Originally posted by: jpeyton
What exactly is so incredible about TiVo's interface? Is it all eye-candy, or something useful?
With the Comcast box, I scroll through the listings TV Guide-style, hit the Record button once to record a show, or hit is twice to setup a series recording. I'm not sure how something could be more direct or simple than that.
It's not the eye candy. For something as simple as creating a series recording it is a huge pain on the comcast box compared to TiVo.
First you have to dig deep to search for a show by name. Then after you've gotten to the screen with the 5 boxes of letters above, you have to scroll through the alphabet one by one. By comparison TiVo looking for a show in 1 level deep from the main menu and gives you an onscreen keyboard to search for shows.
Other little things, off the top of my head. If I'm watching a 2 hour recorded show but want to jump to the middle (tivo provides hash marks every 30 mins so you press the -> key and it'll jump to the next hash mark). My comcast box does not have that, I have to sit through fast forwarding.
Many actions require many more button presses on the comcast, for example deleting shows on a TiVo is a 1 button affair from the list (clear).
The show Guide won't let you view prior to the current time. Useful say when it's wednesday and I want to start a series recording off a show that aired tuesday. Comcast I'd have to go to the next week.
Not to mention TiVo starts recording different shows on it's own depending on the shows you record or rate.
All of this is based off my experience with the series 1 box. I'm sure they've improved the interface on the latter boxes.
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