[wbmccarty]

Here's a quickly considered attempt to measure the relative user satisfaction with the R15 in a somewhat novel fashion. The results might be interesting. Or, they might be GO as in GIGO (garbage in, garbage out). What can I say? The idea had some face validity at the time....

QUALIFICATIONS and ASSUMPTIONS

Please vote in this poll only if you can put yourself (in reality or in your imagination) in a situation in which you and your significant other share a two-DVR residence in which only one of the two DVRs is an R15. The type of the other unit does not matter except that it cannot be an R15. In particular, the name of the other DVR need not match the regular expression "^[Tt].v.$".

You should also be willing and able to assume the following:

1. You and your significant other have had the DVRs long enough to be well acquainted with their pros, cons, and quirks.
2. You have been the primary user of the R15 whereas your significant other has been the primary user of the other R15.
3. You are the resident geek.
4. The technical skills of your significant other are mildly challenged by the daily task of correctly and efficiently operating the kitchen toaster.

The QUESTION

Now, please respond according to what would probably ensue if you swapped DVRs with your significant other, so that your significant other becomes the primary user of the R15.

 

[Clint Lamor]

Seems like this pool is geared only towards getting rid of the R15 and nothing more?

 

[carl6]

Well, I can almost qualify. My wife uses the R15 and I use both an R15 and a Tivo. I know for a fact that if I swapped them and gave her the Tivo that I would be relegated to the doghouse, simply because it is so different and she has no tolerance for techno changes.

She actually loves the R15.

Carl

 

[wbmccarty]

Seems like this pool is geared only towards getting rid of the R15 and nothing more?

I'm unsure how you draw that conclusion. Can you help me see what you're seeing?

Certainly, that wasn't what I was thinking. I suspect that some SOs might prefer the R15 interface to that offered by other DVRs. And, I included some responses that I thought would capture that possibility.

Also, according to the rules nothing is "gotten rid of." The DVRs are merely swapped. What I'm getting at is that our opinion polls generally indicate personal satisfaction. I'm curious whether that may differ from spousal (or, "SO") satisfaction. If that turns out to be so, I'll propose other questions that try to home in on the reason.

In terms of background, I'm one of the remaining few members here who continue to have serious reliability problems with the R15. The bottom line is that I'm trying to better understand how those who are happier than I see things. At one point, I could put the differences down to differences in the way the R15 is used. But, now, too many people seem too happy for that pat answer to fly.

Actually, when my second replacement R15 arrives in a few days, I'm hoping to join them. But, that fact goes somewhat beyond the scope of the survey.

The real reason for the the poll may be that, following a reset of my R15, I have no backlog of programming to watch. So, I'm rather bored. A poll sounded like a good idea. But, I admit there've been quite a few lately. Speaking of which, did I ask whether it's time for a poll on polls?

P.S. So far, I'm seeing just what I thought I might see: Some SOs are (projected to be) happy with the R15. Among other possibilities, this excludes the situation in which the R15 user is doing complicated workarounds. I may be alone in finding this interesting. But, I certainly do <g>. My own wife would be really upset with the R15 and me. Under the assumptions given, I think that the difference almost has to be intrinsic to the R15 performance itself rather than mere personal preferences. I haven't yet managed to get my mind around the wide range of performance we're seeing.....

 

[wbmccarty]

Well, I can almost qualify. My wife uses the R15 and I use both an R15 and a Tivo. I know for a fact that if I swapped them and gave her the Tivo that I would be relegated to the doghouse, simply because it is so different and she has no tolerance for techno changes.

She actually loves the R15.

Carl

I suspected that exactly that might be true in some cases (see my reply to Clint, whose query I answered before yours). I'm curious how many.

Thanks!

 

[Wolffpack]

Well, all polls miss something. My answer is " I wouldn't consider the swap". But I voted the divore option. She's already told me not to put the R15 anywhere else int eh house. Now it's been deactivated and going into storage.

 

[wbmccarty]

Makes sense to me. You're off scale on the unfavorable side.

Since you recently put the R15 down, so to speak, your experience would be especially interesting to me at this point, even if OT WRT this thread. Did you do at least one hardware swap? Is it your best guess that your ongoing problem was software-related? If so, what's your best explanation for the relatively high current state of user satisfaction? Or, am I reading the satisfaction polls wrongly?

P.S. At one time, I thought that I had both too many SLs (25 or so) and overly active SLs (probably at least 10 recordings/day). But, in my new set up I cut way back and had, if anything, even more serious problems. The only trigger I can identify is use of the Search->Title function. Presumably, there were others, including some I haven't read about here.

 

[Wolffpack]

Makes sense to me. You're off scale on the unfavorable side.

Since you recently put the R15 down, so to speak, your experience would be especially interesting to me at this point, even if OT WRT this thread. Did you do at least one hardware swap? Is it your best guess that your ongoing problem was software-related? If so, what's your best explanation for the relatively high current state of user satisfaction? Or, am I reading the satisfaction polls wrongly?

P.S. At one time, I thought that I had both too many SLs (25 or so) and overly active SLs (probably at least 10 recordings/day). But, in my new set up I cut way back and had, if anything, even more serious problems. The only trigger I can identify is use of the Search->Title function. Presumably, there were others, including some I haven't read about here.

I put My R15 in the closet as it's not as reliable as my other units (Dtivos) and I really had only been using the R15 to see if/when the problems were worked out. I can honestly say right now that I don't think the R15 will ever have it's problems fixed. If after 14 months you can fix software bugs they are either a) not fixable, or b) the company you work for won't devote enough $$$ to fix it. There's no other answer in my mind to why the R15's problems still exist.

Now, in all fairness my Tivo units are concerning my tonight. Something seems amis from the mother ship and I'm also looking into that. Believe you me, I'm not a tivo hugger. I just like a unit that works. If my Tivos stop working, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm going to be the loudest voice on that side of the fence.

 

[Clint Lamor]

I'm unsure how you draw that conclusion. Can you help me see what you're seeing?

Certainly, that wasn't what I was thinking. I suspect that some SOs might prefer the R15 interface to that offered by other DVRs. And, I included some responses that I thought would capture that possibility.

Also, according to the rules nothing is "gotten rid of." The DVRs are merely swapped. What I'm getting at is that our opinion polls generally indicate personal satisfaction. I'm curious whether that may differ from spousal (or, "SO") satisfaction. If that turns out to be so, I'll propose other questions that try to home in on the reason.

In terms of background, I'm one of the remaining few members here who continue to have serious reliability problems with the R15. The bottom line is that I'm trying to better understand how those who are happier than I see things. At one point, I could put the differences down to differences in the way the R15 is used. But, now, too many people seem too happy for that pat answer to fly.

Actually, when my second replacement R15 arrives in a few days, I'm hoping to join them. But, that fact goes somewhat beyond the scope of the survey.

The real reason for the the poll may be that, following a reset of my R15, I have no backlog of programming to watch. So, I'm rather bored. A poll sounded like a good idea. But, I admit there've been quite a few lately. Speaking of which, did I ask whether it's time for a poll on polls?

P.S. So far, I'm seeing just what I thought I might see: Some SOs are (projected to be) happy with the R15. Among other possibilities, this excludes the situation in which the R15 user is doing complicated workarounds. I may be alone in finding this interesting. But, I certainly do <g>. My own wife would be really upset with the R15 and me. Under the assumptions given, I think that the difference almost has to be intrinsic to the R15 performance itself rather than mere personal preferences. I haven't yet managed to get my mind around the wide range of performance we're seeing.....

It's just how it sort of sounded to me. With my S.O. it honestly doesn't matter, she uses our R15 our SA Tivos our HR20 all without hassle. Actually she was rather mad
one night when the SA Tivo missed Gilmore Girls but luckily I had recreated that one on the R15 in the bedroom a few days before since the SA Tivo was being moved to another room to make roomfor the HR20.

She had told me at one point that she thought the Tivo was very slow, but then again it's a first Gen Series 2, my other S2 and original S1 are mothballed for right now.

Hey this sort of brings to mind a CES release I saw last night, what do you think of Digeo releasing the Moxi DVRs for general sale now? Probably not a factor for DTV but could cut into some of the SA Tivo market. I always wanted to try it out, thought it looked very nice.

 

[wbmccarty]

Hey this sort of brings to mind a CES release I saw last night, what do you think of Digeo releasing the Moxi DVRs for general sale now? Probably not a factor for DTV but could cut into some of the SA Tivo market. I always wanted to try it out, thought it looked very nice.

Tuesday is my dawn-to-midnight workday, so I'm totally in the dark on CES, etc. I'll try to catch up Wednesday.

Cheers,

BTW, the poll does seem to be loaded in the sense that there are 3 "negative " but only two "positive" categories. But, I don't think that should affect the polarity of responses. The results have now turned quite a bit more negative than I anticipated. I really don't understand this....

 

[BattleScott]

Option 1, mainly because she would snap and her behavior would become unpredictable...

truthfully, we have had the 'other DVR' and i fully expect that she will one day smash the R15 with a rock. If i don't beat her to it.
I am running out of time with the 'they say there is an update coming' line...

 

[papa_azteca]

I have used a standalone TIVO and D* TIVO before and my wife hated the GUI since day one. Even when we dumped the SA TIVO and only used the D* TIVO she complained about missing the program when setting up a SP, how slow the guide was, pre-folder times. We received the R15-500 due to my D* TIVO's modem failing out. I was a little concerned about the interface but my wife really enjoyed it. Many of the features she wanted were in the R15. We had it for over a year before we had to have that one replaced, again because of the modem (it stopped making monthly calls to D*) and received an R15-300. No big differences.

Incidently, I upgraded to an HR10-250 when we purchased our HD TVs. She was mad, and I am putting that as politely as possible. It was many "But honey, look at the HD picture" and "I don't care about HD! I want to record my shows like I have been!" That's how I got an HD TV in the bedroom.

 

[Wolffpack]

I have used a standalone TIVO and D* TIVO before and my wife hated the GUI since day one. Even when we dumped the SA TIVO and only used the D* TIVO she complained about missing the program when setting up a SP, how slow the guide was, pre-folder times. We received the R15-500 due to my D* TIVO's modem failing out. I was a little concerned about the interface but my wife really enjoyed it. Many of the features she wanted were in the R15. We had it for over a year before we had to have that one replaced, again because of the modem (it stopped making monthly calls to D*) and received an R15-300. No big differences.

Incidently, I upgraded to an HR10-250 when we purchased our HD TVs. She was mad, and I am putting that as politely as possible. It was many "But honey, look at the HD picture" and "I don't care about HD! I want to record my shows like I have been!" That's how I got an HD TV in the bedroom.

Okay, No disrespect, but that's simply someone that can't/has no intention of learning anything new. With those folks you say "yes dear" and do whatever they ask....or you say "tough nuggies", this is what we're doing, learn how to record you shows the new way.

Honestly, if you dump HD because "I want to record my shows like I have been" she needs her own units, in her own room, not connected to your HDTV.

After all, who's wearing the pants here? :lol:

 

[ApK]

Voted the couch.
Pretty close situation to us in reality. Suffice to say that when the R15 was in service, everytime my wife used it, she'd comment about how much she loves the Tivo. She would not be happy if I gave her the R15 as her primary DVR.