launched is HDReady at a minimum & within two years they will all be FULLHD (It will be cheaper for manufacturers to produce one type of panel & one type of chipset rather than two). In fact you yourself have talked about WHEN you will go HD & what the driving factors will be in past posts in more than one thread. I'm sure you will argue that that you will only change when when your CRT fails & that you have only gone HD because you can't get a CRT.........Exactly, because HD is now mainstream. Manufacturers don't make CRT's anymore because they are inferior & no-one wants them!!!

As for the old eyesight question, if your 'eyes' are the thing stopping you seeing the massive difference of HD then you either need to put your vanity aside & get some glasses or get the correct prescription!! Either way, the majority of people either wear glasses or make sure the ones they have are fit for purpose because it is better to be able to see than not. And if you can see correctly then you will be able to see the differences that HD brings. Or do you believe that HD only 'works' & is visible for people with 20/20 & without glasses or eyesight correction & that it is invisible to people who have any form of vision correction.

Come on Pete. Many of your statements are daft but your position on this is so indefensible as to be ridiculous.

I agree, it is possible to have seen an 'HD' picture & not been impressed but that is ONLY if it is setup wrong or the screen is too small/you were too far away. Yes you may not want a big screen or to sit close enough to see it but that is your preference & it does not invalidate a complete technology.

Let me know if you are wumming or you really do believe this & are a fool. Either answer will confirm what a lot of people on this, & I'm sure many other forums, have known ever since they had the misfortune to read any of your posts.

Martin


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## Trinitron (Jan 20, 2003)

Pete77 said:


> The reason I would not get any of the PVRs that you suggest is that they are all vastly inferior to a Tivo in functionality terms as a PVR or do you just think that those of us who do not live in a Virgin cable area do not deserve to have Tivo level functionality in our PVR?
> 
> The only PVR that comes close is Windows MCE but for some odd reason you neglect to mention it and the main factor that puts most of us off considering one of those is cost and complexity in creating one plus lack of support for Sky encrypted channels.


There are PVRs that can support Sky HD channels: the Sky+HD boxes! Given your attitude to HD I presume you haven't seen the Sky HD EPG in action. Sure, it has considerable limitations compared to TiVo but the latest version is definitely an improvement on what Sky+ used to be.

I have the choice on June 1st between continuing TiVo on the alt.EPG or switching to a twin tuner Sky+HD box. As I personally value HD pictures over TiVo functions it's going to be the Sky box that wins.


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## VirginMediaPhil (Nov 27, 2009)

Pete77 said:


> Are you sure you don't actually work for Virgin Media as you claim despite your bizarrely loyalist choice of forum name to the company?
> 
> The reason I would not get any of the PVRs that you suggest is that they are all vastly inferior to a Tivo in functionality terms as a PVR or do you just think that those of us who do not live in a Virgin cable area do not deserve to have Tivo level functionality in our PVR?
> 
> ...


Firstly, I understand that the TiVo UI is vastly different to others and I never said, nor do I believe, that people who do not live in cable areas should not deserve to have that sort of UI on their DVRs. I was just stating that if you want a HD DVR, there are plenty out there.

I was speaking about TV DVRs, of course there is Windows Media Center, I use it all the time. If you want me to mention it, well now I have. 

If you don't care about HD, then my post wasn't aimed at you. My post was aimed at people who wanted an HD DVR. I was reminding people about the fact that there are many HD DVRs out there, as some people might have forgotten the fact that there are other services out there like TiVo, such as 3view.

Also, your views on HD are quite preposterous. HD is not a five-minute technology. It's been around since the 90s, and personally I hate SD and always choose the HD alternative. At the very least you should notice the picture is much more clearer as there are no artefacts, the biggest reason why you should switch to HD.

And no, I don't work for VM, I chose that username when the company started and have with it ever since, having been a loyal customer since 2002. I've waited years for a better TV system, and now we have that. I don't love everything about the company, and I didn't say anything about it in my post.


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## baward (Dec 16, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> Also as my eyes are not 48 years old the chances of them telling the difference from SD become less and less with each passing year.


I agree with you on this point. IMO digital screen of all types are too intense for my 49 year old eyes much of the time, so my tolerance to watching TV has decreased with time/age. And yes I know about being able to control brightness/contrast/backlighting etc. - in general they're still too intense, certainly for the stuff I am able to afford.

In my experience, HD isn't all the same quality. Blurays of the latest editions of James Bond or Zulu are awesome, but Gladiator is dreadful. I have never experienced broadcast HD, so I admit I might be biased.

(apologies for going OT a bit there  )


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

I never said that HD pictures weren't a little sharper than SD I'm just saying that the difference isn't so revolutionary as to make me rush to get it straight away at the expense of unique aspects of Tivo PVR functionality. Yes HD is an improvement but not nearly as great an improvement as the change from black & white to colour was and only readily observable if you have a large high quality screen and can view it from a prescribed distance (at my sister's that means there is one seating point in the room from which the difference can be observed). But marketing men are good at making you think it is that significant. As to why CRTs are no longer made its obvious that this is simply because they were much more expensive and physically time consuming to make in terms of material, size, weight and transport costs, especially when most of them came from the Far East. And as flat screens are now cheaper to make and transport and you can store far more of them in a retail shop like Currys, making it easier for a customer to walk out of the door with one right now, then clearly this is why CRTs are no longer churned out any more.

As to the member who says they see June 1st as a choice between Sky HD and the AltEPG I have no idea why they see June 1st this way. Clearly if Sky HD and its HD picture was important to someone then they should have gone for it and cast out Tivo several years ago. If on the other hand they have found their SD Tivo perfectly adequate up to now then why does anything change on June 1st when the entirely free AltEPG service kicks in unless that service proves to be substantially deficient compared to the current EPG (my mind is open either way on that point).

Regarding martin's deliberate Petebating I never said that HD was not a somewhat better quality picture I just said its just not so fantastically better that I am prepared to give up my S1 Tivo in favour of it when I don't live in a Virgin Media tv area. If other people didn't feel just the same way as me and HD was so good that we must all get it right now then clearly there would be no AltEPG project.

So I would submit that I am not alone in believing than an SD S1 Tivo still constitutes a perfectly adequate tv recording device as otherwise the AltEPG project would not exist.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Some reasonable points; however it's worth pointing out that the vast majority HAVE abandoned TiVo in favour of a higher quality multi tuner system. They are long gone from this forum for the most part. There will be a variety of reasons for still sticking with it - finances probably the critical one for most I'd have thought, along with the lack of Freeview HD broadcasts across much of the country for another year or so.

Clearly I don't accept your oft-repeated point that HD is all about the marketing. It genuinely is much better; not "a little sharper", but it's true that the benefit is highest if you have a large, high quality screen viewed from the correct distance. If you insist on watching a small poor-quality screen from far too far away, the you get what you deserve, picture quality wise!


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## Trinitron (Jan 20, 2003)

Pete77 said:


> As to the member who says they see June 1st as a choice between Sky HD and the AltEPG I have no idea why they see June 1st this way. Clearly if Sky HD and its HD picture was important to someone then they should have gone for it and cast out Tivo several years ago. If on the other hand they have found their SD Tivo perfectly adequate up to now then why does anything change on June 1st when the entirely free AltEPG service kicks in unless that service proves to be substantially deficient compared to the current EPG (my mind is open either way on that point).


Ah, that would be me. I guess you're right, it doesn't change anything in that sense, does it? I have been using TiVo to schedule and set up HD recordings on my Sky+HD box for some time (you can have the best of both worlds!) but with the increasing amount of HD programming I am relying more and more on the twin tuners on the Sky box, so TiVo is becoming less useful than it was. I think I only have two SD programmes left in my season passes!

What the June 1st action has done is give me a decision point - and my decision is the same as I stated before.


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