# Bolt vs. Comcast X1



## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

Can anyone who has knowledge of the Comcast X1 DVR system comment on its strengths and weaknesses vs. Tivo? We have been a Tivo subscriber for the past 17 years and currently use the Bolt as our only DVR. However, lately it has been issue after issue and we are seriously thinking about ditching Tivo and going X1. With Comcast it could easily be jumping from the frying pan into the fire, so I thought I'd ask here.

Paul


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## tbamtiv0 (Oct 14, 2017)

Hi Paul. I have been using the Comcast X1 DVR for a couple of months and I'd be happy to share some of my experiences with you. I have never used a Tivo but I do plan to switch from the X1 to a Tivo Bolt before the end of the year due to the list of cons below. I'm curious to hear your experiences with the Bolt.

Pros:

Voice remote works well
There is no monthly fee to use the DVR
Stream TV mobile app and web interfaces perform well
Extenders perform well
Picture quality has been exceptional (noticeably better than Dish)

Cons:

No ability to setup a reoccurring recording based on a keyword
You can setup a series recording but you are limited by what they consider a series. I watch NHRA drag racing and they do not view that as a series therefore there is no way for me to setup a reoccurring recording for that "series". Every weekend I have to set up manual recordings for that weekend's races.
You only have 500 GB of DVR storage and it is not expandable
When you are away from home you are only able to view a limited set of channels and recordings on the Stream TV or web app. I get around this by connecting to my home network using VPN when I am on the road.
Skipping commercials is a huge hassle. You can program the skip ahead time and I have mine set to 30 sec. The issue is the process of skipping ahead is very slow. You can't simply push the button 4 times to skip ahead 2 min. Because it is slow and doesn't queue up the button pushes you have to pause a second or two between each push. It will skip ahead 30 seconds at a time.
Extenders cost $9.95 each per month (not $19 as originally reported)


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## kpeters59 (Jun 19, 2007)

From Comcast website:
_
HD Technology Fee is $9.95, and AnyRoom DVR service is $10.00 (subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet.
_
-KP


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

tbamtiv0 said:


> *Extenders cost $19 each per month*


Holy dog. Really!?!? That seems excessive, even for Comcast.


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## tbamtiv0 (Oct 14, 2017)

I went back and double checked my bill and I did represent the extender cost incorrectly. The charge is $9.95 per month for each room added beyond the main DVR. I thought I saw numbers higher than that somewhere but they must not have been on my bill.


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## kpeters59 (Jun 19, 2007)

Comcast DOES do a great job of splitting up charges so you're not fully aware of the total.

Example: They charge $10 for an HD Technology Fee. Meaning _JUST _HD channels. $10 for the boxes and $10 for the DVR service.

-KP


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Don't forget the continually expanding Local Broadcast & Regional Sports fees.


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

tbamtiv0 said:


> Hi Paul. I have been using the Comcast X1 DVR for a couple of months and I'd be happy to share some of my experiences with you. I have never used a Tivo but I do plan to switch from the X1 to a Tivo Bolt before the end of the year due to the list of cons below. I'm curious to hear your experiences with the Bolt.


Based on what you said about your X1 you will like the Bolt. We like ours. It integrates many streaming services (Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, etc.) into one GUI, one TV input and one remote. Commercial skipping is very easy, both using the 30 second skip and skip mode (when available). Skip mode is really nice.... press it as the video fades to black and it instantly skips ahead to to beginning of the next segment as if the commercials were never there. Storage is expandable with a small amount of effort.... the hardest part by far was getting the danged thing open 

We are only considering the X1 because we are getting VERY frustrated with issue after issue from Tivo and the length of time it takes them to react.... if they react at all. Just getting their outsourced tech support to accurately understand and summarize an issue when you call them is a process in itself. As an alternate, the X1 is part of our Comcast service if we want it and is similar to Tivo in many ways. And yes I am painfully aware of the world of hurt we might be buying into trying to get Comcast support vs. Tivo. But in my experience, Comcast is getting better where Tivo is rapidly getting worse.

Are you sure the X1 storage is not expandable? I understand there is an eSATA port on the back and some people say it is functional. Also, do you have a clear understanding of what it uses the HD for? I have read many totally opposite explanations for how the X1 "records". Near as I can determine, it records some things to the HD and others it simulates recording by streaming cloud content on demand. The several Comcast people I have asked didn't have a clue. 500GB is WAY too small if ALL recordings are stored on the HD.

One last question.... can you transfer a recording from the X1 to a PC for viewing without a data connection? Another area where Comcast didn't have a clue.

Paul


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

pgoelz said:


> One last question.... can you transfer a recording from the X1 to a PC for viewing without a data connection? Another area where Comcast didn't have a clue.


Check out the FAQ on the X1 Cloud DVR.

X1 Cloud DVR Recording Download FAQs

You can't upload or download shows to/from your PC for archiving/off-line viewing etc still. You can check them out via the Xfinity Stream App for mobile device viewing but they are not available for watching on the DVR or other mobile devices while checked out (looks like 30 day is the maximum check-out period but you can check it back in) and there is a limit of 10 checked out recordings per device.

Hmm now that I look maybe this is different than the regular X1 DVR?

Scott


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## tbamtiv0 (Oct 14, 2017)

pgoelz said:


> Are you sure the X1 storage is not expandable? I understand there is an eSATA port on the back and some people say it is functional. Also, do you have a clear understanding of what it uses the HD for? I have read many totally opposite explanations for how the X1 "records". Near as I can determine, it records some things to the HD and others it simulates recording by streaming cloud content on demand. The several Comcast people I have asked didn't have a clue. 500GB is WAY too small if ALL recordings are stored on the HD.
> 
> One last question.... can you transfer a recording from the X1 to a PC for viewing without a data connection? Another area where Comcast didn't have a clue.


There is an eSATA port on the back of the X1 DVR but based on my research it is not enabled. Based on the information provided at X1 Cloud DVR FAQs it appears that the Cloud DVR is a mirror of what you've recorded to the HD with the limitation that it will only have access to the most recent 60 hrs of recorded content.

As HerronScott stated you can not download recordings to your PC but you can download them to a phone or tablet using the Xfinity Stream App. I've used that functionality many times and it works very well.


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## xterrahokie (Jul 18, 2012)

OP-my singular advice is don't do it. I bet you'll be back to Tivo within a year. I'm exactly the opposite of you. Had been a Tivo fan and user since Series 1 through Premiere. Bolt and Minis came out and acquisition cost+lifetime was just not financially justifiable at the time. Went with DirecTV for a number of years and their DVRs were tolerable. Figured that most DVRs had become OK over the years so moved to Xfinity a year ago and got their X1 whole-home DVR service. Absolutely horrendous for us-didn't record anything, though scheduled-on numerous channels. The ultimate problem seemed to be isolated to our service but took many calls and over a month to get it figured out by their techs. During that time went back to Tivos and minis and haven't looked back. Tbamtiv does a good job of outlining what I think are also pros and cons. Another con is that any satellite clients you have (similar to Tivo minis) ALWAYS suck up a tuner from the main box. Thus, your 5-tuner box will be limited by the number of clients you have attached to it. Overall, much happier with Tivo and not planning to go back to X1 DVRs unless forced.


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

Well, that seems square with my non-forum research too. Plus, a non-expandable 500GB is woefully inadequate and adding "cloud storage" does not increase that at all. 

But that is now.... not sure what happens a year down the road when Comcast transitions to IPTV. Unless Tivo adds functionality or worse, forces us to replace the Bolt, that would be the end of the line for us and Tivo whether or not X1 (or X2) is better or not. Only hope is that they don't turn QUAM off right away and continue to support cable cards until we are ready to ditch the Bolt for something better. 

Paul


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## nrnoble (Aug 25, 2004)

I have an X1 and this past weekend upgraded a TiVo Premiere to a Bolt with a TiVo Mini. Tivo Bolt appears to more sensitive to signal issues and took me a couple of days to clean up the signal that was perfectly good for the Premiere and X1. I already had a high quality signal (95% strength, snr 37), but it was not good enough for the Bolt; all recordings were unwatchable\unrecognizable.

Tivo is clearly better for Tivo fans and technically oriented people. X1 is better for those who simply wants something that is "good enough" for typical use. If there are technical problems TiVo's off-shore support is unlikely to be of any help so you will need to seek out solutions on your own. With the X1 customers can demand that xFinity come out and fix whatever difficulties they are having. xFinity's off-shore support isn't any better than Tivo's support, the difference is that xFinity will send out a qualified tech that can isolate and resolve problems for little or no cost (based on my experience).

For those with Roku X3 and other supported Roku devices, there is an crude xFinity app does just the basics. Live TV, Record, xFinity OnDemand. Very few features, but I have had very little problems with it. Its has been stable for me. Good enough for the bedroom where I don't need all the bells\whistles of the X1 or TiVo. It is free, thus extra rooms are just a one time fee of the cost of the Roku box, which of course has many more Apps available.


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## Rkkeller (May 13, 2004)

I wish I could find my old post on the Comcast forum complaining about the X1 and all the problems I had with it before. From random reboots, to shows not wanting to delete, to shows deleted showing up again and many more things like that. I think I would skip having a DVR and use apps with the cloud DVR's, if that was my only option.


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