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DTivo - No HMO: STOP YOUR BELLYACHING!
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Posted by: Okeemike

Sorry, y'all. I have to vent, becuase I am really, REALLY, R E A L L Y tired of all the DTivo owners complaining that they don't have HMO.

Ahem..ahem...here goes....

<rant>

SHUT THE HECK UP! (sorry for the language, I know there are ladies present). Complain, complain, complain. DTivo users (of which I have been for years ) for the most part are fine with the illusory "lack" of functionality. But there is a small minority that act as if DirecTV has TAKEN functionality AWAY from them. Like a baby that's had it's rattle taken away, they whine, and complain and moan. Not content to just bring themselves down, they have to try and infect every part of of the TivoCommunity and bring everyone to the same lowly denominator. For example: I posted an email asking if "TiVo" stood for something (yes, yes...I know now, so there's no need to respond). I had a couple of good natured "read the FAQ posts, and that was great. Then I got this reply:

************************
I thought it was an acronym to what they did to a wonderful piece of PVR software when they handed it over to DirecTV and abandoned their loyal customers who now have no access to HMO, upgrades, bug fixes, etc:

T urned
I t
V irtually
O bsolete
************************

This guy obviously has nothing better to do in his life but complain about something he's never seen. Functionality he's never had. Rather than be excited about functionality he already has, he would rather complain about things that he really doesn't know about. Unless someone has seen a statement DirecTV specifically stating they will no longer upgrade the system, patch bugs, or further enhance the software, then they shouldn't make comments to that effect. Or to keep things fair, the complainers could just go to a standalone unit.

BUT WAIT! The standalones can't:

(*) Record two shows while watching a third
(*) Playback programming at exactly the same high quality as they were broadcast in
(*) Achieve a greater recording time with less drive space
(*) Do all this FOR ONLY 4.99 PER MONTH

Based on this info, I think the StandAlone group has WAY more to complain about than the DTivo squeaky wheels.

SO let's hear it SA's! I say you demand TiVo start giving all the functionality that us DTivo subscribers have!

See how silly that sounds?

Remember, it's TELEVISION. For crying out loud, people in Karbala don't have FOOD, or ELECTRICITY or WATER. Get a grip, and let's put things into perspective.

</rant>

Whew. I feel better now. Time to eat my Domino's, and wait for the flames to roll in.

G'nite, everyone!

Posted by: willardcpa

quote:
:This guy obviously has nothing better to do in his life but complain about something :

Ooookayee:p

Posted by: spanishannouncetable

As a Series 1 DirecTiVo owner (2 of them, in fact), I agree with everything Okeemike stated above.

HMO doesn't interest me in the least. Folders would be nice but aren't necessary. As long as my S1's continue to operate as flawlessly as they do now for $5 a month, I DON'T GIVE A RAT'S AZZ IF DIRECTV EVER UPGRADES THEM AGAIN. E-V-E-R .

Posted by: DigitalAZ

Anyone complaining period should sell their TiVO/DTIVO and try live TV again... after a week of TV without TiVO/DTIVO I bet they will stop whining :D

Posted by: TiVoPony

For the record, TiVo is a made up word. It doesn't stand for anything...we just liked the way it sounded. :)

Pony

Posted by: diergray

I bought a Tivo2. The box said that it would eventually support all of the HMO features. No where on the box, the documentation, or online did it state that HMO would only be initially available for stand alone units. Know I am being told that Direct TV will wait and see. To me i was misled by false advertising. If I could I would return the series 2 box.

Posted by: TiVoPony

quote:
Originally posted by diergray
I bought a (DIRECTV) Tivo2. The box said that it would eventually support all of the HMO features.

I'm quite certain that if you check, you'll find your statement is incorrect.

Pony

Posted by: spanishannouncetable

quote:
Originally posted by MuscleNerd
That's good to know, because nobody has ever suggested anywhere about upgrading an S1 to include HMO.

Thanks for taking part of my first sentence and grafting it to part of my last sentence to make it sound like I don't understand about the HMO :rolleyes:

I KNOW that the HMO as it stands won't work on S1 DirecTiVos (no USB, etc), but folders and other enhancements could be added. All I said was that, should Directv never give me another added feature OF ANY KIND it won't bother me as long as my S1's do what they do now for the same $5 a month I pay now.

And if you want to edit posts in the future, get a job as a mod whydontcha :p

Posted by: bidger

I agree w/ the original poster. If the features that a series 2 SA seem so attractive, actions speak louder than words. I don't see anyway one couldn't at least break even selling their D-TiVo and buying the SA series 2. Of course there's the matter of an increased monthly fee and that HMO option isn't being given away. I guess it's just a matter of what you value most. Then again, I've yet to see anything official from DirecTV re. this option. And anyone familiar w/ DirecTV knows they're pretty tight-lipped about anything not yet finalized.

Posted by: Chris Gerhard

If it is good business decision to offer HMO, then I think DirecTV will offer it. I don't know whether it makes any sense or not but I am not going to complain either way. If I had to have HMO, I would buy a series 2 standalone. I don't read any of the posts anymore complaining about lack of availability of HMO for the HDVR2 and I don't plan on reading anymore of the posts asking for the complaints to stop.

Chris

Posted by: stevel

I don't care about HMO, to be honest. The only feature it has that I might possibly be interested in is remote scheduling, and I can think of only one time in the past two years I could have used that. I have an Audiotron to play music from my PC or Internet radio. So it doesn't bother me at all that DirecTV isn't offering it yet. (Not that it would work on my DSR6000s.)

However, I do understand the feelings of those DTiVo owners who would like HMO and feel that, even though they have a "Series 2" box they are being left behind. I think that is more the issue, and I guess we'll just wait and see what DirecTV does with these things.

There's no way I would ever go back to a standalone TiVo!

Posted by: Want1394

DTivo - No HMO: STOP YOUR BELLYACHING!

But there is the matter of dual tuners ......... :) :) :)

(and $4.99/mo. ) :)

Posted by: Okeemike

quote:
Originally posted by willardcpa
Ooookayee:p

Point well taken.

Posted by: walters

Nothing to add, just wanted to test my signature :p :D

Posted by: Okeemike

quote:
Originally posted by walters
Nothing to add, just wanted to test my signature :p :D

For what it's worth, I think the petition is a GREAT idea. Don't just complain, DO something about it!

Posted by: mtmra70

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoPony
For the record, TiVo is a made up word. It doesn't stand for anything...we just liked the way it sounded. :)

Pony

you sure? the T and V are capatilized(meaning TV) and the 'i' and 'o' could be taken as input/output(since that is what the TiVo does)....so do I win a prize for such a great thought :D ;)

Posted by: Cabinwood

quote:
Originally posted by bidger
I agree w/ the original poster. If the features that a series 2 SA seem so attractive, actions speak louder than words. I don't see anyway one couldn't at least break even selling their D-TiVo and buying the SA series 2. Of course there's the matter of an increased monthly fee and that HMO option isn't being given away. I guess it's just a matter of what you value most. Then again, I've yet to see anything official from DirecTV re. this option. And anyone familiar w/ DirecTV knows they're pretty tight-lipped about anything not yet finalized.

I don't agree with the original poster -- people bellyache about a lot less here. But, I did exactly like you suggested. I had my original Tivo that I wasn't using so went with the upgrade offer and got a Series 2 so I could get HMO. I was eventually planning to get a AudioTron so HMO stops that. I do have D-Tivo's and would love to have HMO but they're Series 1 and it would take me a long time to replace them with Series 2 to get HMO on them...

Posted by: QueenBee

quote:
Originally posted by mtmra70
you sure? the T and V are capatilized(meaning TV) and the 'i' and 'o' could be taken as input/output(since that is what the TiVo does)....so do I win a prize for such a great thought :D ;)

Ummmmmm....... TiVoPony is the TiVo King. If he says it doesn't mean anything, it doesn't mean anything.

Posted by: Fustanella

All Hail His Poniness.

Posted by: Ensoniq

The original post in this thread reminds a few months back of all the times I read "Well...I don't actually have Lifetime TiVo service, but all the Lifetimers complaining about DirecTV's new cheaper pricing plan should shut up." You didn't get it then, and you don't get it now.

When you pay $250 for Lifetime service, you most likely (if you're smart) did so because you calculated that at $10 a month, you'd get the return of your investment in 2 years, and after that your service would be "free". When DirecTV lowered the monthly price to $5, your return on investment became 4 years, which made buying Lifetime only half as beneficial. And if you were already a TC Premiere customer, you had then paid $250 for Lifetime service that was now essentially free. Anyone who still can't understand why that upset some (not all) Lifetime customers is dense. It wasn't about "still getting exactly what you paid for" (the standard unsympathetic conclusion)...it was just having paid MORE for it than turns out was necessary.

The DirecTV/HMO issue is a similar ball of wax. I have (2) Series 1 DirecTiVo boxes. I am happy with them...but I had been considering the idea of replacing them both with HDRV2 units because I like the latest/greatest like most people. When I found out that the HDVR2 didn't support the USB ports for networking (without hacking them) and wasn't going (as of yet) to support HMO, that immediately put a halt to the $650 I was considering parting with ($500 for 2 HDVR2 boxes, plus $150 for HMO). But if I had ALREADY spent the $500 on the HDVR2 units BEFORE finding that out, I'd be extremely upset. And again...anyone who can't understand why is simply dense.

Another issue that hasn't been explained is why Series 1 units won't be upgraded to support folders, and add "approved" network support. I've heard the "Series 1 hardware can't handle HMO" argument repeatedly, and I buy that. But don't tell me that folder support would strain my machine. Series 1 owners, stand-alone AND DirecTV, both have a completely valid complaint on this issue. We expected, and should be entitled to, any and all future software upgrades that are within the capabilities of our machines. To do less is intentional abandonment by TiVo and/or DirecTV. They have the right to abandon us, I suppose. But we do NOT have to like it, and we do NOT have to shut up.

And those who can't at least ATTEMPT to understand that point...well again...your molecules are packed way way too tightly. :)

Posted by: RJsilvermann

quote:
Originally posted by mtmra70
you sure? the T and V are capatilized(meaning TV) and the 'i' and 'o' could be taken as input/output(since that is what the TiVo does)....so do I win a prize for such a great thought :D ;)

Yes ! there WAS a prize for the person who guessed TiVo meant TV input output ...

but it was already given out 2 years ago when 27 people speculated the same thing in one of the many "what does TiVo stand for " threads :D

Posted by: Okeemike

quote:
Originally posted by Ensoniq
Another issue that hasn't been explained is why Series 1 units won't be upgraded to support folders, and add "approved" network support. I've heard the "Series 1 hardware can't handle HMO" argument repeatedly, and I buy that. But don't tell me that folder support would strain my machine.

Valid thoughts, absolutely. Certaintly if my Series 1 DTivo can run a webserver, and a couple of other modules, it can handle a couple of folders. However, I think the key point here is that there is a fair amount of money to be made in selling new equipment. So, if they know that the general public will pay for additional functionality, they're going to make us pay for it.

MSFT did the same thing with upgrades to 98 and ME. Could they have provided for everyone free patches, instead they required it as an OS upgrade / replacement. (not a perfect analogy, but similar enough). People who really WANTED the upgrade to get added functionality paid for it.

I would expect DTV to support the product, but not necessarily give "legacy" owners all the bells and whistles the new owners have. (however, that'd be nice).

Don't get me wrong though, I'd order HMO in a heartbeat if I could. I'm not willing, however, to give up my dual tuners and all that other good stuff. That functionality alone beats MP3 or photo capability any day.

Posted by: PrimeRisk

quote:
Originally posted by QueenBee
Ummmmmm....... TiVoPony is the TiVo King. If he says it doesn't mean anything, it doesn't mean anything.

HA! "It's good to be the King..."

Posted by: Richard Casto

I haven't complained about the lack of HMO. I did sign the petition as I would like the option to decide. Maybe I would like it, maybe not.

I am sick of those that just want to accept the world (DirecTV, HMO or otherwise) as it is and bitch about those who try to change it. If you don't like what people have to say, don't stand next to their soapbox. ;)

Posted by: Okeemike

quote:
Originally posted by Richard Casto
I am sick of those that just want to accept the world (DirecTV, HMO or otherwise) as it is and bitch about those who try to change it. If you don't like what people have to say, don't stand next to their soapbox. ;)

Well, then it appears you have a choice:

(a) Switch to ReplayTV (who's gone bankrupt)
(b) Design your own device with the options you want, market, and sell it
(c) Switch to an SA.
(d) Do something productive, like sign a petition.

Glad to see you've chosen (d).

No one is advocating just sitting around and accepting things as they are. However, there's a big difference between just sitting around and complaining about how things are and actually have the guts to stand up and do something about it. The petition is a great idea. It's positive, it explains what we want, and flexes the muscle of the consumer.

Remember what your momma said: you catch more files with honey, than vinegar.

Posted by: tbh999

First of all...Please don't tell me what I want and don't want.

I do want:
o HMO (the TiVo type, not the medical insurance type)
o HDTivo
o A Pony
o Winning lottery numbers

However, I do not see the point at this juncture to rant and rave about being orphaned by TiVo. As a rule of thumb TiVo and DirecTV never reveals plans until they are set in stone. Additionally, SA and DirecTivo have always been on different release schedules. So I would not expect to get the update at the same time as SA, but I do expect to get something other than the shaft.

As I said, I think it's to early rant and rave, however, it's not to early to write a letter to DirecTV asking for them to consider HMO and providing ponies, also sign the petition (I have). Personally, I think that the first two items on my list will happen within the year, however, I have noticed that the odds of winning the lottery is a little lower when you don't buy tickets and we all know the problems with getting a Pony. ;)

P.S. Ensoniq I too was irritated when the lifetime subscription was dropped and the price of the subscription was lowered. At least I only paid $199 for my lifetime sub...

Posted by: Okeemike

Is there a petition for the pony?? I'd sign that one, too.

Posted by: Richard Casto

quote:
Originally posted by Okeemike
However, there's a big difference between just sitting around and complaining about how things are and actually have the guts to stand up and do something about it. The petition is a great idea. It's positive, it explains what we want, and flexes the muscle of the consumer.

Well, I hope that a number of those that are complaining on these forums have also signed the petition. If given a chance, I can't imagine that they wouldn't sign. I would guess that the number of signatures on it is larger than the number of "compaint" posts here. Who knows if the petition will actually help. I probably can't hurt.

These forums are also a place for like minded people to commiserate. So I don't fault people for that. Even if it means a lot of posts about a feature that some people could care less about.

Also, a number of people are used to the fact that to some degree TiVo pays attention to what is said here. We don't know if DirecTV does the same (most likely not at all). But there are reports that TiVo and DirecTV are talking about the HMO option for DirecTV.....

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-v...threadid=110882

Maybe some of the bitching here has given TiVo some ammo to say "Listen, people are bitching to us about the lack of HMO via DirecTV, can we work something out?". Or this same bitching has reached DirecTV directly somehow.

Posted by: Richard Casto

quote:
Originally posted by Okeemike
Is there a petition for the pony?? I'd sign that one, too.

I had a pony once but they sold it.

I was probably just a few years old, my great grandfather had passed away and they had an estate sale. My Dad took me and he said.. "See that Pony... it is yours". I guess my great grandfather had left it to me or something. But they ended up selling everything at the sale. At the end of the day I asked my Dad where my Pony was. He told me that they had sold it. :(

I still give him a hard time about it to this day. :D

Posted by: Okeemike

quote:
Originally posted by Richard Casto
I had a pony once but they sold it.

I was probably just a few years old, my great grandfather had passed away and they had an estate sale. My Dad took me and he said.. "See that Pony... it is yours". I guess my great grandfather had left it to me or something. But they ended up selling everything at the sale. At the end of the day I asked my Dad where my Pony was. He told me that they had sold it. :(

I still give him a hard time about it to this day. :D

Same thing here. I was probably 4 or 5, and this "rich, eccentric" family friend thought every kid ought to have a pony, so he bought me one. Well, it jumped the fence and ran loose through the neighborhood and my family and the police in hot pursuit...at 3am.

Then one day the pony wasn't there, and I had a hamster....

Posted by: MichaelK

quote:
Originally posted by Okeemike
Valid thoughts, absolutely. Certaintly if my Series 1 DTivo can run a webserver, and a couple of other modules, it can handle a couple of folders. However, I think the key point here is that there is a fair amount of money to be made in selling new equipment. So, if they know that the general public will pay for additional functionality, they're going to make us pay for it.

MSFT did the same thing with upgrades to 98 and ME. Could they have provided for everyone free patches, instead they required it as an OS upgrade / replacement. (not a perfect analogy, but similar enough). People who really WANTED the upgrade to get added functionality paid for it.

I would expect DTV to support the product, but not necessarily give "legacy" owners all the bells and whistles the new owners have. (however, that'd be nice).

Don't get me wrong though, I'd order HMO in a heartbeat if I could. I'm not willing, however, to give up my dual tuners and all that other good stuff. That functionality alone beats MP3 or photo capability any day.

curious-

if thats you logic than how do you explain the apparent lack of a 4.0 upgrade (without HMO) for the hdvr2's? Or maybe just a patch for those folks to fix the audio issues that some folks seem to have?

so the hdvr2's dont exactly have the best support.

nor does dtv appear to even be trying to make the new boxes have added functionality (At least at the current time...)

Posted by: bidger

I commend you for taking action Jeanne. I don't have a problem w/ people starting & signing a petition so they can make DirecTV aware of what they want. It's the people who go overboard & , as the OP suggested, WHINE about being DirecTV w/ TiVo subscribers that p*** me off. HMO or not, there's still a HUGE gap between being a SA user & a D-TiVo user. It's not rocket science.

I bought my SA in Oct. 2000 & found out through these forums about the combo boxes. I found out the Lifetime service I bought for the SA was non-transferable. So, I had to ask myself as an existing D* subscriber if it was worth it to take the step. I decided it was & went ahead & ordered the Hughes unit. I felt the benefits outweighed the sacrifices. I don't regret that decision. I see a similarity here. Do you want unadulterated TiVo software w/ no input from an outside company? Then you need to pick up a SA TiVo unit. If you don't feel like giving up dual tuners, DD5.1 capability, etc. then as an existing D-TiVo customer, I would think you're right where you want to be.

Posted by: SteakMan

quote:
Originally posted by Ensoniq
Another issue that hasn't been explained is why Series 1 units won't be upgraded to support folders, and add "approved" network support.

What makes you think they won't be upgraded? DirecTV has said nothing of the kind. In fact, 3.1 isn't even a year old.

-SteakMan-

Posted by: tbh999

To the best of my knowledge the SAs and DirecTivos have NEVER received software updates at the same time, never. The architecture of the machines are different and the software is NOT interchangeable. This is why I said in my last post that I think it's to early rant and rave.

Write DirecTV, write TiVo, write your congressman! If enough people say they want it, and if TiVo can demonstrate to DirecTV that there is a real market for it, then it will come.

Posted by: mikesweeney

quote:
Originally posted by Okeemike
BUT WAIT! The standalones can't:

(*) Record two shows while watching a third

how does one achieve this? if you only have two satellite inputs, how can you watch three different channels?

Mike

Posted by: tbh999

Record two shows while watching a third recorded show.

Posted by: bidger

Watch a recorded show while recording on both of the dual tuners is what I think he's hinting at Mike. Three shows at once.

Posted by: mikesweeney

ahhhhh, now that makes more sense....

I bought one for my parents, I'm trying to convince my dad to add the extra line....

Mike

Posted by: bidger

You can justify it by telling him the extra input would take care of any conflicting shows he & the missus want to record. Plus tell him that while watching live TV he can hit the down arrow to change tuners whenever a commercial comes on. It's definitely worth it.

Posted by: Dan203

quote:
Originally posted by mtmra70
you sure? the T and V are capatilized(meaning TV) and the 'i' and 'o' could be taken as input/output(since that is what the TiVo does)....so do I win a prize for such a great thought :D ;)

Nope, because I made that same observation 3 years ago and was also told I was wrong. :)

Dan