TiVo Series 3 for around $400 AR

[allisolm]

TiVo will be offering a $200 mail-in rebate on the Series 3 HD unit starting May 27.

Rebate form.

Amazon currently offers this for $606.95. Costco has it for $599.99. Circuit City or Best Buy might pricematch.

Requires activation and service commitment.

 

[StormRider]

Hmmm, I wonder if this is a sign the gods that be that I should get one?

 

[BMdoobieW]

Wow, awesome, I've been waiting for this! Thanks.

 

[solleyman]

Don't guess my lifetime subscription to the Series2 would carryover, huh?

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: solleyman
Don't guess my lifetime subscription to the Series2 would carryover, huh?

There was a time when you could transfer lifetime service to a Series 3 for a fee, I think that ended 12/31/06, but I could be wrong.

 

[BBock727]

Originally posted by: solleyman
Don't guess my lifetime subscription to the Series2 would carryover, huh?

You snoozed on that one. That way passed. I spent a bit more on this unit just so i can transfer my subscription.

 

[dbuchthal]

Originally posted by: solleyman
Don't guess my lifetime subscription to the Series2 would carryover, huh?

Maybe. Transfers were supposed to stop a few months ago, but TiVo appears to still be allowing them according to http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/04/18/tivo-...lifetime-service-transfers-still-work/ as of last month.

 

[MikeTheBuzzsaw]

DVR is cheaper. A lot cheaper!

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: MikeTheBuzzsaw
DVR is cheaper. A lot cheaper!

If you use a Tivo for a week, you'd see that it really is better than the cable company's DVR. It's up to you to decide if you think the extra features are worth the extra cost.

The other advantage the Tivo has is they're not as likely to be swayed by networks into disabling features on the DVR (see: Disney selling inDemand programming with unskippable commercials). Comcast has the ability to disable FF through commercials on their DVRs, they've done it before and claimed it was an accident. As DVRs become more prevalent, that's going to be more common. Since Tivo isn't selling TV programming, the networks can't say "We'll charge you more to carry our channels if you don't disable commercial skip."

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: MikeTheBuzzsaw
DVR is cheaper. A lot cheaper!

Simple. If you think so, don't buy it. I'm sure there must be threads somewhere else about cheap DVRs to which you can contribute.

 

[Richardito]

Originally posted by: MrBond

Originally posted by: MikeTheBuzzsaw
DVR is cheaper. A lot cheaper!

If you use a Tivo for a week, you'd see that it really is better than the cable company's DVR. It's up to you to decide if you think the extra features are worth the extra cost.

The other advantage the Tivo has is they're not as likely to be swayed by networks into disabling features on the DVR (see: Disney selling inDemand programming with unskippable commercials). Comcast has the ability to disable FF through commercials on their DVRs, they've done it before and claimed it was an accident. As DVRs become more prevalent, that's going to be more common. Since Tivo isn't selling TV programming, the networks can't say "We'll charge you more to carry our channels if you don't disable commercial skip."

I agree, TiVos area far superior from generic DVRs. I have a couple of DirecTV TiVos (including a High Def unit) and the software/interface is top notch. The only DVR that comes close is the AT&T IPTV "cable" service. The menu is very Windows Media Center like and more stable than any other generic DVR. Also, upgrade is as simple as plugging in a bigger IDE hard drive (it comes with a 160GB Seagate drive) and dirt cheap going for $95/month with high speed (3Mbits) internet included and premium movie channels (except for HBO).

 

[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?

 

[TwiceOver]

Originally posted by: MikeTheBuzzsaw
DVR is cheaper. A lot cheaper!

Actually I priced it out, and for me at least, it isn't. To get the DVR package from my cable provider I would need to upgrade my package and pay $14/mo for the DVR Rental. These would total $28/mo.

Plus, a DVR IS NOT a TiVo.

 

[allisolm]

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?

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.

 

[phios]

After about 7 months of horrible comcast motorola DVRs, I went ahead and bought a Series 3 5 months ago. This was by far the best purchase in my home theater. The moto DVR was pixelating nearly EVERY saved tv show, and near the end it would actually playback 5 minutes of a show then give me a black screen saying that the recording wasn't available.

That made the $680 I spent on the Series 3 worth every penny...

 

[imported_Section8]

Nice post. Anyone know how this compares to the Verizon FIOS DVR which comes free with thier service. I'm approaching the end of my Directv committment and need to make a decioion.

 

[RideFree]

Apparently, we can dump the TW cable box. I thought it was necessary for HD reception?

Living in an Apartment in Houston means I can drool about OTA but am forced to do the TW cable by the Apt. lease terms.

So, getting rid of the cable box and hooking up the TIVO3 makes HD over the cable a reality?
What more is needed? I have the VIZIO 50" Plasma (Thanks to CC's Black Fri.) and it already has two tuners built in...
The DVR cable box is a joke, btw.

 

[Athena]

Originally posted by: MikeTheBuzzsaw
DVR is cheaper. A lot cheaper!

And you get what you pay for!

As Allisom says, people either appreciate the difference or they don't. If you are happy with another DVR offering, then you should keep it. Your satisfaction with a substandard option though, has nothing to do with this deal on a vastly superior TiVo Series 3.

 

[SirPsycho]

Originally posted by: solleyman
Don't guess my lifetime subscription to the Series2 would carryover, huh?

From what others have said, you can still do it if you're lucky, but from reading the rebate, I'm not sure if you'd be able to qualify for it if they did let you. I'd double-check with them first before making your purchase. I'm in the same boat as you are (except I still have a Series 1 dinosaur), so I'll do the same.

 

[kki000]

Whether you "get" tivo or not, this is only one of a few methods to record protected hd content to an expandable storage device. (Esata is unofficially active on these guys)

Cablecard options for htpcs are months away, and it seems none can be had for less than 1k for a dual tuner solution.

I have a hr10-250 hd tivo and a directv hd dvr and i can tell you, the directv box figures out new ways to piss me off everyday.

Is tivo worth 600 bucks? I paid 899 for mine and would pay it again gladly, but they are phasing them out at dtv.

There are many "tricks" the tivo can do that you become not only accustomed, but absolutely depend on.

 

[GTFan]

Actually the ATI Digital Cable Tuner (which uses CableCard) is shipping now with Vista HTPC's - the only problem is that you can't roll your own, you have to buy a complete PC and tuner from a vendor. Oh, and it doesn't work all that well yet and it's rife with DRM.

 

[KenAF2]

If you are looking to buy the Series3, be sure to see the eSATA drive expansion FAQ:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=350510

The Series3 supports up to 1Tb for external expansion for 165+ hours of high-definition storage.

 

[huggiebear]

Tivo S3 is Obsolete Now

What was once $5K to $50K is now $300.

 

[KenAF2]

The $599 Tivo Series3 uses a Broadcom chip that costs about $15 in quantity.

What do you think a box using that $246 Fujitsu B86H51 would cost? Check that, you would need two of them to record two different HD channels simultaneously, as the Series3 does today. Furthermore, the chip evidently doesn't provide accelerated DVR functions in hardware, so you would probably still need the Broadcom decoder.

 

[chilifries]

Bought mine for $600. Spent another $200 for 750gb upgrade and $200 for lifetime subscription transfer. Best grand I've ever spent.