Technology Review: The TiVo Series3 and Me (A Non-Geek Peek)
Published July 24, 2008
TiVo Recommends…: Particularly fond of a show (or movie) you’re viewing? Completely hate it? Use the red and green “thumbs up” and “thumbs down” buttons on the TiVo remote control up to three times to show your enthusiasm (or lack thereof). TiVo uses that information to recommend more television shows and films. The recommendations screen lists programs that it thinks you’ll like, and you can choose to record or ignore, as you wish. The more often you vote up or down (either on your recommendation listings or on shows you happen to be viewing), the more refined will be future recommendations.
Resurrecting deleted shows: Have you ever unintentionally deleted or erased a show or a movie? I know that I have. I had forgotten that my husband missed a Tudors episode when real life dared to intervene on his Sunday night. I’d watched the episode (which was on “season pass” to automatically record), and since I don’t usually keep Tudors episodes past one viewing, I blitzed it before he had a chance to see it. However, TiVo has a neat feature that archives deleted programs, allowing you to bring them back from the dead, preserving not only quality television programming but countless relationships and marriages. Neat, huh?
Now of course none of the aforementioned would be possible without the huge, ginormous hard drive resident on the Series3. My Comcast DVR barely held a season’s worth of House episodes. My TiVo currently holds 57 House episodes, about 20 movies, countless other recordings, and (like that Energizer bunny) keeps going and going and going. (TiVo Series 3 holds about 300 hours of standard definition programming.)
Wireless capability: Although it’s an add-on (and a fairly inexpensive one), if you have a home wireless network, you can add the TiVo wireless adapter and connect to TiVo through your home network. This enables several very cool features. First, you can upload photos, videos, movies, etc from your computer to your TiVo. Anyone who’s connected S-Video cables and RCA plugs from a laptop to the television in order to view computer files on the TV can appreciate being able to do this completely without wires. The TiVo “sees” your computer and its contents and many things you can view on your computer you can see up on your nice big television screen. Conversely, files on your TiVo can be downloaded to your computer for easy transport and viewing on the go.
- Technology Review: The TiVo Series3 and Me (A Non-Geek Peek)
- Published: July 24, 2008
- Type: Review
- Section: Sci/Tech
- Filed Under: Video: Television, Video: Film and TV Business, Sci/Tech: Personal Tech, Sci/Tech: Internet
- Writer: Barbara Barnett
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I mentioned the YouTube thing above. the HD is an option for those not wanting to get the Series3, from what I understand. But it's a very large size difference re: hard drive. Not sure about any other differences. Thanks.
I would strongly recommend the TiVo HD over the TiVo Series3 at this time - and I own a Series3 myself. The difference in the drive isn't that large - 250GB in the S3 compared to 160GB in the HD. And they both have eSATA ports for expansion - the 500GB Western Digital My DVR Expander is the officially supported drive.
As for other differences, price is the primary one. The TiVo HD has a $299.99 MSRP and sells for ~$250 new online, but TiVo also has 'factory-renewed' units for $179.99 with the same warranty as a new box. The Series3 has a $599.99 MSRP, and sells for ~$575 online - and there is currently a $200 rebate. But that still puts the S3 around $125 more than a new TiVo HD, and almost $200 more than a 'factory-renewed' unit.
As for features, aside from the 90GB drive-size difference, the Series3 has a fancier chassis with an OLED front panel display, on-box controls, and a 'piano black' finish on the top and sides. The TiVo HD has a simpler chassis with no on-box controls, LED indicators, and a conventional black case. The S3 comes with the fancier 'Glo' remote, which is nice, but you can buy those separately for ~$40 and still come out ahead.
The TiVo HD supports M-Card CableCARDs, which means you can use just one M-Card for both tuners. The Series3 does not support M-Card, and so requires two CableCARDs even if M-Card is available. The TiVo HD can save you money month to month if your cable MSO charges for the cards - some MSOs give you a free card then charge for additional cards, other charge for all cards - and it can range up to $5/month per card. The TiVo HD also puts the CableCARD(s) in front, behind a door, instead of in the back of the unit as on the S3. That makes installation much easier.
So with the S3 you get a little more flashy case, a slightly nicer remote, and a little (90GB) more drive capacity for an extra $125-$200, plus you may pay more each month for the second CableCARD.
I just can't justify the added cost for what you get.
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Your readers might want to know that they do not have to go out and buy a $600 Series 3 TiVo to get everything you mentioned.
TiVo has released a TiVo HD box that retails for $299 (and can be had from Amazon for $250) that can do everything the Series 3 can, though with a smaller hard-drive. (there is a Tivo-branded hard-drive expander available as well).
TiVo has a monthly service fee of $12.95, but you can prepay a year for $129, or 3 years for $299 (I believe).
Also, your readers might like to know that they can access YouTube videos to their heart's content (with broadband access) starting in the next week or so.