Entry tags:
TiVo questions
So here's a question to the TiVo users in the audience (I know there are a bunch of you out there):
I've got a Panasonic DVR that I'm quite happy with -- the UI suits me, it's got a big hard drive, it makes it trivially easy to burn stuff to DVD, and it doesn't attempt to be smarter than I am. It has only one drawback, but that's a *big* drawback: it only deals with two-digit channel numbers. Given that my cable actually has tons of channels beyond 99 (including all of the premium stations), that's a real limitation on what I can record. This is particularly an issue as I contemplate the second season of Rome, which is going to happen eventually.
So I'm idly curious about whether a TiVo would do better. Specifically, while I think I'd leave the Panasonic in place, I'm thinking of replacing the seldom-used VCR with a TiVo. That would allow me to hard-drive multiple shows at once, which is occasionally necessary. I think it would be worth it *if* it deals with the things that the Panasonic doesn't.
So the questions are:
1) Does TiVo deal properly with three-digit channels? (I suspect the answer is yes.)
2) Will a TiVo control my cable box? This is nearly as important, because the premium channels have to go through the cable box to get decrypted. The VCR (and, indeed, the Panasonic) has a "cable mouse" attachment that will change the channels on the cable box when needed -- does the TiVo have something similar? (This, I'm less sure about.)
Information about these questions (or suggestions of alternative ways I could configure a system that does what I want, including some device other than a TiVo) is solicited from unimind...
I've got a Panasonic DVR that I'm quite happy with -- the UI suits me, it's got a big hard drive, it makes it trivially easy to burn stuff to DVD, and it doesn't attempt to be smarter than I am. It has only one drawback, but that's a *big* drawback: it only deals with two-digit channel numbers. Given that my cable actually has tons of channels beyond 99 (including all of the premium stations), that's a real limitation on what I can record. This is particularly an issue as I contemplate the second season of Rome, which is going to happen eventually.
So I'm idly curious about whether a TiVo would do better. Specifically, while I think I'd leave the Panasonic in place, I'm thinking of replacing the seldom-used VCR with a TiVo. That would allow me to hard-drive multiple shows at once, which is occasionally necessary. I think it would be worth it *if* it deals with the things that the Panasonic doesn't.
So the questions are:
1) Does TiVo deal properly with three-digit channels? (I suspect the answer is yes.)
2) Will a TiVo control my cable box? This is nearly as important, because the premium channels have to go through the cable box to get decrypted. The VCR (and, indeed, the Panasonic) has a "cable mouse" attachment that will change the channels on the cable box when needed -- does the TiVo have something similar? (This, I'm less sure about.)
Information about these questions (or suggestions of alternative ways I could configure a system that does what I want, including some device other than a TiVo) is solicited from unimind...
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i think so... i hav eacomcast cable box. the tivo is jsut downstream of thecable box, and changes teh box's chanels with these little IR thingies.
i heart my Tivo itis a series 2. i have heard both good and bad things about the series 3 it is wicked new.
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Yes, TiVo has a cable mouse.
Yes, TiVo Series 3 (just out) no longer needs a cable box at all -- it accepts two CableCards for local decryption, and can then record any two subscribed channels at once while playing a recording back.
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See, TiVo used to be my favorite company, but for the past three years has been steadily removing functionality from my box. You used to be able to skip forward in 30 second chunks; now, you have to enter a "cheat code" to enable that functionality. Things like that. The latest go-round was introducing software to "expire" old programs that you don't watch within a particular period, according to the broadcaster's wishes; not nice. Also, for no discernable reason the UI is getting slow as toast, when it used to be quite sprightly.
Other than that, it's a great product.
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Another tradeoff: privacy
Re: Another tradeoff: privacy
Re: Another tradeoff: privacy
Re: Another tradeoff: privacy
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re: 30-second skip
Re: 30-second skip
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I rent a DVR box from Comcast for between $5-10/month (depends on the current special). That's less than a TiVo subscription and I don't have to pay a few hundred for the initial hardware.
My DVR does everything that TiVo did when I first signed up for it (um... somewhere between 12-18 months ago). A quick glance through their webpage shows a few new features, but nothing to convince me to switch (I only watch TV in front of the TV, for example).
So, that's another option. My install fee (from Comcast) was about $20-30...much less than a couple hundred dollar TiVo box. I have a hard time spending that much when I don't have to.
re: DVR from Comcast
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