The TiVo 9.2 software update for Series3 and TiVo HD boxes enables the new Rhapsody music service and support for external hard drives. If you've got a Series2 box, the latest software version is still 9.1, but that'll be good enough to get you the Rhapsody service.
Honestly, I'm not really sure why TiVo doesn't just push out the new software all at once. Sure, a phased rollout makes sense if you want to use your customers as a huge pool of beta testers. The early adopters can report problems which can be corrected before the wider public gets the software update. But there are no warnings on the priority update page, which would indicate that you're really just letting TiVo know that you're aware the new software is available and that you'll be grumpy if you don't get it soon.
[via TiVo Blog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-19-2007 @ 3:21PM
Elias said...
This is the priority page for 9.1 not 9.2.
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10-19-2007 @ 4:05PM
Dave Zatz said...
Elias, check out the text. It's been modified to also include 9.2. I don't imagine they planned to release 9.2 so close to 9.1. Figure it's gotta be the bugs...
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10-19-2007 @ 4:56PM
MegaZone said...
Elias - it is for both. It used to be for just 9.1, but they reworded it and if you read it now you'll see it is for 9.1 on S2/S2DT and 9.2 on S3/HD boxes.
Brad - The phased releases do a couple of things.
1. It keeps the server/bandwidth load spread out, as opposed to trying to do all the boxes in a day or two.
2. Sometimes serious issues *can* slip through testing and not show up until deployment. Ramping up over time gives them time to catch such issues before it hits the entire user base. Sure, it isn't great for those who got it early, but it is better than having everyone suffer.
The Priority page is just a nicety for dedicated TiVo users. Since only users active online - those who read the blogs and forums - find out about it, it is a little reward to them for being more 'hardcore' about TiVo to be able to get the updates sooner.
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10-19-2007 @ 8:25PM
Elias said...
I swear I looked and it only said 9.1. Looking at it now it does say both. I'm thinking I need to invest in a new pair of glasses. : )
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10-20-2007 @ 12:36PM
Michael Maggard said...
As above, one reason is server load & bandwidth.
It’s a lot easier (& cheaper) to send out 10,000 updates a day for a few weeks then 250,000 in one mass update.
The second reason is support calls.
Every time an update is sent out some small percentage of machines will fail. It’s almost never the ‘fault’ of the update but some irreproducible combination of new file / bad spot on the hard drive / cosmic radiation / geese enroute somewhere. So spreading out the updates helps keep the support lines from being hammered.
And yes, the third reason is any minimizing any bad rollouts.
TiVo’s worst nightmare has to be sending out an update that bricks some (or all) of their products–badly enough they can’t be fixed automagically/remotely. Even for just 1% of their customers would be huge problem.
Heck, not even bricking 1% of their customers–somehow substantially making things worse in some way for even 1% of their customers would be a PR disaster.
So going slow, in combination with the other reasons given above, is their only sane strategy.
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