[bedhead]

I currently have a Series 1 Tivo with a lifetime membership. Today I received an email from Tivo with an offer to transfer my lifetime service to a TiVo® Series2™ Dual Tuner DVR for $299. My Tivo is hooked up to a digital cable box, and I've heard that these series 2 dual tuners do not support that.

So my question is, is it worth it to transfer my service, or should I just keep my series 1 dvr and not spend the money? I like the idea of a dual tuner and remote programming features, but if the tuner won't work with my set up I don't want to bother.

Thanks in advance!

 

[btl-a4]

It works fine with your cableco's Set-top-Box(STB) , but only one tuner can use the STB the other tuner is limited to the analog (1-99) of your cable lineup. So you can only record one show in the digital range at a time, but can record a digital and an analog at the same time or two analog's at the same time.

 

[MickeS]

If you have an unmodified Series 1 TiVo, the benefits are:

- Dual Tuner: this WILL work with your Digital Cable box. It will use it just like your Series 1 TiVo does, but will in addition have a built-in analog only tuner that will allow record analog programming at the same time as recording analog or digital from the cable box.

- Home Media features: access to photos, videos and music stored on your PC, as well as the ability to store TiVo-recorded videos on your PC

- Access to Amazon Unbox videos as well as TiVo Cast stuff

- Set up recordings remotely through the web

- Possibly Multi Room viewing with Series 3 TiVos in the future (though this is not 100% sure)



The negatives are:
- the DT will be "single tuner" just like your series 1 is, when cable companies drop analog and go all digital, since it will need a cable box to receive signals. Noone knows for sure when this will happen.

- unlike your Series 1 TiVo, the DT series 2 can not receive "over the air" broadcasts from your local network affiliates. It only works with analog cable (full dual tuner capability), digital cable (limited dual input capability as mentioned above) and with satellite (only single input - no dual tuner functionality).


If I were you, I'd update. I use the network functionality of the Series 2 every day. Probably more than I use the actual recording-functionality of it (especially the PC-to-TiVo video stuff).

But if that's something you know you won't be interested in, it might not be worth the upgrade for you.


EDIT: oh, and when did you activate your Series 1 Lifetime? If it was before January 20th, 2000, there is no need for you to take this offer - you are allowed a free grandfathered Lifetime transfer to any other TiVo model, including the Series 3 high-definition recorder.

 

[bedhead]

If you have an unmodified Series 1 TiVo, the benefits are:

- Dual Tuner: this WILL work with your Digital Cable box. It will use it just like your Series 1 TiVo does, but will in addition have a built-in analog only tuner that will allow record analog programming at the same time as recording analog or digital from the cable box.

The negatives are:

- unlike your Series 1 TiVo, the DT series 2 can not receive "over the air" broadcasts from your local network affiliates. It only works with analog cable (full dual tuner capability), digital cable (limited dual input capability as mentioned above) and with satellite (only single input - no dual tuner functionality).

I'm a bit confused. So the Series 2 will receive all the channels that come through my cable box (including local channels), but it won't get "over the air" channels, meaning those that come in via an antenna?

And the only thing the dual tuner can't do is simultaneously record two channels in the digital range?

Will I need an A/B switch of some sort as well?

Thanks again for all your help.

 

[MickeS]

I'm a bit confused. So the Series 2 will receive all the channels that come through my cable box (including local channels), but it won't get "over the air" channels, meaning those that come in via an antenna?

Yes, this is how the Series 2 they sell currently and that would be in this offer works.

And the only thing the dual tuner can't do is simultaneously record two channels in the digital range?

Correct. It has only built-in analog cable tuners. It needs a cable box to tune to digital channels.

Will I need an A/B switch of some sort as well?

No, not for the TiVo.

 

[bedhead]

So would you recommend that I upgrade? $299 seems awfully expensive considering the banner ad here is selling the same DVR for less than half the price.

ETA: Also, would I still be able to use my series 1 dvr on another tv with my service?

 

[MickeS]

So would you recommend that I upgrade? $299 seems awfully expensive considering the banner ad here is selling the same DVR for less than half the price.

Well... if you are going to use the network functions quite a bit, yes, I would recommend an upgrade. Like I said, I use the music and video network player functionality all the time, and I have started using Amazon Unbox more and more too, as well as subscribing to different TiVo Cast stuff. Also, if you plan on getting a Series 3 down the line, you would most likely be able to use the Series 2 with MRV together with the Series 3 (though that is not for sure).

Getting that functionality "for ever" without monthly fees, as well as dual tuner for at least a while (depending on how long the cable company keeps the analog channels) would be worth it to me.

However, if you have no interest in that aspect of it, and only want it for recording TV, I would advice against getting it. If all you want is the ability to record two shows at once, you'd be better off getting a dual tuner either used or from the TiVo site, and signing it up for 2 or 3 years of service with the multi TiVo discount ($6.95/month if you sign up for 3 years, and I think it's $10.95/month if you commit to 2 years). It would come out to roughly the same price as this lifetime transfer offer, and by then there is probably some new technology available for recording digital TV, either from TiVo or from someone else.

Most likely you can only keep using your Series 1 for basic VCR-like recording if you drop the subscription. If you sign it up for service you will get the multi service discount mentioned above, which will cost you at least $6.95 per month.

 

[snowbunny]

I think TiVo send out these offers to get people to buy a particular product *now* rather than waiting. For example, if you have a TiVo unit that's on its ninth life, and don't need/wish to buy an S3, this offer is a good way to get an S2 and lifetime service.

Assuming you're going to replace your existing TiVo if/when it dies, you're gambling on how long it's going to last and whether or not TiVo will offer another similar promotion in future.

 

[jlb]

..............The negatives are:
- the DT will be "single tuner" just like your series 1 is, when cable companies drop analog and go all digital, since it will need a cable box to receive signals. ..........

Not that it will mean anything to what the OP was asking, but we should clarify this......The "cutoff" that is "scheduled" for Feb 2009 is just for over the air broadcasts. Cable companies may still choose to pass along the analog cable signal. It boils down to whether or not the cable companies think it is more expensive to keep the analog signal available versus the cost of losing subscribers totally.

I just purchased a new (to me) Dual Tuner box from Ebay. This will replace my lone single tuner model. At $90 shipped for a unit not tied into a pricing plan, this was very much worth it to me....I'll have the dual tuners at least for about 19 months.

At that time, I can figure out what to do (i.e., S3, S3-lite, ComcasTiVo, etc.) and what all of my options are.....

But, if I were the OP, I would probably not necessarily use the upgrade towards the S2DT. If it was purchased long ago and is grandfathered in, I would hold on and use it towards a S3, or maybe S3-L. It's always easier to spend someone else's money.....

 

[Carlton Bale]

Which Stand Alone TiVos can record Off-the-air and which ones can't? I didn't know some could not.