On Sun, 2 Nov 2003 16:32:28 -0500, Christina Peterson wrote (in message ):
In short terms, it's called a personal video recorder. Instead of tape or DVD, it uses a hard drive to record programs, both live and in advance. The big thing abut TiVo is the software: it actively seeks out programs that it thinks you'll like (based on your viewing habits) and suggests recording them. Also, if there's some off-the-wall show you like that moves all over the schedule, TiVo will find and record your show whenever it's on.
If you're watching live television, TiVo lets you pause rewind and skip through commercials. I bought it for Bob because he's a TV junkie, but we all ended up loving the thing, and wouldn't trade it for anything. It's so much better than you think it would be, and well worth the money.
A lot of people when they first hear of TiVo ask "Don't I have a VCR for that?" But TiVo is SO much better than a VCR. It's much easier to program and you don't have to worry about keeping track of what you recorded on which tape. Instead, you turn it on, push a button, and it shows you a list of everything it's recorded for you (some of it you've programmed yourself and some of it, like Kathy said, it does on its own). You can program it to record "Monster Garage" and you don't have to know what night or what time or what channel it's on. You can program it to record every show that George Clooney is in (you get a bunch of old "Roseanne" episodes, not that I've done it). You can ask it to look for shows about tigers and it will give you a list and you can decide if you want to record any of them.
It's great for watching sports because you can do your own instant replay without waiting for the show to actually do it. It's just all-around very very cool. Well, I guess if you don't watch television it's probably not cool at all, but if you do, it is. Oh, and it's relatively easy to pop a bigger hard drive in it so you can record a LOT more shows. (I think the biggest one you can buy will hold 30 hours. With our upgraded hard drive we can record something like 184 hours.)
I have no affiliation with TiVo and never have. I'm just one of those people who has it -- I think we're all pretty fanatical about it. It's a shame that it's so hard to explain though -- and that they don't do enough marketing. Every person who has visited my home and *seen* TiVo in action has run right out and gotten one.
ang. ____________________________ angelfish baubles
So where does it get the information on how to find particular programs. I would guess plugging it into a TV with just an antenna wouldn't work. That you would have to have cable or some sort of satelite connection to get this data from.
You actually plug it into a phone line and it makes a call in the middle of the night to update its program information. There is a charge for the service -- it's not just a piece of hardware. When we bought ours you could either pay a monthly fee (can't remember exactly how much per month) or for $250 buy a subscription that lasts for the life of the machine (which is what we did).
ang. ____________________________ angelfish baubles
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"Christina Peterson" wrote ...> So where does it get the information on how to find particular programs. I> would guess plugging it into a TV with just an antenna wouldn't work. That> you would have to have cable or some sort of satelite connection to get this> data from.
On Sun, 2 Nov 2003 17:15:04 -0500, Christina Peterson wrote (in message ):
It's a lot more than that. When I bought it, I thought it was a stupid gadget. It's not. I am not a television person, but man, do I love that TiVo. It's hard to describe, but it makes watching television your experience, not something fed to you by the network/programmer.
It's just better. Can't describe it differently than that.
On Sun, 2 Nov 2003 17:21:44 -0500, angela wrote (in message ):
Us too. It's a very strange concept, but everyone who comes to our house and sees/uses the TiVo immediately gets it.
Tink, as you know, I am a maniac about old '50s trashy sci-fi films, and educational shorts. My TiVo knows that, and finds the most obscure films and shorts and records them for me in the middle of the night or while I'm off doing other stuff. When I get around to TV, there are literally dozens of great programs for us to choose from. Bob likes several dramatic shows that tend to be shunted all over the dial -- TiVo just finds them and records them, and we never have to deal with videotapes or channel changes or even re-runs (we set ours to record first run programs, but not reruns).
Even when we watch live TV, we let the TiVo at it for the first twenty minutes or so. Then we can zip right through the commercials and watch an hour show in 40 minutes. If we want to watch Survivor and see the challenges and not the tribal council, that's fine. We want to zap back and see the pelican menace the cowardly dude? (Or see that the editors missed pixelating out one participant's "little Survivor?") That's fine too. It just does everything.
If we're in the middle of a program and decide it's TiVo worthy, we can record the program from the beginning. The TiVo (sort of) goes back in time and records what we've already seen. It's really good if I'm watching the news, and see a story that I might want to share with the family later.
Its a shame that the concept is so out there, because it's such a great product.
On Sun, 2 Nov 2003 19:01:44 -0500, Christina Peterson wrote (in message ):
It hooks up to a telephone line for a short (toll free) call every couple or three days. I've picked up the phone once or twice over the past couple of years to hear a modem screetch, but the TiVo senses that you want the phone line and immediately hangs up.
It works with cable/satellite or over the air broadcasting. We have cable, because we have no other TV options (our over the air reception is blocked by large buildings and no one is going to go on the roof for a dish), but we were able to cancel all our premium channels with the TiVo. It finds plenty of good stuff and we no longer wanted to bother with the extra channels.
Kathy N-V (not associated with Tivo, but fanatically loyal to great products)
I would love to participate - I am good for later January or February. I can do bracelets or necklaces or whatever. Or maybe we can branch out and do beaded home decor items or something of that nature. Whatever works for everyone.
I have a friend who has Tivo and loves it. I only care about 4 shows per week so it doesn't make sense to me at all. Just not part of the TV thing for the most part. Mike watches HGTV a bunch and it's fun (so is FoodTV) but if it all disappeared I wouldn't care much at all.
We could do that Helen but I like the idea of getting something from across the pond. I like to be able to flash it around and say this came from my dear friend in USA or where ever.
You and I could also do a swap separately if we wanted. At the moment it seem that there are not many posting from the UK. I try very hard to keep the side up by posting as often as I am able.
I know Ally is in USA at the moment. I think Rachel as gone to ground. Kerry popped up a while ago and has gone again. If there are any UK lurkers out there please show yourselves. Shirley
Sorry it's been awhile since I've posted, but I've been really busy; I had a part-time temp job as a secretary for a month whilst upgrading our PC to XP , and then I was in Colorado for two weeks visiting family, then a week at home trying to recover etc., and then my Mom came for a visit for a week....
Next thing you know, autumn is over & you haven't read the newsgroups (or anything else) for two months!!!
Now we have accepted an offer on the flat and DH's Immigration Visa paperwork is finally going through; we'll be packing & getting ready to move for the next few weeks! We'll also be selling the computer (because it's three years old & because of the power voltage difference). I probably won't have much time to look at this again for quite awhile... Looks like we might be back in Colorado for my birthday in January, though! Yay!
-Amy
| >Unless us UK buddies swap with each other? | >
| >
| We could do that Helen but I like the idea of getting something from | across the pond. I like to be able to flash it around and say this came | from my dear friend in USA or where ever. | | You and I could also do a swap separately if we wanted. At the moment it | seem that there are not many posting from the UK. I try very hard to | keep the side up by posting as often as I am able. | | I know Ally is in USA at the moment. I think Rachel as gone to ground. | Kerry popped up a while ago and has gone again. If there are any UK | lurkers out there please show yourselves. | Shirley | -- | Shirley Shone |
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