Should I get a TiVo now or wait?

[mallpig]

Here's my problem:

I sadly gave up my TiVo last fall when I bought a HDTV (it's living a happy existence with my parents now). I'm moving to the Memphis area in early July and I won't be able to keep my Comcast DVR. With the Series 3 still without a firm release date, I was pondering buying a new dual tuner box. I'm just not sure it will be worth the cost for just the short time I will be using it. Plus, I really love HDTV......

What do you guys think?

[LifeIsABeach]

Since you need HD I would buy a used one on eBay or somewhere or perhaps even a cheapo VCR until the Series 3 comes out. It is due by the end of the year.

[terryfoster]

You know for sure that your new cable provider won't have a HD-DVR to hold you over until the S3 is released?

[Mugsy Malone]

I have a similar quandry - thought I'd post here instead of starting a new thread.

So I have a Tivo-quandry.

But first, let me bring you up to speed on my Tivo/DVR history, so you can better understand my situation.

I got my first Tivo in 1999 - Series 1 with Lifetime service. In 2003 I replaced it with a Series 2.

I loved my Series 2. I used every possible feature it had - Internet scheduling, streaming pictures and music from my Mac, and even dumping shows from the Tivo to my PC laptop.

A little over a year ago, I got a TV with HD for the first time. Since, at the time, the only HD solution for Tivo was a) only for DirectTV, and b) $999, I decided to switch to Comcast's DVR. Two tuners, plus it could record HD. I bid my Series 2 farewell (it found a home as a gift) and decided to try the Comcast route.

I hated it. I still do. But I love watching baseball (and some other shows, mostly on DiscoveryHD) in high definition.

Flash forward to the present. We're still using the Comcast DVR. It's still a pain in the ass to use. It still freezes up all thel time (this is the second unit I've gotten from them in a year - they seem to last about six months before freezing up daily).

I want to be done with this. I want to go back to Tivo.

Do I wait for the Series 3? Are we sure that Comcast will offer the CableCard stuff that Tivo needs, anyway? Or do I wait for whatever the ComcastTivo will turn out to be?

I am really considering getting one of the new Dual Tuner Series 2 Tivos. For $19.95/month and $30 upfront for the box, I can have my Tivo again (I could get it cheaper per month for a longer contract, I know, but I don't want to lock into this Tivo for more than a year, since hopefully a year from now the Series 3 will be out, stable, and affordable).

What do you all think? Is the DT Series 2 a good stopgap measure for me?

[Mugsy Malone]

Oh, I forgot the one thing that I'm really worried about - I just paid for the season of MLB Extra Innings with Comcast. Will my Tivo work with that (obviously through the cable box)?

[Puppy76]

Do I wait for the Series 3? Are we sure that Comcast will offer the CableCard stuff that Tivo needs, anyway?

They have to offer cable cards. They're required by law.

I don't know, it's a tricky situation...

Probably by late this year you'll be able to choose between Comcast's DVR with Tivo, or a (probably better) Series 3. But on the other hand you'll have to wait probably at least a few months for either (though theoretically Tivo could launch the S3 next month...but I doubt it).

The Series "2.5" looks really great-especially the 180 hour unit. The problem of course is the one year comitment, and the lack of HD since you care about that.

So...um...yeah, I don't know. Since I don't care about HD much at all, I'd be quite happy with a 2.5, if I had cable. I think it could be easy to justify it even just for a year since you're paying less than $100 for it...but for only 6 months? Harder to justify.

[Puppy76]

Oh, I forgot the one thing that I'm really worried about - I just paid for the season of MLB Extra Innings with Comcast. Will my Tivo work with that (obviously through the cable box)?

Does that function as sort of a pay per view thing that's accessed through the cable box? I'd assume a Series 2.5 would be able to control a cable box and use one of it's tuners to record that (and it would be able to do that while recording analog cable from it's other tuner).

[Mugsy Malone]

Basically, the Extra Innings stuff *seems* to work just like any other premium channel. I was just wondering if they publish that lineup info (would the Tivo even KNOW about the Extra Innings channels/schedule, etc)

[Olde Fortran]

The dual tuner box is not HD. Why sign up for a minimum 1 year commitment to something you gave up in the past when the thing you want is coming this year?

[terryfoster]

There is a good chance you can save on monthly costs by getting the Series 3 over the ComcasTiVo, but since i'm not in the Comcast boat (TWC) i'm not sure I can help you here. Now if you plan on getting MLB extra innings in the future I would suggest getting the ComcasTivo since the CableCard 2.0 isn't finalized and CableCard 1.0 won't allow you to get the MLB-EI.

I don't think I could go back to watching shows in SD that I currently watch in HD. You may have a different opinion. So there is no way I would touch the S2-DT with the S3 on the horizon.

[mallpig]

Yeah, I should try and get the HD DVR box from TWC when I move. I'm just so disgusted by how crappy my Moto DVR works, I kinda wanted TiVo back. I just wish TiVo would give us a more concrete date so that people like me could plan out our upgrade decisions.

[Dan203]

I'd say, to both of you, keep the Comcast DVR and wait for the Series 3. If you're lucky the Comcast/TiVo deal will launch before the Series 3 and you'll get to try it on your current DVR before deciding if it's worth it to upgrade to a Series 3.

I love my TiVos, but I still rent a MOXI from Charter for HD. I've got this HDTV I have to use it for something. :)

Dan

[mallpig]

Well, I'm moving to the Memphis area in July, so I'll be getting a TWC dvr, so there's no choice on getting a series 3. Never thought I'd miss Comcast :)

[Stanley Rohner]

Well, I'm moving to the Memphis area in July, so I'll be getting a TWC dvr, so there's no choice on getting a series 3. Never thought I'd miss Comcast :)

Get DIRECTV and a DIRECTV/HDTV/TiVo.
I still they them at BESTUY for $499.

[Mugsy Malone]

DirectTivo is not an option.

#1 - I can't do DirectTV - it's against my lease to put up any kind of dishes

#2 - Part of what I miss about Tivo is HMO, etc. I won't have that with a DirectTivo

#3 - I'm not happy about the prospect of paying $500 or more for a Series 3, which would give me more than the DirectTivo would, so why would I cough up that cash now? :)

[terryfoster]

DirectTivo is not an option.

#1 - I can't do DirectTV - it's against my lease to put up any kind of dishes

Btw, depending on the circumstances, it is illegal for them to place that restriction on you. Read OTARD (http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html)

I'm not pushing D*, just letting you know the facts.

[Mugsy Malone]

Well, I actually really LIKE my landlord, so I'm not going to be a jerk and fight with him over a dish I don't want in the first place. It's not TECHNICALLY against my lease - he just said to me when I moved in "I prefer no dishes on the building".

Good to know, though.

[terryfoster]

Well, I actually really LIKE my landlord, so I'm not going to be a jerk and fight with him over a dish I don't want in the first place. It's not TECHNICALLY against my lease - he just said to me when I moved in "I prefer no dishes on the building".

Good to know, though.

I completely understand. I just wanted to post for your's and everyone else's benefit. There are ways to enact "OTARD" without being a jerk. FYI, OTARD also allows for regular OTA antennas where they may be "restricted."

[BlackBetty]

now

[megazone]

Get DIRECTV and a DIRECTV/HDTV/TiVo.
I still they them at BESTUY for $499.And give up TiVos networking, and likely never get another software update. Oh, and not be able to even tune, let alone record, any of the new MPEG4 signals.

I could never encourage someone to go with DirecTiVo over cable and standalone at this point, not anyone I didn't have something against.

If DTV ever comes to their senses and stops blocking all the cool features, maybe.

[jfh3]

If DTV ever comes to their senses and stops blocking all the cool features, maybe.

That's in the same time frame as "when pigs fly" unfortunately.

It'll be interesting to look back in a few years and see what impact blowing off Tivo had (will have) on DTV.

I still can't get over how much of a lead DTV had in the DVR space and they just let it disappear.