[mikenalin]

Is there any Tivo competition? I can't afford their new service fees. They seem exorbitantly high. I only us it for getting the daily program guide.

I was happy with Series 2 lifetime, but I had to pass on the Tivo HD because of the high service fee contract.

Anybody know any alternative DVRs or anything (especially HD ones)?

 

[kb7oeb]

No other current 3rd party HD DVRs on the market at the moment, you can find discontinued units from LG and sony on EBAY if you look hard enough. Pretty much the only other HD choice is DIY computer based.

If you give up HD you can get a DVD recorder with a hard drive, several vendors now have models out with digital tuners. They are all timer based so no fees. These may evolve to support HD some day, they have HD tuners and HD outputs but don't pass HD.

 

[GoHokies!]

If you have a S2 with lifetime, you can get a THD for $6.95 a month.

It doesn't get much more affordable than that.

 

[mattack]

No other current 3rd party HD DVRs on the market at the moment, you can find discontinued units from LG and sony on EBAY if you look hard enough. Pretty much the only other HD choice is DIY computer based.

Not exactly true.

Check out:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=791417
and
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=830253

I admit I haven't really read those threads, but there are some at least ATSC recorders out there.

None AFAIK have cable card slots.

Plus I realize some may nitpick whether they are "DVRs", since I suspect some/many/all are programmed more closely to VCRs.. (though as a total guess without reading those threads, I bet some use "TV Guide On Screen" which provides at least a little bit of guide data for those who can successfully get it).

 

[kb7oeb]

ATSC does not equal HD, all those recorders downrez HD to 480i. Even worse the HDMI units convert 1080i down to 480i and then upconvert back to 1080i, fairly pointless.

I always thought PVR was a better name for tivo and DVR was better for the less featured but you are right and all of the devices listed are timer based. They also have basic trick play features on live tv.

The LG or sony had a cable card slot, I forget if it was one, the other or both. The sony has an unreliable version of tvguide on screen that can only download via the analog pbs signal going away in 2009.

 

[bkdtv]

I was happy with Series 2 lifetime, but I had to pass on the Tivo HD because of the high service fee contract.

Anybody know any alternative DVRs or anything (especially HD ones)?

The TivoHD is $8.30/mo if you prepay, or $6.95/mo (no prepay) if you already have another Tivo, or a Tivo with lifetime. Just make sure you buy the TivoHD at retail rather than from Tivo.com.

Tivo is barely making money with those "exorbitant fees." As a company, they lost money every quarter until the last. If Tivo can't make money on a DVR charging those fees, how do you expect someone else to make money without fees?