Bargain-Priced TiVo HD Arrives

Looks like TiVo has followed up on its promise to deliver an HD-capable DVR that's a bit cheaper than the $800 Series3 model. Available next month, the TiVo HD will record up to 20 hours of HD programming (or 180 hours of standard def) for a much more reasonable price of $300.

The TiVo HD lacks the THX certification on the pricier Series3, and the hard drive is considerably smaller (the Series3 can record 32 hours of HD shows or 300 hours of SD programming), but otherwise most of the must-have features are here. You can record two shows at once while watching a third (provided you can get a couple of CableCARDs from your cable provider), and you get HDMI, component, S-Video and composite video outputs (along with an optical digital audio port).

Nod bad for $300, but keep in mind that monthly TiVo rate plans still apply: monthly plans range from $17 a month for a year-long contract to $14 for a three-year commitment, or you can pony up to $300 in advance for a full three years.

I have to admit that with the new low price, I'm giving the TiVo HD a serious look myself (currently, I'm suffering with the buggy Scientific Atlanta 8300HD provided by Time Warner Cable in Brooklyn), but something tells me that coaxing a pair of CableCARDs from Time Warner could be a time-consuming process. Anyone out there have any stories/advice?

Related:
Product page [TiVo]