Poll Results: The majority of Virgin Media's TiVo customers want Reminders

Wanted!

After 247 votes, the latest poll closed and the message is clear - the majority of you want reminder functionality on Virgin Media's TiVo.

72% of voters (178 to be precise) voted for the return of the legacy feature, found on Virgin's legacy V+ HD and just about every other PVR out there. 27% (69 votes) were quite happy not to have reminders on TiVo.

72% - Are you listening, Virgin?

New Poll: Does Virgin Media's TiVo need Reminders?

Reminders (or rather, the lack of them on Virgin Media's TiVo) have been a hot topic of debate on various blogs and forums. The offical word (from the TiVo User Guide) is that:

You can’t set a reminder with your TiVo box. But you can record it, then watch it back from My Shows whenever it suits you.

Well, that's great. If you're not a fan of Live TV events such as major sporting events (especially if you're betting on them).

Then there is the Twitter Factor. Programmes like the BBC's The Apprentice and dare I say it, Eurovision benefit greatly from Twitter interaction, especially when watched live.

In my opinion, it doesn't matter how many tuners a box has or how much hard drive capacity it contains - the point is, I've forgotten to watch certain programmes live because I've been unable to set reminders for them, something I could do on my old V+ HD, or just about every other PVR out there.

Agree? Disgree? Vote and comment. The poll closes on Monday 20th June and can be located at the top-right of every page.

TiVo reveal new hardware; Update for iPad TiVo App

A report over at Engadget/TMCNet reveals TiVo's future hardware plans - a new, quad-tuner PVR called the Premiere Q, and the Preview, described as TiVo's first non-DVR HD set-top box, which acts as a client to the local TiVo PVR.

While the Premiere Q packs an extra tuner compared to Virgin's TiVo, the Preview sounds on par with the previously annouced plans to bring TiVo software to Virgin's non-PVR, the V box, and in time (we hope), allow streaming of recorded content from the main TiVo box to any V box in your home.

The report also mentions that the TiVo iPad App will receive an update which allows Cable VOD content to be accesssed and then 'flicked' to a TiVo box. The App is expected to be available for Virgin Media's TiVo at some point this year.

Virgin Media TiVo installed: First impressions + 53 days later

Following on from my orginal First Impressions post:

• Virgin really need to cut down on the number of button presses required to watch VOD content. Once an episode has been selected from the list of available episodes for a programme, it takes another 4 button presses to watch the episode (make that 8 if the episode requires you to enter your PIN first).
• Speaking of VOD, I don't think I've watched so much VOD content from Virgin before now. TiVo does an excellent job in exposing VOD content which, before now, would be hidden deep in VOD menus.
• Almost every series link I've created is configured to record in HD - I couldn't do that with V+ HD due to the lack of recording space.
• The invasion of Adverts has begun in the Discovery Bar.
• I continue to miss reminders. Heck, I forgot that the England vs. Switzerland football game was on, its a pity that my next-generation PVR didn't allow me to set a reminder for the game while other PVRs from Virgin, Sky, BT Vision etc have this functionality.
• So far, I've had to reset the box twice. Once on the day of the previous software update, and again last week. On both occassions, the box locked up when I attempted to view the 'My Shows' screen.
• Suggestions are becoming my favourite feature, its nice to come home from work and discover that TiVo has recorded TV which I actually like watching. But...
• ...there's a recording priority bug which results in cases of Suggestions being recorded instead of Series Links. Virgin are looking at fixing this and several other bugs.
• I really didn't give the Browse TV menu enough credit in my review. I would have missed several films I ended up recording if hadn't had a peek now and then in the films section. Of course, Wishlists are a great alternative for seeking out and recording content as well.
• My TiVo has slowed down a little, and it appears I'm not alone. Possible reasons for this include network congestion (with reports of performance increasing when the box is disconnected from the coaxial cable) and the inexplicable lack of data/image caching in the TiVo software. Endgadget noticed this in their review of the TiVo Premiere, which Virgin Media's TiVo is based on. Virgin need to get this issue resolved now that the cheaper 500Gb box is available for existing customers.
• I wish the programme start and end time showed up within the EPG.

Photo Gallery App arrives for Virgin Media's TiVo

The new Photo Gallery App for Virgin Media's TiVo can be located - not surprisingly - in Home\Apps & Games.

It currently allows you to display a wall and slideshow of pictures from your Facebook, Flickr and Picasa accounts, once of course, you've linked your TiVo to those accounts.

You can also explore some default photos from Flickr and Picasa, and create a list of favourite photos. Like every other TiVo App, Photo Gallery uses the 10mb dedicated broadband connection for TiVo, so you won't have to worry about getting STMed while viewing your Facebook photos on your TV via TiVo.

Like TiVo itself, there's room for improvement for this App - for instance, pictures aren't resized to fit the screen if their too big, and the privacy policy looks like its been copied from one of Virgin's website's, with references to 'our site' -  I thought I was using a TiVo App?

Nevertheless, its always welcome to see a new App for TiVo. Lets hope that future Apps will focus more on delivering videos, like blockbusters movies for those who love films.

Updates for Virgin Media TiVo Review and PVR Comparison Document

The review I did for TiVo has been updated, mainly with a 'for' (series links can find alternative broadcasts of a programme on the same channel if the original recording of that programme couldn't be completed), and, an 'against' (no access to live PPV events content until a future software update).

The PVR Comparison Document has also been updated, now that the 500Gb version of TiVo is available to existing customers.

The Register reviews Virgin Media's TiVo

The latest review of Virgin Media's TiVo has been published by The Register. Reviewer Ian Calcutt gives the next-generation PVR 80% and notes that:

When it first appeared, TiVo was well ahead of its time. UK viewers can now have a TiVo suited for video-on-demand and HD, in addition to its many other assets, but there are rough edges that need sorting, such as the fragmented TV catch-up situation and the over zealous PIN protection that, at the time of writing, can’t be deactivated.

Overall, it’s an impressive and promising (re)start. While some people may prefer the familiar simplicity of Sky+, others will welcome this smart recorder with open arms – and thumbs resoundingly up.