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rasmusnet · Jul 5, 2005, 11:05 AM

Hi
I know this might seem like a silly question, but since I don't live in the states I'm not familiar with this gadget though I seem to hear about it all the time..
Is it a harddrive-recorder? And how does it work?
I hope some of you gentlemen can explain it, thanks :-)

Mastrap · Jul 5, 2005, 11:26 AM

http://www.tivo.com/

The internet is your friend

E's Lil Theorem · Jul 5, 2005, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by rasmusnet

Hi
I know this might seem like a silly question, but since I don't live in the states I'm not familiar with this gadget though I seem to hear about it all the time..
Is it a harddrive-recorder? And how does it work?
I hope some of you gentlemen can explain it, thanks :-)

Yes, it's a hard drive recorder, which comes in different sizes and prices. Basically, the device downloads TV listings through a phone line and lets the user choose which shows to record from there. As far as I understand it, you pay a monthly subscription for this service (downloading the TV listing). It also records as you watch, so you may "pause live TV." Typically, you get it bundled with either cable TV or satellite TV, but you can definitely get them separately as well.

See this for more info.

His Dudeness · Jul 5, 2005, 11:34 AM

I wonder if it works better than that POS that Cox Cable uses...

lavar78 · Jul 5, 2005, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by His Dudeness

I wonder if it works better than that POS that Cox Cable uses...

Yes.

I've had a standalone TiVo and a DirecTiVo. They're excellent.

ort888 · Jul 5, 2005, 12:29 PM

TiVo is either God's gift to couch potatoes or an evil Satanic plot to sedate the populous. I'm not sure yet.

lavar78 · Jul 5, 2005, 12:47 PM

The beauty of TiVo is that it isn't just great for couch potatoes. If you're one of those people who only watches a few shows, TiVo still allows you to enjoy them whenever you want and on your own terms. It's great for anyone who likes anything on TV.

Railroader · Jul 5, 2005, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by ort888

TiVo is either God's gift to couch potatoes or an evil Satanic plot to sedate the populous. I'm not sure yet.

TiVo is God's gift to this second shifter. I actually watch less TV with a TiVo.

karent · Jul 5, 2005, 01:13 PM

I've got DirecTiVo and love it. With a VCR you've got to be on top of the TV schedule, you've got to know if a show changes nights because of a playoff game or something and change the setting. With TiVo, you can go on vacation and it'll pick up all your shows while your gone, even it they have changed nights or something.

What would be great is if you could phone your TiVo and have it record something for you if you forgot to put it on your to do list.

osxisfun · Jul 5, 2005, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by karent

I've got DirecTiVo and love it. With a VCR you've got to be on top of the TV schedule, you've got to know if a show changes nights because of a playoff game or something and change the setting. With TiVo, you can go on vacation and it'll pick up all your shows while your gone, even it they have changed nights or something.

What would be great is if you could phone your TiVo and have it record something for you if you forgot to put it on your to do list.

you can do that via a web site. its a feature of the home media option. all you need is a broadband connection and a usb to ethernet adapter.

its works great. (you need to use a web browser not a phone. a phone would be a pain in he ass beyond belief.)

ReggieX · Jul 5, 2005, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by karent

What would be great is if you could phone your TiVo and have it record something for you if you forgot to put it on your to do list.

I can do that with my Mac and Alchemy TV card/software via email.

Oisín · Jul 5, 2005, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by rasmusnet

Hi

Hey, location twin

Amorya · Jul 5, 2005, 02:56 PM

Build your own and run MythTV - no need for monthly subscription.

Amorya

JHromadka · Jul 5, 2005, 02:57 PM

It's a hard disk recorder (also called DVR) with the best user interface, bar none. I won't even think about getting HDTV until there is a cable version of TiVo HD.

It, along with my Mac, are on my shortlist of things that I would immediately replace should they ever go south.

karent · Jul 5, 2005, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by ReggieX

I can do that with my Mac and Alchemy TV card/software via email.

Yeah, maybe, but you can't do that while sitting in a fancy mega dollar restaurant or darkened theatre.

osxisfun · Jul 5, 2005, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by Amorya

Build your own and run MythTV - no need for monthly subscription.

Amorya

or for less than the price of a mythtv and the pc it needs to run on you can buy a tivo with a lifetime sub.

not knocking mythyv... but there is something to be said for a clean simple attractive solution that does not include building a pc....

osxisfun · Jul 5, 2005, 03:02 PM

BTW:

Special onn Tivos @ lots of places including best buy and amazon..

40hr tivo for $99 and that includes 2 free months of service...

Oisín · Jul 5, 2005, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by karent

Yeah, maybe, but you can't do that while sitting in a fancy mega dollar restaurant or darkened theatre.

Well, since you aren't allowed mobile phones in most theatres, you wouldn't be able to do it your way there either

OAW · Jul 5, 2005, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by JHromadka

It's a hard disk recorder (also called DVR) with the best user interface, bar none. I won't even think about getting HDTV until there is a cable version of TiVo HD.

It, along with my Mac, are on my shortlist of things that I would immediately replace should they ever go south.

Actually the MS UltimateTV has a much better user interface than Tivo IMO. It did when it first came out and still does now. Too bad MS threw in the towel and stopped making the boxes. As for me, I'll do a DirecTivo only if my UltimateTV box ever decides to crap out on me. And then only if I can't cop a good used one off eBay.

OAW

Amorya · Jul 5, 2005, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by osxisfun

or for less than the price of a mythtv and the pc it needs to run on you can buy a tivo with a lifetime sub.

not knocking mythyv... but there is something to be said for a clean simple attractive solution that does not include building a pc....

Well, MythTV is free... and you only need a bare-bones PC plus a TV capture card. I think it's still a lot less than a TiVo.

It's not a solution for everyone, 'cos it does take some tinkering. But having the whole thing running with open source software is the ultimate in flexibility. Want DVD burning? Throw in a DVD-R and download the nuv2disk module. Want to watch streaming video? There's a module for that.

Amorya

osxisfun · Jul 5, 2005, 04:52 PM

$399 for lifetime tivo and that includes the box. a person may find a pc and a tv card etc for about the same or less but once they throw in their time then the tivo is cheaper.

I'm not saying myth is a fine solution... for people with lots of time on their hands and that like to build pc stuff its great...

I and most people just want something simple they can turn on and works and is backed by a support system in case something goes bad. (and don't want a PC fan blowing in their living room

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Jul 5, 2005, 04:53 PM

Do they have a HD Tivo?

SVass · Jul 5, 2005, 05:07 PM

Motorola has an HD dvr model 6412 used by Comcast. It has beta software by Microsoft in the Seattle area and simple software elsewhere. It does not work well yet (as is typical for Microsoft products). sam

ort888 · Jul 5, 2005, 05:07 PM

The only way to get a HD TiVo is through DirecTV. It also costs $700. OUCH!

TiVo needs to wake up and smell the HDTV coffee. They are going to get steamrollered by the competition if they don't get their act together.

nonhuman · Jul 5, 2005, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Oisín

Hey, location twin

Wondertwin powers, ACTIVATE!

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Jul 5, 2005, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by ort888

The only way to get a HD TiVo is through DirecTV. It also costs $700. OUCH!

TiVo needs to wake up and smell the HDTV coffee. They are going to get steamrollered by the competition if they don't get their act together.

What a rip off. I can get the new HD PVR from my sat provider with a 160 gig drive and output for 2 tv's at the same time for under $600 CAN.

http://www.bell.ca/shop/62129.details

JHromadka · Jul 5, 2005, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

What a rip off. I can get the new HD PVR from my sat provider with a 160 gig drive and output for 2 tv's at the same time for under $600 CAN.

http://www.bell.ca/shop/62129.details

My friends have HDTV thru Time Warner, and the HD PVR that comes with it is one of the most user-unfriendly things I have ever used. No 30 sec skip, no stepping back a few seconds when you stop fast-forwarding, and if you're watching something recorded and something new comes on to record, it exits out of what you're doing and you have to go back into the recording again.

That's why I said "I won't even think about getting HDTV until there is a cable version of TiVo HD."

FulcrumPilot · Jul 5, 2005, 08:55 PM

What should happen to threads whose parent question is answered?

Captain Obvious · Jul 5, 2005, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by osxisfun

you can do that via a web site. its a feature of the home media option. all you need is a broadband connection and a usb to ethernet adapter.

its works great. (you need to use a web browser not a phone. a phone would be a pain in he ass beyond belief.)

i wish ReplayTV had that

OwlBoy · Jul 5, 2005, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Wondertwin powers, ACTIVATE!

Form of: A DVR!

saddino · Jul 5, 2005, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

i wish ReplayTV had that

It does: http://www.myreplaytv.com

Montezuma58 · Jul 5, 2005, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by osxisfun

$399 for lifetime tivo and that includes the box. a person may find a pc and a tv card etc for about the same or less but once they throw in their time then the tivo is cheaper.

It's $50 - $100 for the DirecTV version of Tivo with $5/month for service or $0/month if you subscribe to the highest tier of programming. And that's per account not per unit. There's hardly any financial incentive to roll your own.

I'm not saying myth is a fine solution... for people with lots of time on their hands and that like to build pc stuff its great...

I and most people just want something simple they can turn on and works and is backed by a support system in case something goes bad. (and don't want a PC fan blowing in their living room

My two current DirecTivos have been running continuously for 19 months except for a few small power outages. Prior to that I had two ReplayTVs and a standalone Tivo in continuous service for two years. You just can't get that sort of reliability from a PVR built from a general purpose computer. If you're into tinkering there are plenty of cool things to dork around with on the off the shelf PVRs from ReplayTV and Tivo.

Seattle · Jul 6, 2005, 12:25 AM

I have a HTPC (SageTV), Two ReplayTVs and 9 TiVos. The TiVo is by far the favorite PVR. The HTPC has to be rebooted once every couple of days. the Replays every couple of weeks and the TiVos only reboot with software updates or power outages.

JoshuaZ · Jul 6, 2005, 12:37 AM

Only because I can.