Series 2s and may switch but I don't know

Raech · 10-09-2011, 10:19 AM

Well I hate my insight motorola box finally. It is acting worse and worse. I miss tivo. Since I have had them since series 1. I have not bought Premiere, my series 2s mostly sit here now because I watch so much HD. Insight is being bought by Time Warner here. &^%$#@!
Why couldn't it be a tivo carrying company? I will not be buying an elite I am not that bad of a junkie for tv.

Mostly I am worried to get a regular premiere and later a add on hard drive because I would want lifetime service. What I am afraid of is that the box may not last as long as my beloved tivo 2s did. Any advice? I read interface issues last year with HD interface. Is that still the case and do the boxes last? Lifetime on a box that may not last would make me mad.

atmuscarella · 10-09-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

Well I hate my insight motorola box finally. It is acting worse and worse. I miss tivo. Since I have had them since series 1. I have not bought Premiere, my series 2s mostly sit here now because I watch so much HD. Insight is being bought by Time Warner here. &^%$#@!
Why couldn't it be a tivo carrying company? I will not be buying an elite I am not that bad of a junkie for tv.

Mostly I am worried to get a regular premiere and later a add on hard drive because I would want lifetime service. What I am afraid of is that the box may not last as long as my beloved tivo 2s did. Any advice? I read interface issues last year with HD interface. Is that still the case and do the boxes last? Lifetime on a box that may not last would make me mad.

The Premiere has been out less than 2 years so no one has an "old" box yet. But my guess is they will last as long on average as any electronic device.

Replacing the internal drive is way to easy to mess with an external drive, it also cost less to replace the internal drive as you can do an internal upgrade to 2TB for under $80.

There are lots of threads with peoples view on the HDUI no need to repeat them here. Bottom line is some like the HDUI some don't some think it works fine some don't.

Good Luck,

chicagobrownblue · 10-09-2011, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

Well I hate my insight motorola box finally. It is acting worse and worse. I miss tivo. Since I have had them since series 1. I have not bought Premiere, my series 2s mostly sit here now because I watch so much HD. Insight is being bought by Time Warner here. &^%$#@!
Why couldn't it be a tivo carrying company? I will not be buying an elite I am not that bad of a junkie for tv.

I've been very satisfied with my TiVo Premiere using the SD menus for many months. I gave up on the HD menus when I encountered the green circle of death. TiVo added a feature in system settings to let you know how much unused disk space you have -- that was the only HD information I missed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

Mostly I am worried to get a regular premiere and later a add on hard drive because I would want lifetime service.

If you are not a TV junky, why would you add a hard drive? XL has 150 hours of HD programming. If you mix SD programming into the mix that expands the available recording hours by quite a bit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

What I am afraid of is that the box may not last as long as my beloved tivo 2s did. Any advice? I read interface issues last year with HD interface. Is that still the case and do the boxes last? Lifetime on a box that may not last would make me mad.

I think all of the major problems with the Premiere have been software related. As the software was updated, these problems have disappeared for most but not all users of the HDUI. I think the hardware problems are typical for consumer electronics and can be at least minimized by placing the TiVo on a good battery backup. Also, someone on this board can probably recommend a credit card that offers to double the standard warranty, which would help alleviate your fears.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

I will not be buying an elite I am not that bad of a junkie for tv.

If you look at the deltas from the TiVo prices today you go from

$ 99 45 hours of HD programming
$299 150 hours of HD programming XL $200 bucks for 105 extra hours
$499 300 hours of HD programming Elite $200 bucks for 150 extra hours

The XL adds 105 extra hours for $200 while the Elite adds 150 more hours for $200, so you are getting more recording time for a cheaper per hour cost with the Elite and the extra tuners for free.

lillevig · 10-09-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

Well I hate my insight motorola box finally. It is acting worse and worse. I miss tivo. Since I have had them since series 1. I have not bought Premiere, my series 2s mostly sit here now because I watch so much HD. Insight is being bought by Time Warner here. &^%$#@!
Why couldn't it be a tivo carrying company? I will not be buying an elite I am not that bad of a junkie for tv.

Mostly I am worried to get a regular premiere and later a add on hard drive because I would want lifetime service. What I am afraid of is that the box may not last as long as my beloved tivo 2s did. Any advice? I read interface issues last year with HD interface. Is that still the case and do the boxes last? Lifetime on a box that may not last would make me mad.

Lot's of possibilities if you want to get a Tivo box capable of HD. I got a lifetime S3HD with a 1TB drive already installed off of eBay and then added a Premiere when Tivo recently had a sale. Last I looked, a S3HD (160GB) with lifetime was going for $300-$325. Upgraded ones for a bit more but you can also buy a pre-imaged 1TB upgrade drive (WD10EARS) for less than $90 on eBay. There are also older S3 units on eBay but they will require 2 CableCards.

chicagobrownblue · 10-09-2011, 01:14 PM

Have you signed up to receive emails from TiVo? They just recently had a deal on the regular Premiere. Maybe something will come up that works for you. Elite for the price of XL with lifetime? And, Black Friday is less than two months away. Gotta be a deal then also. GL

Raech · 10-09-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicagobrownblue

If you are not a TV junky, why would you add a hard drive? XL has 150 hours of HD programming. If you mix SD programming into the mix that expands the available recording hours by quite a bit.

I think all of the major problems with the Premiere have been software related. As the software was updated, these problems have disappeared for most but not all users of the HDUI. I think the hardware problems are typical for consumer electronics and can be at least minimized by placing the TiVo on a good battery backup. Also, someone on this board can probably recommend a credit card that offers to double the standard warranty, which would help alleviate your fears.

If you look at the deltas from the TiVo prices today you go from

$ 99 45 hours of HD programming
$299 150 hours of HD programming XL $200 bucks for 105 extra hours
$499 300 hours of HD programming Elite $200 bucks for 150 extra hours

The XL adds 105 extra hours for $200 while the Elite adds 150 more hours for $200, so you are getting more recording time for a cheaper per hour cost with the Elite and the extra tuners for free.

I am a classic movie junkie. I also lets shows sit for a dogs age before I watch them. I mean I did not need to record that many programs at the very same time (Junkie). lol.

How many cable cards would one need though?

Raech · 10-09-2011, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicagobrownblue

Have you signed up to receive emails from TiVo? They just recently had a deal on the regular Premiere. Maybe something will come up that works for you. Elite for the price of XL with lifetime? And, Black Friday is less than two months away. Gotta be a deal then also. GL

Yup I sure have. I missed that deal as I did not check my email until it was over. Who knows maybe there will be another. But what I am hearing is I better let my tivos get programing data again or I won't get a discount on my lifetime membership on a premiere... unless I am mistaken.

Soapm · 10-09-2011, 06:25 PM

I have a 2TB premier for sale. Want to make me an offer?

Raech · 10-09-2011, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soapm

I have a 2TB premier for sale. Want to make me an offer?

I would have to know how old it is and I only want a unit with lifetime on it.

chicagobrownblue · 10-09-2011, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

How many cable cards would one need though?

One. One M-card can decode up to six channels at one time.

chicagobrownblue · 10-09-2011, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

Yup I sure have. I missed that deal as I did not check my email until it was over. Who knows maybe there will be another. But what I am hearing is I better let my tivos get programing data again or I won't get a discount on my lifetime membership on a premiere... unless I am mistaken.

I'm a big fan of calling up a company and saying I missed that deal, is there anyway I can get in on the deal at this LATE date? The worst they can say is no. And, I can not believe they won't have a better deal on Black Thursday, so ask for what you want but be prepared to wait.

Soapm · 10-09-2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

I would have to know how old it is and I only want a unit with lifetime on it.

It doesn't have a lifetime on it but it is eligible. I called Tivo and verified. It's new and never been activated (per Tivo), just got it in September but never used it since I later learned it couldn't be hacked. I ended up going with a Tivo HD with the prom mod instead.

chicagobrownblue · 10-10-2011, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

I am a classic movie junkie. I also lets shows sit for a dogs age before I watch them. I mean I did not need to record that many programs at the very same time (Junkie). lol.

TCM and AMC are Standard Definition from RCN for me and part of the basic cable package. If you record movies in SD that will stretch your recording time quite a bit.

unitron · 10-10-2011, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

... Insight is being bought by Time Warner here. &^%$#@!...

My most sincere condolences to a future fellow TWC victim.

unitron · 10-10-2011, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raech

Yup I sure have. I missed that deal as I did not check my email until it was over. Who knows maybe there will be another. But what I am hearing is I better let my tivos get programing data again or I won't get a discount on my lifetime membership on a premiere... unless I am mistaken.

Are your S2s lifetimed?

Raech · 10-10-2011, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unitron

Are your S2s lifetimed?

Yes they both are lifetimed. And thanks on the TWC condolences (they take over insight in Feb and I am mad).

Raech · 10-10-2011, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soapm

It doesn't have a lifetime on it but it is eligible. I called Tivo and verified. It's new and never been activated (per Tivo), just got it in September but never used it since I later learned it couldn't be hacked. I ended up going with a Tivo HD with the prom mod instead.

This seems like a very expensive option for me.