TiVo, Inc is expanding their pool of beta testers for the upcoming fall software release. Series2 owners can drop their service number in a hat and hope for inclusion. While this is an open call, the information about the beta cannot be discussed publicly. So, I better get the speculation and reporting out of my system before I go under the non-disclosure agreement…
First and foremost, I expect the slowdown issue seen on certain units (including mine) will be addressed. Secondly, the whispers tell me WPA is coming to the TiVo-branded wireless adapter. Last but not least, I fully expect to see better organization in the Music, Photos, & Spam area — including a dedicated TiVoCast menu. And just maybe, TiVo will surprise us with video on demand.
In my limited experience (with a single TiVo-branded Series 2), the slowdown issue was something about the 7.3.x update the munged my network settings. When I disconnected my wireless USB adapter, the slowness also disappeared. When I changed the WEP key on my router and reconfigured the adapter, the slowness stayed gone. Odd thing was that during the slowdown period, in no way was my ability to download programming guide info or transfer shows via TiVoToGo affected.
The upcoming dedicated TiVocast menu has already been announced. If you go to a TiVoCast program in the Showcases menu you are told that you can’t subscribe/unsubscribe from the TiVo for the time being, but after the TiVoCast upgrade you’ll be able to access TiVoCast programming at TiVo Central/Find Programs/TiVoCast
I want:
– The slowdown improved
– The fast vanishing channel bar I configured
– The Tivo to stop periodically freezing up
– Deletes to always work
– TTG transfers to complete instead of getting an error near the end
– Tivo Desktop to launch quickly and without repeated hangups/popups
– TTG conversions that don’t take 24 hours+ per 1 hour show
– Folders for TTG on the Tivo
– Improved speed for the TTG PC display on the Tivo
Video on Demand from Amazon Unbox would be very nice.
MR transfers of shows that are being recorded would be nice
Automatic conversion of AVI shows on the PC to MPEG-2 format as the content is streamed to your Tivo would be very nice.
“Automatic conversion of AVI shows on the PC to MPEG-2 format as the content is streamed to your Tivo would be very nice.”
When I spoke to VP Jim Denney a few months back for Engadget, he alluded to that sort of functionality… since they’ve already licensed these codecs with TiVo Desktop Plus, rhetorically asked what else might they do with them.