Anyone got a TIVO or other PVR?

shrap

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Does anyone on this forum have a TIVO or other personal video recorder? How do you like it? Are they user friendly? Do they "suggest" shows well? Are the listings accurate?

I currently have two computers that are set up to capture TV, but their user interface is quite poor (Gemstar Guide+). They're also large, loud, and crash sometimes. One of them is in an enclosed shelf (bad, bad idea) and during the summer it tends to overhead.

Perhaps their saving grace is that they have huge hard drives, are upgradable and modifiable, are multi-use, can edit video, and can burn shows onto VCD (or DVD when I get the money).

How do consumer versions compare? How does the Microsoft Media Edition computers compare?
 

James S

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2 Tivo's here. One with the DirectTV option built in and one older one. I can't live without them, they are great. I have had exactly 0 problems with either one, the listings are accurate (or at least have been for everything I've been interested in) I don't use the recomendations stuff much at all. I have it turned off on one of them after it started recording "sewing with Nancy" every afternoon for me... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I don't know how people have children and not have a TiVO. I have all my daughters favorite shows on tap at any given moment and yet I am not driven by the television schedule and have to watch whatever crap is on TV when we need a half an hour of a break from playtime.

Honestly, I can't recommend TiVO enough. The older ones you can extract the video from, they haven't hacked into the new ones yet I don't think. But you can upgrade the hard disk in any of them, there are companies that sell them all formatted and setup for you and you just dro it in. You can have 2 160 gig drives in them if you like, that will hold a lot of movies! TiVO also gives me a good feeling since they run a linux varient behind the scenes. Thats not really important to the day to day operation of the thing, other than it actually does keep running day to day!

Do some reading at:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/

The people there can answer any question you have about it, or feel free to contact me via my email if I can answer specific questions.
 

star882

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"Does anyone on this forum have a TIVO or other personal video recorder? How do you like it? Are they user friendly? Do they "suggest" shows well? Are the listings accurate?

I currently have two computers that are set up to capture TV, but their user interface is quite poor (Gemstar Guide+). They're also large, loud, and crash sometimes. One of them is in an enclosed shelf (bad, bad idea) and during the summer it tends to overhead.

Perhaps their saving grace is that they have huge hard drives, are upgradable and modifiable, are multi-use, can edit video, and can burn shows onto VCD (or DVD when I get the money)."
I have an 800MHz P3(with Radeon 7000 graphics) running Windows 2000, I can watch HDTV with it, I was even able to save HDTV to disk in real time(I only have 2x 20GB HDs, so it only gives me about an hour and a half of recording time, but it's HDTV).
 

tvodrd

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I have 2 Panasonic Showstoppers. I *think* it uses Tivo's programming, but the lifetime cost was included with purchase. I have had one over 2 years, but have had to call tech service 3 or 4 times. As to utility, can't beat it.

Larry
 

robk

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I've got 3 DirecTivo's (I think they refer to them now as Directv PVR powered by Tivo). They are all series 1, fully hackable - install larger hard drives, extract video and burn to DVD, etc. The ability to control what you watch and when you want to watch it is priceless (actually it's $4.99/month). I have a Turbonet ethernet adapter in one of them that allows the use of TivoWeb and fast video extraction over my LAN. It will change the way you regard TV - once hooked, you will never go back to normal TV.
Yes, the guide (on a DirecTivo) is accurate and complete. Wishlists and Season Tickets are unbelievable. As far as suggestions, they stink - they pick a lot of stuff that you have no interest in, at least for me. Well worth the money, but they have short warranties and are prone to breaking. I had to replace a power supply in one of my Hughes, replace a fan in my Philips. Maybe the series 2 are more reliable?
Rob
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

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tvodrd, do you mean you got the DTV/Tivo satellite service-for-life contract? If so, how much was it?
 

tvodrd

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TedtheLed,
I don't know if Panasonic makes them any more. Every night it "dials home" (some local server) to update its 7 days ahead channel listings. Like robk says, its ideas of what you might like are useless, and ignored. You can set it to "record all episodes," or just single events. For instance, last night I tuned in to a SciFi channel movie an hour after it had started recording, and watched it from the beginning while it was recording the end. I have "basic" Dish Network which I pay annually for a source. I ignore Dish's listings. robk is right, you will be hooked /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Larry
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

Guest
tvo, thanks alot for the info. I am very interested - I am getting really crazy over the noise of the commercials..it has an editing feature to eliminate commercials doesn't it? Or a 'nstant 30 second, or 60 second skip button, right? That's what I really NEED! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
This is your sentence that I guess i msunderstood - ".. Tivo's programming, but the lifetime cost was included with purchase...." -

I heard that there is a deal where you buy a lifetime subscription to DTV (everything) for life, and it's a very good deal..anyone know of it?
(guess I'll try to contact dtv, eventually..)
 

robk

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For combined DirecTV and Tivo units (DTV DVR), they stopped selling lifetime subscriptions. It's $4.99 per month for PVR service unless you sub to Total Choice Plus or greater, then it's included. I pay about $90/mo and that's without premium sports and locals. About skipping commercials, you can program the unit to skip 30 seconds every time you hit the "jump to end" button. This works only on recorded shows, or my favorite, select the channel - walk away for 15 minutes - "rewind" back to the start - watch from the beginning and skip thru the commercials.
If you're looking for a deal, there are lots of dealers who offer free or very low priced hardware with free installation if you commit to a year contract. Try orbitsat.com or americansatellite.com, the deals vary from month to month.
Rob
P.S. The series 1 DirecTivo's are *very* hackable. Read a bit at dealdatabase.com
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

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Thanks rob..oh I am beginning to see the light and it's green..you guys are saying you have to pay for the privilege of hooking up the Tivo to your cable or satellite?There is some special signal that's sent just for the Tivo, and one pays monthly for it? It's not like just hooking up a vcr..heh?
 

robk

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Basically, you're paying a monthly fee for guide information. I don't agree with it, but that's how they structured it. All in all, it's well worth the price once you learn to use the full functionality of the unit.
Rob
 

StanTeate

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Time Warner/BrightHouse Networks is testing a Scientific Atlanta version of a PVR. I believe they are currently available at some Cable subscription offices. These PVR's record well & have 2 tuner's so you can watch on one tuner and record on another. Lot's of output options. Try contacting your local cable provider to see if they are available in your area or search the internet.
 

tvodrd

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Mine doesn't have a programmable fast fwd. Each hit of the FF button doubles the previous speed. I hit it 4 times at the start of a commercial, and hope I don't overshoot. The nice thing is at actually displays at 16+ X speed. (of course, then there is reverse for when you were really watching. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif) Typically, I can watch a 1 hour show in 45 min. I've heard of people who never watch anything in real time.

Edit: Probably belongs in Cheers and Jeers, but DirectTV ripped me off!- They offered a major rebate on the receiver and dish for pre paying a year. I got mine at radioShack. Half way through the year, they demanded more money for the previously included 7 movie channels. They were class-actioned and settled. I had previously been driving a GM pick-up. I now drive a Dodge, and will never purchase anything again from GM(/Hughes/directTV) again as long as I live! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Larry
 

Gransee

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We had a old model 1 that we upgraded to the directivo model 2 back at the first of the year. Loving it! Of all the tivos, the directivo is the best bang for the buck in my opinion. It is the only one with 2 tuners, and we use them a lot.

The suggestions work well for us. Merri and both know how to tweak its mood. It often grabs programs we didn't know about but find interesting.

It saves us a lot time by allowing us to watch our programs whenever we want and not have to sit through commercials.

One of the top purchases we have ever made.

Peter
 

robk

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tvodrd- the 30 second skip is programmed on the remote of a Series 1 DirecTivo.

"To set you need to be watching a recorded show, press select play select 3 0 select. Repeat to undo it. (->! button becomes 30 second skip)"

Quote taken from a Dealdatabase forum message.

Stan- All DirecTivo's have dual tuners so you can watch one while recording another show, or record two programs and watch a previously recorded show.

Rob
 

lux0

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"I have an 800MHz P3(with Radeon 7000 graphics) running Windows 2000, I can watch HDTV with it, I was even able to save HDTV to disk in real time(I only have 2x 20GB HDs, so it only gives me about an hour and a half of recording time, but it's HDTV). "

What kind of HD capture card do you have?
 

LitFuse

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If you have DirecTv, but don't have the integrated Tivo reciever, you are really missing out. It will change the way you watch tv forever . I have one of the original series 1 Sony units that I upgraded myself with a pair of 120 GB drives for a total of 225 hours of recording time. I have the entire series ( 9 seasons ) of Seinfeld episodes on it and still have room for over 100 hours of movies! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

There is a reason that people who have TiVo become evangelists for the service, it really is that good. It's kinda like broadband internet access, once you try it, there's no going back!

Peter
 

robk

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[ QUOTE ]
TedtheLed said:
Where should I buy my Tivo?

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you a hacker or casual user?
Hacker: look for a series 1 Philips, Hughes or Sony - lots of available hacks for video extraction, lifetime sub with no phone line, etc.
User: New DTV subscribers can get deals from orbitsat.com or americansatellite.com, minimum programming sub required for a year.

If you're a hacker, I've got a Hughes series 1 with a turbonet adapter for sale, will be on ebay within 3-4 days.

Have fun!
Rob
 
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