When I put up my first two posts/pleas for technical help on this site I get zero responses. But when I post my love letter to my cableco PVR, of which I don't particularly care about responses, I get them. Go figure. In any event, I'll respond to the guy fighting ignorance since 1973 since I think his quest is noble and I want to help him from straying. Serously, I hope this adds not detracts from the information available out there.
(1) Regarding the ATI PVR card not working through cable boxes being pure bullshit. I have the AIW 9800 Pro (which incidentally I think, on balance, is pretty great too). It was quite a shock to me. Anyway. This fact doesn't actually require a debate to ascertain its truth. Buy the product and try it. Or if you want to save some time CALL ATI! It's not like they pretend it does. They'll tell you it won't or go to
http://www.ati.com/products/faqs/guideplusfaq.html where they bury the following Q=A: "
Q6: How do I install a cable box to watch/record premium channels?
A6: GUIDE Plus+? for Windows® is not compatible with cable boxes. However GUIDE Plus+? for Windows® can still be used to view show listings for premium channels. "
Just to be clear its the ability to select a show off the Gemstar guide and set the card up to record that you can't do (what I consider the PVR functionality). You can still run an S-video cable out from the cable box into the ATI card and WATCH TV and MANUALLY RECORD. However, all you are doing is using the card to watch TV on the computer. You no longer can use the guideplus and set up programs to record, which is the whole point of a PVR for me. Yes, you can still pause live TV, which is kinda cool. And yes, you can manually start and end recording which is not unimportant either.
I just think it should have been something you are informed of before you buy not be surprised after.
If you have found a way around this it would be nice if you informed Gemstar and ATI so they can tell their customers how it works.
(2) As for the cableco not being available to the general public. There were two themes from my post. First, this particular PVR available here and now is amazing. (And if you don?t think someone can duplicate TIVOs ease of use and intuitiveness then you haven't used this box. )
Second, it just brought home the larger issue that IN MY SOLE OPINION the cable companies have figured out a much better pricing structure and are in a better position to sell the PVR service. And they figured out its a service not a good. TIVO can't seem to decide so they charge for both. Won't work beyond early adopters. Anyway, if its not available in your area then obviously it is not an option today. However if it is available as it is, in my case, for the 1 million plus members (my total guess as to how much of the buildings T-W has verse RCN and other options) of the general public living in Manhattan who are hooked up to time-warner (I dont know if RCN has a PVR box yet) its a no-brainer if you want a PVR. And its not really a matter of whether its cool or better or worse than TIVO. I assume there will be a leapfrogging back and forth among various manufacturers of the PVR box -- so what! I'll refer you back to my original thread as to why I believe the cableco has a far superior revenue model and ability to sell the product. Let the market decide! And if you want to see the market deciding skip down to 23rd and Madison to the t-w outpost and you will find people lining up (I do not exaggerate this) to trade in their old converter boxes for the new converter/PVR box this when t-w will come to your house and install it! People are going down to the office to save time (and the install fee
) I seriously haven't seen such interest in a product in some time. Another point I forgot to mention. When buying from T-W unlike ReplayTV, there is ZERO concern about whether T-W will be around or not (and I dont mean from the standpoint of whether T-W/AOL survives in its current form -- I mean it simply doesnt matter. Take any scenario and at the end of the day the cable service continues on whether in the hands of T-W or someone else.).
(3) Lastly, I dont think this is really relevant to whether the cableco PVR box will appeal to you but since it seems to matter to some (and I dont disagree in principal that you can fairly discount advice in direct proportion to the financial interest of the advice-giver), I dont work for AOL/T-W although I'm sure there are many interesting jobs there and obviously smart people since they came up with this killer product! As a result of this post I hereby appoint myself (without T-W knowledge) a T-W unpaid PVR evangelist! Ironically though through my tiny sliver of GE stock I actually have a financial interest in TIVO (through NBC, I believe). Of course, if TIVO would give me a free box and future improvements free and drop the monthly fee below T-W and require no time commitments and come over and install it and come back and fix or replace it if it breaks then I will probably dump the T-W product and move to TIVO. I think the big concern for TIVO and its Board has to be the ease which T-W (and someday your cableco) can get to the customer and offer the product.
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