Pros: Intuitive user interface. Partnerships with Netflix, Youtube, and Amazon. Robust program listing.
Cons: I have heard that their customer service can use some help.
The Bottom Line:
Highly recommended with the 1TB hard drive upgrade and lifetime subscription if you do NOT subscribe to cable or satellite. It won't work with satellite anyway.
kfong99's Full Review: TiVo HD 180-Hours Video Recorder
Background: I was a Tivo user with a lifetime subscription service when the series 1 unit came out. I use off-the-air program content and am reluctant to subscribe to cable or sattelite services. When digital and HD content became available off-the-air, I gave my Tivo to my brother and switched to a Sony HD DVR (60 hours of HD capacity), which featured "TV Guide online" a free TV listing service. It was okay, but you get what you pay for and the Sony user-interface was not the most efficient. At that time, it was a better value than what Tivo was offering. In 2008, I learned about the Series 3 Tivo which had HD capability...HD was not a new capability, but the Series 3 had a lower pricepoint. But the main new feature that sold me was its ability to stream video-on-demand to the TV. In my case, to stream Netflix 'instant watch' videos to the TV (instead of viewing it on the PC.) Now I realize Netflix 'instant watch' content is not as complete as their normal DVD selection, but I like where this business model is heading. And back to the lower pricepoint of $300 for a low-end HD unit (vs $700 paid for the older Sony 600-hour HD unit), there are many options to replace the original Tivo drive to 1TB for around $140, either through internal SATA or external USB...this upgrade will give you a capacity of 157 hours of HD recording time (1368 hours SD recording time.) So the overall hardware cost ended up to be less than the Sony, but with superior capacity now. BUT now you need to add the cost of the subscription back in. In my case, I went for the lifetime subscription for $300, which I think pays for itself after 2 years.
Tivo HD Review (20 hours HD capacity, 160 hours SD capacity): This unit is the same as the Tivo HD XL but with these exceptions: XL offers THX certified sound, XL has 1TB hard drive (150 hours of HD capacity), a nicer backlit version of the remote control. Neither of those were important to me and I thought it was a better bargain to just buy a 1TB harddrive on eBay for ~$140 to bring the unit up to 157 HD hours. This review will be written for those who are already familiar with Tivo, but will be sensitive to newcomers...but I am presuming that the reader already has a basic understanding of what a DVR is. This review will not cover the specs since it can be viewed here:
User Experience: For those of you who used Tivo before, the user experience is about the same in terms of how to get things done, but with some improvements. For those who have never used Tivo before, you should find using the device to be fairly intuitive...almost not requiring the manual. Overall, there are many ways to get a particular task done, so you will most likely end up with whatever is most comfortable/convenient for you (e.g. setting up a 'season pass' can be done via several methods.) I really like how the "Main" button can be the launching point for just about everything you will do on a regular basis. It is not difficult to get around once you hit "Main".
Better Organization: One of the first things that I noticed (and liked) was that recorded programs now show up in folders if you are recording a series. This way, you do not have a messy list of programs. There are also lots of sort options (by title, date, etc.) to make it easier to find things according to your style. By default, your most recent recordings will show up at the top of the list. In short, I am able to get to my recorded shows quite fast.
Dual Tuner: Another nice feature is the dual-tuner, which allows you to record 2 different channels simultaneously (even while watching a recorded show.) Some of the higher-end DVRs out there offered by cable/satt providers boast 3-4 tuners. Thanks to the dual-tuner and larger hard drive space of the newer series Tivo, the unit seems to be more aggressive at recording 'suggested shows'. You could come home and find a folder filled with shows you may or may not like. Tivo veterans will know that they need to use the thumbs up/down to tell Tivo what you approve and disapprove of. You can also turn off the 'suggested' recording feature.
Recording Limits: A question that always comes up is, "how do I know how much space I have left on my Tivo?". In short, the unit does not tell you how much space you have left because there is a lot of 'gray area'...do you count the space occupied by 'suggested shows' or 'deleted shows'? But you generally should not have to worry about running out of space without adequate warning...it will delete what it deems to be unimportant (such as the suggested shows) when the space is needed. In general, newly recorded shows take priority if you are running out of space, and something old will be pushed out.
Overall performance: I have not experienced the delay problems reported by other reviews. Most of the delays I experience are associated with the video-on-demand services (getting there and waiting for the stream)...but nothing excessively long. I have had to reset the unit a couple of times, but this was during a setup/installation phase...I have not had to reset the unit since.
Playback function: I have no complaints with playback, and I really like the ability to program a '30-second jump' to breeze through commercials one-at-a-time.
Playback quality: SD and HD quality is the same as broadcast quality according to my eyes...it's fine but there is nothing much to comment. I have not noticed any pixelation from processing delays associated with older DVRs...but you should not expect this from any new DVR these days. Actual resolution will probably depend on the quality of your monitor.
Recording programmed shows: There are many ways to select a show for recording...the simplest way is to go to the TV listings guide and hit the record button when your show is found and selected. At this point you have the option to add a season pass, which will record the show in the future even if the schedule changes. The better way to find a program for recording is to use the search feature, especially if your intended show is several days away (it can take a long time to get to the show if you use the listing.)
Online programming: One of the most convenient features of the newer Tivo series is the ability to schedule a show when you are not home. There are also at least two nice online options to record a show: 1) Yahoo TV (account required), or 2) Tivo online (you should have an account by the time your unit is acitivated). Both of these sites are very simple to use; however, I found that the Yahoo TV service had a longer range of shows going into the future (an extra 1-2 weeks looking forward.) Both of these services will e-mail you to confirm if the scheduled request was accepted by your unit.
TV Listings Guide: This is the main reason you are paying a subscription fee. Granted, "TV Guide Online" is free, but I feel that the more premium service offered by Tivo is worth the money, especially if you consider the lifetime subscription. The Tivo listing service is more robust and dynamic...they seem to be on top of schedule changes, and I have not never seen a data blackout. I have seen several blackouts with "TV Guide online"; however, it fixed itself after a few days. You cannot operate Tivo unless you subscribe. The listings guide by default will list shows in chronological order downward; however, I prefer the other setting which pivots the display along the horizontal axis...for me, a horizontal listing display is just easier to read and navigate. I really appreciate this format option.
Netflix streaming: Netflix has the ability to stream their content to your TV via a wired connection (LAN cable required) or wireless connection (Tivo wireless adapter sold separately and wireless router setup required.) I use the wireless option. Once you queue you selections on Netflix, the selections will also show up in your 'video on demand' menu in Tivo (usually within a few minutes, or after forcing a refresh.) Playback of Netflix content (including HD) is okay, but the sound can use some improvement. Because the content is streamed, the show is not stored on your Tivo. What this means is that you will not have normal random access (scanning) ability as with a DVD or recorded show. For example, when you fast-forward, you will see a preview window of where you are in the program. When you stop the forward scan, the window disappears and you need to wait a few seconds for your buffer to catch up to the new time point. It's decent.
Tivo Desktop: Tivo desktop is free software that can be installed on your PC. I used this software to stream music and photos to my TV as well as to archive shows from the Tivo onto my PC's hard drive (if you ever need to free up space on your Tivo hard drive.) The transfer speed from the Tivo to your PC is about the same time as it would take if you were actually watching the program...so I would do this as a background operation.
Other unusual features worth mentioning: - can order Pizza with Tivo - can play internet radio (not a new feature) - can stream music and photos from your TV - can view free YouTube videos and other video on demand services such as Netflix, Amazon, and Disney
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