Tivo

[dequire]

Originally Posted by Gunny

Well that sort of puts this one in the can, there is always a catch. I have found this so many times, what is too good to be true usually is.

Any one want to buy a BTV 4.????????

Thanks and take care...............Gunny

Again - Users of BTV aren't also (usually) Tivo users.... they're Ex-Tivo users. You can usually get a normal tuner for very cheap. Plus, why would you want to run BTV AND continue to pay monthly Tivo fees?

[cfaslave]

Gunny,
If I were you, I would still give BTV a chance - you might want to get rid of the TIVO after that anyway. Just a thought.

Brent

[Gunny]

Hi Dequire

There are certain things I can do with Tivo you cannot do with BTV, and having a hacked Tivo gives me that much more features. I was thinking with out too much hassle I could have the best of both worlds. The fee thing with Tivo I can live with, I have been paying it for several years now. What I get out of paying the fees is worth it for me. I guess I am just saying I am use to Tivo. But I was willing to add BTV like I said with out too much hassle, and was willing to learn all that goes with it.

I guess I am saying I am not willing to give up Tivo for some thing else, if possible to use both, and evaluate them both would be ok. But it looks like what you all are saying is it will not work this way.

Thanks and take care...........Gunny

[cfaslave]

Gunny,
What things can you do with TIVO that you can't with BTV. Just curious since I've never used TIVO.

Thanks,
Brent

[Gunny]

Hi Brent

With out knowing all the ins and outs with BTV I cannot say exactly. But for starters, I think the quality of the copies I do will be better then BTV, and faster. I can copy a movie depending on the length of it, in about 20 minutes start to finish, label and all. No problems and they all turn out great. I think the quality of the copies would be much better Tivo wise, then BTV. Plus I can copy going through a recorder too, it is actual time but they turn out great too.

Like I am saying I am going by knowing more about Tivo then BTV, so tell me what you like about BTV, and what advantages, ease of use, etc you think are better then Tivo. Skip the thing about the fees, with me that is a wash. I am more concerned about the quality of the end product, and other things then the fees.

Thanks and take care..........Gunny

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by Gunny;

Hi Brent

With out knowing all the ins and outs with BTV I cannot say exactly. But for starters, I think the quality of the copies I do will be better then BTV, and faster. I can copy a movie depending on the length of it, in about 20 minutes start to finish, label and all. No problems and they all turn out great. I think the quality of the copies would be much better Tivo wise, then BTV. Plus I can copy going through a recorder too, it is actual time but they turn out great too.

Like I am saying I am going by knowing more about Tivo then BTV, so tell me what you like about BTV, and what advantages, ease of use, etc you think are better then Tivo. Skip the thing about the fees, with me that is a wash. I am more concerned about the quality of the end product, and other things then the fees.

Thanks and take care..........Gunny

Gunny,
I'm not sure what you mean by copies. I'm assuming you are making archived DVD copies? Anyway, BTVFreak might be able to add some pros and cons of both TIVO and BTV since he owns both. We'll see if he or someone else that owns or owned a tivo will post a reply here.

[Gunny]

Hi Brent

That is what I was meaning by copies. Maybe that is really what I need is some one that has or is using both of them to help me understand better the pros and cons about these two different programs. That is really what I was trying to get any way on here are people that are using them to chime in and give there feedback.

You can just get so much of this from the people that are trying to sell it, but the real truth as to how it works, and what it does or don't do really comes from the end use the people that are using it day in and day out. This is where you find out really what it does, and how hard or easy it is to work with. The seller can say anything he or she wants, but the proof of the pudding comes with the tasting.

So I am open to any and all that want to add their two or three cents worth here, good bad or indifferent. Even if it is against BTV, after all nothing is perfect. Let each person make that judgement.

Thanks and take care..........Gunny

[soham]

Well, if you really are done trying out BTV, you can probably still get a refund. Just check the website for the directions:
http://store.snapstream.com/return-policy.html

[Gunny]

Hi Soham

Thanks for the info I just might do that. I am not 100% sure about giving up on it though. It does seem like a good idea. And I hate giving up on things........

I wish I would have some feedback here, on the good and bad points to it.

Thanks and take care...........Gunny

[btvfreak]

The only reason I got the new TiVo Series3 HD box was because I hated my cable company DVR, and I really needed something to timeshift/record premium HD shows (ex. HBOHD, ESPNHD, etc).

I use both BTV and TiVo. I find that 2 tuners in the TiVo are not enough, and BTV gives me as many as I can afford.

Plus adding storage to my BTV server is much easier than hacking the TiVo to add storage. This allows me to keep all my shows MUCH longer on my BTV box than on my TiVo. I usually watch and delete on the TiVo, but keep everything on BTV. ShowSqeeze really helps with that. It keep HD shows at, at least what I consider, near HD quality. I can shrink a 8GB HD show down to 0.6GB without sacrificing much quality.

If you want to be able to archive to DVD, then Snapstream will have a nice surprise for you coming up (hope that was OK to say).

Picture quality: I think BTV quality is very good. I can't tell a difference between the TiVo quality and BTV.

I think TiVo is good at what it does, and really does just work. BTV give me much more flexibility while still being very reliable.

If you really value TiVo suggestions, then BTV does not have that. I don't use it since I'd rather have it record only what I want it to. That's just me.

The TiVo Series 3 and BTV both have their places in my home, and I get what I need from each.

[Gunny]

Hi BTVfreak

I hope you don't mind being asked to give your opinion here. I am with Directv. You said you could add as many tuners as you could afford, do you mind explaining that to me.
I am assuming when you once have the programs/movies on your HD, you then use a third party to burn them to a DVD, like Nero, etc. Have you had any trouble with doing them this way.? Having the right kind of files, etc.
I have two series 2 Tivo's that are hacked, and have 80G HD's.

Can you tell me what the surprise is.??????? And how soon will it be coming up.?

My main concern was the picture quality, once copied to a DVD disc. This surprise you are referring too, will I be able to get it being I have the BTV 4.? The Tivo suggestions was never an issue for me, I too would rather dictate what I want to watch and save.

Thanks and take care............Gunny

[btvfreak]

I rarely burn them to DVD, but when I have (I used Toast for Mac) it worked great. SD shows are recorded in mpeg2 format, so it's easy to burn them to a video DVD with the appropriate program like Nero.

You'll have to wait until the next point release of BTV is announced for the surprise, but it will make this process very easy.

[enigma9o7]

Originally Posted by Gunny

When you go into the TV channel selection, and you put in your zip code, and it shows all these channels, how many of these do you actually get. I notice that it talks about the # 125 for most channels you can get, how does this work out. I am in San Jose, Ca. 95123.

I live in San Jose 95112 (downtown). With rabbit ears and HD tuner card (less than $100) I get all the major networks, their HD subchannels, and several indepedant stations. With an outdoor antenna I'd get even more. If you really don't want to give up your directivo whatever-it-is, and still wanna use BTV, maybe consider trying BTV with free over the air HD. Works great for me, and I never pay any fees for anything. You might just end up canceling directv completely, spend the money on a vacation or something.

[jnaranjo]

I have 2 Tivo's; an original SA S2pay monthly and one of the newer sexier silver SA S2 with a lifetime sub and a SS:BTV server


My BTV setup contains 2 Hauppauge PVR-250's and 1 DVico Gold tuner.

Tivo
Pro’s

• I Love the fact that it just works. No hassles and as of yet never a missed show
• Recordings can be setup via multiple criteria, wish list via actor/keyword/etc – this is very convenient.

Cons

• Monthly Charge this is not an issue if you have a lifetime sub but it is no longer an available option
• Single use device – yes Tivo has some additional functionality but what it does and does very well is record and play back shows.
• Single tuner – nice but usually want to record more than one show at the same time and when it comes to the family, could end up being a fight
• Transferring data is both slow and difficult and also not completely within my control

BTV with original FireFly remote
Pro’s

• Runs on a pc, and gives me the ability to do many other things
• I can add as many tuners as I want within hardware limits
• Digital tuner is cheap, I am ready to switch completely to digital when BTV supports QAM
• Can use computer to do many other things, games/pics/web/music/dvd/you tube/email/etc/etc/etc
• Can play almost all types of media only depends on installed codec’s
• No DRM on recorded files! To me this is huge/

Cons

• Windows can sometimes be flaky and it is possible to miss a recording
• Configuration is not as straightforward as a dedicated device

That being said, I have decided to cancel my monthly Tivo service. I will keep my lifetime box since it’s already paid for and really would always have at least the one because of the reliable functionality and the wife usability factor. The wife factor I blame on myself because I have not made it as easy to use as it could be….possibly on purpose.

[jkirk]

You said you could add as many tuners as you could afford, do you mind explaining that to me.

http://blogs.snapstream.com/2006/01/...a-pvr/#more-71

Can you tell me what the surprise is.??????? And how soon will it be coming up.?

beta users are not allowed to post of upcoming features outside the beta forum so this is not possible. let's just say you will be pleased at this.

I am assuming when you once have the programs/movies on your HD, you then use a third party to burn them to a DVD, like Nero, etc.

actually the majority keep them on the hard drive but yes this is possible. i have done it on occasion.

there is an addon to btv that allows burning to dvd via nero i believe that you can get.
BTV2DVD Automated chapter cut and archive/burn to disk - from within ViewScape