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View Full Version : TiVo kicks ass!


Steel Shootin'
01-17-2003, 06:37 PM
I got TiVo a couple of weeks ago. Do any of you guys have it? I got it because I don't like missing stuff, especially football, when I'm out spearfishing on the weekend. I am surprised at how much I'm using it for now.

First, it's great to be able to pause programs. We use this feature at least a couple of times a night.

Second, it's great that once you pause, or record, you fastforward through the commercials.

Third, the recording is simple, and the menu system is very intuitive. You start to actually get the value of what you pay for cable, because you can record movies while your sleeping. Once a week I'll check the listings from 11:30PM to 8:00A.M. and record things I'd want to watch. I have about 8 movies now in my library ready for viewing. All digital, no tapes to worry about.

Another thing, it learns what you like. It does this one of two ways. First, you can rate what your watching by giving it one, two or three thumbs up (or down). It then "looks" for other things that it thinks you might like. It will never record over something you've programed, though. I thought this was "gimmicky" when I first read the mannual, but the damn thing has about a 90% success rate when it chooses something for me.

As to the question of funcionality, I have digital cable and I lose nothing in function. They accomplish this in that the TiVo box has a remote that operates the digital cable box.

One final thing. The remote is awesome. It operats my TV (unlike the cable box remote), and the TiVo box. Finally, one remote!

One downer: It wasn't cheap, and there is a continuing monthly payment (about $12 a month). The box calls TiVo every night for updates on future programing. Given that the product is delivering well more than I expected, I have found it to be worth it.

201proguide
01-17-2003, 06:56 PM
how much does one of those things cost? i saw a couple commercials on it when it first came out, and it sounded like a neat idea. it sucks because i almost always miss what i want to watch because of one thing or another seems to pop up. it seems as the retruns are well worth the purchase.

Steel Shootin'
01-17-2003, 07:27 PM
They had a deal where you could get it for $200 with free shipping. It's ordinarily $250 for the one I got, which gives you 40 hours of recording time. More than enough, since you just erase movies/shows once you watch them.

Scott

richhermes
01-17-2003, 08:32 PM
I was looking into TiVo but was concerned how it worked with my digibox.
I think paying the one-time lifetime membership is the way to go, but I don't think you can transfer it to a different unit if you decide to upgrade. And with the way technology is, after six months your shit is already outdated.

I think I'll wait. I get all my cable pay channels for free thanks to the bossman. I have seen Forrest Gump and Pearl Harbor more times than I care to. Damn movies are on daily!

I just found out I get all the sports packages for free too. I have the NBA package, but who watches that crap?? I wish I knew about this secret benefit at the BEGINNING of the football season!!!

Steel Shootin'
01-18-2003, 07:16 AM
I forgot to mention that lifetime option. I almost did that, but wanted to see how I liked it. I'm glad you mention it because I'll see if I can convert it.

Rich, if you make it over here with John someday you'll have to check it out. You're correct, cannot transfer to a different unit.

richhermes
01-18-2003, 07:39 AM
Where did you get this $200 deal??