What features from Tivo would you like added to your E* box?

goaliebob99

SatelliteGuys Master
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Aug 5, 2004
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I was asked this question yeasterday, and I didnt know how to respond as I have never had a Tivo to play with. I know that Tivo has its brand name going, but What features does a Tivo have that an E* box doesnt? I would like to be able to compile the answers and send the to the engneers on possible new features they can implement. Thanks for your help guys.
 
Did DISH ask you this question? If so it may indicate they are ready to settle with Tivo on the license agreement and want to collect info for the negotiation.

Or the other rather unlikely possibility, that DISH is so confident their new software is now solidly on its legal standing that they are preparing to go head on with Tivo after being cleared by the court.
 
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TiVo recommends. Hands down.

Thumbs up & Thumbs down programs and it builds a profile on your likes/dislikes and uses the information to automatically record things it thinks you will like.

Obviously this is probably patented like Fort Knox, but I think there are ways around it to make it even better. It has been mentioned before that E* tracks what programs you watch on your box. I believe Scott said that is how they new how little VOOM was watched. Why not have a simple setup where E* flags certain programs and creates a timer for a related program to your box. Maybe even into the unused portion of your hard drive that E* uses to push VOD and stuff ("My Entertainement").

For example... Say you record "Man vs. Wild" each week. This program is flagged that if you set up a recurring timer for it, the box will record "Survivorman" for you, or "Deadliest Catch".
 
Here are some features that liked a lot:
  1. TiVo always buffers both live tuners during playback. The ViPs drop the live buffer for the foreground tuner if you play a recorded show from the list, and only the background tuner continues to buffer. (single mode)
  2. The ViPs also will drop the foreground buffer if both tuners begin to record simultaneously. For example, if I have 2 shows scheduled to record at 7:00PM and the tuner I'm watching was paused awhile so that now I'm 10 minutes behind live, I'll lose those ten minutes when the recordings start. TiVo keeps it, so you can continue watching until you run out of buffer.
  3. TiVo has a nice feature that compensates for the delay between what you see onscreen and when you hit a button on the remote when coming out of fast-forward or fast-rewind. I believe this is patented.
  4. The TiVo keyword search function displays results as you type in characters, so you don't have to toggle between search criteria and results.
-OD
 
The ability to access programming on DVR "A" from DVR "B" whether over the existing cabling or via ethernet. No more copying to EHD and transferring. Just access it directly.
 
The ability to access programming on DVR "A" from DVR "B" whether over the existing cabling or via ethernet. No more copying to EHD and transferring. Just access it directly.

Is this feature currently available on Tivo for SD or HD too? DISH currently can do something similar with its two-tuner DVRs, but only SD on the second TV.
 
I used to have TiVo before I got my 622. I hated the clunky interface between the DISH 301 and the TiVo, one had to put black tape over the IR window on the 301 so when one sent a command to the TiVo, it would not separately activate the 301.

Anyway, what I miss about TiVo is the feature that let me look for a program in their index of what was in the system. This is similar to the DISH Pass, but it would bring up this whole list of things that one could wander through, kind of like when one goes to the library and starts looking at the shelves, just to see what is there. Way more than the program guide, which, BTW, is for a longer period in TiVo than DISH, and this index is not keyed to specific stations, but to the subject matter. Can't remember the name of the feature, gave my TiVo to my daughter, who loves it.

I also liked the audio sound of the TiVo remote functions, one could use those to keep "on track" with what one was trying to do.
 
Dump the DISH interface and use Tivo's and the whole feature set. I love the swivle search and amazon Unbox download. That would really allow DISH to compete with cable with VOD-like service. Although unbox is a little pricey for rentals, I love the 99 cent specials they often have on Fridays. I usually order them at work and they are on my box by the time I get home from work for a Friday "dinner and movie." And the season pass/wishlist functionality is amazing. I set a wishlist for "Los Angeles Kings" "Sport/Hockey" "Live Events" and it hasn't missed a beat in over 4 years. And that is from cable to dish to cable back to dish.
 
NOT a DARN thing I HATED the Tivo box. That is about like asking what features do you want from the 7100-7200 rec. They are in the SAME old class. Behind the ball with functionality... again POS!!!!!!
 
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The ability to access programming on DVR "A" from DVR "B" whether over the existing cabling or via ethernet. No more copying to EHD and transferring. Just access it directly.
This would be the ONLY feature of Tivo that would be good to have E* add.

What would be good is for Tivo to add some of the E* 622/722 features.
 
Or the other rather unlikely possibility, that DISH is so confident their new software is now solidly on its legal standing that they are preparing to go head on with Tivo after being cleared by the court.

This seems more like it but, but dish wants to see if there are any features they may have missed out on or could improve on as they move along with there DVR software. IF you all have any ideas in general that is not on tivo and can be added to the box please post them. Dish wants to make you a "Dream Box" that can be everything you all asked for and then some more. :)
 
This seems more like it but, but dish wants to see if there are any features they may have missed out on or could improve on as they move along with there DVR software. IF you all have any ideas in general that is not on tivo and can be added to the box please post them. Dish wants to make you a "Dream Box" that can be everything you all asked for and then some more. :)

If Dish wants to make me a dream box then they need to make me a box with tv1 and tv2 do hd.:D
 
If dish want to build a dream box then they need to forget about putting tivo features in it, just add 4 more sat tuners, 2 ota tuners, and make it have TV2 output in HD.

maybe this is a tivo feature, also it should be able to share recorded content over ethernet to local computers and other dish receivers.
 
This seems more like it but, but dish wants to see if there are any features they may have missed out on or could improve on as they move along with there DVR software. IF you all have any ideas in general that is not on tivo and can be added to the box please post them. Dish wants to make you a "Dream Box" that can be everything you all asked for and then some more. :)

Well it seemed the idea of TV2 in HD is very popular, but let me put it in a more systematic way:

Give us multi-room HDDVRs! With each HDDVR connected together like workstations, each can access any other's shared recorded content, from any HD set in the house. My dream box anyway, not some fancy tricks, just your meat and potato solid HDDVRs with a whole house advantage.

I will bet my house it will be a dream box for the millions.
 
Two HD Outs and Remote Finder

I would love to have two HD outs, but a neat feature would be a remote finder. Press a button on the DVR and the remote beeps so you can find it!
 
Is this feature currently available on Tivo for SD or HD too? DISH currently can do something similar with its two-tuner DVRs, but only SD on the second TV.

Yes, you can browse the recordings on other tivos and copy them to your tivo. You can start watching the recording right away, usually streams a bit faster than playback so you usually have enough buffer to skip ads.
 
Most of all, I miss the way that tivo would jump back a bit after you stop fast-forwarding, to compensate for your reaction speed. Tivo had the timing on this almost perfect. The 722 is not as easy to use.

It's the little things...
 

HD Install Question

Is it or Isn't it????

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