Yeah.... everyone asks.... but.. Series 3? Tivo/HD?

2755 Views 26 Replies 17 Participants Last post by Resist, Oct 26, 2007

cloudance

Discussion Starter · Oct 6, 2007

Ok... so with the new fall season, a single tuner series 2, and several times during the week when there's 3 shows that should be recorded and/or watched simultaneously, my wife has informed me that it's time for a second TiVo. What to do what to do.....

I don't have HDTV.... yet. I will though at some point in the not so distant future.
I'm OK.... in the near term, with recording off the analog feed.... but replacing my digital cable box (and being able to record the Concast digital channels) would be sweet.
2 tuners is a must
Being able to move programming between that and my current Series 2 is a must (or very nearly so).
Being able to use it with my current analog TV is a must.
TTG is a nice to have, and I understand it's coming in Nov. for the HD units, but I can use it on my Series2 until then if I can transfer programs to it from the new unit.
I can afford an HD unit.... I don't like to waste my money for features I don't necessarily need, but I will invest in the future if it makes sense.
I'm on Comcast digital cable (NOTE: Not Comcast Digital HD...)

So.... questions:

What the heck is the right HD Tivo?? The "new" TiVoHD or a Series 3 HD???
Will one of the HD boxes work as well for me now and offer me more in the future?
Enough to justify the higher price?
Should I just get a Series 2DT and get another darn TiVo when I upgrade my home theater to HD?

Yeah... I overanalyse and therefore have myself bamfoozled. Advise???

D.

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1 - 20 of 27 Posts

wgw

· #2 · Oct 6, 2007

There is little difference. Get the HD instead of the S3 and use the money you save to buy that HDTV sooner.

aztivo

· #3 · Oct 6, 2007

wgw said:
There is little difference. Get the HD instead of the S3 and use the money you save to buy that HDTV sooner.

I would say get the S3 you get the better remote an HDMI cable. I bought the S3 when they first came out and an THD 2 weeks ago and I have had to restart the THD 3 times never have I had to restart the S3

davezatz

· #4 · Oct 6, 2007

You can get a perfectly acceptable HDMI cable for like $5 from places like Monoprice, so don't let that be a deciding factor. The S3 remote is nicer, but you can also pick that up separately, but when combined with the larger hard drive it's a harder decision. I'd probably suggest getting the TiVoHD and when you run out of storage, use the money you saved to expand.

HDTiVo

· #5 · Oct 6, 2007

Another advantage(?) of the HD is the analog recording sizes are the same as the Series 2s (non-DVD). The S3 analog recordings are much larger, and S3 Best is a waste. You can always get as much quality as you need on the TiVoHD by using Best.

S3
Basic 1.5mbps+
Medium 3.5mbps+ (nearly 4mbps?)
High 5.5mbps+ (nearly 6mbps?)
Best 8mbps+ (waste)

TiVo HD
Basic 1.5mbps
Medium 2.5mbps
High 3.5mbps
Best 5.5mbps

As you can see, you have finer recording quality control with the HD as well as less space used.

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cloudance

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 6, 2007

All good info... and thanks for the start!

HDMI cable.... as soneone mentioned I can get one anywhere and I can't use it now anyway. Once I move up to HD, then I'll be getting several.

Better remote.... Ok, that's great, but I have a nice Harmony remote to control it all already (TV, Receiver, DVD, Cable Box, VCR, Digital music player, and some lighting), and I can't see giving that up.

Bigger hard disk.... Hmmm... something to consider.

I assume since no one spoke of it, I'll have no problems recording an analog signal or the NON-HD Digital signals?? I'll also have no problems transferring shows to/from my current Series 2? I'll have no problems using it over SVID with my current TV??

Thanks again!
D.

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ah30k

· #7 · Oct 6, 2007

HDTiVo said:
Another advantage(?) of the HD is the analog recording sizes are the same as the Series 2s (non-DVD). The S3 analog recordings are much larger, and S3 Best is a waste. You can always get as much quality as you need on the TiVoHD by using Best.

S3
Basic 1.5mbps+
Medium 3.5mbps+ (nearly 4mbps?)
High 5.5mbps+ (nearly 6mbps?)
Best 8mbps+ (waste)

TiVo HD
Basic 1.5mbps
Medium 2.5mbps
High 3.5mbps
Best 5.5mbps

As you can see, you have finer recording quality control with the HD as well as less space used.

Which is all a moot point if you're in a digital simulcast area. My old Comcast service and my new Verizon service were completely digital so there were no basic/medium/high/best decisions to be made.

ah30k

· #8 · Oct 6, 2007

cloudance said:
I assume since no one spoke of it, I'll have no problems recording an analog signal or the NON-HD Digital signals?? I'll also have no problems transferring shows to/from my current Series 2? I'll have no problems using it over SVID with my current TV??

We won't know until MRV is enabled in November. We expect it to work well. Please don't confuse non-HD with non-digital. Copy protection can occur on SD digital as well.

HDTiVo

· #9 · Oct 7, 2007

ah30k said:
Which is all a moot point if you're in a digital simulcast area. My old Comcast service and my new Verizon service were completely digital so there were no basic/medium/high/best decisions to be made.

Did the OP say he was on an all digital cable system?

------------------

I don't have HDTV.... yet. I will though at some point in the not so distant future.

I can afford an HD unit.... I don't like to waste my money for features I don't necessarily need, but I will invest in the future if it makes sense.

You should buy an HD unit. It will also help you jump to an HDTV. The HD is more about the future than the S3.

The TiVoHD is about $150 less than the Series3. You have to have a major need, real or emotional, to go with the S3.

mattack

· #10 · Oct 7, 2007

I assume since no one spoke of it, I'll have no problems recording an analog signal or the NON-HD Digital signals??TV?.

You need cablecards for that.

jbernardis

· #11 · Oct 7, 2007

mattack said:
You need cablecards for that.

You'll need the cable cards for the non-HD digital. Analog will record fine without them.

spiraleyes

· #12 · Oct 7, 2007

I was faced with this same dilemma a month ago when I started researching a Tivo purchase.

I went with the HD for all of the reasons mentioned above. The only advantage that I saw with the S3 is the larger hard drive. I decided that when I fill up the HD unit, I'll add a larger hard drive.

The HD unit will also be around for a lot longer, IMO. There really isn't a good reason (from a marketing and financial view) for Tivo to continue manufacturing the S3 when the HD does essentially the same thing.

HDTiVo

· #13 · Oct 7, 2007

spiraleyes said:
There really isn't a good reason (from a marketing and financial view) for Tivo to continue manufacturing the S3 when the HD does essentially the same thing.

They don't. They just ship very dusty boxes.

1080i 1FF definitely does not work on the S3 with 9.1 (nor has it previously.) Given the time and major software releases, I figure its unfixable. I haven't checked the TiVo HD with 9.1 thoroughly yet, but that might be an important factor.

ToddNeedsTiVo

· #14 · Oct 8, 2007

I currently subscribe to analog-only "Family" cable with Mediacom and use a Series 2 TiVo. After getting an HDTV, I found that I also had the local networks' HD signals in clear QAM. I never bothered much with these QAM channels on the television tuner because half of them didn't map themselves properly (something wrong with the embedded PSIP data?) to their conventional numbers, and being barely ten miles from all Big Four transmitter sites, I can tune them easily with a small antenna. The local ABC affiliate, WOI, has lost their HD OTA signal for over a week now due to technical breakdowns, yet it remains available over clear QAM on the cable, so that has been about the only time I've needed it.

...lines removed...

And, hopefully, Mediacom won't come along and take everything to SDV!

Edit: I got the THD.

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megazone

· #15 · Oct 19, 2007

Personally, given the close pricing available today, if I were buying for myself I'd get the S3 for the larger drive, nicer remote, and nicer finish on the unit - with on-box controls. If I picked up a TiVo HD I'd definitely buy a Glo remote for it anyway.

The only real advantage to the HD is the ability to use M-Card CABLECards. If pricing for two S-Cards is dramatically higher for you than one M-Card, that could be an issue. But if it is a small fee, then I'd still go with the S3.

davezatz

· #16 · Oct 19, 2007

I put my TiVo Reward points where my mouth is. Ordered the TiVoHD and the Glo remote. With MRV coming in a few weeks, figured I don't need the extra storage on the bedroom TV, i'll just transfer from the S3 in the living room. Though I wonder how long it must take to move an HD show...

mattack

· #17 · Oct 20, 2007

megazone said:
Personally, given the close pricing available today, if I were buying for myself I'd get the S3 for the larger drive, nicer remote, and nicer finish on the unit - with on-box controls.

the lifetime deal is only for the HD right? (and if not, the rebate on the S3 wouldn't apply in the lifetime transfer deal anyway, thus making the S3 still much more expensive??)

tivobw

· #18 · Oct 21, 2007

First of all, I'm elated you are considering an HD Tivo. I think they're awesome.

I went for the Tivo HD, and it came down to cost. The Series 3 offered extra bells 'n whistles I didn't need (THX certification, fancy backlit remote, HDMI cable, slightly larger HD). Not worth the extra $150, even after the $200 rebate on the Series 3.

Don't wait! When Series 3 Tivo came out at ~$700, I was crushed. I absolutely HATE HATE HATE

my Comcast dual-tuner DVR, such a crappy UI, bugs, lots of reboots, etc.. but I had to wait, because the S3 was too darn expensive. I still waited about 3 months after the Tivo HD came out, just because all my friends had all these problems with Comcast in getting their CableCARDs provisioned.

But now, it seems those issues are over. I picked up my Tivo HD last week, went to Comcast a few days later to pick up my Multi-Stream CableCARD, and they provisioned it properly THE FIRST TIME! So I'm loving it.

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Stylin

· #19 · Oct 21, 2007

megazone said:
Personally, given the close pricing available today, if I were buying for myself I'd get the S3 for the larger drive, nicer remote, and nicer finish on the unit - with on-box controls. If I picked up a TiVo HD I'd definitely buy a Glo remote for it anyway.

The only real advantage to the HD is the ability to use M-Card CABLECards. If pricing for two S-Cards is dramatically higher for you than one M-Card, that could be an issue. But if it is a small fee, then I'd still go with the S3.

MZ,
I've read many posts comparing S3vsHD, including your thorough reviews. I'm in the same position as the other posters - torn between which one to get. It's approx $60-$100 difference between the 2, so price is not the issue. But in my case neither is hd space, thx, remote or even mcards.
I'm leaning towards the S3, but am worried if the tech nuts and bolts of THD are better for the long term (ie chips etc). Or is this a case where it just doesn't matter? I get the feeling when we talk about the longevity and future readiness of the machines there may be no or very little difference at all. Can anyone confirm?
Bottom line, doesn't it really matter which one I get?

EVizzle

· #20 · Oct 21, 2007

Bluntly put, the HD hardware is newer and better equipped for the future. When I was in the same situation as you, the price difference was $200. I knew of the hardware differences. I still bought the S3. Either way you will love it. The sooner you get one in your hands the better.

I wanted the hard drive space advantage right out of the box. The Glo remote and OLED were bonuses. Not sure if I will take advantage of eSATA support, but MRV/TTG I have always loved. I don't need/want to keep season(s) of shows, but would love to stockpile a collection of HD films. Transferring them to my PC will give me that ability.

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