Need new Tivo, but so confused! Please help!

[lisah123]

I have been using my original Series 1 for years. I want a new Tivo for Christmas because I need more recording hours. I had been planning to buy a Series 2 for the 80 hours, but now all the HD info has me confused. I'm wondering what my best option is. I don't have an HDTV and am not planning to buy one any time soon. But, I don't want to get screwed when everything switches over to HD.

So,

Should I buy the HD Tivo so I have it when I do decide to go HD? Will it work fine for now with my regular TV?

Is it a waste to buy the Series 2...will I HAVE to replace it when everything goes HD in 2 years?

Can I take advantage of any of the special transfer pricing deals to keep my lifetime service on a new box?

Any advice would be appreciated (in laymen's language please - I'm really not very technical!). Thanks!

[sethjvm]

The first question is, what is your source for TV? Cable, satellite, or OTA.

Everything hinges on that answer.

[pdhenry]

Is it a waste to buy the Series 2...will I HAVE to replace it when everything goes HD in 2 years?Do you have Cable? Then no, at least for the time being. The worst that would happen IMO is that a dual tuner S2 would only have one usable tuner, if your cable company decides to stop transmitting any channels in analog SD (the TiVo would only work through a cable box, and it can only control one cable box, so only one channel). This decision by the cable company isn't related to the 2009 analog broadcast cutoff.

[ah30k]

There are many many issues to consider. But the short reco would be to go directly to the TiVo HD now IF you can spare the extra money. Not everyone can or wants to.

As more cable companies go all digital (note I didn't use HD, just digital) the dual tuner capabilities of the S2DT go away. The reason is the S2DT utilizes the cable STB for one of the two tuners and uses its internal analog tuner for the other. The internal tuner can't tune digital channels. Verizon's FiOS and Comcast Chicago have already significantly cut back on their analog channels and Verizon will completely do away with them soon. If you get a TiVo-HD with a CableCARD you will have access to dual tuner on all of the channels you receive.

If you ever do go HD, you will be ready to go with your TiVo.

Not everything is going HD in two years, you may be thinking when everything goes digitial. Digital is not necessarily HD. On most cable plants, everything over channel 99 is digital. If you choose to go with an S2DT model it will still work fine when digital becomes more prevalent but you will need a cable provided STB and an IR blaster from your TiVo.

The TiVo HD will work find with you regular TV. Any HD channels will just be down-rez'ed to SD.

Most of the lifetime specials only apply to the TiVo HD.

[lisah123]

I've got digital cable through Comcast...

[sethjvm]

Ok. You are probably good to go with the S2. It will operate many of the cable co's set top boxes (STB) for the foreseeable future. I don't know how it will work with Switched Digital Video (SDV) though.

If I were you, I would get a TiVoHD with lifetime since you have a rare opportunity to do so right now. The TiVoHD will work with cable but you will need to get a cable card (or two) to see digital cable stations. There is tald that the TiVoHD will support SDV at some point in the future with a USB dongle so you will have some opportunites there.

[ah30k]

It will operate many of the cable co's set top boxes (STB) for the foreseeable future. I don't know how it will work with Switched Digital Video (SDV) though.S2-DT paired with a STB is the most immune to SDV since the STB takes care of all the messaging.

[flatcurve]

AFAIK comcast hasn't made any SDV noise yet... at least in my area. I think that even if they did, the USB dongle will probably be available by then (they said late 2nd quarter 08 right?)

It's sort of like buying a computer. Get the best one you can afford. I think a TivoHD would be a great way to go, just because it will allow you to move to HD easily if you ever got a better TV.

[lisah123]

Thanks all! I decided to go ahead with the TivoHD. A little more money upfront, but I was able to transfer my lifetime service for $199 and get a free year of use on my old Tivo as well.

I'm sure I'll be back when it arrives and I have to figure out how to install it!! :o

-Lisa