What ONE feature makes you want a Series 3 TiVo

[RickStrobel]

What is the number 1 reason you bought (or are considering buying) a S3? Also, please don't thread-crap. If you're not getting one or waiting because it won't do MRV, is too expensive, etc. etc. please refrain from posting in this thread. What's the numero uno thing for you? Keep it positive.

Don't list number 2, 3, etc. Just focus on the very top feature or aspect of the Series 3 that you're excited about.

Here's mine: Playback smoothness

OK, that's probably a crappy description. I've got a Motorola DCT6412 (and two TiVos of course). With the Moto you're never sure if it got the command. Sometimes it responds quickly to a pause or FF command. Sometimes it doesn't respond at all -- which really sucks trying to FF in a football game and you zoom past the next plays at 4X.

My Tivos by contrast give me so much control. The comfortable feel of the remote and the button placements... the ease of popping the 30 second skip button a time or two and the replay button once. My TiVos respond instantly. It's the difference between driving a great big Ford Crown Vic where the big boxxy car floats all overr the road and driving a Ferarri.

OK, that's mine. What's yours. REMEMBER - ONE THING - THE TOP ITEM PLEASE - FOCUS.

[Dan203]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

Dan

[andydumi]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

Dan

Ditto...

[cmannes]

Haven't gone HD yet, because my S1 & S2 tivo's wouldn't record HD.

My S3 will.

Ding!

Chris M.

[eisenb11]

native output

I'd go nuts if they supported control via automation systems.

[fergiej]

It's not a Comcast moto 3412...;)

Seriously, I can't wait to get back into a TiVo, esp one with moe than 12 hours of recording time.

[bdraw]

Record HD cable with TiVo

[cheerdude]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

Dan

+1 as well

For now, this will only be recording HD (so I won't be too upset if I can only get 1 CC to work). I am still keeping my Series 2 for the brunt of the recording.

[tunnelengineer]

REcording HD cable on 2 tuners!

[sharding]

Reliable HD recording. My Comcast 3412 is so flaky that I can't trust it to record important things. I actually have my Series2 in the bedroom recording all of our important series as a backup, because the 3412 has screwed us too many times. That alone makes the S3 worth it in my mind. The rest is icing on the cake.

[quango]

Any HD recording; Moxis are scarce in my Charter market (and I hear nothing but horror stories about them anyway).

[stekson]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

Dan

same

[sommerfeld]

What is the number 1 reason you bought (or are considering buying) a S3?
Freedom of choice in program sources. Today I have choice between comcast and RCN, and Verizon FIOS will make three; I also get decent OTA digital reception. I can switch providers without needing to change out the DVR.

[RickStrobel]

Do'h! HD recording of course. What about HD recording do you like? There are other HD recorders out there like the crappy Moto from my cable company.

[Amnesia]

Storage expandability

(yes, I know the S3 doesn't have it right now, but I'm confident that it will soon be available...and even out of the box it has more storage than my Comcast 3412)

[bsather]

Any HD recording; Moxis are scarce in my Charter market (and I hear nothing but horror stories about them anyway).

To replace Charter's Moxi....called to have it replaced because it's slow as a snail...plus recording two HD shows at the same time is iffy at best. Was told they have no more, even as replacements for defective units. Ordered 2 cable cards with no questions.

[vman41]

Reliable recording of OTA HD.

[Dan203]

Do'h! HD recording of course. What about HD recording do you like? There are other HD recorders out there like the crappy Moto from my cable company.

The difference in picture quality between HD and my S2 TiVos is night and day for me. And this year the majority of programming is going to HD, so the more HD I can get the better. My crappy Moxi only holds 12 hours of HD, so right now I have to pick and choose what I record in HD. With a couple of S3s I'll have some breathing room and be able to record everything in HD.

Dan

[shady]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

[SLCMike]

HD recording with TiVo's superior interface.

[jfh3]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

+1

[MickeS]

Receive and record OTA HD (my TV doesn't have an internal tuner).

[bidger]

No one's gonna say the remote? ;)

Seriously, I fail to see how anyones answer wouldn't include some combination of "HD" and "TiVo".

[cwoody222]

Recording HD, period.

Of course I love the TiVo interface but if there was a cheaper (and decent - not that Sony thing I've read horror stories about) way to let me record OTA HD signals, I'd take it.

[talmania]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

Dan

For me as well though I will add:

To be able to upgrade the unit for larger capacity. I absolutely HATE how small the drive is in my Motorola. 2 Nice 2.5 hour HD recordings and the capacity is 75%+ full.

[bilbo]

No one's gonna say the remote? ;)

Seriously, I fail to see how anyones answer wouldn't include some combination of "HD" and "TiVo".

the light up remote will work great when i am watching skinemax in the dark.

[Canoehead]

Some combination of HD and Tivo

[ntaylor]

Dual live buffers.

It was hard going from the UI on the DirecTivo to the one on the Comcast/Motorola 6412, but not as hard as giving up dual live buffers. I would have gone back to DirecTV and the HR20, but DirecTV misread its user desires and omitted it for some inexplicable reason.

[nhaigh]

HDTV plain and simple - now I can finally use one. My S2 will take care of my networking needs (TTG etc).

[BriGuy20]

Dual tuner HD recording. Helps iron out the messy timeslots.

And the interface. :)

[reh523]

but if there was a cheaper (and decent - not that Sony thing I've read horror stories about) way to let me record OTA HD signals, I'd take it.

Cheaper that 799 and 16 a month.... There sure are....

[Troy J B]

not sure I can narrow it down to 1 feature. capacity (and upgradability) along with reliability are my 2 primary reasons (compared to my comcast provided motorola 6412 box #3).

[Dan203]

Cheaper that 799 and 16 a month.... There sure are....

Where do you get $16 a month? The TiVo service is only $12.95 a month for first time users and $6.95 for users who already have another TiVo. And don't say the CableCARDs because he said OTA and that does not require CableCARDs.

Dan

[khill821]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

Dan

Amen brother!

[musicforme]

Ability to record two non-OTA HD channels with Tivo interface was the selling point for me.

I own a Windows MCE (that I'm currently selling on EBay) and already had the ability to record OTA HD.

[Dajad]

Reliable HD recording. I can't wait to put my ailing SFA 8300HD to rest!

[btwyx]

Its not a DirecTV box, and has the same features as the HR10-250.

If D* had supported TiVo for HD, I wouldn't even be considering doing business with Comcast. I'm hoping it'll have feature parity with my HR10-250, I'll find out when I get my hands on one.

[George Cifranci]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

Dan

Ditto!

The number one reason is wanting a genuine dual tuner TiVo DVR/PVR that can record HD from my cable company (and dump their crappy SA8300HD DVR). That's all I needed. The TiVo S3 will be used on my 60" Sony SXRD HDTV for the recording of HD programming. (I have 2 other TiVo's for standard def recording) The fact that I can also record the 2 OTA HD channels my Cable Co (TWC) isn't allowed to show (ABC and FOX) makes it even better.

[Teeps]

Simultaneous 2 channel HD recording.

But, I can't believe it doesn't have a coax output for Digital Sound.

[Dan203]

But, I can't believe it doesn't have a coax output for Digital Sound.

If you need coax for some reason CablesToGo sells an optical to coax converter box for about $30.

Dan

[reh523]

Where do you get $16 a month? The TiVo service is only $12.95 a month for first time users and $6.95 for users who already have another TiVo. And don't say the CableCARDs because he said OTA and that does not require CableCARDs.

Dan

Pricing came from Tivo website (http://www.tivo.com/2.0.plans.step.1.asp)

[jsmeeker]

Easy.... Recording HD using TiVo interface.

Dan


word.

[loubob57]

Yup, HD recording. Two tuners makes it even better. :)

[microkitty]

HD using TiVo

[kcl]

Able to move from DirecTV (I've got 2 HD10-250 units) and have Tivo on Comcast cable (which has finally supassed DirecTV IMO).

[smak]

Pricing came from Tivo website (http://www.tivo.com/2.0.plans.step.1.asp)

You are actually right in that it says that on the website, but it's incorrect. You can't buy a series 3 with the old plans.

Those are only for series 2.

If you click on the 3 year $16.95 plan, and add the series 3 to your cart it says,
"TiVo Package, Series3™ HD Digital Media Recorder w/1-year commitment ($12.95/mo)
FREE Ground Shipping"

The new plans are when you click on the "Click here for 300 hour series 3 HD plans"

Those are either $12.95 a month or

1 year pre-paid $155.40
2 year pre-paid $299
3 year pre-paid $299 (hey, good deal!)

-smak-

[megazone]

Keeping TiVo and adding HD.

[RMBittner]

#1: Recording HD with a dual-tuner TiVo interface.

My wife and I *love* HD, but we also love the TiVo software. I didn't realize just how good it was until we recently added a dual-tuner HD DVR from our cable company, just so I could "tivo" in HD. That box's software and remote are so unintuitive and downright cludgy that they're a pain to use. I can't wait to have the advantages of a dual-tuner HD recorder all wrapped up in the great TiVo package.

BTW, we ordered the S3 yesterday. . .

Bob