New Series 3 Pics?

[TiVo Mel]

I'm sorry if this has already been posted, but I stumbled upon this on the internet and thought I would share:

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/PSN/tivoseries3.htm

Let's hope it is released sooner rather than later!!

[somebody7]

looks sweet....wish they were out already

[Onazuka]

Looks good, but holy crap, in 4 years they have not changed the look of the user interface at all !

[mgar]

These have been posted before, but no big deal. I like to go back and look at the pictures from time to time. I'm still waiting for my S3. :)

[Bierboy]

Looks good, but holy crap, in 4 years they have not changed the look of the user interface at all !Why mess with what works?

[Onazuka]

Why mess with what works?

A horse and buggy worked too.

[Bierboy]

A horse and buggy worked too.Yes...workED...past tense....no longer. The TiVo interface continues to work and very well.

[JaserLet]

The TiVo interface hasn't changed in the 5+ years that I've been a TiVo customer.

[W2DHS]

Boy it stinks that it won't be usable with DirecTV HD.

[quarkman97]

Boy it stinks that it won't be usable with DirecTV HD.

Isn't that what the DirecTV HDTivo is for?...

I didn't see anyone complaining that the HDTivo didn't work with cable. Acutally yeah we probably did, we just wanted a dual tuner Tivo.

Us cable folks finally get the solution we've been waiting for since Series 2 was released and all these satellite people are all up in arms that DirecTV isn't supported.

I understand the Series 2 works with satellite, but it only does one tuner. Almost pointless when every DirecTV box with Tivo comes with dual tuners.

<shrug>

Anyone hear anymore about how the Series 3 will handle transfers? I read somewhere that the Series 3 wouldn't support sending a show recorded in HD to a Series 2 box.

Also, doesn't the Serial external drive look like those new Western Digital external drives that are supposed to look all sleek like it's some book? I thought Pony said you'd have to buy a Tivo one and you couldn't just buy an external drive and plug it into the Series 3.

[Jonathan_S]

Anyone hear anymore about how the Series 3 will handle transfers? I read somewhere that the Series 3 wouldn't support sending a show recorded in HD to a Series 2 box.Which makes sense, because the existing Series 2 boxes weren't sold with decoders that have the hardware ability to downsample the HD video and output it as SD. And no TiVo has the CPU horsepower to do the downsampling in software.

So why allow the Series 3 to send a (really big) video file to a Series 2 machine that can't play it?

Now what I'm wondering is whether the new dual tuner series 2, which apparently supports mpeg4 (implying a new decoder chip), got a decoder chip that is capable of natively downsampling HD video to SD output. Because in that case a Series 3 might be able to transfer HD to a Dual Tuner Series 2...
Guess we'll have to wait and see.

[Scott D]

In order to be able to record two shows on satellite, I suppose you will need two satellite receivers, right? This seems to be made for cable TV subscribers and leaving the satellite people in the dust.

Nice recorder though.

[btwyx]

In order to be able to record two shows on satellite, I suppose you will need two satellite receivers, right?Like the HD TiVo. The S3 will not record from an external source like a satellite receiver. This seems to be made for cable TV subscribers and leaving the satellite people in the dust. D* people had it first, now cable is catching up. If you have Dish, that's your problem.

[ebonovic]

What is that "2nd" box ..... Are "both" the S3
Or is the 2nd box an add-on for something ?

[rminsk]

What is that "2nd" box ..... Are "both" the S3
Or is the 2nd box an add-on for something ?Since it only has a power cord and one other cable I'm thinking that could be external storage.

[btwyx]

Since it only has a power cord and one other cable I'm thinking that could be external storage.That sounds right, its supposed to be able to take an external drive. The pictures show a socket for "Expansion Disk", its SATA port.

[ebonovic]

I was thinking that too, but I would "think" they would display it with it connected to the T3.

If it is EXTERNAL storage... IMHO, they dropped the ball there.

If it is to stand like that, most standard component cabinents won't have the width to hold both next to one another....

And it looks much smaller in height then width of the T3... so it would not sit "cleanly" on top of it.

IMHO, I would rather have a case the same width of the T3, and about half the hight, and have it just sit on top... with hopefully the "chain" connectors on the same side of the boxes.

but that is just me...

[Scopeman]

That sounds right, its supposed to be able to take an external drive. The pictures show a socket for "Expansion Disk", its SATA port.

The second box is a Western Digital external storage device. Compare it to the WD USB drive at the following link:

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=202418917&adid=17662

[rminsk]

IIf it is to stand like that, most standard component cabinents won't have the width to hold both next to one another.... I do not think it is TiVo branded external storage. I think is was some generic external storage and they were just demostrating that it works.

EDIT
I should always ready the whole thread before responding. As pointed out this is a WD external drive.

[b3ar]

I was thinking that too, but I would "think" they would display it with it connected to the T3.

If it is EXTERNAL storage... IMHO, they dropped the ball there.

If it is to stand like that, most standard component cabinents won't have the width to hold both next to one another....

And it looks much smaller in height then width of the T3... so it would not sit "cleanly" on top of it.

IMHO, I would rather have a case the same width of the T3, and about half the hight, and have it just sit on top... with hopefully the "chain" connectors on the same side of the boxes.

but that is just me...
Think: industry standard options. This is a Good Thing(tm) not a Bad Thing(tm). Or at least, in so long as the eSATA interface for the S3 isn't as flaky as the one in my 8300HD is now.

[ebonovic]

I am all for the "industry" standard connection....
So you could have the choice to get one from anywhere.

but I would hope that someone "any vendor" would release a case that is closer to the "industry standard" for audio/video component sizes.

[dhtut]

Like the HD TiVo. The S3 will not record from an external source like a satellite receiver.D* people had it first, now cable is catching up. If you have Dish, that's your problem.

Wonderful...so we Sat folks with HD can either get a DTV Tivo unit that records HD but has no HMO...(which I use extensively) OR we get a standalone S3 that wont record ANYTHING.......I guess I might have to bid Tivo farewell in favor of a HM COmputer that does all of that?!?!?

[windracer]

The second box is a Western Digital external storage device. Compare it to the WD USB drive at the following link:

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=202418917&adid=17662
Ha, I had just stumbled across this myself while browsing PC Connection (http://www.pcconnection.com/ProductDetail?Sku=6651381) and was coming here to post about it! :)

It definitely looks like one of the WD "My Book" products. In the picture from CES showing it from the rear, you can almost make out the "WD" embossed on the side.

[jfh3]

Wonderful...so we Sat folks with HD can either get a DTV Tivo unit that records HD but has no HMO...(which I use extensively) OR we get a standalone S3 that wont record ANYTHING.......I guess I might have to bid Tivo farewell in favor of a HM COmputer that does all of that?!?!?

Not at all. Just do what many of us DirecTV subs are going to do ... say

"Goodbye DirecTV - you had your chance with Tivo and pissed away a two year lead in the DVR world, alienating some of your best customers in the process"

"Hello Cable!"

:cool:

[mattack]

I didn't see anyone complaining that the HDTivo didn't work with cable. Acutally yeah we probably did, we just wanted a dual tuner Tivo.

and of course there's also the series 2 dual-tuner version that was shown on Amazon and talked about in the Coffee House area a lot. If either that or the S3 came out before 4/15 so I could lifetime 'em.. I'd be buying 'em.

[john_m_92627]

Not at all. Just do what many of us DirecTV subs are going to do ... say

"Goodbye DirecTV - you had your chance with Tivo and pissed away a two year lead in the DVR world, alienating some of your best customers in the process"

"Hello Cable!"

:cool:
Then you lose all the programming that you can only get with DTV or Dish. It seems like they could sell a lot more of these just by adding some component inputs. Not very smart at all.

[btwyx]

It seems like they could sell a lot more of these just by adding some component inputs. Not very smart at all.How much do you think "just" adding these component inputs would cost? Don't forget the cost of the encoder.

[aaronwt]

Why would I want to record HD from component inputs?

[SpankyInChicago]

Wonderful...so we Sat folks with HD can either get a DTV Tivo unit that records HD but has no HMO...(which I use extensively) OR we get a standalone S3 that wont record ANYTHING.......I guess I might have to bid Tivo farewell in favor of a HM COmputer that does all of that?!?!?

I don't think you get it. Tivo Series 3 is the sat killer.

Unless you live in BF, USA, once Tivo Series 3 is on the market there is no reason to stay with DirecTV.

Put a Tivo Series 3 on the shelf and I will switch to Comcast as quickly as they can send out an installer.

[SpankyInChicago]

Why would I want to record HD from component inputs?

It would be a nice option. But it is never going to happen.

[mittelhauser]

Then you lose all the programming that you can only get with DTV or Dish. It seems like they could sell a lot more of these just by adding some component inputs. Not very smart at all.

*grin* And why do you want component inputs? To record HD? Are you serious? Last I checked (maybe a year ago) real time encoding of 1080i/720p would run you close to $10-15kk...not to mention that I priced that out by using 3 different broacast quality components which would increase the size of the box at least 3x...

So they could sell more by increasing the price by $10,000? Or do you just want them to put some component inputs on the back for decoration?

People, component is analog. To record it you need to encode it. The direcTivo's record the digital signal and the s3 w/ CableCard will do the same. However, those signals are encrypted so only trusted devices can access them. Which is why you won't ever make a homebrew PC based DVR.

Until the price of realtime HD encoding drops just a *bit*...:)

-Jon

[john_m_92627]

*grin* And why do you want component inputs? To record HD? Are you serious? Last I checked (maybe a year ago) real time encoding of 1080i/720p would run you close to $10-15kk...not to mention that I priced that out by using 3 different broacast quality components which would increase the size of the box at least 3x...

So they could sell more by increasing the price by $10,000? Or do you just want them to put some component inputs on the back for decoration?

People, component is analog. To record it you need to encode it. The direcTivo's record the digital signal and the s3 w/ CableCard will do the same. However, those signals are encrypted so only trusted devices can access them. Which is why you won't ever make a homebrew PC based DVR.

Until the price of realtime HD encoding drops just a *bit*...:)

-Jon

Jon
I am not sure where you get these $$ numbers or how you are figuring the size of the box?
It seems no where possible when you look at what it takes to encode it.
My problem is that cable just doesn't have the programming that DTV has and probably never will. I think Tivo just has a beef with DTV and they are trying to make them suffer.

[mittelhauser]

*grin* I don't know if Tivo has a beef with DTV but they certainly want to be paid and DTV wants to get all the money (thus the NDS work).

The main thing that is keeping me (and others) with DTV is NFL Sunday Ticket. If it wasn't for that, I'd drop them in a heartbeat when the Series3 comes out. Considering that I have been a customer for pretty much every channel for close to 9 years and I do things like buy 4 HR10-250s at full price when they came out, I'm not the type of customer they want to lose. As it is, I may drop them for everything *except* NFL Sunday Ticket. Keep on HD Tivo in my main theater for football and change everything else to dual cable card Series3 boxes (assuming that it does what we all HOPE).

I'm not sure how to interpret your first questions. Have you now flipped sides and are saying that it is theoretically impossible ("no where possible"?) to encode HD in real time? It's possible. It just takes a bunch of specialized broadcast equipment which is very expensive (thousands and thousands of dollares) and multplie large boxes...NOT an option for a consumer device. Which was what I was pointing out when you said "seems like they could sell a lot more of these just by adding some component inputs. Not very smart at all."

-Jon

[feldon23]

My problem is that cable just doesn't have the programming that DTV has and probably never will. I think Tivo just has a beef with DTV and they are trying to make them suffer.
Well, I've read less accurate statements here. No wait, I haven't!

DirecTV was purchased by Rupert Murdoch who promptly got rid of box ownership (you now have to LEASE equipment just like Dish and Cable, you can no longer by DirecTV hardware), raised fees, lowered the picture quality (Sci-Fi and Discovery HD are now unbearable), severed their contract with TiVo, and put his NDS company to work developing a TiVo clone.

DirecTV ended their contract with TiVo. How anyone could come to any other conclusion is beyond me.

You may have noticed in the news media that DirecTV signed a service contract with TiVo for 3 more years. This is because TiVo just won their $73 million patent lawsuit against Dish Network (Echostar) and DirecTV doesn't want to get hit with a similar lawsuit.

[classicsat]

Wonderful...so we Sat folks with HD can either get a DTV Tivo unit that records HD but has no HMO...(which I use extensively) OR we get a standalone S3 that wont record ANYTHING.
Or Get a Series 2 Standalone and record in SD.

[redondoman]

I don't think you get it. Tivo Series 3 is the sat killer.

Unless you live in BF, USA, once Tivo Series 3 is on the market there is no reason to stay with DirecTV.

Put a Tivo Series 3 on the shelf and I will switch to Comcast as quickly as they can send out an installer.

No, I don't think you get it. I live in Redondo Beach, CA (not BF, USA in my opinion) and my cable option is Adelphia. Maybe in some areas Adelphia looks OK, but in my area the reception / PQ was an absolute joke. I kid you not, even non HD OTA rabbit ears looked better. If Verizon FIOS steps up to the plate and supports Cable Card then maybe I'll have some choice, until then Sat is the only choice for me.