New Hardware

[edspider99]

Does anyone have information about what set top box if this version of TiVo is being released on? I've heard rumors it everything from new software on the existing motorola box to a new non motorola box.

I'm in Chicago and just gave up on waiting Comcast to deliver TiVo. The Series 3 with two cable cards is coming next week. I don't use ondemand or PPV. The Series 3 looks fantastic (not comcastic). It has true blue and upgradeable TiVo software.

I'm paying about $17 for the current dual tuner POS. TiVo service is about $10 month plus $1.51 from Comcast for the cable cards. So my monthly cost goes down. Yeah I'm out $349 for the Series 3, but it worth it to me. I'll sell in on eBay something better comes out.

[ajwees41]

It will be on the current Motorola dvr's.

[Manticore]

My friend went to Comcast office today to replace his DVR box. It would freeze using the DVR functions. They gave him this box
http://broadband.motorola.com/business/digitalvideo/downloads/DCH6416_Product_Description.pdf
They said it will work with Tivo which is launching next Monday for $2.99 on top of existing DVR charges.

We live in SE MA.

[ajwees41]

My friend went to Comcast office today to replace his DVR box. It would freeze using the DVR functions. They gave him this box
http://broadband.motorola.com/business/digitalvideo/downloads/DCH6416_Product_Description.pdf
They said it will work with Tivo which is launching next Monday for $2.99 on top of existing DVR charges.

We live in SE MA.


It's the same motorola box except the security is now on the cable card.

[Manticore]

It's the same motorola box except the security is now on the cable card.

Most people in my area are still using the DCT6200 series, He got the newer 6400 series. They maybe similar as far as internals, but the exterior design (more appealing to me) and cable card control are enough to be considered different.

[nettielu]

Does anyone know if this new box will support adding external additional hard drive space?

[ajwees41]

Does anyone know if this new box will support adding external additional hard drive space?

It's not not a new box, but different software.

[Manticore]

Does anyone know if this new box will support adding external additional hard drive space?

Both the DCT 6400 and DHC 6416 (the newer boxes) series Motorola boxes have eSATA connections. It is just a matter if Comcast lets them be active or not. We are definately a go for Monday @ $2.99/mo

[bicker]

Just a clarification: Manticore meant "Both the DCT-64xx and the DCH-64xx)..." Not DHC-64xx.

[edspider99]

Comcast Chicago Price Notes:

$6.99 for HD Box
Add $6.00 to upgrade to DVD
Add $2.99 to upgrade to Tivo (when available - no dates)

First cable card FREE
Extra card for first unit $1.50

3rd cable card, 2nd unit $5.99
Extra card for second unit $1.50

[ajwees41]

Most people in my area are still using the DCT6200 series, He got the newer 6400 series. They maybe similar as far as internals, but the exterior design (more appealing to me) and cable card control are enough to be considered different.

I haven't heard of any major cable company still using a single tuner 6208 dvr I thought they all use 6412-6416 dual tuner dvr's.

[andydumi]

Comcast Chicago Price Notes:

$6.99 for HD Box
Add $6.00 to upgrade to DVD
Add $2.99 to upgrade to Tivo (when available - no dates)

First cable card FREE
Extra card for first unit $1.50

3rd cable card, 2nd unit $5.99
Extra card for second unit $1.50

Good post.

In Nashville its a tad different.

Comcast Route:
9.99 for HD package, box.
2.99 for DVR box.
2.99 likely for Tivo eventually.

OR Tivo Route:
One free non DVR box (for VOD). In theory must be on same TV, in practice, whatever you want.
First CCard free.
Second is 1.50 or 4.95+1.50 depending if you can convince them its not additional outlet. M cards are available, no installer trip necessary.
9.99 for HD is charged for HD channels package.

And as to OP, asking about a new box, there is a rumor of a Panasonic box that is coming to Comcast and retailers starting next year. It was at CES and people had positive impressions. Seems on par or better than Tivo Series 3 in terms of speediness, features, space...

[Manticore]

Just a clarification: Manticore meant "Both the DCT-64xx and the DCH-64xx)..." Not DHC-64xx.

Yes Bicker you are right, thanks for correcting that for me. Spoke with a Comcast tech yesterday at a Circuit City Grand Opening and he told me I would have to switch out my box to get Tivo. He offered to have me come back with my old box and would give me the new one. The box he had was the DCH-3416.
http://broadband.motorola.com/business/digitalvideo/product_dch3416_settop.asp

[edspider99]

Well I do like the looks of the new Moto DVR box. I'd probably be happy with it. But I still don't mind that I sprung for the true blue Tivo. And I suspect it won't hit Chicago for at least a year. With the real mcoy, I trust I'll get SW updates faster.

Since the new Moto Box uses an M Card and since Comcast gave me M Cards for the TiVo, I'm optimistic Comcast and Tivo will restore PPV someday.

[bicker]

As I mentioned in the other thread you posted in, S-cards versus M-cards have nothing to do with PPV.

[BOMOON]

...But I still don't mind that I sprung for the true blue Tivo...

I gave in to temptation too. I called the local Comcast office to get the deal on the multistream cards then called TiVo one last time to make sure I was getting what I thought I was.

You got a much better price though. I'm too embarrassed to tell you what I paid. I even bought a service plan. A big service plan. As in no subscription fees ever, plus unlimited support. It's even more embarrassing than the cost of the S3.

All the data ports on this thing work. I've had TiVo DVRs with DirecTV before, but never with working data ports. To get recorded movies onto a PC where I could make custom DVDs, I had to play them back and capture them with some kind of MPEG-2 vidcap card.

How could I resist a TiVo DVR with working data ports?

I'll just live on potatoes and water for a month or two, that's all.

Big Al Mintaka

[TiVo Troll]

Well I do like the looks of the new Moto DVR box. I'd probably be happy with it. But I still don't mind that I sprung for the true blue Tivo.

The exterior of the DCH3416 looks businesslike, and Comcast's iGuide EPG, IMHO, is actually easier to look at than either of TiVo's.

(TiVo's Grid Guide is about the worst EPG available IMHO (rivaling DirecTV's?) but TiVo's Live Guide only needs one or two fewer listings per page to ease its overly busy appearance. TiVo's Live Guide of course is the only one to go back in time except for ReplayTV's easy-to-view EPG!

But does the DCH3416 improve on Moto's comparitively inept handling of 'trick play' features? How will TiVo's S/W fare on it? Bet that DCH3416 does no better than earlier Comcast Moto's when sending downrezzed HD images to a DVD recorder, and that running TiVo s/w on the new Moto won't enable the full height anamorphic DVD-R's that TiVo hi-def boxes do!

Stay tuned!

[ajwees41]

The exterior of the DCH3416 looks businesslike, and Comcast's iGuide EPG, IMHO, is actually easier to look at than either of TiVo's.

(TiVo's Grid Guide is about the worst EPG available IMHO (rivaling DirecTV's?) but TiVo's Live Guide only needs one or two fewer listings per page to ease its overly busy appearance. TiVo's Live Guide of course is the only one to go back in time except for ReplayTV's easy-to-view EPG!

But does the DCH3416 improve on Moto's comparitively inept handling of 'trick play' features? How will TiVo's S/W fare on it? Bet that DCH3416 does no better than earlier Comcast Moto's when sending downrezzed HD images to a DVD recorder, and that running TiVo s/w on the new Moto won't enable the full height anamorphic DVD-R's that TiVo hi-def boxes do!

Stay tuned!


no guide is worse then the guide Cox uses. They use APTiv pioneer DCT and Passport Echo.