Comcast Certifies TiVo Software

[HDFreud]

Comcast Certifies TiVo Software

From Boardband reports link:

Over six months after Comcast set-top boxes utilizing TiVo's software debuted at CES, the cable giant has officially certified the platform for deployment to customers. The companies originally annoucned a deal to work together in March 2005.

Neither Comcast nor TiVo said when customers could expect to receive the TiVo software, which will be delivered over the cable network to Comcast's Motorola digital video recorders. Due to specific Comcast and hardware requirements, the interface differs greatly from TiVo's standalone offerings, but the basic features are the same.

I hope this means that we are going to get to uese all those ports that we have in the back of the sets taht are not currently used now.

[Marcus Carr]

[HDFreud]

Nice. Did you photoshop that or is that actual?

[Marcus Carr]

Engadget HD

[LonghornXP]

Hey you all I just got to play with the Tivo software for about an hour today but I'm going to say right away it will be worth the extra cost. First besides the one second lag after pressing guide until all the programming details come up the system is wicked fast. Also its not even a full one second lag but you notice it. Now to describe this better the instant you press Guide the entire guide grid itself comes up right away including the boxes for all the channels and such. It just takes a small amount of time until the name of the shows and such show up within those grid boxes. The key part is that you know what the box is doing the instant you press guide.

Beyond the above moving within the guide itself is very fast in every aspect. Also I see almost no lag when you press the REC button as the window pops up instantly asking to confirm everything. Also the Tivo software on the Moto box now remembers what you have recorded. So for those series recordings even if the show itself is still flagged as new even though its a repeat the Tivo software "will not" record the show again if it remembers that it was recorded before even if you watched it and deleted it. That is the feature I was waiting for and now I see its here.

The key is that the entire system is just really fast with no lags or delays at all. Also even if the box does start to lag in the future and start to queue the commands like on current Moto boxes you won't have to worry anymore about if you pressed the darn button or not. When you press any button like FF etc you will hear the famous ding type sound.

Either way I have this good feeling that the lag issues will be gone from the Tivo software and I now firmly believe this whole lag queue issue wasn't the box but the iguide software. Also you all will love and I mean love the way the Tivo software presents all the Video On Demand content because lets just say it was done in a wicked good way. I would upgrade at an extra charge to the Tivo software just for the VOD interface alone that is how good it really is.

I'm also told that nearly all of New England will have access to order the Tivo software in early august with some area's of New England maybe getting access in late July. So its coming very very soon and the months I gave above will be public releases that any Comcast DVR customer can order.

[HDFreud]

Longhorn, do you know if we are going to be able to have access to some of TiVo's other features such as the ones they deploy in their Home Media platform?

[LonghornXP]

Originally Posted by HDFreud

Longhorn, do you know if we are going to be able to have access to some of TiVo's other features such as the ones they deploy in their Home Media platform?

Sadly no at least not at first but I have been told that multiroom viewing will be a feature but it would work over existing coax cables using the Motorola FollowMe platform (whatever its called) but intergrated within the Tivo GUI. That will be the hope media option aspect of it. I also believe that a version of the TivoToGo software will be created for use with the Comcast boxes but it will fully support DRM in that you cannot burn a title to DVD for example. But if you have a media streamer for a portable player that will support WMV DRM playback it will work from what I hear. Also if you transfer the title to say a laptop the title itself will no longer play on the DVR until you delete the file on the laptop while connection to the internet and you must delete it via the TivoToGo software. Doing that will allow your DVR the ability to play it back again. That only applies to shows flagged as copy once such as what HBO wants todo. Now if a show isn't flagged it can be played back on any device connection but I'm not sure about DVD backups again.

I'm also told that copy once titles may support DVD backup but you won't be able to burn a second copy and the disc you created will have sometype of DRM to stop you from ripping it but again this stuff is early enough I cannot give specific details as I believe not many people fully know what the limits will be.

[Chris Freeland]

LonghornXP, when is the Tivo upgrade going to be available Nationwide? And how much extra cost is it going to be?

[LonghornXP]

Originally Posted by Chris Freeland

LonghornXP, when is the Tivo upgrade going to be available Nationwide? And how much extra cost is it going to be?

Most if not all of New England will have the Tivo software rolled out within the month of August. After New England has completed the rollout "and" no new major bugs in the delivery system are found the nationwide rollout will start. I don't believe we will see any major bugs found in the delivery system so with that said the nationwide rollout will occur over a three month period. A very large portion of Comcast markets will see the software available in September but of course we are bound to see some markets lagging behind until October and maybe even November but it won't be many markets.

Beyond the above information I'm hearing the pricing will be an extra 3.99/month per HD DVR you want Tivo on. This price above is in addition to the current price you currently pay for your HD DVR. I'm also hearing that triple play customers who order all premium movie channels via a bundle or regular price will have the option of Tivo software at no extra charge. Now the free Tivo upgrade is being greatly considered but I have yet to get this confirmed nor denied yet but I believe I should have a specific answer later this month on this.

[scooby2]

See anything about changing the receiver/remote IR settings to allow more then one box in the same room?