Why should I get a TiVo?

From NLTiVo

Using a TiVo changes the way you watch television:

• You'll use your time more efficiently
• You'll never have to worry about video tapes
• You'll avoid ever having to watch commercials again

And, most importantly, you'll get the feeling that this type of product is the "right" way to do things.

Television is all about time. It takes time to find decent shows, it takes time to watch shows and it takes time to "manage" your television time. I'll explain...

Finding decent shows

There's a lot of television out there. One day video-on-demand will give us all unlimited access to all movies and shows ever created. Until then, television is a "receive only" medium. The TV stations and cable companies decide what to send us and we can choose what to watch.

Without TiVo: Finding shows typically involves reading the tv-magazine or the newspaper. There are also online services such as tvgids.nl and tvtv.nl. But how do you know what to watch? Either it's because you've seen it before, or you got a recommendation from a publication or a friend. It's then up to you to keep an eye out for when the programs are being aired (although online services can provide reminders). You then probably scribble down a note or set your VCR to record for the week ahead.

With TiVo: Your TiVo will actually recommend shows based upon your preferences. By indicating whether you like or dislike a show, your Tivo will build a profile of your interests. It then records these shows and presents them to you. As a result, rather than watching TV, you end up watching your own subset of shows that are tuned to your tastes. And they're all available instantly since your Tivo has recorded them in advance. This is a very different way of watching TV -- it's like having your own TV station with only shows you like (and others that you might want to try). Of course, it's very easy to also tell your Tivo what to record -- via the on-screen program guide, via title searches for specific shows, via Wish Lists for shows not currently airing and via traditional date & time recording.

No more tapes

Most people have figured out that recording TV to videotape saves a lot of time. It lets you time-shift your favourite shows so that you can watch What you want When you want.

Without TiVo: Tapes are limited in size, need rewinding and are difficult to manage.

With TiVo: You get a menu of recording shows on the screen and you can be watching the desired show within seconds. You tell your TiVo whether & when to delete shows and the quality with which each show should be recorded. Instant access, no mucking around. And yes, you can record while you play-back.

No more commercials

While it is easy to fast-forward over commercials with a VCR, doing it TiVo-style is vastly different.

Without TiVo: Hit that fast-forward button and watch for the show to restart. You might need to rewind if you overshoot.

With TiVo: Properly configured, you can jump over 30-second commercials with the press of a button. If there are 3 minutes of commercials, hit it 6 times. If you overshoot, hit the Replay button to go back 8 seconds. This is significantly faster than fast-forwarding. It's also easy to watch a show at faster speeds -- a 1-hour show can be skimmed within a minute. This lets you view only the parts you want, again saving time.

TiVo in The Netherlands

All of the above benefits are available via TiVo in The Netherlands. Be warned -- it is not a consumer item. To get your TiVo functional you'll need to know how to open computers, connect hard disks and make ethernet connections. Furthermore you should know how to use command-line functions to cope with difficulties. There's no customer service, no warranties and no guarantees that it will keep functioning. A TiVo should be treated as a tech toy with no promises attached.

Fortunately, there's enough information on our wiki and mailinglist to get you going and enough friendly people to help you should you experience difficulties. For about EUR 100-300 you can get a fully working system that will make your neighbours (and your VCR) jealous. That's a fair price for a system that is ahead of any product available on the Dutch consumer market. And it's a lot of fun too!