S3 Tivo Released, first set of reviews.

I am such a TiVo addict that I would be first on line for the S3... but it does not support multiroom viewing or transfers yet. It seems that they were afraid that they would incur the wrath of the cable cards gods and not get certification if they included those features.

I would also have to finally bite the bullet and get an HDTV.

 

I am a TiVo lover as well, but without TivotoGo the S3 its a no deal for me.

 

Yep. We're TiVo addicts too. But we're never happy with what comes out of the box. We have to hack them too. Explains why we have 1 1G TiVo and 2 2G TiVo's and a 1G ReplayTV.

Lately, we have been experimenting with Beyond TV. Not bad... And since we always have extra parts lying around, it's easy for us tohave a computer hooked to each TV in the house. That and the ability to record 2 or 3 shows at a time as well as watch live TV on a different channel really has made it worth tinkering around with...

 

I built a KnoppMyth box to supplement my Tivo almost two years ago. It gives me HD recording (three channels) and complete flexibility over the software. It's a hack to begin with, so hacking it is no problem! KnoppMyth is awesome if you want to try MythTV. http://mysettopbox.tv

 

I love TiVo and have a 2G unit with lifetime service. But I don't think I will take them up on their "generous" offer. They sent me an e-mail that I could switch my service to this new unit for only $199, they fail to mention I would also have to spend $800 on the box. It is hardly worth it for me to spend $1,000 just to get HD recordings. These things will drop over time. I think I'll live with plain digital cable quality for now, and just buy a separate HD recorder later for a lot less money. $1,000 for HD now way, I can download the shows in HD off of bittorrent for free.

 

For all those that have cable, why not just opt for the cable provided service, DVR? The monthly service fee seems negligible compared to what you guys are quoting for tivo. I don't know much about the differences between the two so don't start yelling at me for asking an ignorant question.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Sep 14 2006, 12:30 PM) [snapback]319546[/snapback]</div>

I'm too spoiled by TiVo. I have 3 boxes. Two have lifetime service and I'm paying $6.95 a month for the third. I have limited experience with the cable companies DVR boxes, but I did not like the performance of the ones that I have used. I'm technically proficient so I have dabled in the do it yourself DVR world, but my non techie wife can't live without the TiVo at this point either. The problem with selling a TiVo it's really hard to sell unless you have experienced it. My favorite feature that the cable boxes don't handle is being able to log on to a web site and schedule a recording. I was in line at a Costco once and remembered that I a show that I wanted to see was going to premiere so I was able to schedule it from a web browser in my PDA.

I wish more cable companies would by the TiVo software or make it an option as a premium box like the satellite people did for a while.

Another thing that people don't seem to remember is that the initial TiVo models were $999 and $1299. When it dropped to $300 is when I hopped on board. My third TiVO was a reconditioned one purchased for $49 after rebates. $799 is the full manufacturers suggested retail. It won't stay at that price forever.

 

i didn't want to invest all the money for tivo and at the time (and maybe it's still true) i would've needed an extra phone line to install. my problems with cable dvr have been:

-if a show airs late and ends late, dvr isn't "intelligent" enough to know this. I have no idea if tivo is either.
-sometimes it gets stuck. it gets stuck in a loop where i can hit play a hundred gazillion times and it will keep rewinding or fast forwarding. very annoying.
-you can only record one show at once.

all in all, i still appreciate the technology and enjoy having it.

 

The newer Tivos look neat but we have no plans to spend the money to buy one. Our S1 20 hour Tivo from January 2001 is still chugging along nicely. The lifetime service package was a real money saver for us. The day our Tiivo dies will be filled with much wailing and gnashing of teeth on my part, I'm sure.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(philwojo @ Sep 14 2006, 02:48 PM) [snapback]319624[/snapback]</div>

Ditto, did the same thing with my 40 hr S2 upgraded the HD a while ago.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Sep 14 2006, 01:49 PM) [snapback]319593[/snapback]</div>

I have had to do the initial install of TiVo for friends who only have a cell phone and no landline at home. After the initial they can connect it to their network for all further updates. I think the latest ones have the network support already installed so the phone line isn't needed.

TiVo isn't aware of shows ending late. The main problem with that is that there is no real way for the networks to communicate a last minute change in schedule such as a sport event going into overtime. To compensate, TiVo has allowed you to add padding to the start and end of a show. If there is something that I don't want to take any chances with, I can tell it to start recording a specific number of minutes early and end late.

I have seen that lag in response to a cable DVR's remote remote causing you to overshoot whre you want to be again and again. I think TiVo's responsiveness to fast forward and rewind can't be beat.

And as for recording multiple shows, that is depends on the model of TiVo. I pull off multiple shows with multiple TiVo's and then transferring the shows between them. The hard part it coordinating them all at the start of a new season.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Sep 14 2006, 01:49 PM) [snapback]319593[/snapback]</div>

FYI: Here are the instructions on various hacks (including installing larger HD for series 1)
http://cruftbox.com/cruft/docs/tivoupgrade.html

We have 3 tivo's and constantly transfer shows between them. We receive via sat, not cable, so will be passing up on the series 3. I'll give it time to work out some of the kinks, as well as drop in price. A fellow Prius owner forwarded some links to articles about how tivo will soon be preventing fast forwarding of commercials and will be inserting commercials when you fast forward.

Any thoughts about this?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(M Smith @ Sep 14 2006, 10:03 AM) [snapback]319457[/snapback]</div>

I have BeyondTV, and there are some great features. I wish, however, that they would get season pass...or at least list the episode numbers. I can't tell which order it goes in if it is played out of order since the only thing I have is the date recorded.....oooh wait just realized a good use for that original air date field.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(philwojo @ Sep 14 2006, 02:48 PM) [snapback]319624[/snapback]</div>

We've never run into problems with the Tivo having to delete shows because of running out of room so we haven't needed to do this yet. If (I guess when) it dies, we might have to consider replacing the HD rather than buying a new machine. I'm one the kind of person who is content to drive around listening to static-y stations on the AM dial so the newer Tivo features are cool but not a necessity for me. My husband, on the other hand, would really like a newer box.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nyconrad @ Sep 14 2006, 02:41 PM) [snapback]319666[/snapback]</div>

Any thoughts about preventing the fast forwarding of commercials....is this what you mean? Thankfully, my cable dvr doesn't prohibit this. There are some 1/2 hour shows that when fast forwarding thru commercials are reduced to 9 minutes of viewing time. This proves to be very efficient for my time. I'm too embarassed to say which show........well, ok, it's wheel of fortune.

If you were asking my thoughts about the hacks, you're talking to the wrong gal. I'm mechanically inclined, not technologically inclined.