Bargain-Priced TiVo HD Arrives

Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:33AM EDT

See Comments (53)

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?

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Comments on Bargain-Priced TiVo HD Arrives

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  • 6 Posted by briantyndll on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    Nice of you to post a free commercial for Tivo in your editorial content...

  • 7 Posted by kristen_c_leek on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    I was in the lobby of my cable provider, Cox Comm. when a man came in asking about cable cards for his Tivo. The woman working the desk said "What's Tivo? I don't know nuthin' about no Tivo." Eventually a supervisor came out and told the man they didn't have cable cards.

  • 8 Posted by davidbaye on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    I used to work at best buy in the home theater department for 3 years and we NEVER sold Tivo. It sucks. Direct TV and cable have their own DVR's that work pretty much just the same, without the need for another box cluttering up their TV stands. Tivo will be out of business in a few years.

  • 9 Posted by trevorgray on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    I own a product made by Sony called the DHG-HDD250 (they make a 500mb version as well). It uses an excellent product called TV Guide OS and downloads the TV Guide OTA (over the air) for free. It has a built in slot for a cablecard, so I get all of the channels that are offered on my digital cable including premium channels. Or, you can use standard cable and attach an external antenna to find your local HD channels. As for satellite customers, not quite sure how it would work for you guys. It gives me everything that Tivo gives you without the monthly charge. Well, almost everything. I can't tell the unit to record all instances of a show, or record the season but I can tell it to record every Thursday at 7:00 PM. Nor does it have the annoying Tivo "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" feature. Also, I can’t log in through the internet to schedule a program but that is fine with me too. It only has 1 tuner so you can watch something recorded while you record something else (or vice versa) or you will have to switch inputs and watch either a DVD or use the built in tuner on your TV. Other than being single tuner, the only problem that I can find is that Sony isn't making them anymore. I wish that other manufacturers would utilize the free OTA tv guide service.

  • 10 Posted by houdani_2005 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    chesire_67: Comcast will start using Tivo interface this fall, but it'll take them a while to roll it out nationwide. With Comcast, I had to upgrade my service at least one or two tiers higher than I wanted to just to be able to qualify for the Comcast DVR. So not only am I paying $10/month for the DVR, I'm also paying $35/month for the extra service tiers which I don't particularly want or need. So paying $300 + ($15/month for Tivo HD) + ($5/month for CableCard) isn't such a bad thing in my mind. It'll take me 12 months to break even if I switch to Tivo. Granted, I would lose OnDemand capability because it requires two-way communications and CableCard is one-way only at this time, but I could probably live with that easily enough.

  • 11 Posted by courtneyphbpcom on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    dr3vil88: Or you could get a media center tv and record without any monthly fees. That's what I do.

  • 12 Posted by dakotas_blue on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    We use Direct TV and when we first signed up years ago we got TIVO with it. I loved it. Well, we had some problems with our receiver recently and they came out to replace it. When they did, they took the TIVO (stating they were already out of business) and gave us their standard DVR. I've had more problems with DVR than I can count. Its absolutely ridiculous.

  • 13 Posted by amercomp on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    I can't believe intelligent people would spend even $100 on this kind of junk. Turn the boob tube off and play with the children, cook a gourmet meal for somebody, landscape you yard, paint your house, do something other than sitting. What is entertainment but active amusement. Define amusement - drop the 'ment' on the end and you're left with amuse. Amuse is broken down into two parts, 'A' and 'Muse'. Muse means to think. Putting the letter 'A' in front of a word causes negation. So 'amusement' is to negate thinking. Entertainment then is active negated thinking. Another way to look at it is a leash. Being led around blind and dumb on a leash. No thanks, I'd rather think for myself. I doubt I turn my TV on more than twice a week. Ocassionaly to watch a weather forcast and the other to watch the IFL. Man I enjoy watching people really fight.

  • 14 Posted by marcmac1377 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    As a long time TiVo supporter and user of both the TiVo and Comcast HD DVR unit (for the same TV) - I can't wait to pick up the $300 HD TiVo and say goodbye to two cable boxes. The Comcast HD DVR is horrible and should not even be on the market. It simply does not work. I have problems with it every day - fast forward, rewind, navigate menus. All of this is standard with TiVo and a challange with Comcast. Lets see how much of a challenge getting the Cable Cards is. Will Comcast charge a one time or reoccuring fee for the cable cards? I can't imagine they'll trade them for the box and lose the revenue.

  • 15 Posted by scottgalinac on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    I just have to say to anyone that thinks TiVo and other DVRs are the same.. they couldn't be more wrong. Aside from the cleaner interface .. all the extra features are amazing! To name a few: - easy transfering of shows from one room to another (great for the "I'm starting to get tired.. let's finish this in the bedroom" situation. BTW, it transfers from were you pause the show... and the start of the recording.) - access to your entire music collection of mp3's over home network - storage of recordings on home pc (via TiVo software.. not random freeware/hackware downloads you have to google search to find) - easily / automatically convert TiVo recorded shows into format to upload onto my iPod video. (Watch last night's recordings while at the gym! Best and most used feature by myself). Also, via TiVo software... not other software from the internet. I use Tivo desktop and iTunes. - burn your recordings to DVD for backup. - download movies from amazon via remote - upload home movies for viewing by family members... at their house on their TiVo. - listening internet radio, at least while i-net radio still exists :( - get weather / traffic reports while getting ready for work in morning - online scheduling - and on-screen games, Fandango movie listings and ticket purchasing, the thumbs up/down auto recording thing. Plus.. not to mention that all of this was over a wireless network was took at most 5 minutes to configure! $14 a month is a bargin to get all of these features, many of which affect more then "on the couch TV watching." If you want to "try" and record your shows on a "free" DVR, using mostly a terrible interface.. I guess that's fine. But don't forget you pay month charges as well... so it's really only about $9 more dollars to get SO MUCH MORE. And TiVo life is SO much easier "Other DVR" life. This biggest shortcoming has always been the HD thing.. which is now solved with this HD box.

  • 16 Posted by radicalj0420 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    I know some people can stretch for this one, but the cable card comment is absolutely true, cable cards only allow 1 way communication with the cable service...therefore, no VOD, PPV, on-screen guides, etc. Ask your cable provider about the Motorola models of DVRs, or make them replace a "buggy" DVR for a new one, most companies are more than willing to ensure you have a working unit.

  • 17 Posted by elbodude on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    Go with Dish Network and the ViP622 HD DVR. Closest thing to a Tivo I hav ever used.

  • 18 Posted by tomerasmussen on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ok, get the TiVo box and be done with it -really, do it now and stop the agony. I have a series 3, Comcast installed the cards, works great...As someone earlier mentioned, its a no brainer to hook up the cards these days...Yes you lose On demand but in the end, you'll record those few shows you would otherwise watch On demand, right? I mean, On demand is far from free. Secondly, I moved to Seattle and had to temporarily leave my Tivo at home in Cali, going back to the old standard-issue box was a nightmare -Once hooked on Tivo, it really is the best although there is a price...but yet again, you pay for what you get -go free, get crap, pay a little, and get relief.

  • 19 Posted by vedhead on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    DUDE...Directv is THE ONLY way to watch TV. Talk yourself into a FREE HD-DVR...you can do it, I promise...and ebjoy EVERY SINGLE NFL GAME with NFL Sunday Ticket. Where else can you get that? No where.

  • 20 Posted by bigheadscottie on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:07PM EDT Report Abuse

    DIRECT TV HAS THE WORST DVR I LIKED IT BETTER WHEN THEY HAD TiVo DVRS

  • 21 Posted by eshouse28 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    TiVo FTW! That is all you need to know.

  • 22 Posted by letsroll03 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    For myself I would much rather rent these boxes than buy one due to the malfunction of them quite often. Comcast which is by me has you rent the Hd dvr box ($7) and if it quits it is there problem. I can not see paying for a box ($300) and then still pay for the services? Seems like too much.

  • 23 Posted by kirakat5 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:51PM EDT Report Abuse

    We went with our local cable HD DVR - no charge for the box, pay a monthly charge of $9.95, less than Tivo. For my husband and myself, it has been more than sufficient. The box hasn't been too buggy as far as I know, and an office of the cable company is a one minute drive from our house. We can exchange the box if there is any major problems. For us, it is GREAT!!!!!

  • 24 Posted by dkreed11 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why.Don't people have any thing to do but watch TV,don't people work around there homes anymore if you own a home there's allways things to do.I work 4 10 hour days and still don't have time to watch much tv.I guest this why people are getting so fat they sat on there back sides and watch TV the Doctors would loose a lot of money no heart problems

  • 25 Posted by chicagofunfun2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have the higher priced Tivo but it was easy getting two cable cards from Time Warner here in Los Angeles. And they offered the second cable card for free.

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