>"No random passerby, tradesperson, delivery driver, ever had their phone's mobile hotspot turned on and unsecured...."

I suppose that is possible, if the TV were really that obsessed- trying all the time, while also ignoring the "off" setting.

One option is to buy a commercial signage display [bhphotovideo.com] which are still more like "dumb" displays. "

That is overkill. Just buy whatever TV you want and never connect to it a network. I bought a high-end Samsung and have been enjoying it for years. It has never been connected to a network. And no, there is no "open"/insecure WiFi network in range of the TV. So if it is collecting anything, it doesn't matter. "Smart" stuff should be separate and replaceable. I have a non-networked blueray player connected, my Linux desktop system, a TiVo, and a Roku Ultra. TiVo has no microphones or cameras. Roku has a mic only on the remote, yet no reports of that being an issue, and no cameras. Linux, well, that is, of course, safe.

I literally use my TV as a display monitor. Even sound is external, like it should be, using a nice audio/video amplifier and many great speakers for actual 5.1 surround. Not the fake crap you get with TV speakers or "sound bars".

Reply to self:

>"And I guess I can believe you are using TE3"

Obvious typo, that should read "TE4"

>"Every place I look and ask says all Suggestions and Thumbs Up/Down were shut down in 2023."

It apparently was for TE4.

>"My TiVo hasn't had it since 2023."

Then you are probably using TE4. I am using TE3. Why it would still work with TE3 and not TE4 makes absolutely no sense to me at all. I suppose the functionality is completely local with TE3 and somehow they needlessly "cloudified" that function with TE4. I intentionally never switched to TE4 on my Roamio because I hated that user interface. Bolt cable version (not OTA version) can also use either, as well. But Bolt OTA and Edge was/is TE4 only.

>"I guess I can believe you."

And I guess I can believe you are using TE3

>"And don't call people assholes."

Normally I don't. But re-read what you posted to me and tell me it wasn't needlessly insulting! But (in your words) "I guess I can" apologize for that...

>"Whatever, you might seem to think it works, but it was shut down in 2023."

Don't be an asshole. I have used TiVo for decades. I know exactly how suggestions work and use them all the time on my TE3 Roamio. You are accusing me of either being an idiot or lying, and neither is correct. I suspect you don't even know what TE3 or TE4 is. So think before you post.

Suggestions was shut down for TE4. Not for TE3.

>"Nope, it doesn't work at all anymore. TiVo discontinued Thumbs Up/Down and Suggestions in early 2023."

Mine records suggestions, every day.
Mine thumbs up and down work fine, every day.

According to my information, only TE4 (Edge) was affected. Mine is a Roamio. I am using TE3. So your statement isn't technically correct. Apparently they discontinued it for TE4 only. I didn't even know that (since it doesn't affect me).

What are you talking about? Thumbs up/down has always and still works fine. That is how you rate programs.

>"By stopping ads, analytics scripts, tracking pixels, and other third-party requests from loading, the browser has less network traffic and less work to do."

Then why is the comparison not to Firefox with UBO loaded? Otherwise, it is completely unfair. I guess you could argue that it is fair because Firefox doesn't bundle UBO.... but I think having a choice as to IF you want to run something like that and WHAT ONE you want to run is even more important.

Besides, I don't want to use a Google-guts browser, which is what Brave is. If I *HAD* to use such a browser, it would probably be Brave. But I don't have to, so it will remain Firefox.

>"Do a venn diagram and "TiVo owner" and "@aol.com email address" probably have a lot of overlap"

Have you actually ever used a TiVo for an extended period? Or are you just ignorantly casting aspersions?

Streaming still does not replace all that TiVo does very well, especially if you follow lots of series. I suspect most TiVo users today do stream as well and are very familiar with its up-sides and down-sides and yet still keep and use the TiVo for very valid reasons.

>When the FCC nixed the requirement for offering CableCards, Tivo with any cable subscriber basically became a useless brick."

That mandate drop was 4 years ago. Cox still supports TiVo, for now (and by "support" I mean, it works, with the cable card and tuning adapter, even though it is only 720P and all they ever want to do is try to get me to rent their brand of crappy DVR). Will this continue under Spectrum? Who knows. If not, it is at that point I will decide to try and deal with their crappy non-TiVo DVR, or just drop cable TV completely.

Reply to self. Oh, here is the actual Email:

Weâ(TM)re reaching out to let you know about an upcoming change to SkipModeâ, the functionality on your TiVo DVR that lets you automatically skip commercial breaks on select recorded TV shows.

Beginning November 2, 2026, the current version of SkipMode, using the Skip Button on your TiVo remote, will no longer be available. You will still be able to skip commercials manually using the 30-second skip (â'I) and Fast Forward (â-ïZâ-ïZ) buttons on your remote.

We are also excited to share that in November we will be testing a new Premium Auto Commercial Skip add-on service. Youâ(TM)ll have the opportunity to try the service for free for 30 days and decide if it is right for you. After the 30-day trial period, you will have the option to opt in and add it to your TiVo account for an additional monthly fee.

For now, no action is required. Before November 2, 2026, we will send additional details about the free trial, pricing, and how the new service works.

Thank you for being a TiVo customer.

Sincerely,

TiVo Customer Support
www.tivo.com/support

That function should still be available/effective. I don't use it much, though.

>"Wasn't this single feature half the reason you use TiVo in the first place?"

No. That was a feature added many years after the start of TiVo. It is not necessary, nor does it even work on half the recorded content. The skip feature is a single press to jump through the commercial section, you always have the option to just zoom through the commercials manually. I have not watched commercials for at least 35 years- first by recording painfully with VCR, then conveniently with several models of TiVo (my last/current being the Roamio).

>"The other half is just being able to record the show and watch it whenever you want."

That is one of many features (of course it is the base function of any DVR). The killer feature of TiVo is its ability to learn what you like from your recording and ratings and then

1) Accurately track and record every episode of everything you want with zero intervention. It will shift the schedule or even channel if necessary, across year after year. And do it intelligently so you don't end up with 10 of the same episode.

2) Predict other shows you might like and fill the rest of your storage with many hundreds of hours of things you might want to watch, so there is always something to watch and discover. Yet those recordings never rob space from anything you indicated are important.

And I have yet to see any cable company's DVRs do those. Probably due to patents. Doesn't matter anyway, time is ticking and the whole concept of cable TV is dissolving and I will be left with nothing but "streaming", which is still currently inferior in several ways, and not likely to improve. (And streaming on a TiVo is a mess of slow and annoying. For streaming, I use a Roku Ultra).

>2000 called It want's its Tivo back. Who still uses a Tivo? Who even still has a cable service to hook it to?"

I do. It is a much, much better experience than "streaming". And I do have to pay quite a bit for cable TV service, which sucks. I expect it won't be long now before I am forced off.

Yep, I got the Email yesterday. Unfortunately, I wasn't shocked. TiVo was sold to another company and they are going to start trying to squeeze customers for more revenue as they become less relevant. But I am not going to pay extra for the feature I have had for many years. Besides, the skip function only works on less than half the content, anyway. It isn't difficult to zoom through commercials manually.

I didn't want to move to the "new experience UI" either, because it is just like all the streaming devices with their HUGE graphics and crazy navigation. The old UI is much easier, faster, and logical. Thankfully, there was an option to keep using the old UI. But I don't think the newest models allow that.

I love my TiVo, but I expect it will be my last. I don't want to use the new UI, and the cable company has ALWAYS been extremely hostile to TiVo equipment/owners. Having to use a "tuning adapter" is stupid and has caused issues over the years. And several years ago, cable-card users got banished into 720P only mode for ALL channels now. Now add Cox being just bought by Spectrum and I am guessing it will only be more hostile and expensive in the future.

And yes, I completely understand the utility and limitations of streaming services. I have a Roku Ultra. Streaming has its own problems and frustrations as well. It is not a better experience than using TiVo nor is it a drop-in replacement. Especially when it comes to finding and tracking things I want to see.