TIVO Series 3 HD

[Crippler]

I'm getting a little annoyed w/ my Motorola 6412 so I was hunting around TIVO's site. Saw this little gem:

TiVo Debuts Revolutionary Series3 High Definition Digital Media Recorder
The TiVo Series3 HD Box is the World's first THX Certified DVR and Delivers the Best Home Theater Experience with Advanced Broadband Features and Two CableCARD Slots for Digital Cable Integration
Alviso, CA -- September 12, 2006 ? TiVo Inc., the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), announced today the launch of the high end TiVo? Series3? HD Digital Media Recorder ? the first stand-alone TiVo product that is HD compatible. Available beginning mid-September, the TiVo Series3 HD box is the world's first THX?-certified, digital video recorder, delivering audio and video that truly maintains the fidelity of the original broadcast. Once again, TiVo is setting a new standard for digital cable users with its Emmy ? -awarding service and exclusive feature set...now in high definition!
"TiVo continues to be the best way to watch television and we are very proud to extend the TiVo experience into the world of high definition with the release of the TiVo Series3 HD box," said Tom Rogers, CEO and President of TiVo.
The TiVo Series3 HD box delivers the ultimate in high definition entertainment, allowing the consumer to experience TiVo's acclaimed service features, such as Season Pass? recordings and WishList? searches, in sharp, vivid high-definition images. Extensive video analysis and performance testing by THX ensures content will always playback at the maximum quality and resolution. The advanced chipset in the TiVo Series3 HD box also lays the groundwork for support for more advanced download features in the future.
Dual tuners allow subscribers to record two different shows in HD at the same time, while watching a third pre-recorded show. With the high quality OLED front-panel display, the TiVo Series3 HD box will show what is recording, even when the television is off. The TiVo Series3 HD box enables the user to record up to 32 hours of HD programming, or up to 300 hours of recording capacity in standard definition. The TiVo Series3 HD box also features a new, sleek, backlit remote control.
The TiVo Series3 is designed to fit seamlessly into the most discerning home theater systems. It is compatible with digital cable*, analog cable and is the first TiVo to support over-the-air digital HD (ATSC). Later this year, it will also support the newly released TiVoCast service feature which allows users to access content directly through their broadband connection, introducing the next revolution of Internet and cable delivery. Future software releases can even enable advanced MPEG-4 based download features.
With a built-in Ethernet jack and USB ports, the TiVo Series3 HD box also provides advanced connectivity and easy networking, making it simple to access an additional suite of exclusive TiVo features.
"Our subscribers have eagerly anticipated the day they can use our services in high definition," said Jim Denney, Vice President of Product Marketing at TiVo. "The TiVo Series3 HD DVR gives our customers the best way to experience HDTV in visual and audio performance, an easy, intuitive way to find and record HD programming and a broad set of multimedia and networking capabilities that greatly exceed other generic offerings available allowing subscribers the freedom to enjoy their favorite programming whenever they chose to do so."
"As more and more digital video recorders get connected to HDTVs, the demand for higher playback quality rises," said Dr. Michael Rudd, chief of AV architecture at THX Ltd. "With THX certification, the integrity of HD content won't be compromised. Our collaboration with TiVo has resulted in a product that promises to capture, store and playback HDTV programs with the detail and clarity that is true to the original broadcast."
"We are excited to bring the TiVo Series3 HD box to the lineup of HES suppliers," said Jim Ristow, Director of Home Entertainment Source (HES). "The new TiVo HD box is at the forefront of technology, as are HES dealers, making the relationship between TiVo and HES an excellent match."
Favorite existing TiVo features included in the TiVo Series3 HD box:

• TiVo Online Scheduling: Schedule last-minute recordings from the office or on the road from anywhere you can access the Internet.
• WishList Searches: Easily find programs by actor, director, keyword or topic. The TiVo service works to find and record all the programs related to that topic ? like an advanced search engine for your television.
• Season Pass Recordings: Automatically record every episode, even if the network schedule changes. It can even skip repeat episodes.
• TiVo KidZone: Coming later this year to the Series3 HD box, only TiVo gives parents the power to easily create a customized area for their children, with only the programs they've pre-approved.

Broadband connected TiVo Series3 subscribers will have access to a variety of multimedia services, networking options and entertainment choices:
· TiVoCast: Download video programming via broadband to your TiVo box. Programming comes from a diverse selection of media brands and producers, including The New York Times, CNET, the NBA, iVillage, and many others. TiVoCast will be available on the Series3 HD later this year.

• TiVo Online Services: View both personal photo slideshows and those shared by friends with Yahoo! Photos, and check local weather and traffic from Yahoo!. Additionally, browse and buy movie tickets from Fandango, discover new music on Live365, and listen to entertaining podcasts.
• TiVo Mobile: Browse TV listings and schedule recordings directly from select Verizon Wireless phones. The downloadable program will be available later this year.

The TiVo Series3 HD box will join the existing TiVo product line, and will soon be available for $799.99 at retail stores including select Best Buy, Circuit City, Ultimate Electronics, Fry's and online at www.tivo.com.
This product will be shown at CEDIA in booth 378 beginning 9/13-9/17.
* A security card (CableCARD) provided by your cable operator is required to view encrypted digital cable programming. Two CableCARDs may be required for dual-tuner functionality. Certain advanced and interactive digital cable services such as video-on-demand, a cable operator's enhanced programming guide, and data-enhanced television services may require the use of a separate cable company-provided set-top box.

Seems like a hot DVR but the price is alittle steep for me. $800 for the box plus monthly TIVO fees.

[dmiller68]

It is pretty cool, I was looking at it a couple weeks ago when it was announced.. If the price tag was a little more reasonable I may have picked it up. Maybe when I get my wife a new TV I'll get one for her. She loves her current Tivo.

[SHIBUMI]

I never understood the whole 'Tivo' thing... Sure in the beginning, but now DVRs are so prevelant - along with DVD recorders.

I've had my HD DVR from Brighthouse (cable) for like... 2 years now at least. It's $9 / month.

So - why buy a Tivo for $800 and then pay monthly fees on top of that?? And come on - they're just now finally getting an HD capable Tivo??

As Cartman would say: "Laaaame!! Totally Lame!"

[WormholeXtreme]

Becasue the TiVo software is better than anything else out there. The HD DVRs Comcast uses around here are terrible. My brother has had more messed up recordings in one month than I've had on my three HDTiVos and two SD TiVos combined over the past 2 years.
If I do switch to cable, which might be soon, I'll have to get several of the Series 3 units to replace my DirecTv units. Even if Comcast offered me their boxes for free, I'd rather pay to use the TiVo boxes over free non TiVo boxes.

[dmiller68]

I have both in house...

Comcast HDDVR - hard to use, slow menus, possitve dual tuners
Tivo/DVD Bunner - Rock solid, easy to use (my 8 year old daughter can setup shows to record), networked so I can download shows to my PC

The Tivo is like crack once you use it it is tough to use anything else. Rummor has it that comcast is going to switch to Tivo's system in 2007. If this happens and they don't screw it up I'll stay with comcast... Otherwise at some point I will switch to this new player.

[SHIBUMI]

For once I'm glad I have Brighthouse then!!

Their box is really easy to use. The guide is right there - if I want to record a whole season of The Office, it's just a couple of button presses. They use the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD - it's a piece of cake.

Now don't get me wrong, if I could get Tivo for $9 / month - no upfront cost - I'd be more interested. It's the initial layout that gets me.

[CamDawg]

I'm with Peench and Crippler -- The Comcast Motorola DCT-6412 HD-DVR sucks royally. It screws up so many recording and has so many faults that it makes watching TV a chore sometimes. Unfortunately, Tivo decided to price their HD Series 3 DVR at $800 with $20/mo fees -- I don't think that they're going to have many takers at that price point. I'm just waiting until Comcast rolls out the Tivo software upgrade for the DCT 6412 (expected to be by the end of this year).
We have a stand alone Tivo Dual tuner (SD only) for my wife's TV and had an HD DirecTivo when we had DirecTV; both are/were TV Nrivana compared to the Motorola.

[Crippler]

RCN is going with Passport Echo w/in the week. Looks much better than the TV Guide software currently on the box. We'll see how that goes.

[Peench]

Wasn't me CamDawg!!

I actually a couple of HD DVR's from my cable company and a couple of Tivos at the house. My wife is always complaining about how difficult the DVR's are to set things up and how much easier the Tivo's are. She's missed recordings in the past so now doubles em up on the Tivo just in case. It's saved her more than a few times. I think I have the passport front ends on mine here in San Diego with Time Warner.

If the cable companies could implement a better front end with their systems they would rock. I love the HD aspect. Although I do love the fact that I can stream my pictures and music with the Tivo. So far there's not a single solution. Soon I hope!