[WebHobbit]

OK..so my S2 has a failing harddrive. (lock ups, etc.)

I was considering replacing the HD with a weaknees unit but the more I read about the change in 2008 over to all HD no analog content I wonder if that's wise?

I do not currently have an HD TV or HD channels or cable box for that matter. None of those extra channels appeal to me.

I see I can get a TivoHD for $238.00 from Amazon. Am I assuming correctly that these will work with the new standard in 2008? And it will output to a "non HD" TV via S-video/RCAs? And it also has the outputs for my eventual HDTV?

So if I get a TivoHD I won't have to fool with cablecards right now will I? I can just screw in my standard CATV coax as I am now, right?

And lastly if I buy this from Amazon will I still get my multi-service discount? Right now our main TiVo (the one with the dying HD) is 12.99 a month and the older one in our daughter's room is billed at 6.99.

Advise please.

 

[MikeyB]

Yes on all questions. The THD will work with your S-Def TV and regular cable and you'll be ready for the switch to digital. You should also get your MSD since you'll still have more than one TiVo on your account. You do, however, have the switch date wrong. It's Feb. 17th 2009.

 

[WebHobbit]

Thanks a lot!

I knew it was sometime in 2009...I dunno why I typed 8.

Has anyone found a better deal than the Amazon price?

 

[aaronwt]

Yes on all questions. The THD will work with your S-Def TV and regular cable and you'll be ready for the switch to digital. You should also get your MSD since you'll still have more than one TiVo on your account. You do, however, have the switch date wrong. It's Feb. 17th 2009.

And that's only for OTA. The cable companies are required to keep broadcasting an analog version of the local digital channels until 2012.

 

[zalusky]

And that's only for OTA. The cable companies are required to keep broadcasting an analog version of the local digital channels until 2012.

Yes but I can see them removing all but the locals far before that to reclaim bandwidth.
IE go from 70 analog to maybe 10-15 at most. Thats a lot of bandwidth.

 

[WebHobbit]

Well I pulled the trigger and ordered one from:

http://www.hideflifestyle.com/

 

[MacBandit]

OK..so my S2 has a failing harddrive. (lock ups, etc.)

I was considering replacing the HD with a weaknees unit but the more I read about the change in 2008 over to all HD no analog content I wonder if that's wise?

The switch is to all digital, not to HD. Most shows will still be in standard def just as they are today. The FCC is just freeing up more frequency space by forcing the swicth from frequency hogging Analog to Digital. This way they can auction off the free space and make mucho buckos.

 

[WebHobbit]

Good point. But it still means my S2 will be a door stop in not too many years.

 

[MikeyB]

The switch is to all digital, not to HD. Most shows will still be in standard def just as they are today. The FCC is just freeing up more frequency space by forcing the swicth from frequency hogging Analog to Digital. This way they can auction off the free space and make mucho buckos.

Quite, true. Most people don't understand the difference and assume all digital is HD. It's not as if the D/A converters will be downsampling all content to SD as some (most) of it may still be in SD.

 

[MacBandit]

Good point. But it still means my S2 will be a door stop in not too many years.

Not necessarily Congress has allocated $50 for everyone who needs a Digital to Analog converter. Also you can buy a D/A converter yourself and still use the S2 or you could pay the minimum fee for digital cable and still use the S2. The S2 will still record video like any VCR will but with the added benefit of the Tivo guide for scheduling and IR blaster for controlling your external device.

Also I wouldn't forsake your S2 you could just buy a preformatted drive from Weaknees and fix it for pretty cheap.

 

[zalusky]

I just upgraded an S2 to a TivoHD and when I looked at Ebay to get rid of the S2, it looks like they are going for next to nothing.

I think that reflects the future value.

 

[oldnacl]

Yeah, today Amazon is selling a DT S2 for 99.00 if you buy a 100.00 service coupon and if you buy both you get 100 rebate. Free TiVo. And to think I paid 118 for a used DT just a couple months ago. Talk about missing the boat!

 

[MacBandit]

I just upgraded an S2 to a TivoHD and when I looked at Ebay to get rid of the S2, it looks like they are going for next to nothing.

I think that reflects the future value.

Dollar value doesn't necessarily reflect actual usefulness. There usefulness will be no less in the future than they were in the past.