PC magazine bad mouths TiVo

[phixel]

Sad...

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2115175,00.asp

[LooseWiring]

Yes, it's sad. Mostly because it's true.

[MickeS]

Already discussed here:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...d.php?t=348427

[Sirshagg]

Originally Posted by LooseWiring

Yes, it's sad. Mostly because it's true.

EXACTLY!

[ZeoTiVo]

this is better??

Originally Posted by from article

They're even geekable: I hooked up a 500GB external SATA drive to my Scientific Atlanta box and got a lot more storage, with only a few annoying quirks (such as losing the ability to pause live TV, for which I've found a workaround).

[MickeS]

Originally Posted by ZeoTiVo

this is better??

No, but apparently it's free. I have never seen anyone get a free DVR before, so either he's lying or doesn't know what he's paying for. Or, I guess, live in one of the few areas where they apparently have free DVRs.

[ZeoTiVo]

Originally Posted by MickeS

No, but apparently it's free. I have never seen anyone get a free DVR before, so either he's lying or doesn't know what he's paying for. Or, I guess, live in one of the few areas where they apparently have free DVRs.

Yes. any tech writer on the subject of DVRs that calls loosing the ability to pause Live TV a quirk has also lost me as a reader. plus the S3 is easily available at 600$ so he did not do much research. Sure 600$ may still be too much and that is a subjective call but overall I gave the article a meh - hope he enjoys doing his work arounds on the Sci Atlantic box

[supasta]

The argument has always been and still is the $800 cost up-front. Sure you can get the box cheaper now, but not by much.

Now, on the other hand, if you are one like myself who is not yet ready (read: cannot afford) to jump into the HD era, TiVo cannot be beat in any way shape or form.

[ZeoTiVo]

Originally Posted by supasta

The argument has always been and still is the $800 cost up-front. Sure you can get the box cheaper now, but not by much.

Now, on the other hand, if you are one like myself who is not yet ready (read: cannot afford) to jump into the HD era, TiVo cannot be beat in any way shape or form.

600/800 = 75%. seems significant to me though I do not expect the price to go much lower this year.

but yes, I am also like you and just have extended basic cable and S2 DT boxes. Love the flexibility of analog cable and waiting impatiently for products that can allow me the same timeshifting and placeshifting I have come to enjoy with Series 2 Tivo DVRs

[jmoak]

$800 dvr's can't be justified, but $2500 to $4000 tv's can?
My tivo can record one program while I'm watching another, why can't his?
How can this guy get a free cable dvr when I have to pay $16 per month + digital service for mine?
Why can't his tivo allow him to schedule his recordings from a smartphone or watch them on the go?
Just how pompous is the assertion "Trust me. If I'm leaving TiVo, it's in trouble"? Isn't that just as silly as me saying, "Trust me. If I'm staying with tivo, everything's just fine"?
How about the statement that a series three tivo is a "luxury product" (no argument there), but somehow a $4000 hdtv is not?

That article isn't informative. It's pompous entertainment. And entertainers at times, as we know, get lazy.

That story IS sad, but it's also quite a strech to deem it "true".

[DUDE_NJX]

Originally Posted by MickeS

No, but apparently it's free. I have never seen anyone get a free DVR before, so either he's lying or doesn't know what he's paying for. Or, I guess, live in one of the few areas where they apparently have free DVRs.

What are you talking about? As far as I know, most (if not all) cable cos give you the box for free, with monthly fees from $0 (1yr promo) to ~$12/month.

[jmoak]

Originally Posted by DUDE_NJX

What are you talking about? As far as I know, most (if not all) cable cos give you the box for free, with monthly fees from $0 (1yr promo) to ~$12/month.

BrightHouse, central florida.
$9.95 a month for the dvr, $6.95 a month for "dvr service".
... plus $4.95 a month for the "additional outlet" (even though I had a tv on the outlet with no cable box before).
... plus ~$40 a month for digital service. (can't have a dvr without digital service. I tried.)

[Whittaker]

The cable-company box isn't so awful anymore. I used to look down on cable-company DVRs the way a music snob looks down on Radio Disney. But nowadays they're 90 percent as good as a TiVo. And they do stuff my old TiVos didn't, such as play video on demand or record one program while I'm watching another.

This guy has had TiVo for SIX YEARS and didn't know he could "record one program while ... watching another ???

[drew2k]

OK, so when can this thread be merged into the earlier one** that's already discussing this topic?

** http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...d.php?t=348427

[MickeS]

Originally Posted by TiVo Troll

There is a monthly service fee, but there are no other charges, no contracts or term obligations, AND, in case it malfunctions, it'll be exchanged free.

I pay a specific DVR fee, not just a "service fee". No matter how you slice it, the cable DVR isn't free, unless by "free" you mean" it costs money".

[DUDE_NJX]

With cable DVR you don't pay for hardware (free), you pay for the service.
With tivo you pay for both.
Why is it so difficult to understand for some people?

[burneyj5]

I pay for the box and the service.

[wierdo]

As do I. Cox recently reduced the box fee to $5.25 (and increased the fees for all the other boxes to $5.25 as well), and increased the service fee to $9.99, so I pay for both. Less for the box, more for the service.

What I don't get is why it matters. Of course TiVo will be more expensive than whatever the cable company is doing. It's always been more expensive. And it's always been better.

Similarly, I spent $1800 on a laptop, rather than sub-$1000. Why? Because it doesn't suck like the cheaper ones do.

[ZeoTiVo]

Originally Posted by drew2k

OK, so when can this thread be merged into the earlier one** that's already discussing this topic?

** http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...d.php?t=348427

because not everyone reads the S3 forum and this topic fits in both forums topical areas. I am no fan of double threads either but this is a case where it legitimately can belong in both forums. Should the merge be to coffeehouse or S3 forum ?

[MickeS]

Originally Posted by DUDE_NJX

With cable DVR you don't pay for hardware (free), you pay for the service.
With tivo you pay for both.
Why is it so difficult to understand for some people?

Because it generally isn't true?

[TiVo Troll]

Originally Posted by MickeS

I pay a specific DVR fee, not just a "service fee". No matter how you slice it, the cable DVR isn't free, unless by "free" you mean" it costs money".

Yes; I pay 11.95 monthly for a hi-def dual tuner cable DVR. But nothing else (except taxes) other than for programming. No contracts, term obligations, or even maintenance.

[MickeS]

Originally Posted by TiVo Troll

Yes; I pay 11.95 monthly for a hi-def dual tuner cable DVR. But nothing else (except taxes) other than for programming. No contracts, term obligations, or even maintenance.

I guess you're using the definition of "free" that I suggested above: "it costs money".

[ah30k]

The cable company DVR does not cost the cable companies any extra costs in the headend. The only extra costs for the cable company is the physical cost of the DVR-STB. You can call the fees a service or a lease or whatever you want, but the cable company is going to charge something for the costs associated with sending a DVR to your home. I think some folks are arguing semantics. It ain't free to get a DVR.

[TiVo Troll]

Originally Posted by MickeS

No, but apparently it's free. I have never seen anyone get a free DVR before, so either he's lying or doesn't know what he's paying for. Or, I guess, live in one of the few areas where they apparently have free DVRs.

Taken in context the article is clearly referring to the fact that cable DVR's are routinely available with no upfront cost or obligation and that the only thing a user pays for is the service. Not an option with TiVo. But what is your ultimate point besides playing with words? I stupidly made the error of thinking you were honestly misinterpreting the meaning of the article. You're not; you're on an ego trip. I deleted the original reply.

[rdrrepair]

Originally Posted by jmoak

BrightHouse, central florida.
$9.95 a month for the dvr, $6.95 a month for "dvr service".
... plus $4.95 a month for the "additional outlet" (even though I had a tv on the outlet with no cable box before).
... plus ~$40 a month for digital service. (can't have a dvr without digital service. I tried.)

$9.95 a month for the "dvr rental"
$6.95 a month "cable dvr service"
$4.95 a month "additional outlet"
$40.00 a month for "digital service"
--------------------------------------------
$61.85 real cost "cable DVR service"

or is it

$9.95 a month for the "dvr rental"
$6.95 a month "cable dvr service"
$4.95 a month "additional outlet"
--------------------------------------------
$21.85 real cost "cable DVR service"


So is the 40.00 a month extra for digital? Are you on bare bone basic? I pay about $100.00 a month for all of my channels & get Cable High Speed Internet.

[MickeS]

Originally Posted by TiVo Troll

Taken in context the article is clearly referring to the fact that cable DVR's are routinely available with no upfront cost or obligation and that the only thing a user pays for is the service. Not an option with TiVo. But what is your ultimate point besides playing with words? I stupidly made the error of thinking you were honestly misinterpreting the meaning of the article. You're not; you're on an ego trip. I deleted the original reply.

I wasn't misinterpreting anything - that's the problem.

He says that getting a DVR from the cable company is free, that means that it will not cost you anything more than getting cable service without a DVR. That's just not true.

You pay for your cable box, yet you think it's free. Then you don't know what free means.

[jmoak]

Originally Posted by rdrrepair

$9.95 a month for the "dvr rental"
$6.95 a month "cable dvr service"
$4.95 a month "additional outlet"
$40.00 a month for "digital service"
--------------------------------------------
$61.85 real cost "cable DVR service"

or is it

$9.95 a month for the "dvr rental"
$6.95 a month "cable dvr service"
$4.95 a month "additional outlet"
--------------------------------------------
$21.85 real cost "cable DVR service"


So is the 40.00 a month extra for digital? Are you on bare bone basic? I pay about $100.00 a month for all of my channels & get Cable High Speed Internet.

It's the second choice, actually. When I got the dvr, I had to sign up for digital service, although truth be told, I was looking for a reason to get the digital tier.

I use to get a line item bill, now it's a "bundle" price.

For digital cable on two tv's, (one with a hd dvr and one without) and cable modem internet, I pay $160.22 a month.

The digital picture quality is great and has made a difference in how my sa tivo recordings look (good quality in/good quality out). It's a big difference coming from directv.

It's not bad, but it's dang sure not free.


http://cfl.mybrighthouse.com/product...s/default.aspx

[TiVo Troll]

Originally Posted by MickeS

Then you don't know what free means.

I do. But most people really don't have a clue.

For example the USA is not a free country; not even close. But there really aren't any free countries unless the many definitions of freedom are picked through most carefully.

However within the context in which the term free is usually applied, the USA is a (relatively) free country, at least in the popular vernacular.

[TiVo Troll]

Originally Posted by jmoak

BrightHouse, central florida.
$9.95 a month for the dvr, $6.95 a month for "dvr service".
... plus $4.95 a month for the "additional outlet" (even though I had a tv on the outlet with no cable box before).
... plus ~$40 a month for digital service. (can't have a dvr without digital service. I tried.)

Huh?

[wolflord11]

Originally Posted by LooseWiring

Yes, it's sad. Mostly because it's true.

Have to agree here too.