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TiVo, PVRs Not Making A Splash
Sudderth writes "Too expensive? Too complicated? Lack of support from the TV industry (which depends on the commercials that TiVo users fast-forward through)? Newsweek has an excellent article on why personal video recorders like TiVo and ReplayTV, which have been embraced by tech-heads, are being ignored by almost everyone else."
"In the meantime, the technology keeps evolving. EchoStar Communications, which runs the countrywide DISH network, has its own version of the DVR. It combines satellite TV with TiVo's search features"
Wow! Combining satellite TV with TiVo like features! That sounds like some kind of a Satellite and TiVo combo! Wouldn't it be great if TiVo made these! And what if they had two tuners so you could record to shows at once!
(for those of you who don't get it: DirecTV with TiVo has been out for over one and a half years, and dual tuners have been working for 4 or 5 months now)
" Indeed, models of TiVo now cost from $299 to $599,"
I paid $200 ($300 with a $100 rebate) for two DirecTV with TiVos, a 2x4 multiswitch, and a dual LNB dish. DirecTivos are selling for as little as $49 (http://directv.tivo.com), as little as $79 for existing DirecTV subscribers.
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BTW, this article was discussed on the AVS TiVo forum quite a few days ago (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb)
Which is exactly why TiVo exists.
You don't need to know how to set a clock, rewind a video tape, or choose SP, LP, or ELP... all you need to use a PVR is have adequate competency at operating a remote control.
As long as you know the first letter or two of shows that you want to record, showtimes be damned (and you don't even really need that, it just makes searching the list a bit quicker). The only real problem with TiVo UI is that there isn't (or at least wasn't, in early models) a button on the unit to locate the remote.
Tivo is really easy to set up. All you need to know is your zipcode and who your program provider is (satellite provider, cable company, antenna, etc.) Tivo then dials into headquarters, sets it clock, and downloads the channel lineup and schedule.
After that, you simply tell Tivo the name of the show you want to watch. Then you tell Tivo to record it. That's it. That's really all it takes. You don't need to know what day or time the show is on. Hell, I don't even know what time any of my shows are on anymore because I don't care. All I know is that each week, a new episode shows up, and I'll watch it when I want to.
The biggest difficulty is getting people to understand that Tivo is like a VCR - you have to either leave your TV on channel 3/4, or use an auxillary video input. However, if they've used a VCR or DVD player to watch movies, using Tivo isn't much of a jump.
As for why aren't they more popular, I'd have to say price is a major factor. Tivo costs $2-300 and requires a subscription fee, or a one time fee of $250. ReplayTV starts at $700. These things aren't going to be considered "cheap" to the average consumer.
Basically, TiVo looks at how you rate certain shows, from a score of -4 to 4. Based on what types of shows you rate highest it will record similar shows it "thinks" you would like. So if you watch Space Ghost and South Park and *rate* them high, it would probably go out and record some more adultish cartoons like some stuff on cartoon network, simpsons, and the family guy. Not all perhaps, but I listed a couple to give you a general idea. Note, that I emphasize rate. The smart feature is based upon the ratings you give not the shows you choose to record.
I do not think that it correlates the different categories you rate highly. So if you watch Space Ghost, and your brother watches "I Love Lucy" and you both rate them highly, it would probably just go out and record some more shows of both categories, not necessarily trying to find some Space Ghost/I Love Lucy hybrid (scary thought). Hope this helps.