A while ago I finally got my first HD TV. To go along with it, for my birthday I got a Series 3 HD TiVo. This thing doesn’t hook up to the cable box like the old TiVos, but rather uses CableCards instead of a cable box. CableCards are provided by the cable company and are plugged into the TiVo to serve in lieu of a cable box.
Overall the CableCards work great – no latency when switching channels, great picture. However, I’m a big UFC fan and I’m known to order Pay Per View events from time to time. Would I be able to order PPV’s without the cable box? I admit I hadn’t fully thought this through before getting the TiVo. I searched around on the internet, but didn’t find a convincing answer either way. Here’s what I found out when I just went ahead and tried to order an event (I live in Atlanta, BTW):
- Called Comcast first to ask if I would be able to order the PPV even though I had CableCards and no Box. I knew I couldn’t do it using the on-screen menu, but I thought maybe it would work if I called. The rep I got said “no” because CableCards don’t support two-way communications and therefore it wouldn’t work. She didn’t sound that convincing though.
- I rigged up an older smaller TV to a cable box and tried to order it on there. I had some trouble so I called Comcast again (this time a local number). This guy said that the benefit of calling in (vs. using the on-screen controls) is that you should get the event on all of your TVs. If your order through the box, you only get it on that TV/Box. Thanks dude.
- Once the event came on, I got curious and went to see if it was coming in on the new TiVo TV. SURE ENOUGH IT WAS. “Excellent” I thought – this will work out just fine, and I started recording it and working on dinner (it was a replay).
- Then, all of a sudden, I looked up and saw that the paused screen had gone blank and a little bubble popped up saying something to the effect of “the copyright owner says you are no longer authorized to view this content.” Wow, this is utter bullshit.
- I fast-forwarded a bit and saw the picture resumed. I inferred that you’re allowed about one-hour of lag time and then the content disappears from your TiVo. No warning, just gone.
- When I later looked in my “now playing” list, the recording never even showed up. Vanished. No evidence that I had ever tried to record it.
So I didn’t realize that these new-fangled fancy-pants TiVos are in bed with the content providers like that. I have to admit it’s kind of unsettling. And it sucks that I now can’t watch PPV’s on my time. Hopefully this post will be found by others like me who have a similar question and you’ll at least be able to make an informed decision. TiVo & Comcast, if you’re reading, this sucks!