DirecTV w/Tivo - How "Easy" Is It To Get Cheap?

[Inundated]

The question isn't for me. I have a S2 SA TiVo with cable service.

No, it's for my work. We desperately, desperately need to replace an aging VCR that is on its last legs, and both me and the other guy in my department are aching to put a TiVo in there. The VCR does roughly 6 daily recordings, and is having trouble working...plus, the TiVo/DVR functionality would really help us.

The other guy at work tells me that they looked into this about a year or so ago, and ruled it out due to cost - presumably, not the $6-ish D* charges a month, but rather, the upfront cost of the box...whatever it was back then.

Now that D* has moved away from TiVo in its own new DVR stuff, is a TiVo-equipped D* receiver less expensive? What would be a price they could expect to pay for one? And where would be the best (and probably most importantly, least expensive) place to get a DirecTV with TiVo?

You can suggest eBay, but I doubt they'll go for that, being a big corporation and all. I can't see my immediate boss bidding on an auction, or them reimbursing me for doing so.

Any help would be appreciated. If they could knock the price of the box itself - whatever the least expensive SD DTiVo would be, we don't need much storage, for one - they'd probably be OK on the monthly fee increase.

[Dkerr24]

Unless you got lucky and found a Dtivo in a box at a local Wal-Mart or CompUSA, I would think eBay would be the only place to find one of those old units.

[litzdog911]

You do realize that a DirecTV/Tivo DVR only works with DirecTV, not Cable TV service. That said, you probably won't find DirecTV/Tivos at any regular stores any more. Check out some of the online vendors, such as http://www.weaknees.com. They're not cheap, though, since people that want the Tivo user interface are willing to pay extra, and new units are in short supply. Prices will be better on eBay.

[bidger]

You could monitor these boards waiting for someone to start a thread along the lines of "Moving away from D*. What can I do with my D-TiVo(s)?". It's the workaround for there being no "For Sale" sub-forum here.

[dtremain]

You can suggest eBay, but I doubt they'll go for that, being a big corporation and all. They're a big corporation but they couldn't handle the cost of a Directv TiVo? My 100 hr. Sammy cost me all of $99 a few years ago and I got an R-10 free as a subscriber about a year ago.

I'm glad I don't work for that "big corporation."

Let me repeat the question posed above. They do have Directv service, right? Otherwise, a Directv DVR isn't going to work.

[JimSpence]

What will be the source of the recordings at work?

If you are already paying for cable and don't want the cost of the SA TiVo subscription or the potential higher cost of DirecTV programming, I'd suggest you look into DVD recorder with a hard drive. These have a tuner for recording from cable or OTA (not digital). And aren't very expenzive.

[Inundated]

They're a big corporation but they couldn't handle the cost of a Directv TiVo? My 100 hr. Sammy cost me all of $99 a few years ago and I got an R-10 free as a subscriber about a year ago.

I'm glad I don't work for that "big corporation."

Let me repeat the question posed above. They do have Directv service, right? Otherwise, a Directv DVR isn't going to work.

Oh, they could afford a fleet of DTiVos - this is one of the biggest companies in the world. But local management won't be able to convince them to spend $100 on this.

They have DirecTV, yes. That's why I'm asking about a DTiVo. I personally have an S2 standalone with cable, but that's at home, not work.

It's not about "being able to afford", it's about "convincing them to spend corporate money". The unit isn't considered a necessity.

[Inundated]

What will be the source of the recordings at work?

If you are already paying for cable and don't want the cost of the SA TiVo subscription or the potential higher cost of DirecTV programming, I'd suggest you look into DVD recorder with a hard drive. These have a tuner for recording from cable or OTA (not digital). And aren't very expenzive.

Yeah, unfortunately, the DVD recorder is going to be probably $150-200, no? I'd pay for it if I were them, but I have to justify the request to corporate.

Doesn't sound like it'd work for them. The source is OTA local TV, so that would work, but...they're already paying for DirecTV, and I thought maybe there was some reasonably priced source for them that doesn't involve eBay.

They'd probably be OK with the TiVo monthly fee at the D* rate, if they could get the box for roughly the price of a VCR.

I guess not...

[bguppies]

Yeah, unfortunately, the DVD recorder is going to be probably $150-200, no? ..
I got a nice DVD recorder, that I saw recommended on another tech forum, at Sam's Club for $79.....
Magnavox I think it is.

Bill

[Inundated]

I got a nice DVD recorder, that I saw recommended on another tech forum, at Sam's Club for $79.....
Magnavox I think it is.


We'd need one with a hard drive that could record OTA on a timer. I think that'd be more.

[John T Smith]

Read/ask here
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=106

[wolflord11]

Just look on EBay for Directv/Tivo units. You may be lucky and find the odd one about the place - Compusa does still have the odd R10.

The Directv/Tivo units are the best around. Receiver and DVR unit in One with Tivo Software.

Good luck :D

[su_A_ve]

OP... Remember one thing... You can't compare a D* sub for consumers to the one for a business... They are a LOT more expensive, so bear that in mind...

My .02...

[Inundated]

OP... Remember one thing... You can't compare a D* sub for consumers to the one for a business... They are a LOT more expensive, so bear that in mind...

I'm not sure what this means. They already have D*. The issue isn't the service, it's the DVR. Would they charge a significantly higher monthly fee than the $6 or so they charge residential accounts?

And thanks for the CompUSA tip. I just passed one of their local stores that is closing. I wonder if they actually have decent clearance prices by this point...

[miraclegro]

I just called DTV to replace my old Tivo (the 35 hour one) and they are replacing it with an R10 with Tivo. I couldn't believe they still had a Tivo unit to offer, but I was quite happy. I thought I'd have to end up with their DVR service.

[DonDon]

You know, you could do a little price shopping on ebay or Weaknees and get an estimate on the cost. Then 10 or 20 bux apiece from your coworkers and yall would be sitting pretty. Specially if you can get work to spring for the monthly 6 bux for the DVR service. Just make sure you check the serial number with DTV before purchase to ensure it can be activated. Oh, include 20 bux for a new access card if you buy one off of ebay. :rolleyes:

I can't imagine how several people share a VCR to watch 6 different recordings? A DVR would be a big improvement.

I am so tired of hearing my Mother In Law's constant whining about missing her shows cause she ran out of tape I just picked up an RCA 80 gig DVR/DVD recorder on clearance for $125 from Wallymart for Mother's Day. I'm debating what to put in the card. "Here, now find something important to bitch about," comes to mind. ;)

She's actually not that bad, but she's such an easy target at times. :D

Don