New HD TiVo $299.99

[allisolm]

Starting today, consumers can pre-order TiVo HD at www.tivo.com for just $299.99, with the product expected to arrive on retail shelves in early August. The ultimate HDTV companion, the new product combines HD programming, TiVo's Emmy(R) award-winning service and a popular price. It also enables TiVo service features such as Movie & TV Downloads from Amazon.com, Home Movie Sharing and universal Swivel(TM) search, delivering the best of broadband video directly to the television set.

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Go here for info and ordering @$299.99.

edit: see this thread for CC deal: TivoHD for $218 + tax @ Circuit City .

 

[CalvinHobbes]

They're getting closer to "upgrade" price. As soon as they announce that I can transfer my lifetime sub (for less than $200), I'm in.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: CalvinHobbes
They're getting closer to "upgrade" price. As soon as they announce that I can transfer my lifetime sub (for less than $200), I'm in.

me too.

 

[solleyman]

Me three.

 

[SoulAssassin]

So in reality what is this going to give me a Comcast/Motorola DVR won't? I really don't care about it going out and finding shows it thinks I want to watch. I don't have enough time to watch the shows I know I want to watch much less more stuff. Never owned a DVR before but the Comcast one seems cheaper in all but the very long run.

Also, any word on how easy it will be to upgrade the hard drive in these or do we have to wait for them to start shipping before we know?

 

[jalaram]

Here's one of Allison's posts in a previous thread about HD Tivo's

Originally posted by: allisolm
<blockquote>quote:
Originally posted by: RideFree
At the time of activation of a TiVo Service Only Payment Plan, you will be required to commit to the TiVo service for a minimum of one (1) year.
You may choose to either: (a) pay for your TiVo service on a monthly basis for three (3) years at $12.95 per month; two (2) years at $14.95 per month; or one (1) year at $19.95 per month; or (b) prepay for your TiVo service.
If you choose to prepay for your TiVo service, you may prepay for your TiVo service for either one (1) year at $199, two (2) years at $299, or three (3) years at $349.

That + $400 for the series 3 makes this pretty stiff.
The only way I see for this to be viable is if you can receive over-the-air broadcasts, skipping the ConCa$t usury.
Where am I missing the compelling reason to TIVO?</blockquote>

I think people either "get" TiVo or they don't. There are probably 150 threads in Hot Deals over the years about TiVo - with both pros and cons.

Here's one thread at TiVocommunity.com about the value of the HD TiVo versus a cable company provided DVR.

Oh - you CAN get OTA HD channels with a series 3. See this thread at tivocommunity.com.

 

[allisolm]

Thanks jalaram. I get tired of trying to tell people what TiVo does. As to upgrading the hard drive, go here to see if you think it's difficult to upgrade or not.

Personally, TiVo is worth it just for season passes and wish lists.

 

[WilhelmII]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
So in reality what is this going to give me a Comcast/Motorola DVR won't? I really don't care about it going out and finding shows it thinks I want to watch. I don't have enough time to watch the shows I know I want to watch much less more stuff. Never owned a DVR before but the Comcast one seems cheaper in all but the very long run.

Also, any word on how easy it will be to upgrade the hard drive in these or do we have to wait for them to start shipping before we know?

The eSata port is "unofficially" active on Series 3 now. You can add space without opening the case. I added a 500GB WD CE Drive in an Antec MX-1 enclosure last light. All it took was plugging the eSata cable in, rebooting the Tivo and entering a key code. The Tivo rebooted and saw the new drive.

Now I have 97 hours of HD and 927 hours of SD. Easiest Tivo upgrade ever.

Rumor over at TivoCommunity is that Tivo to Go will be enabled on Series 3 soon (for SD only). Best thing about TTG is that you can download an mpg, avi, or xvid and watch it on the Tivo.

There is no comparison between a Comcast DVR and Tivo.

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: allisolm
Thanks jalaram. I get tired of trying to tell people what TiVo does. As to upgrading the hard drive, go here to see if you think it's difficult to upgrade or not.

Personally, TiVo is worth it just for season passes and wish lists.

Season passes would be a nice feature...I know upgrading the old ones is easy. I was just hoping they didn't significantly change the procedure...sounds like it's become even easier on the Series 3's.

One other question (or really a group of them)...do you have to use a cable card or can I run comcast box->tivo->tv using component cables? If it is a cable card, I assume I'll lose the Comcast menu system...will that include losing On Demand and such? If all of this is true, is the only way around it keeping the comcast box and getting a separate cable card just for the tivo? That would suck as it would add the additional cost of the cable card + tivo cost.

 

[WilhelmII]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: allisolm
Thanks jalaram. I get tired of trying to tell people what TiVo does. As to upgrading the hard drive, go here to see if you think it's difficult to upgrade or not.

Personally, TiVo is worth it just for season passes and wish lists.

Season passes would be a nice feature...I know upgrading the old ones is easy. I was just hoping they didn't significantly change the procedure...sounds like it's become even easier on the Series 3's.

One other question (or really a group of them)...do you have to use a cable card or can I run comcast box->tivo->tv using component cables? If it is a cable card, I assume I'll lose the Comcast menu system...will that include losing On Demand and such? If all of this is true, is the only way around it keeping the comcast box and getting a separate cable card just for the tivo? That would suck as it would add the additional cost of the cable card + tivo cost.

You do lose the Comcast Menu and On-Demand. I don't miss the menus, but On-demand would be nice. I have a Comcast HD box hooked up to a Series 2 in another room for that.

This new S3 is supposed to be M Card ready (2 way Cable card) from the start. Hopefully it will be available in earlier S3s.

I assume that HD would work from the comcast box to the Tivo via Component, but I am not sure. i would need to look at the manual.

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: WilhelmII

I assume that HD would work from the comcast box to the Tivo via Component, but I am not sure. i would need to look at the manual.

I take it then that the preferred/standard method would be directly in from the wall into the tivo and then to the tv?

I have two other non-hd digital boxes in the house so all I would really lose is the on demand programming that is in HD.

Might jump on this....thx to everyone for answering my questions.

 

[coons10]

That really is a great price for a HD Tivo!

Now if I could just get DirecTV to allow 3rd party hardware makers, like Tivo, to produce an HD solution for satellite with the Tivo OS. Hey, I can dream, can;t I?

Hot Deal!

 

[RossMAN]

If I wanted to use this with Comcast cable (NOT OTA), would I need a Comcast HD box?

Cable outlet ---> Comcast HD box ---> Tivo HD ---> 50" DLP HDTV?

 

[GTFan]

The Tivo replaces the cable box. And most likely, you'd want to split the cable so that it goes to the Tivo and your TV. If you ever want to watch live TV, it's a lot less painful tuning channels on a TV because of the lag for buffering on a DVR. But when you get a DVR, you'll not be watching much live TV anymore.

 

[lizardboy]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
If I wanted to use this with Comcast cable (NOT OTA), would I need a Comcast HD box?

Cable outlet ---> Comcast HD box ---> Tivo HD ---> 50" DLP HDTV?

No, you'd need to get a pair of cable cards from Comcast...should run you either $2 or $4/month (tell them it's for one device and may be able to get $2).

 

[GTFan]

Originally posted by: coons10
That really is a great price for a HD Tivo!

Now if I could just get DirecTV to allow 3rd party hardware makers, like Tivo, to produce an HD solution for satellite with the Tivo OS. Hey, I can dream, can;t I?

Yep, just like us Myth users on Linux can dream on that we'll be able to legally run a Cablecard (or other decryption device) tuner for cable on our HTPCs. The only way I know to get all the cable HD channels to an HTPC is to get a hacked STB with firewire, or hope that the cableCo's don't restrict the firewire output on theirs.

 

[RossMAN]

GTFan & lizardboy,

Thanks! Now comes the hard part justifying spending $599 on a TiVo HD with 3 year prepaid.

 

[Knavish]

Originally posted by: GTFan
The only way I know to get all the cable HD channels to an HTPC is to get a hacked STB with firewire, or hope that the cableCo's don't restrict the firewire output on theirs.

I thought that STBs were legally required to have firewire output in the USA. Here's a section on the MythTV.org Wiki:

The FCC has passed a regulation that if you are in the united states, and you have a HD subscription and a HD cable box, they have to on your request replace or upgrade your cable box with working FireWire.

See: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs...match/FCC-03-225A1.pdf

Page 50, section 4

(4) Cable operators shall:

(i) Effective April 1, 2004, upon request of a customer, replace any leased high definition set-top box, which does not include a functional IEEE 1394 interface, with one that includes a functional IEEE 1394 interface or upgrade the customer's set-top box by download or other means to ensure that the IEEE 1394 interface is functional.

I always thought this was an ideal way to run a MythTV box. (I've been tempted to set on up, but right now I'll wait and see if Tivo offers a Lifetime transfer for this new Series 3.)

 

[Genx87]

Getting close to upgrade my Series 2 box.

 

[Ualdayan]

Originally posted by: GTFan

Originally posted by: coons10
That really is a great price for a HD Tivo!

Now if I could just get DirecTV to allow 3rd party hardware makers, like Tivo, to produce an HD solution for satellite with the Tivo OS. Hey, I can dream, can;t I?

Yep, just like us Myth users on Linux can dream on that we'll be able to legally run a Cablecard (or other decryption device) tuner for cable on our HTPCs. The only way I know to get all the cable HD channels to an HTPC is to get a hacked STB with firewire, or hope that the cableCo's don't restrict the firewire output on theirs.

http://www.silicondust.com/wiki/products/hdhomerun

You said "get all the cable HD channels" so you might already know about HDHomeRun since it only lets you see the unencrypted QAM channels. (basically your local TV stations in HD) On the plus side almost all your HD content is on local channels, and it only costs around $15 for a "locals only" service plan from Comcast. Not sure what the "locals only" plans cost for your cable company though.

 

[GTFan]

Yep, I specifically said 'get all the cable HD channels'. You won't be getting ESPN or Discovery in HD with any PC tuner except for the ATI Digital Cable Tuner (which uses CableCard, can only be bought with an OEM prebuilt Vista MCE PC, and is overpriced). You'll also find that many cable systems 5C (block) all firewire output for 'premium' channels, which for some systems is anything other than the locals.

 

[PDubs]

Man it'd be nice to get one, but my lifetime Series2 doesn't make it worth it ... yet.

 

[allisolm]

For those of you who said they were getting closer to buying price: TivoHD for $218 + tax @ Circuit City .

If $299.99 doesn't do it, does $258.99 or $218.99? You know you want it.

 

[RideFree]

Originally posted by: allisolm
For those of you who said they were getting closer to buying price: TivoHD for $218 + tax @ Circuit City .

If $299.99 doesn't do it, does $258.99 or $218.99? You know you want it.

allisolm, so you are endorsing Post #1 from another friendly face?
Cause, if so, I'm in for a a TiVO.

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: RideFree

Originally posted by: allisolm
For those of you who said they were getting closer to buying price: TivoHD for $218 + tax @ Circuit City .

If $299.99 doesn't do it, does $258.99 or $218.99? You know you want it.

allisolm, so you are endorsing Post #1 from another friendly face?
Cause, if so, I'm in for a a TiVO.

I don't know about endorsing, I'm showing it to you. The price at CC is $258.99. If you have a $40 off $199 coupon, can get one while the sale is on, or are comfortable printing one out from the links at FW (there are others in that thread) and trying to use it at the store, then you can get it for $218.99. That's all. If you read the thread at FW, you will see that some stores refuse to take the printed coupons and some have no problems with them. What your local store's policy on this is, I don't know. All they can do is say no if you try.