Opinions of the value of Lifetime sub vs. Dual Tuner

[ptsailor]

I'm looking to buy a additional unit (have a series 2, monthly sub) and am trying to decide between the Humax and the new dual tuners...

Both will require me to upgrade the hard drive so capacity isn't an issue. The material differences seem to be the ability to record DVD directly (rather than archiving to a PC and then to DVD) and a lifetime option versus the Dual tuner capabilities of the newer unit.

How valuable is the ability to purchase lifetime on the Humax units?

[petew]

As pointed out in the other thread you would recoup the cost of lifetime in less than 2 years. But just in case you didn't know the Humax can't save to DVD shows recorded on your Series 2, so you'd need to ensure you scheduled shows for DVD on the Humax.

Of course the other consideration is how often will you get a three way conflict, will 2 Tuners be sufficient?

[btl-a4]

Don't forget that if you go the Humax route you will be eligible for the MSD at 6.95 on the unit you currently have. So after two years you will essentially have two tuners at 6.95 a month, plus the ability to burn some dvd's and get rid of your DVD player to free up some space. I would go with the Humax in your situation.

[jfh3]

How valuable is the ability to purchase lifetime on the Humax units?

Don't forget that you can no longer upgrade an activated Humax DVD unit to lifetime; you can only put lifetime on a box that has not previously been activated.

[davezatz]

As pointed out in the other thread you would recoup the cost of lifetime in less than 2 years.

Since his is an additional unit, it would take 3+ years to recoup costs. I can only speak for myself, and at this stage of the game I have no desire to get Lifetime on any standard definition DVR.

If he gets the Humax he will sort of have dual tuners using MRV (if the first box is S2), though as Pete mentioned, you can't burn shows from the first TiVo to the second.

It's really a question of convenience - the DT model offers TTG so he can offload to PC and burn to DVD that way. It tedious, but it works. The DT will also most likely be a cheaper purchase. I have a Humax and appreciate the efficiency of the DVD burner... though I'd really like a second tuner in it.

So in conclusion, I have no idea. :)

[TiVo Troll]

... Humax can't save to DVD shows recorded on your Series 2...

Can Series 2's output be recorded on a Humax HD through the line inputs and then archived to DVD?

A major consideration when using HD/DVD recorders is that programs have to be recorded on HD before archiving to DVD. Of course when a recorder has editing capabilities (Humax TiVo's can't edit) recording to HD first is an advantage.

[danieljanderson]

I have the Humax. the DVD burning capability has helped my neighbor more than it has helped me. I have copied some home movies from my 8mm camera to my HUMAX and made a DVD of them. I have never done a TV show for myself.

I do like watching my DVD movies on this unit. You get all the same trickplay features you have when watching TV.

If you expect to use the unit for more than 3 years, I'd get the HUMAX with lifetime. All the DT unit will offer is the ability to record 3 shows at once. This assumes you will keep your current unit. (and built in ethernet)

[ptsailor]

Thanks for the input guys!!! Great questions and points, some I had thought of and others I had not. I'm going to buy the unit this afternoon (still haven't decided which one) so I'm going to answer some of the questions and points from above based on the research that I've done.

First, the savings for the lifetime sub is 12.95/month (not 6.95) as the total monthly cost is either 19.90 or 6.95 depending upon whether or not I do lifetime so it IS a 2 year repayment time.

Std. TiVo shows CAN be recorded to the Humax through the AV inputs at real speed (per Weaknees) but of course that means that it's being converted from one digital format to analog to a different digital format before being written to the DVD. It also requires that both units be co-located, maybe not a problem, but a restriction that I wasn't considering.

The price difference on the units is $100, and they are both new out of the box units so there should be no problem getting the lifetime sub on the Humax.

Are two tuners sufficient? Don't know but it's twice as many as I have now... I do assume that there is much more effort required on my part to manage the recording schedule and prefs on two units - two tuners, than in a one unit- two tuner scenario.

Any more input?

[dmk1974]

[QUOTE=petew] But just in case you didn't know the Humax can't save to DVD shows recorded on your Series 2, so you'd need to ensure you scheduled shows for DVD on the Humax.

QUOTE]

I was disappointed to find this out as well. Why is this? What is different in the formats? Aren't they both S2 TiVo's?

[mattack]

I was disappointed to find this out as well. Why is this? What is different in the formats? Aren't they both S2 TiVo's?

They're not recorded in DVD-compatible formats on the non-DVD-recorder Tivos.
But you can't even transfer from one DVD-recorder Tivo to another DVD-recorder Tivo. *That* is a software issue that could theoretically be fixed. (BTW, that's not as ridiculous as it sounds, since you cannot record multi-session on the Tivo-DVD recorders... So if there's a marathon of a show, I could easily imagine recording on different Tivos and wanting to put all onto one DVD..)

[danieljanderson]

But you can't even transfer from one DVD-recorder Tivo to another DVD-recorder Tivo.

I think you should clarify this. You can transfer. You just can't burn. (I think)

[jfh3]

I think you should clarify this. You can transfer. You just can't burn. (I think)

Correct.