Series 3 Features?

[ilovedvrs]

Prob a post already about this, if so please link me I could not find it.

What is in the Series 3?

Besides dual HDTV tuners?

Does it record 5.1 channel sound?

Anything new software wise?

Built in either net and Wi-fi ? (maybe the N standard?)

[nhaigh]

See Megazone's Review (http://www.tivolovers.com/252572.html)

[greg_burns]

CES 2006 Video: TiVo Series 3 Video Interview, First Look (http://www.gearlive.com/index.php/news/article/ces-2006-video-tivo-series-3-video-interview-first-look-0108051437/)

[davezatz]

Front-panel display and external HD support are new and unique, as is the glowing remote. Ethernet jack too.

[bidger]

Ethernet jack too.
Well, that is on the S2 DT.

[davezatz]

Well, that is on the S2 DT.

OP asked about built-in networking, so I addressed it. The Ethernet jack was first available on the TiVo Greater China (TGC) box.

[classicsat]

Prob a post already about this, if so please link me I could not find it.

What is in the Series 3?

Two tuner "chains", each capable of tuning analog cable, digital cable (with cablecard), analog antenna, digital antenna. HDMI and component output, as well as composite/S-video, and optical audio.

In a nutshell, it records the digital cable or ATSC streams directly, rather than with an external STB, and uses cablecard to access encrypted digital cable.

Besides dual HDTV tuners?

To be technically correct, there is no such thing as "HDTV" tuners. The tuners tune a digital ATSC or QAM carrier, and output a datastream, which can be SD or higher video, but not necessarily HD.

As said, it has a front OLED display, and external ESATA drive capability. Plus the video decoder chip is supposedly capable of decoding MPEG4 type video.

Does it record 5.1 channel sound?

Due to it recording the digital stream directly, yes it will record DD5.1 tracks, if available.

Anything new software wise?

It is too early to say yet.

Built in either net and Wi-fi ? (maybe the N standard?)
Ethernet, yes, wireless, no. It might be too costly.

N isn't a standard yet (TMK, and at least wasn't last year and earlier when they developed the S3), so I wouldn't expect them to endeavor to integrate a "non-standard" wireless protocol in such a high profile product.

[stevel]

According to Pony at the TC Con, there isn't anything "new" in features other than the HD recording capability. In fact, when first introduced, it will be lacking some of the newest features such as KidZone - those will be added back in later.

[btwyx]

A really important feature is direct digital recording. Except when you're using the NTSC tuner you record exactly the signal sent to you and it gets played back, exactly. DirecTiVo users are used to this, you don't have to worry about quality/space trade offs, and the recording makes no difference (absolutely no difference) to the video quality.

Direct digital recodind on 2 tuners are the killer feature as far as I'm concerned. Being used to a DirecTiVO, I couldn't do without that.

[megazone]

http://www.tivolovers.com/tag/series3