shahine.com/omar/

I have been using your new fangled High Definition PVR with two tuners for a few months now. Let me tell you, this is the buggiest piece of consumer electronics I have ever used (note: this is the version with the TV Guide Software, not the Microsoft Foundation). I can't believe that you are making me pay to use this device as it does not function most of the time. Here is a list of my complaints:

1. Every so often, the devices forgets that I get ABC in high definition and proceeds to record shows like Alias in Standard Definition. To correct this I must delete the recording, and create a new one. Of course I'd rather hurl the box from the window before going through the 20 step process to do this.
2. At least 3 times a week, the box records a show for 0 minutes, 5 minutes, or 49 minutes, but not the full hour. The box has no idea that it did this.
3. At least once a week, there is no audio that comes out of the box, so I must powercycle it. If it is recording something, I must wait for it to finish before being able to powercycle and hear the audio.
4. If I use the power on/off feature of the box, 99% of the time, there is no video or audio when I turn it back on. I need to start a pre-recorded show then go back to live tv
5. The UI is HORRIBLE. Who designed this software? It sucks.
   1. Adding a new recording is like a 20 step process.
   2. Anytime you make a mistake you have to start over
   3. None of the controls for the PVR (to go to the recorded TV list and start a show) work from the on demand application
6. The box can't deal with some really basic conflicts
7. I have no way of knowing what shows I actually watched from the recorded TV list
8. Your box didn't even handle Daylight Savings time correctly. It updated a day late!!!

It's truly appalling what a buggy product this is. If TiVo shipped this product back in 1999, they would have gone out of business in their first year. It's amazing that 6 years later, you have produced a product that is 100% worse than TiVo or Windows Media Center. This box is so unreliable, that I cannot count on it to be anything fancier than a dual HiDef Cable box. I actually have to watch the shows I really care about when they are on TV.

One day, I hope to have support in my Windows Media Center box for CableCard so that I can go back to my trusty and reliable Windows Media Center to record TV. When that day comes, it will be a joyous one. I cannot wait to call you up to come pick up this box.