As an unbelievably generous Chanukah present (although it was given on Christmas…that’s just how my family rolls), I received a shiny new TiVo Series3 box. It is quite simply, DVR perfection. Or at least, it will be after the next software update, anyway. There are a few features missing out of the box. Nothing serious, just a couple of things I miss from my Series2.
But TiVo’s half of the equation wasn’t something I was really worried about…it was Time Warner I was dreading. Thankfully, TWCNYC has come quite a bit further since my last CableCard installation. The guy who showed up actually knew what a CableCard was, and booking the appointment was only as complicated as getting any TWCNYC appointment (last time I had to go through the one and only person at Time Warner Cable that knew anything about CableCards, and had even more fun when I traded it in for an HD-DVR). Not only that, but he had the “instructions for CableCard installers” that TiVo has provided (I had a copy myself, in case he didn’t). So it all went relatively smoothly. It should have been ultra-quick, but there was a problem involving my extremely complicated cable setup that caused a couple of hours delay while both me and the cable guy scratched our heads, but it was eventually worked out.
Once the cards were in place however, the box ran like a dream. Cable signals — both SD and HD — are simply gorgeous. In my previous TiVo setup, many channels came in dark, but since there’s no longer an external cable box involved, it’s all crystal clear, and the HDMI port means I’m seeing it as good as it gets. The audio is great too, especially for the many channels that transmit in 5.1.
I was surprised to see that the Series3 doesn’t have several of the major features currently offered on Series2 boxes. I wasn’t expecting Multi-Room Viewing, as I already knew that wasn’t an option because of CableCard restrictions, but I was at least hoping for the “Recently Deleted” folder that I had gotten used to…the Series3 hasn’t gotten that yet, so when you delete something, it’s gone for good. That’s expected in the next update, which should be coming any day now.
But otherwise it does everything I need a TiVo to do. It records, it works with Home Media Apps (I live for AudioFaucet), it has two tuners so the days of worrying about conflicts are over. That last one is a real godsend…I set 60 Minutes to tape two hours every week, thereby eliminating the constant frustration of having Football/Golf/<other sport name here> cutting into it.
But mostly I’m pleased to get rid of that craptacular Time Warner DVR (plus an ugly cable box). Of course, since my previous TiVo was a DVD burner (now relocated to the bedroom), my Xbox 360 is now my primary DVD player. But that’s been the case for a few weeks anyway, or at least, it is now that I’ve gotten a replacement unit from Microsoft (who by the way turned it around ultra-fast…I guess they don’t even bother repairing those first year units anymore).
One fun little thing I did, is that since I had just bought a 500 GB SATA hard drive anyway (for my new PC, to replace the one that blew up), I ended up swapping that out for the one in the Series3. The installation was simple, and I did it before I ever turned on the Series3, so I didn’t have to worry about losing any recordings in the process. The result? My Windows box has a 250 GB hard drive (which is plenty, since I only use that for games), and my TiVo can record 60 hours of HD programming, or almost 600 (!!) hours in SD.
Now I can go back to complaining that Time Warner doesn’t offer very many HD channels…but at least I get all the local channels, plus Showtime and HBO and a few other ones. All I really need is SciFi and USA and I’m set.
Hate to tell you this, but CableCard’s lifespan is probably very short with the developments coming in cable technology soon. Although I suppose TW could be very slow at implementing it, although I can’t imagine they will since NY is such a big market.
PS: Isn’t Sci-Fi and USA combined into one station called Universal HD? That’s what we have over here and they seem to integrate programming from both. Along with a lot of uncensored movies, which is always good to cause a raised eyebrow from time to time.
CableCard isn’t going anywhere, it’s just taken a very long time to get anywhere because of extremely slow adoption rates by major companies. Once Microsoft integrates it into Vista things will look up. Also the two-stream CableCard dealies will be great too, if those ever come out.
As for Universal HD, it does air content from both channels, but it’s all repeats. They don’t run anything first-run, so unless I want to be a season behind in everything I have to catch it on USA or Scifi.
Okay, well, I’ve heard Series3 has had bugs with the cards, so if something does happen blog about it because it ought to be interesting.
CableCos just don’t want to have to give hardware to customers for use and abuse if they can help it, which is why OpenCable is getting as much of an industry push as it can get. For some reason, Tivo did not make Series3 compatible with OpenCable (which will allow the equipment/TV manufacturers to make their own cable box), switched video (evolution of how to fit more channels on the system) or CableCard2 (which support both of the above tech.)
Don’t know why that is. They simply omitted the hardware for a return channel in the S3 so all these technologies, which depend on two-way communication with the cable cableco hardware (like it does for VOD) won’t work. I know Time Warner has been using switched video for almost a year, I guess it hasn’t hit the NYC market?
Point is, Tivo’s had the Series3 on display at numerous CES shows and for some reason chose not to implement a return feed for future CableCard developments that will hinge on them. That will make them obsolete when cable systems deploy the new infastructure. TVs with CableCard have (IIRC) a return channel because that’s been in the digital cable spec for some time, it’s just the current card that doesn’t support it. Of course OpenCable will give you a new interactive interface designed/chosen by your cable co, so maybe TiVo decided preserving their interface was more important than future-proofing their boxes.