Tivo Dumb.


Hi
I've purchased Tivo thinking that I could use it instead of renting a cable box from TimeWarner cable, but was apperently placed into the very dumb situation that made me look like I'm dumb.

It only decodes a small portion of HD channels out of large number provided by the cable service. Having trying to reach Tivo customer service I was told to go here there up'n'down to read some of their activation gibberish and stuff and several reps would say that I have to contact my cable provider. Poor cable techie came to my place twice and spent nearly 3 hours each to investigate the issue and I've gotta give him and the company credit for that trying to swap card, swap decoder and still nothing worked. Than I've asked him to bring his own cable box instead of Tivo and it opened all of the HD channels that I'm suppose to get -- BINGO BOOM! Now I have a grounds to pressure Tivo and started throwing some arguments that it works with cable box but doesn't with Tivo and finally figured out that I have to activate and pay an ADDITIONAL $15/mo to decode HD channels and some further dump features that I would rarely need ever.

So have I've been fooled to purchase unit that is useless without additional activation and $15/mo service or I haven't? It realy doesn't make a sense for me to double my payments for same digital cable services. the same additional $15/Mo will give me rental of cable company box that does the same job without paying fo the unit at all.

All I wanted to purchase is pure cable box or two to decode HD channels, but instead Best Buy fooled me with that usless Tivo.

Appreciate your thoughts and input.
128x128marakanetz
The thing that doesn't work for me is that by using the Tivo box instead of the cable box, he doesn't have access to pay-per-view or on-demand, services that I consider much more useful than DVR!
That's no longer true, at least with Comcast. The latest TiVo boxes do get Comcast on-demand (not sure about PPV, but I think so). TiVo also gives direct menu access to Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, Amazon, YouTube and other video services.
Marakanetz,

You come across a an old guy who can't adapt. A DVR stops you from being tied to TV schedules and allows viewing anytime YOU want to. No more missed shows.

I have a lifetime subscriptions on two of my boxes. Wherever I go and however long I have the boxes, I never have to pay a monthly fee again.
Not that I can't adapt but don't want to and don't need to. My budget isn't for lifetime subscriptions definitely and I'm not too devoted nor frustrated missing shows. There are so many channels on TV that the day I want to watch I'll always find something and I don't really need lots. Sports prefer to watch live and if I miss an important game, I would most-likely read about it rather than watching it recorded. PayPerView sports events I like to watch at the bars that would have small cover of $10 instead of paying $50 per event + getting social and outdoor.