Uverse Should Sign a Contract with Tivo!

myst3ry · ‎02-26-2009

We've had uverse now since 11/4/08 - before that we had Directv/tivo (Directv since Feb 1995, Tivo since 2004). We decided to switch since uverse offered more storage space, the ability to record 4 shows at once instead of 2, and uverse 400 tv and interent package was still $7 cheaper. (We had the directv package with all the movie channels before.) Of course, since they upped the additional receiver price we are only saving $5 now.

I can't even begin to tell you how many tivo features are lacking that I used all the time and miss terribly, Things like not being able to search by category or keyword or being able to add thumbs up to movies I'd seen make my life difficult. (I'm terrible at remembering movie names and hate watching movies more than once. I also love horror movies but they are hard to find since I can't search by category.) There are lots of other features missing that I used but I won't list them all.

I was really disappointed to discover that uverse didn't have these features and I don't understand why they can't just sign a contract with tivo so that there's no need for us to miss these things. I also thought (and don't understand why it can't be done) that it would be possible to play the same show on 2 different receivers simultaneously at exactly the same point. For example, my husband and I want to watch a show together so we start one in the bedroom. Then I get hungry and want to make something to eat in the kitchen while still watching the show. Unless my husband and I try to synchronize the pause and play of the show in both rooms then when I go back in the bedroom to eat my food he will be at a different place in the show than I am. The only other option is to run a cable from the box in the bedroom to the tv in the living room, which is what we used to do with our directv setup. It was always a pain having a cable stretched across the house though, and with all uverse's hype about total home dvr I tthought we would no longer need that cable! What a letdown! Granted the feature to watch 2 different recorded shows is great, but if they can manage that then why can't they manage the other?

I also dislike the design of the remote. The button placement is illogical and not user-friendly. Also the fact that half the buttons light up everytime you press 1 button is a major waste of batteries! There should at least be an option to turn off this function - that is if anyone out there desires this "feature." I can't stand not having any slow motion ability either. It also has a problem where if I press a button twice in a row - quickly - then it jumps to the video on demand screen - no matter which button I've pressed!

All in all I'm rather conflicted. I'd really like to go back to directv/tivo and if they come out with a box with more space and the ability to record more than 2 shows at once (although I'm pretty good at scheduling around this) then I will switch back. If uverse would just sign a contract with tivo though then the problem would be solved! (HD isn't an issue for me - I don't have an HD tv and don't plan on getting one.)

I welcome your feedback; although I think some people in this forum must work for uverse since they just talk about how wonderful it is and gripe at anyone that has any complaints. No system is perfect - there will always be something that needs improvement; the issue is how much is lacking.

jrb531 · ‎10-23-2008

You and I are just plants for other Pay TV services trying to trash Uverse

mibrnsurg · ‎07-15-2008

Ok, so you want to have buy a $300 receiver (like DirecTv and probably be locked into a 24 month contract) so you can have your Tivo experience on Uverse? Be my guest, you can do it now as a poster recently posted that he got his Tivo unit to work on Uverse. I could care less about Tivo as I'm able to find whatever I want on the Guide and Uconnect TV listings online.

Chris

I want CBET Channel 9 Please NO SD stretch-o-vision HD Channels
1-800-983-2811 to avoid Mr. Voice Recognition

myst3ry · ‎02-26-2009

lol jrb! Do other companies actually waste time and money doing that? Doesn't seem like it would be worth it for them!

Mib - I've never been locked into a contract with Directv or uverse so I don't know why that would be an issue. Since I've already got the uverse receiver why would I have to buy another receiver if uverse did a contract with tivo? Is uverse incapable or programming their own receivers with tivo features? Or maybe they could make the uverse and directv/tivo receivers work together. After all, they've already signed a contract with directv to do their satellite service so there shouldn't be an issue there. I'm glad you're able to find whatever you want, I wish that were the case for me. However, I don't only search for shows by the show name or by actor.

Pip_2 · ‎09-30-2007

Aren't some of those Tivo features patented?

jrb, if you were a true Pay TV plant, you would have to post much differently than you have been!

myst3ry, you would be surprised at the number of cable company trolls that do come on here. They make some of the most ridiculous posts you have ever seen and of course, we really have ways of knowing what they are, but don't ask us to reveal any of that information. They might wise up and change their tactics!

mibrnsurg · ‎07-15-2008

Sorry, you did have a contract w/DirecTV at some point and everytime you get new equipment, they'll make you get another 24 month contract (and they'll make you pay at least part of the cost of the receiver and recover the rest in the contract). They aren't going to do it w/o paying a licensing fee to Tivo, just ask Dish as they lost to Tivo in court due to DVR programming very similar to Tivo's. It should be optional as I don't want to pay any of the cost of any Tivo implementation.

Chris

I want CBET Channel 9 Please NO SD stretch-o-vision HD Channels
1-800-983-2811 to avoid Mr. Voice Recognition

jrb531 · ‎10-23-2008

I like that we can have a little fun on these forums. While we may agree to disagree on some things (and we do LOL) I think 99% of the people here do not take this stuff too serious and/or personal.

Uverse will get better. The "potential" is huge for Uverse and while I am often very hard on them... I do so to prod them along and not because I want them to fail.

callmeox · ‎08-30-2007

Unless you paid full retail for your DirecTV equipment or you bought it from a private seller, you were under a contract.

DirecTV/TiVo integrated boxes only work with DirecTV. They can't be adapted to work with your cable company as they have no tuner, nor can they be adapted to work with Uverse as they are not IPTV capable.

Most of the power search features like keyword recording, season pass by keyword, etc. are patented by TiVo and must be licensed for a fee, Using these without a license leads to lawsuits as TiVo protects their patents with vigor.

The U-Verse DVR is great condidering there's no additional fee for its use and it costs you nothing upfront. Adding TiVo to the mix would be costly and if AT&T is going to subsidize that cost, it means higher bills for all of us. I left my DirecTiVo behind when I switched to Uverse and I honstly don't miss it one bit.

rickz0rz · ‎09-12-2008

Could do something like what Comcast has done (except better), where Comcast is sticking TiVo software on the motorola boxes they give to people.

Since the boxes at&t use have a little more umph, they should be able to support TiVo services, the main problem would be making the TiVo software interact with everything else, which is still run on Microsoft software.

dhascall · ‎04-21-2008

Comcast is finally joining forces with TiVo? Wow, they have only been talking about it since about 2001 or so. If CC has a deal with TiVo, I doubt that UV can get one too. Yes the UV DVR is not nearly as good as the CC box that I had but I can do four at once, watch on other STB's and so on.

It just seems that UV moves at the speed of molasses (or as Tater Salad would say, barely running at the Speed of Smell). I can not even say that UV's DVR box will get better, I'm resigned to hoping it gets better.

RCSMG · ‎12-10-2007

dhascall wrote:

Comcast is finally joining forces with TiVo? Wow, they have only been talking about it since about 2001 or so. If CC has a deal with TiVo, I doubt that UV can get one too. Yes the UV DVR is not nearly as good as the CC box that I had but I can do four at once, watch on other STB's and so on.

It just seems that UV moves at the speed of molasses (or as Tater Salad would say, barely running at the Speed of Smell). I can not even say that UV's DVR box will get better, I'm resigned to hoping it gets better.

I'm sure that part of the agreement Comcast made with Tivo was exclusivity with Comcast and no other service providers for if not permanently, a specified amount of time.

opheliablack · ‎12-28-2008

I'm with Myst concerning the remote. I'm a small person with small hands and even I have problems pushing the buttons. Often I end up pushing the red C button (which is the only one that actually seems to do something) instead of the Info button and then have to rush to the Exit button to keep the interactive bar for starting. It's quite annoying. And the lack of slow mo going backwards and forwards is missed as well. I've never had TiVo but I did have Dish's DVR and I loved it. But one of the other members was correct, a lot of the things that the TiVo does is patented, so putting them on the UV DVR is out of the question. We can only hope that they'll figure out a way to do something similar to those TiVo functions.

mibrnsurg · ‎07-15-2008

It would be nice to have some Tivo features, but I'm unwilling to have to fork over money to Tivo for them. If ATT could figure out how to do them in their own way and not copy Tivo's, which is what got Dish sued.

Chris

I want CBET Channel 9 Please NO SD stretch-o-vision HD Channels
1-800-983-2811 to avoid Mr. Voice Recognition

RCSMG · ‎12-10-2007

I'll take them putting whatever resources they need to get the next two phases of the thdvr rolled out immediately. I don't disregard the remote issues but having those upgrades rollout will be great.

DouglasPHill · ‎01-22-2008

TIVO is great. TIVO is the measure used for all DVRs. The best thing ATT could do is get together with TIVO and let TIVO figure out a way to connect a TIVO box to the ATT STB. (like maybe use the USB port). Yes others have done it with the TV out and some kind of RF emitter to fake a remote. But, it would be fantastic for those who want to pay for it, to hook your TIVO directly to the ATT box and have it all work. Then, if you want to pay for TIVO you can have it. I no longer miss my TIVO because I love watching my recorded shows on my other STBs.

bri_man_65 · ‎09-21-2007

I have a Tivo hooked to my Uverse, just like I did when I had directv. Not sure what you are saying that you cant hook up a TIVO.

And although the TIVO has some nice features that Uverse doesn't - I cant wait for phase 3 of Total Home DVR (allowing to pause Live TV on all boxes), to get rid of my TIVO.

The TIVO guide look is terrible, I can't barely read the text. It is super slow to go through the guide. It is super slow getting to recorded shows (It is super slow navigating through all the TIVO screens). I can't easily swap between live tv and recorded tv. You can't look at the Guide while watching a recorded show..

sorry - The Tivo isn't all that is Cracked up to be (especially at about $100 yr to pay for guide info - especially since they have started throwing ads in their service).

Although Uverse has a clunky fast forward/reverse, no slow mo (which REALLY needs to be added), and lacking guide info compared to TIVO ... The usability of the guide and recorded tv is way better on Uverse.

RCSMG · ‎12-10-2007

bri_man_65 wrote:

I have a Tivo hooked to my Uverse, just like I did when I had directv. Not sure what you are saying that you cant hook up a TIVO.

And although the TIVO has some nice features that Uverse doesn't - I cant wait for phase 3 of Total Home DVR (allowing to pause Live TV on all boxes), to get rid of my TIVO.

The TIVO guide look is terrible, I can't barely read the text. It is super slow to go through the guide. It is super slow getting to recorded shows (It is super slow navigating through all the TIVO screens). I can't easily swap between live tv and recorded tv. You can't look at the Guide while watching a recorded show..

sorry - The Tivo isn't all that is Cracked up to be (especially at about $100 yr to pay for guide info - especially since they have started throwing ads in their service).

Although Uverse has a clunky fast forward/reverse, no slow mo (which REALLY needs to be added), and lacking guide info compared to TIVO ... The usability of the guide and recorded tv is way better on Uverse.

They all have their pluses and minuses.