tivo series 3

[5Gs]

so...anyone thinking of getting one? it's available now. for me, I think I'll wait until maybe the end of this year, even if it stays at $800.

tivo series 3

[jay]

I'm mulling it over, but for me a Comcast HD DVR at an extra $10 a month seems like a better way to go, especially when they roll out the TiVo software.

I have two Series 2 boxes, a 40 hour and an 80 hour, with lifetime subs. With the $199 transfer option to transfer the lifetime sub to the Series 3, I wonder what I could sell the 40 hour unit for?

[5Gs]

yeah I thought about the $199 transfer but since I'm planning on keeping the series 2 for a while, it didn't make any sense to transfer the subscription. I'm guessing you should be able to sell your 40 hour unit for $300 or more.

[jay]

But in the deal with the $199 transfer, you get a 1 year subscription on your Series 2 for free. So you could have your Lifetime on the 3, and still use the 2 for a year.

[iglesias]

Originally posted by jay
I'm mulling it over, but for me a Comcast HD DVR at an extra $10 a month seems like a better way to go, especially when they roll out the TiVo software.

You'll want to wait for the TiVo's Comcast DVR. I have a TiVo and the Comcast DVR (non-HD). The Comcast DVR is crap compared to TiVo. The interface sucks, it's harder to search for programs you want to record, I could go on but you get the idea.

[jay]

Originally posted by iglesias

You'll want to wait for the TiVo's Comcast DVR. I have a TiVo and the Comcast DVR (non-HD). The Comcast DVR is crap compared to TiVo. The interface sucks, it's harder to search for programs you want to record, I could go on but you get the idea.

I'd heard that before, on the TiVo Community Forum. That's sorta why I've been holding out. But these single tuner non-HD TiVos really hose me twice - while it's recording non-HD from the set-top box, I'm watching analog input on my HDTV. And I'm not paying Comcast for another set-top box to plug into the TiVo and building a tent over that TiVo tuner box so the remote signal doesn't reach it.

[5Gs]

Originally posted by jay
But in the deal with the $199 transfer, you get a 1 year subscription on your Series 2 for free. So you could have your Lifetime on the 3, and still use the 2 for a year.

right, and if I continue to use the series 2 after that year, I'll have to pay $6.95/month. if that's the case, I'll just pay $6.95/month now for the series 3. the question is, how long do I want to continue using the series 2. looks like the break-even point is about 29 months.

[robottik]

As clunky as my Comcast HD DVR is, I'll keep it for now until until a) HD Tivo drops in price or b) like Jay said, they roll out Tivo software on the Comcast HD boxes.

PS - I also have ReplayTV on my other SD TV. Love that box. They will be releasing PC based ReplayTV software soon, but it won;t support HD in the inital release.

[iglesias]

Originally posted by robottik
As clunky as my Comcast HD DVR is, I'll keep it for now until until a) HD Tivo drops in price or b) like Jay said, they roll out Tivo software on the Comcast HD boxes.

I probably won't get to see the Comcast Tivo software - we got switched to Time Warner after Comcast and TW bought Adelphia.

[jay]

Originally posted by iglesias

I probably won't get to see the Comcast Tivo software - we got switched to Time Warner after Comcast and TW bought Adelphia.

And as I understand it. only part of the Comcast system will get the TiVo software - those of us who get the Motorola set-top boxes. The Comcast areas that are still using Scientific Atlanta boxes are sol.

[jay]

This thread has caused me to really think about how I use my TiVo boxes, and for now I think I'll just get a Comcast HD DVR. The biggest issue I have now is noy being able to watch a different program, especially in HD, when something is recording, since the cable box feeds my TiVo. I have the cable split, with one side going into the cable box, then out to the TiVo, and the other side straight into the TV.

Earlier this week when "Vanished" was recording, I watched the football game in analog. Bleh!

Since the Comcast HD DVR has 2 tuners, and it would add only $10 more to my monthly expense, it seems to make more sense right now that an $800 TiVo box, plus another $6.95 a month. I'll still be able to use the TiVo to record most stuff in SD, and watch HD while the TiVo's doing it's thing.

I guess it's off to Comcast tomorrow to swap set-top boxes.

Since I have two TiVo boxes, I once thought I could record on one box and watch what I wanted on the other TV, then transfer the recorded program from one TiVo o the other to watch. While it sounds good in theory, and does work, it really screws up any spontaneity. The transfer time from one to another is a killer; when you're ready to watch a program, it's on the other box, and you have to start the transfer and wait a good 30-45 minutes before you start watching, so you don't "out-watch" the transfer feed. Ah, the trials of technology.

[5Gs]

Originally posted by jay
This thread has caused me to really think about how I use my TiVo boxes, and for now I think I'll just get a Comcast HD DVR. The biggest issue I have now is noy being able to watch a different program, especially in HD, when something is recording, since the cable box feeds my TiVo. I have the cable split, with one side going into the cable box, then out to the TiVo, and the other side straight into the TV.

Earlier this week when "Vanished" was recording, I watched the football game in analog. Bleh!

Since the Comcast HD DVR has 2 tuners, and it would add only $10 more to my monthly expense, it seems to make more sense right now that an $800 TiVo box, plus another $6.95 a month. I'll still be able to use the TiVo to record most stuff in SD, and watch HD while the TiVo's doing it's thing.

I guess it's off to Comcast tomorrow to swap set-top boxes.

will an antenna solve your problem? my setup is similar to yours, but I also have another cable going into the tv that's connected to my antenna in my attic, for hd ota.

btw, if you don't think you'll need your tivo, I'll happily take it off your hands.

[jay]

Originally posted by 5Gs


will an antenna solve your problem? my setup is similar to yours, but I also have another cable going into the tv that's connected to my antenna in my attic, for hd ota.

btw, if you don't think you'll need your tivo, I'll happily take it off your hands.

I guess that'd be another approach; with the problems a friend at work had a while back trying to use an antenna for OTA HD, I'll pass. Not to mention there are all the cable HD channels that aren't OTA broadcast.

[5Gs]

Originally posted by jay
I guess that'd be another approach; with the problems a friend at work had a while back trying to use an antenna for OTA HD, I'll pass. Not to mention there are all the cable HD channels that aren't OTA broadcast.

I use antenna web to guide me as to where to point the antenna, and ever since I've had it up, it's worked without a problem. I get all the major networks in hd. the only game I don't get in hd now is monday night football, on espn. maybe I should spring for the hd over cable...

[Bill Balmer]

Where can I get more info about Tivo software on Comcast? I just signed up with Comcast and now have a Motorola HD DVR from them, but I agree about the interface. Is a software upgrade in the works? What do I need to do to be a part of it? Do they upload software upgrades directly to my box?

On the subject of OTA HD, I have an antenna on my roof that worked fairly well for HD when I had Dish Network, but unlike the Dish receiver, my new Comcast HD set-top box has no antenna input, so I have no HD receiver for my antenna signal. Fortunately the HD programming on Comcast is far more complete.