HD Tivo or CV HD DVR ???

[dssxxxx]

Some background:

Cablevision – Northern New Jersey (full package – all channels) do not use On Demand or PPV

2 – Series 2 275 hour TIVO
1 – Series 2 Standard Tivo

2 - Hitachi LCD w/cablecard
1 - Sharp LCD w/cablecard

1 – 275 hour Series 2 connected through STB – all channels
1 – Standard Series 2 Tivo connected through STB – all channels
1 – 275 hour Series 2 connected directly to third TV

Almost all watched content is HD. All Tivo’ed content is SD. We are having one problem with the cablecard in the Sharp dropping out channels every hour or so and having to unplug and reboot TV. As most people know, the SD through cablebox and Tivo’ed is not the best quality. We have decided to go HD with our DVR’s.

The question is do we buy the Tivo HD or use CV HD DVR and expand with esata with whichever we choose? Our present Tivo’s are not used with any sound systems, so I guess the logical choice is Tivo HD and/or CV HD DVR. We figure we each need about 60 hours of HD content. The extra Series 2 Tivo will remain on the extra TV. We like the idea of recording 2 channels and will probably scrape/give/trade the 3 Series 2 Tivo’s.

If we are recording 2 channels on the DVR of choice, then we could be watching live TV with either the internal/installed cablecard or OTA HD (which we have not tried but seems to work fairly well in our other home in FL).

95% of sports are watched live and the wife and I Tivo about 10 Season Passes a week with the other misc. recording of soaps (her), movies, etc. So the 60 – 70 hours of HD content would be a good fit and the dual program recording could relieve us of the third DVR.

What are your suggestions? After 3-5 years of Tivo, could/would we be happy with CV HD DVR or would we have to have the Tivo HD?

Are the cablecards used in the Tivo’s the same as the one’s in our present LCD’s or are they the thin ones that are used in the STB’s?

Costs: $10.00 each CV DVR plus $200 each for upgrade HD
Costs: $299.00 each (approx) plus $200 each for upgrade HD, plus $12.95 and $6.95 (saving the third $6.95 we are paying now………

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We have friends that have switched from Tivo to CV DVR’s and have said they don’t miss anything.

I hope I did not make this too long or confusing, but it’s been a while since my Tivo purchasing days…………….. :-)

Thanks.

[ZeoTiVo]

you are already paying the monthly sub and can simply transfer the sub to the new TiVo HD. Also if you call in to cancel the third Sereis 2 then you may get a 199$ price on the Tivo HD. shopping around will get you 230 to 250$ price on a TiVo HD nowadays I think.

Also TiVo HD does a great job with digital OTA and can record two channels of that or one channel digital and one channel OTA or of course 2 digital channels.

Look at what you get on digital cable now versus what you can get on Digital OTA and perhaps you can shave the cable bill some

[rocko]

What are your suggestions? After 3-5 years of Tivo, could/would we be happy with CV HD DVR or would we have to have the Tivo HD?


My personal experience: I recently switched from DirecTiVos to Cablevision and tried their DVR. I personally hated it. Season pass scheduling is WAY different - you have to find a show in the program grid to schedule it - no Wishlists. The user interface is horrible. Also, these DVRs have a "feature" where it automatically goes into power-save mode every morning at 4:00 AM. I'm in the habit of tuning to a local news channel and waking up with my 30 minute live buffer intact - not possible with their DVR. I'm speaking for myself but once you have a TiVo you will have a hard time adjusting to anything else.


Are the cablecards used in the Tivo’s the same as the one’s in our present LCD’s or are they the thin ones that are used in the STB’s?


TiVo uses the cards that go in your TV.

Also, a Series 3 will allow OTA recording along with dual-tuner HD capability. The CV DVR will not.

Why don't you try their DVR for a month or 2 and see what you think. The worst that can happen is you end up buying a TiVo. :o

[dssxxxx]

OK.

I think I'm going to have to read some of the CV threads about cable cards. My original experience with CC's were not the best, but then again, that was a few years ago.

I would really like to use the "M" card and wonder if it can be used in the TV as well (another source)?

Thanks.

[ZeoTiVo]

OK.

I think I'm going to have to read some of the CV threads about cable cards. My original experience with CC's were not the best, but then again, that was a few years ago.

I would really like to use the "M" card and wonder if it can be used in the TV as well (another source)?

Thanks.

M cards work in the TiVo HD

the TV would have to have two tuners, not just two inputs.


Cable cards have in general gotten better since cable companies have to use them themselves ;)

[beady]

Do you have an NDS cable card or an SA cable card. If you have an NDS card there is a known problem with the card in the second tuner causing intermittent "card in inavlid state" error. You then have to pop the card out and back in. Tivo, CV and NDS have been aware of the problem for around three months now but have no fix.

If you are using NDS cards I would suggest you not get the HD until this problem is resolved.

[gguillot]

If the vendor's DVR is a Scientific Atlanta model, you will have a very difficult time trying to adapt. I tried, and found the SA box to be nearly worthless (specifically the 8300). The interface is so primitive compared to Tivo, you will never be satisifed.
I had to drop from Tivo to DishNetwork's VIP722, which was rated very highly by CNet. I can tell you from personal experience that even the VIP722 does not match up.
If you have grown used to the Tivo interface, I don't think you will find anything comparable.

[dssxxxx]

OK..............I guess I have become to used to Tivo....TA... Tivo Addict???? Kind of like.....Crackberry....:-)

Enough..........ordered 2 Tivo HD off Amazon and 1 DVR Extender from Tivo. Wife says if 20 hours isn't enough....she will have me order. Saved me $200.

Thanks for the help and comments.

Will be back if/when the cablecard install does not go well. It was a nightmare for the 3 installs on the LCD's.