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[Table of Contents]
Introduction
What you get out-of-the-box
About your PTV
What it costs
Live TV buffering
Television listings
Recording and scheduling
Space management
The quality/space tradeoff
Input sources
Navigation
Miscellaneous features
Service and updates
Hey, this is a lot of money
History

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Home
Classic chart
Egotron

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One of the cooler features of PTV is how it keeps up to date. It uses your phone line to call up big brother and download software updates, new television listings, changes in the channel lineup, and more. This "and more" part also has some people concerned with privacy. Your PTV unit may be capable of automatically detecting and integrating new channels when your cable or satellite provider adds them ("automatic lineup changes").

Feature ReplayTV TiVo
Phone call Every night or when user forces connection (unofficially, using 243-Replay Zone); phone number may not be local; stutter dial tones (i.e., voicemail alert) will cause problems. Ethernet-supporting models may use broadband internet connection instead. Every twenty-four hours or so (not necessarily at night) or when user forces connection; phone number may not be local; disconnects if on pick up or call waiting; call waiting disabling; message beep ignore; prefix dial
New software releases Downloaded and installed automatically; note that discontinued models will probably not receive any new features in software, only bug fixes (if any) Downloaded and installed automatically; note that discontinued models will probably not receive any new features in software, only bug fixes (if any)
Messages/Alerts Central messages screen lists connection status, recording conflicts, changes in channel line up, etc. Separate screens for phone call status, changes in channel line up, unit information, messages/announcements, and others. Recording conflicts presented in popup dialogs.
Privacy Usage preferences and viewing habits collected anonymously; See Privacy Policy. Usage preferences and viewing habits collected anonymously; you may request a "block" on this collection. See Privacy Policy.
Automatic lineup changes Yes. New channels are visible by default. Yes. Changes are noted in the messages mailbox. New channels are hidden by default.