TivoHD for $260 + tax @ Circuit City

[KenAF3]

Most Circuit City locations now have the $299 TivoHD in stock. It is now on sale at $258.99.

The $219 deal is over as of 7/01, it's back to $299 before the coupon.

Use the $40 off $199 Circuit City coupon to get it for $259.99 + tax. Circuit City coupon right here. This coupon expires 8/31. YMMV.

You can check local availability by adding the TivoHD to your cart at CircuitCity.com and selecting local pickup.

Both the TivoHD and Series3 share the same essential features. Both are dual-tuner HDTV DVRs with the ability to record two different HD or SD channels simultaneously, at 100% original quality, while you watch a third, previously-recorded HD program. Both boxes seamlessly integrate analog cable, digital cable, and OTA into a single guide and let you record from multiple sources at once. Both boxes support MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 SD and HD. Both boxes provide a variety of output options, including a native mode. Neither box supports VOD or SDV. Neither box supports DirecTV or Dish Network, both of which have refused Tivo access to their encryption systems.

The TivoHD doesn't connect to your cable box, it replaces your cable box. With digital cable, you acquire one MCARD or two older CableCards from your cable company and you've got access to all digital cable channels (except those delivered using SDV). You aren't limited to unencrypted or QAM channels like HTPC solutions.

No cable subscription is required, so if you want, you can use the TivoHD as a dual-tuner DVR for OTA SD and HD channels from an antenna. If you've got basic cable, you can connect it to the TivoHD to get the basic analog channels, plus the local HD channels via cable. The Tivo will automatically combine basic channels from cable with OTA HD channels from an antenna into the same guide, including those from an adjacent market (i.e. Baltimore + DC HD locals in the same guide).

TivoHD Review

According to the reviews, MRV (streaming of recordings between Tivos), TivoToGo (transfer of "copy freely" flagged recordings to a PC or portable media player), and official support for eSATA drive expansion are coming later this year.

A Tivo subscription is required, which starts at about $8/mo. Unfortunately, the days of free guide data are coming to an end.

For those who have never used a Tivo, below is a screenshot comparison of the Tivo interface compared to the standard Comcast DVR interface. The first three shots are Tivo, next three shots are Motorola.

Comcast DVR vs TivoHD

 

[RideFree]

Common somebody...reply to this.
I know nothing about TiVO and only know one (1) post-in-a-row WITH THE DREADED AVATAR OF OFFICIAL SELF-INTEREST from past observation and experience.

This seem to be the current center of spectacular deals and if so, my CC has them to go.
Someone please confirm this as a - "do it" or "not"?

TIA

 

[videopho]

Looks like a great hot deal if you're in HDTV and Tivo all together.
Go to avsforum site if you wanted to know more about Tivo et all.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb...10&highlight=tcd652160

 

[allisolm]

The deal is legit as far as the $258.99 price at Circuit City. Getting the coupon to work is YMMV. According to threads elsewhere, some stores don't allow copies, some do. I suppose all they can do is say no.

 

[KenAF3]

Originally posted by: RideFree
Common somebody...reply to this.
I know nothing about TiVO and only know one (1) post-in-a-row WITH THE DREADED AVATAR OF OFFICIAL SELF-INTEREST from past observation and experience.

Note I've been a member for years (KenAF and KenAF2). Anandtech's password recovery isn't working and I'm still waiting for a response on password recovery from moderator@anandtech.com.

 

[videopho]

Originally posted by: allisolm
The deal is legit as far as the $258.99 price at Circuit City. Getting the coupon to work is YMMV. According to threads elsewhere, some stores don't allow copies, some do. I suppose all they can do is say no.

I've never had any luck with printed CC coupons.
I understand many if not most CC stores do refuse printed coupons.

 

[RossMAN]

nm

 

[shingletingle]

Originally posted by: RideFree
Common somebody...reply to this.
I know nothing about TiVO and only know one (1) post-in-a-row WITH THE DREADED AVATAR OF OFFICIAL SELF-INTEREST from past observation and experience.

This seem to be the current center of spectacular deals and if so, my CC has them to go.
Someone please confirm this as a - "do it" or "not"?

TIA

"Common somebody"? How common are they?

 

[akshatp]

AAA members can get an additional 10% off at Circuit City-- http://www.aaa.com/circuitcity

 

[Double Trouble]

If you can get the coupon to work, this is a very hot deal. Without the coupon, it's a good deal.

These units are very nice. Instead of the crappy DVR set top box you get from your cable company, you'll have a great Tivo. There are a couple of caveats to be aware of though. More and more cable companies are moving channels to SDV (switched). Any channel using SDV can not be viewed on the tivo (or any other non-cable-company-provided equipment). Also, I believe you won't be able to do PPV (unless you order online or by phone), and depending on your provider you might have trouble with Video On Demand.

That said, the tivo interface is still miles ahead of any other device, and being able to get OTA HD in addition to your regular cable -- along with two separate tuners -- is great. These also support eSata, so you can attach a nice external drive (up to 1TB) and increase your recording time to a huge amount. You can also use amazonunbox with these tivos, which is pretty nice.

Check with your cable company regarding cablecards before ordering this unit. You're going to need 2 of them, usually there's a small leasing fee of $1.25 per month for the cards.

 

[proroc]

Can anyone comment on what the Picture quality of this unit is? I remember I got rid of my tivo because s-video on a hdtv looked horrible. How does standard cable look going through the RGB ports to an hdtv?

Im currently using a mce2005 media center pc, but I dont get all hdtv channels ota dn cable cards sound good right about now...

 

[KenAF]

The TivoHD records the original digital bitstream to disk, so pictures quality on digital channels (both OTA and cable) is 100% identical to the original, live broadcast.

Analog channels must be digitally encoded into MPEG-2, so some quality degradation occurs on those ch annels, but the TivoHD does a better job than the older Series2 units when set to "Best quality" analog recording mode.

 

[RideFree]

I have to decline this for now as I live in a pocket where I do not get local signals.
Also, since this only works with Comcrap (of the big 3), And with the negative aspects of the posts in RE: said ConCrap it seems like it would be an expensive gamble that may be worthless in 6 months - unless I trade houses.

Any salient points?

BTW, I was on the way to CC to do this when I changed channels HA!HA!HA!

 

[Crucial]

my local CC still had the $258 tag on the shelf and one tivo hd left. I am tempted to buy one but the monthly fee is too much. My MCE pc does good enough for me.

 

[faZZter]

Can you use this w/o any cablecard just for recording OTA shows?

 

[KenAF]

Originally posted by: faZZter
Can you use this w/o any cablecard just for recording OTA shows?

It's for both. It works with any CableCard. It will also integrate analog cable channels, digital cable channels, and OTA channels into the same guide. You can pick and choose what channels you want to see in the guide.

Keep in mind you need one MCARD or two of the older 'S' CableCards to support dual tuners. One MCARD does the work of two older 'S' CableCards.

Motorola stopped manufacturing the older 'S' CableCards in March. All shipments from Motorola since April are of the MCARD variety, so if your cable company doesn't have those now, they will very soon. Most Comcast systems have MCARDs available now.

 

[KenAF]

If you just got one of these, make sure you update to the latest software (8.1.7b), as it fixes an incompatibility with Scientific Atlanta CableCards. The stock software was more than a month old.

The TivoHD will update to the newest software when you connect to the service to download guide data. You can force a connection and update on the Settings -> Network screen.

 

[RossMAN]

KenAF,

Welcome back under your original username

RossMAN

 

[faZZter]

Originally posted by: KenAF

Originally posted by: faZZter
Can you use this w/o any cablecard just for recording OTA shows?

It's for both. It works with any CableCard. It will also integrate analog cable channels, digital cable channels, and OTA channels into the same guide. You can pick and choose what channels you want to see in the guide.

Keep in mind you need one MCARD or two of the older 'S' CableCards to support dual tuners. One MCARD does the work of two older 'S' CableCards.

Motorola stopped manufacturing the older 'S' CableCards in March. All shipments from Motorola since April are of the MCARD variety, so if your cable company doesn't have those now, they will very soon. Most Comcast systems have MCARDs available now.

Yeah I understand that, but will it function properly when I dont have any cable subscription and just want to be able to tivo OTA channels? Or will there be some setup issue that way?

 

[KenAF]

Originally posted by: faZZter

Originally posted by: KenAF

Originally posted by: faZZter
Can you use this w/o any cablecard just for recording OTA shows?

It's for both. It works with any CableCard. It will also integrate analog cable channels, digital cable channels, and OTA channels into the same guide. You can pick and choose what channels you want to see in the guide.

Keep in mind you need one MCARD or two of the older 'S' CableCards to support dual tuners. One MCARD does the work of two older 'S' CableCards.

Motorola stopped manufacturing the older 'S' CableCards in March. All shipments from Motorola since April are of the MCARD variety, so if your cable company doesn't have those now, they will very soon. Most Comcast systems have MCARDs available now.

Yeah I understand that, but will it function properly when I dont have any cable subscription and just want to be able to tivo OTA channels? Or will there be some setup issue that way?

Yes, you can. The TivoHD has one cable input and one OTA input. There is no need to have cable. You can use the TivoHD only for OTA and it will work just the same.

Originally posted by: RossMAN
KenAF,

Welcome back under your original username

RossMAN

Thanks Ross, although I don't think this is the original. I created an account back when Anand was still in high school and answered all personal emails in 30 minutes or less. Back then, Anand was the noob! But this is the first account that used my real name (i.e. the one I actually I remember).

 

[faZZter]

Thanx....I think I will have to pick one up then!

 

[amheck]

Hows the response time on these things? I have a Scientific Atlanta DVR from my cable company, and it is painfully slow changing channels and pretty must using most of the buttons on the remote. Pretty sure this has something to do with the hdd having the cache the program. But man, is it a pain.