The TiVo Fall update that dropped yesterday had a little somethin-somthin hidden under the hood. Netflix is now up and ready; HD content included. So far I’m impressed. The interface is TiVo-familiar. High-def content queues up almost instantly verses the Xbox’s near-almost present lag. Picture quality is good- not great, but good.
Three things though, TiVo.
Label HD content. As far as I can tell, there isn’t anyway to identify high-def content until it begins to spool up. Most titles it’s obvious but it would be great to have a little HD logo somewhere on the home screen.
Higher quality HD. 720p is cool and well appreciated, but 1080p can be done. Do it. Make it an option that if the bandwidth is available, use the higher quality. Currently the 720p stream downgrades to 480p during network slowdowns, so why not implement the higher quality. The Series 3/HD boxes playback .MKV files proving the hardware is there. Quality.
More content. People have been screaming for this ever since the first Netflix streamer, but the cry is louder now that the service is on almost a dozen platforms. The TV shows are great and are the backbone of the service, but we need more movies. Get more of those and add more HD content, TiVo.
More thoughts to come.
I got the Fall Update this weekend but no Netflix. I assume they just turned it on this morning or they are staggering the roll-out to TiVo users. I can’t wait to try it out. This will be a huge win for TiVo!
At least two of the things you mentioned – 720p vs. 1080p and selection – are completely out of TiVo’s control. Those are determined by Netflix. All Netflix HD streaming is 720p, they don’t have 1080p available at all. 1080p requires 2.5x the bandwidth of 720p for the same image quality. Otherwise you have to compress 1080p *more* to get it into the pipe, and the end result is a *lower* quality image and viewing experience. You’re better off with a higher quality 720p signal and a good upscaler (and the one in the TiVo is pretty good) than a lower quality 1080p signal compressed to hell and back.
As for flagging content as HD or not, I don’t know if that’s in TiVo’s power or is also controlled by Netflix. If there is some DB flag to identify HD content TiVo could use that to toggle a UI element.
TiVo should make this service available to all customers despite the TiVo box. HD-quality should only be available to those boxes equipped to handle that content. But most Netflix content is not in HD and therefore could be viewed on any of the TiVo hardware.
I have a Series 2 so I will not get to enjoy this service despite my subscription to both services. And in an economic downturn like this, purchasing/upgrading to a higher-end box is the last thing on my list. And so, I’ll just have to continue to stream my NetFlix movies via my computer. (Although, I hope they get the native Mac app for NetFlix streaming out soon.)
Its a good idea for both companies but TiVo seems to have missed the mark a bit since the majority of their customer base is on a Series 2 and most of their revenue comes from the service rather than the hardware sale.
The problem is not SD vs. HD, it is the codec. TiVo has no choice. Netflix uses the VC-1 codec for all of their streaming, SD and HD. The TiVo Series2 cannot decode VC-1, it lacks the hardware. It will never be compatible, period. Only the Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL have hardware that can decoded VC-1. So there was no decision not to support the Series2, it wasn’t even an option.
You can always pick up the $99 Roku box to get Netflix on your TV.
Good points made, just want to add that you can also watch netflix HD on your xbox 360 if you have xbox live. Because I just purchased a TiVo HD I’ll be canceling my xbox live subscription. Who has time to watch so much great TV AND play games online?