Ex-DirecTiVo user moving to Comcast; TiVo HD vs. ComcasTiVo?

[UnnDunn]

Currently, we are DirecTV customers rocking a Samsung SD DirecTiVo. We just got a nice HD home theater installed, and we're looking to get service. Unfortunately, a pesky tree has grown over the past half-decade and is now blocking our satellite dish such that getting DirecTV HD is impossible, so we're switching back to Comcast.

To my question: Should we spring for a TiVo HD, or should we wait for Comcast to roll out their TiVo service in Northern New Jersey?

We don't do PPV, we never had On Demand so I doubt we'd miss it, but then DirecTiVo never had HMO or all the internet-enabled services Tivo S2/S3/HD have, so we won't miss those either.

Does the ComcasTiVo support the standard SPS codes (including the 30-sec skip, natch)? Does it do everything we've come to expect from DirecTiVo (dual-tuner buffer, season pass, wishlist, Now Playing groups, fast, responsive, reliable?) Is it worth the $2.95 premium (bearing in mind the monthly costs associated with TiVo HD)?

I've seen the regular Comcast guide at a friend's house, and it damn near made me retch. No way we could live with that for very long. The question is whether the ComcasTiVo is good enough that we could hold out until they release it, or whether we should just go ahead and get TiVo HD now.

[perplexed]

I made the jump from DirecTivo (standard def) to Comcast last week, for HD... and because DirecTV had clearly given up on Tivo from an HD perspective. Furthermore, they wanted me to commit to a further 2 years of service to even get their own MPEG4 capable HD DVR. Too many downsides from my perspective.

I'm eagerly awaiting the Tivo software for the Comcast DVR. If needed I'll get one of the standalone Tivo HD / Series 3 units, but I have to admit that the On-Demand feature is great, and we got a fair amount of use out of PPV while on DirecTV.

The Comcast DVR UI / guide does seem very clunky compared to Tivo's UI.

I am a little concerned about the relatively small amount of storage on the Comcast DVR, so that could become an issue for me over time. If you know you'll need more than 15 hrs of HD storage (or 50 hrs of SD I think), you may as well go for a Tivo HD or Series 3. I think they just enabled external disk support on them... but better check.

I've no idea what the Comcast Tivo specs will be though, sorry.

[TiVo Troll]

Does the ComcasTiVo support the standard SPS codes (including the 30-sec skip, natch)? Does it do everything we've come to expect from DirecTiVo (dual-tuner buffer, season pass, wishlist, Now Playing groups, fast, responsive, reliable?) Is it worth the $2.95 premium (bearing in mind the monthly costs associated with TiVo HD)?

I've seen the regular Comcast guide at a friend's house, and it damn near made me retch. No way we could live with that for very long. The question is whether the ComcasTiVo is good enough that we could hold out until they release it, or whether we should just go ahead and get TiVo HD now.

Why wait an unknown amount of time for 'ComcasTiVo' when HDTiVo is available now and is actually pretty cheap?

But if you're still wavering, at least wait a bit until reports of ComcasTiVo's features and performance come in.

[TiVo Troll]

The Comcast DVR UI / guide does seem very clunky compared to Tivo's UI.

Comcast's iGuide's UI/EPG was actually the part I liked best about their DVR. Now I'm waiting to hear how Comcast's TiVo based DVR performs with PIP. If Comcast's TiVo allows access to menu's and feature w/o interrupting what's currently playing that'll be a good thing!

If only regular TiVos offered a user option to continue playing audio from the currently playing program instead of always pausing when going into menus!

[jamesbobo]

I'm also waiting for TiVo in Comcast boxes in NJ. One of the things I miss is the automatic 8 second backwards when you stop fast forwarding. With Comcast, you have to press an instant replay button after FFing.
Comcast's DVR works well with not recording reruns of network shows, but it will record the same episode of cable shows you just watched and deleted, there's no 28 day rule.
Another annoyance is when you're watching a recording in progress. When the recording is done you get a "you're recording is finished" message right in the middle of the screen. I don't need to know this.
On the plus side, it tells you how full the recorder is.

[garberfc]

I'm also a DTV subscriber considering moving to Comcast, but for different reasons.

I own an DirecTV HD TiVo box with a second HDD installed. I'm thrilled with the box. I've never had a problem. Oh, I have a second DirecTV SD TiVo. At least the SD TiVo is leased.

DTV just added a whole bunch of HD channels. The problem is they're encoded in MPEG-4 which the HD TiVo can't decode (and will never decode :mad:). Like you, I'm not willing to recommit for two more years and down grade to their DVR.

It's a shame the new Comcast TiVo doesn't support MRV or TTG. I was looking for to those features. I've lived w/o PPV and On Demand and can continue to do so.

Ahhhh...., what to do, what to do...:(:(:(

[nrc]

The choice probably comes down to which is more important to you - TiVo services (MRV, TTG, Unbox, etc) or ComCast services (PPV, OnDemand, etc). Of course the ComCast TiVo box is considerably cheaper so there's that to consider, as well.

[Bruce24]

Of course the ComCast TiVo box is considerably cheaper so there's that to consider, as well.


Your first Comcast DVR with Tivo service costs $15.90/month, if you wanted a second one it will cost you $21.90/month.

A Tivo HD box costs $300, you would get a M-Card for free with service and if you got the three year pre-paid service that would cost $299. If you average the price over three years, the Tivo HD costs $16.64/month. There have been places selling the Tivo HD for $250, at that price the 3 year cost is $15.25/month.

I currently have two Comcast boxes with the Tivo software (living room and bedroom). After using with them for a week or so, even with a few bugs, I prefer the Tivo software to the iGuide...but it is a significant step down from the real Tivo. The Comcast version has less features (ie. Tivo2go & MRV), runs slower and the guide data must come from a different source than where Tivo gets it, because there is much less info.

At this point I considering returning one of the Comcast boxes and getting a Tivo HD, I won't get MRV, but I will have On-demand which I use and Tivo2go, which I use.

-Bruce

[oldradio99]

Currently, we are DirecTV customers rocking a Samsung SD DirecTiVo. We just got a nice HD home theater installed, and we're looking to get service. Unfortunately, a pesky tree has grown over the past half-decade and is now blocking our satellite dish such that getting DirecTV HD is impossible, so we're switching back to Comcast.

To my question: Should we spring for a TiVo HD, or should we wait for Comcast to roll out their TiVo service in Northern New Jersey?

We don't do PPV, we never had On Demand so I doubt we'd miss it, but then DirecTiVo never had HMO or all the internet-enabled services Tivo S2/S3/HD have, so we won't miss those either.

Does the ComcasTiVo support the standard SPS codes (including the 30-sec skip, natch)? Does it do everything we've come to expect from DirecTiVo (dual-tuner buffer, season pass, wishlist, Now Playing groups, fast, responsive, reliable?) Is it worth the $2.95 premium (bearing in mind the monthly costs associated with TiVo HD)?

I've seen the regular Comcast guide at a friend's house, and it damn near made me retch. No way we could live with that for very long. The question is whether the ComcasTiVo is good enough that we could hold out until they release it, or whether we should just go ahead and get TiVo HD now.

I would cut down the tree :)