TiVo vs. local cable DVR... which to get?
so my wife wants DVR. i can take it or leave it, but if I am going to buy in, i want to make an informed decision. what i want to know is are there significant factors to the TiVo hardware and service that set it apart from the others (like my local cable company, charter, and their MOXI box).
from the most superficial observation, it appears that the other local DVRs are cheaper, and advertise to do the same things as TiVo or better, while TiVo, despite being a bit more expensive (buy the box, subscribe to the service either monthly or a "lifetime membership" amount, does have in its favor that it delivers "the whole widget," so to speak.
now, does this sound a little familiar, especially to the hard and fast apple supporters around here? i am also very interested in a netflix-type service, so their supposed partnership bodes well on that front.
so, basically, am i missing some huge piece here that sways the argument definitively in one direction or the other? or are we talkign about a "get what you pay for" scenario?
opinions? thoughts? recommendations?
from the most superficial observation, it appears that the other local DVRs are cheaper, and advertise to do the same things as TiVo or better, while TiVo, despite being a bit more expensive (buy the box, subscribe to the service either monthly or a "lifetime membership" amount, does have in its favor that it delivers "the whole widget," so to speak.
now, does this sound a little familiar, especially to the hard and fast apple supporters around here? i am also very interested in a netflix-type service, so their supposed partnership bodes well on that front.
so, basically, am i missing some huge piece here that sways the argument definitively in one direction or the other? or are we talkign about a "get what you pay for" scenario?
opinions? thoughts? recommendations?
Comments
and the service is only 5 or 6 bucks a month.
Plus they'll install it and trust me, I spent all evening with a friend and his standalone TiVo after he'd munched up the original installation, trying to get it set-up right. You should be able to find a pretty cheap deal getting the box nearly free or free. and after you can upgrade your D/N box from these guys
David Pogue's TiVo article, that compares TiVo to other DVRs.
I forgot to mention that after you've had it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.
http://www.elgato.com
Combined with toast, you can record, edit out commercials, and burn to DVD without transcoding (meaning zero loss from the recorded file).
You can also use it now to capture mp4 and DV formats, so you can take video from any source (via S-Video or RCA) and put it into iMovie.
It also comes with a remote.
Cable companies' PVRs usually don't let you skip commercials, and the cable company has control over the thing, so they can delete shows whenever they want (and do, in many areas).
However, Cable companies' PVR's are usually simpler and less work to setup. They also have built in TV Guide, which is something TiVo doesn't do (unless you pay a monthly fee).
plus with tivo, if you want more storage, you own the box, get a new drive, bless it, and slap it in there and vwala.