Buying a Tivo - HD or S3?

[thalador]

I have been going through these forums the last 4 days like you read about. Tons of good stuff. I am not a Tivo owner but plan to be by the weekend. My question now is, HD or Series3? I know they have some different features, but the reason I am unsure is because the Series3 is no longer being produced (correct me if I am wrong). Is there a reason why they were discontinued? If I buy one am I making a mistake?

[tivoupgrade]

I have been going through these forums the last 4 days like you read about. Tons of good stuff. I am not a Tivo owner but plan to be by the weekend. My question now is, HD or Series3? I know they have some different features, but the reason I am unsure is because the Series3 is no longer being produced (correct me if I am wrong). Is there a reason why they were discontinued? If I buy one am I making a mistake?

Yes there is a reason the Series3 was discontinued. It had to do with the long term availability of certain components (or lack thereof) and as far as I know it was a business decision to discontinue it because the TiVo HD suffices in most situations.

You would not be making a mistake to purchase a Series3 if that is what you truly want vs purchasing a TiVo HD. Its more a question of your expectations and what you are willing to pay.

Lou

[thalador]

I think my concern was if the S3 was discontinued will it still be supported as far as software upgrades etc go. After looking at the 2 I don't think I need the S3 anyway.. Thanks for the reply

[tivoupgrade]

I think my concern was if the S3 was discontinued will it still be supported as far as software upgrades etc go. After looking at the 2 I don't think I need the S3 anyway.. Thanks for the reply

Yes, the Series3 will be supported as far as software upgrades are concerned (until TiVo says they are not). TiVo has not made any announcement regarding the end-of-life (EOL) of the Series3. And just as there are many Series2 models that are no longer manufactured, they still receive software updates, as well. In short, that is nothing to worry about.

[classicsat]

The Series 3 will continue to get software updates for some time to come.

[mr.unnatural]

The Tivo HD and series 3 Tivo will both function comparably well. The series 3 was the original HD standalone model but was superceded by the Tivo HD about a year after it was introduced. The Tivo HD has a few less features but definitely gives you more bang for the buck. The only major difference between the two models is that the S3 is THX certified, which is becoming highly overrated these days. There may be a few other minor differences but they both function pretty much the same. I have two S3's, but mainly because I was a somewhat early adopter of the new model as a result of switching from DirecTV to FIOS.

FYI - the S2 does not record in HD and may or may not work with your TV provider's system later on down the road without the use of a STB.

[tivoupgrade]

The Tivo HD and series 3 Tivo will both function comparably well. The series 3 was the original HD standalone model but was superceded by the Tivo HD about a year after it was introduced. The Tivo HD has a few less features but definitely gives you more bang for the buck. The only major difference between the two models is that the S3 is THX certified, which is becoming highly overrated these days. There may be a few other minor differences but they both function pretty much the same. I have two S3's, but mainly because I was a somewhat early adopter of the new model as a result of switching from DirecTV to FIOS.

FYI - the S2 does not record in HD and may or may not work with your TV provider's system later on down the road without the use of a STB.

The other major differences (and these are important to some, and a non-issue for others) are that the Series3 has an OLED display on the front panel which tells you what is being recorded on each tuner, comes with a back-lit remote, and also has a bigger hard drive.

I think each of these things are essentially bigger issues than the THX-certification in that they are at least noticeable (I've not heard any claims that the Series3 does actually sound better than the TiVo HD).

In any case the OLED issue is simply a 'take it or leave it' issue, and FWIW, back-lit remotes can be purchased separately, and the TiVo HD can be easily upgraded for more capacity.

Bottom line, though is that regardless of which unit you pick they are both supported and the fact that the Series3 is most likely not going to be manufactured again, it is not something to worry about if you decide you like the Series3 more than the TiVo HD.

[shrike4242]

Another big thing to keep in mind between the S3 and the TivoHD is the file system size it can address. The S3 has a 32-bit filesystem, so it maxes out at 2.2TB of total addressable drive space. Pop a couple of 1TB drives on it/in it, and you're maxed out. The TivoHD has a 64-bit filesystem, so can address 16 ExB of space, which we shouldn't be a concern for a while.

[robin50]

Anecdotally, the guide seems to be considerably faster on my S3 compared with my friend's HD---can somebody with with both units please comment?

[brewman]

another difference between the S3 and HD is the S3 does not support multistream cablecards. That means, if you're getting cable cards, twice the monthly fee and twice the possible headaches getting them provisioned properly. Believe me, it can be a major hassle getting them provisioned properly if my experience with Charter here in Suwanee, GA is any kind of indicator.

[Plazmid]

thalador,
I just recently purchased a TivoHD based on spec. The specs listed on Tivo.com seem to match the 2 models up quite nicely. I have been using Tivo for the last 6 years and love the features they provide. A TV upgrade prompted me to upgrade my Series 2 to the HD version since I can actually watch HD now. My M-Card cablecard is on order, and yes, M-Card support was a big deal since it simplifies things. I fall into the "don't really care" camp on the OLED scene. The Series2 had a simple Red/Yellow/Green light display. If I want to see what is being recorded, I'll turn the Tv on and hit the Tivo info key :). So far, even without the cablecard, I'm very happy with my TivoHD.

[lrhorer]

Anecdotally, the guide seems to be considerably faster on my S3 compared with my friend's HD---can somebody with with both units please comment?
The S3 is definitely faster, although recent software tweaks by TiVo have increased the efficiency of the THD so it os now closer to the S3, but network transfers and menu selections, particularly searches are noticeably faster on the S3. We're not talking a factor of two, however. 'Perhaps 30% or 40%. Where it is most noticeable is TTCB transfers of very high bandwidth HD material. The S3 often cannot quite keep up, and the THD lags real time even more. MRV usually has enough headroom to keep up in real time for either unit.

[Ed_Hunt]

I have both, I would not spend the extra money for the series 3, keeping in mind they both do a great job as far as I am concerned. :up:

[lrhorer]

My M-Card cablecard is on order, and yes, M-Card support was a big deal since it simplifies things.
There is also a financial component, which although usually relatively small is important to many people.

I fall into the "don't really care" camp on the OLED scene.
Me, too. What is or is not important is purely a personal matter, however.

The Series2 had a simple Red/Yellow/Green light display. If I want to see what is being recorded, I'll turn the Tv on and hit the Tivo info key :).
In normal operation, I can't see the OLED screen on either of my S3 TiVos, anyway. I also generally couldn't care less what's being recorded. The TiVo is doing its job, magnificently. That's all I care.

So far, even without the cablecard, I'm very happy with my TivoHD.
I'm certainly not disappointed in either of my S3 units or my THD. I do wish the THD were as fast as the S3 units, and I do wish it came with one of the S3 remotes, but I wasn't willing to pay the difference for my 3rd Series III class TiVo and I'm not sorry I decided to save the extra cash. If the THD had been available when I bought the unit for my living room, I would also have proabbaly preferred to save the money there. In the Theater, transfer speeds, and especially TTCB transfer speeds are important, and it's usually much darker in there, so both the S3 remote and the network transfer speeds are important there, and I would not choose a THD for that site.

[GadgetVirtuoso]

Anecdotally, the guide seems to be considerably faster on my S3 compared with my friend's HD---can somebody with with both units please comment?

The Series 3 is much faster and more responsive compared to the TiVoHD. If I were to buy another HD TiVo I'd probably buy the TiVoHD, cost being the deciding factor. The Series3 looks cooler with the OLED display and the backlight peanut is also cool, but drains batteries fast. The few extras of the Series3 aren't worth the higher cost IMHO. As mentioned the Series3 only supports S-Cards, so it costs me more per month over the TiVoHD, sure its only $1.50 for the extra card but its $1.50 I'd never have to spend on the TiVoHD as long as I have it.

[thalador]

So now I am figuring out whether to buy new or refurb or something off of ebay. I know the whole buyer beware thing, but have any of you bought off ebay and had good experiences? I am looking at a couple of TivoHDs, 1TB with lifetime for $750-785.. If I bought the tivo refurb thats 179+399lifetime+1tb drive 189ish = 767.. That includes me installing it (which I have no clue how to do).. Of course I am concerned about getting scammed, but I think some of the sellers I am looking at actually post here quite a bit.. So, what do the experts think?

[tivoupgrade]

So, what do the experts think?

Its not a question of whether its safe to buy off of ebay or not, its a question of who you are buying the unit from, whether they are reputable and whether they are going to support you if there is a problem.

Remember, these units when upgraded are no longer under TiVo's warranty so be sure to check into the warranty the seller offers. Take a look at their selling history and try to figure out for yourself whether they are going to be around to help you if you have a problem (and whether or not what they sell you is what you expect).

Ebay is a great place for finding deals. It is also a great place for individuals to sell there wares and vanish unexpectedly when times get tough.

Lou

[thalador]

Completely understood. I need to pull the trigger today since Verizon will be out in 1 week to do the install.