 After using the standard Comcast DVR for about a year, I was mostly happy with it, but there were a few things I didn't like. Since I had heard so many wonderful things about TiVo, I decided to try it for myself. However, before the end of my 30 day trial period, I switched back to my previous DVR. Here's why.
Setting up the TiVo system is supposed to be super-easy. That is, unless you have cable service. Comcast insisted that a technician come to my house to set up the system and install the necessary CableCARDs. When the technician arrived, it took him over half an hour to install and activate the two cards (one for each tuner). Then I had to activate the TiVo service, which required signing up for an account on TiVo's website and pre-paying for an annual service plan. Next, I had to hook up an Ethernet cable from the TiVo box to my router and wait another half hour for the necessary data to download. Once everything was downloaded, the TiVo system spent about 10 minutes updating the system.
After about an hour and a half, the system was finally working. I could now use the TiVo DVR with my Comcast cable service. The first thing I noticed about the TiVo interface was that was that it looked much nicer than the Comcast Guide. The Comcast interface looks like it was developed around 1975 and has not been updated since. It is pretty amazing how bad it is. The TiVo interface, on the other hand, is much clearer and has nice 3D effects. However, as the old adage goes, looks can be deceiving. While it looks nice, TiVo's interface is fairly difficult to navigate and many basic options are nested in a series of confusing menus. The system is also rather unresponsive and often takes a couple of seconds to change screens.
After browsing TiVo's system options, I decided to take a break from the maze of menus and watch TV. I selected "Watch Live TV" from the menu and the system tuned to a cable channel. The first thing I noticed was that the picture quality was significantly better than the standard issue Scientific Atlanta cable box from Comcast. The colors were more vivid and the picture was more crisp. I'm not sure why this was the case, since both boxes received the same signal, but the TiVo box definitely had the edge in picture quality.
Unfortunately, I soon noticed several other things that disappointed me. My biggest frustration was that changing channels took anywhere from two to five seconds. This kind of delay makes channel surfing nearly impossible (which may be a good thing on some level), but when you are browsing through a few different shows, it is extremely annoying. The box also produced a buzzing noise through the speakers when I switched between HD channels, which added to the frustration. These issues may have been related to the CableCARDs, but whatever the case, I did not have to deal with these problems with my previous DVR.
The next thing that annoyed me was the remote control. The buttons are not organized very intuitively and some of the commonly used buttons like "Info" and "Guide" are small and hard to press. The "Enter" and "Exit" buttons are both hard to access and are on opposite corners of the remote. The remote control also has a unique shape that looks ergonomic, but doesn't fit well in the hand. It is not the worst remote I have seen (JVC still holds the title for that), but for a "user-friendly" device like TiVo, I expected better.
Another thing that frustrated me with the TiVo system is that I could not turn it off. There is no "OFF" switch for TiVo. If you want to turn the device off, you have to navigate through a series of menus and select the "Standby" option. There is a "TV Power" button on the remote that can turn the TV off and on, but the TiVo system always remains on. This means your TiVo is always using both tuners, whether you are watching TV or not. I guess it makes some sense, since the TiVo system records shows automatically, but it should remain OFF when it is not in use to conserve power.
Recording shows with TiVo is pretty simple, since you just press the "Record" button in the middle of the remote to record a show you are watching. You can also search for upcoming shows to record, which is nice. However, the options that appear when you select a recording, such as recording time and save duration, are a bit limited. It also takes about a thirty seconds for the "Record" command to be accepted by the system. An hourglass appears on the screen for about half a minute with a message saying that TiVo is "processing" the recording request. The Comcast DVR handles the command almost immediately. Once a show is recorded, it gets stored in the "Now Playing" list, which is accessible in TiVo's main menu. However, this list is not organized well and usually involves several screens of browsing to find the show you are looking for.
Another feature I missed on the TiVo DVR was the ability to browse channel summaries without changing the channel you are watching. You can do this on the Comcast DVR by pressing the Up or Down buttons to scroll through other channels. With TiVo, the only way to browse other channels is to use the Guide, which takes several seconds to load and is very slow to browse through. The TiVo Guide also fills the screen with a translucent interface, which makes it difficult to keep watching the current channel.
With TiVo, you can fast-forward, rewind, and pause recordings, just like with any other DVR. However, when you fast forward through a TiVo recording and then hit Play, it jumps back a few seconds to compensate for the natural human response delay. This eliminates the hassle of having to immediately rewind a few seconds after you have fast-forwarded through some commercials. I thought this was one of TiVo's more intuitive features and is a definite benefit over other DVRs.
While there were several features I liked about the TiVo system, there were many more features that disappointed me. Therefore, I felt my previous DVR offered a better overall experience an decided to switch back. Fortunately, TiVo refunded my one-year subscription fee (after a long wait on the phone) and Best Buy refunded the complete purchase price of the box, so I did not lose any money for trying it.
Now I am back to using the standard Comcast DVR with the ridiculously outdated interface and subpar picture quality. But at least I don't have to deal with the annoyances of the TiVo system. If TiVo releases a new product that is more responsive and has a redesigned interface and remote control, I may give it another try. But for now I am going to stick with my current DVR. |
