theilian

I need advice from people who use DVR.

I currently have TiVo, but I'm not entirely satisfied. The monthly fee of $14 is too expensive. (I didn't know that lifetime activation fee of $300 is for only PRODUCT lifetime.) I got phone service just for TiVo, so I would save another $10 or so if I discontinue it.
And most of all, TV image quality suffers when using TiVo.

Yet I like the idea of having TV stuff recorded to hard drive. I notice that there are a number of DVD recorders with hard disk. Any recommendation about them?

One worry about them is that lifetime of hard disk is said to be shorter than DVD recorder. I wonder if DVD recording part dies with hard disk part. And I'm also wondering if picture quality gets worse when recorded on hard disk.

Thank you very much in advance.

Josh H

Is DirectTV an option for you?

DirectTivo kicks the hell out of standalone Tivo's. It has two tuners, so you can tape two things at once, or watch one live program while taping another. On top of that the month fee is on $4.99.

Chew

Plus DirecTiVo's have no picture loss, the signal is recorded directly in digital and not analog to digital like the standalones.

Meatpants

DirecTivo

Plus, assuming DTV is an option for you, you can dump that landline of yours.

jonw9

If your HD dies, I believe you can replace it, there are places online that sell pre-configured drives (both primary and secondary). I don't know if the ID is associated to the drive, or to some hardware in the unit.

DJ_Longfellow

I use COMCAST DVR....it's GREAT, best $5/month on cable yet.

tonyc3742

I've had the Dish Network Dish PVR, a 501 and a 508, and currently have the Time Warner Scientific Atlanta 8000HD HD-DVR. I wouldn't go back to not using one.
Looked into TiVo, 14/month is too much, on top of hardware cost. The DishPVRs, one was leased, the other I won, and there was no monthly fee for them [their new DVRs do charge a monthly fee]. The TW DVR is no hardware cost, and I think 7.95/mo. or so additional for the DVR service. No add'l charge for the HD unit either [you have to pay the box fee though of course]. Very well worth it.
Two tuners, can record two things and watch one recorded thing at the same time. It's not perfect, there are some things I'd change about the UI, but I definitely get my 8/mo out of it.
Plus I'm not stuck with a piece of hardware that may be replaced by better tech a year down the road.
Doesn't require a phone line.

SoSpacey

I have an 80 hour Series 2 Tivo and I love it. I wish I had 2 tuners so I could record 2 things at once, but other then that it rules.

I like having the home media option which is not offered with a DirecTivo. I have 50gigs of music on my computer and full access to it in my living room, as well as 4 years worth of pictures. Family comes over, they want to see pics of my SF trip, viola...

I paid $300 for the lifetime service when I bought it. 23 months ago. 23 x 14 = $320 so I have already paid off my lifetime sub.

I am holding out for a HDTivo and will move this unit to a bedroom soon.

If you get a Series 2 Tivo with a network adapter, you can download the updates from your computer.

Do you have broadband at home? Wireless router?

theilian

Thanks for replies.

No, DirectTV is not an option for me. Nor is cable TV since I live in an apartment that has its own contract with a cable TV. I get a bundle of major cable channels for $25, which is a good deal.

I was wondering if there is a cheap option that allows storing TV show to hard drive and then recording to DVD.