$14.99 a month is way too much to swallow for a glorified TV guide. Especially when you're already paying for the hardware outright.

The lifetime subscription price is also a riot. $299? For what? Life time access to a service that will probably be bought and sold 10 times before it is finally put down in the dirt and taken out of its misery? This device will be archaic by the time you actually reach the threshold of that fee when compared with the $14.99/mo charge.

You can get Hulu AND NetFlix for a dollar more per month.

I guess if you're already sieving/hemorrhaging $100+/mo on cable or satellite service that forces you to pay for channels you'll never use and you don't mind giving away even more of your hard earned money for a trivial (at best) amenity then it could be worth it.

I fail to see the value.

Cable and satellite are becoming obsolete FAST. Continuing to support it only prevents actual progress in digital media distribution. I refuse to pay for channels I'll never use.

edit: I just noticed on the Tivo site that it's $499(!!!), not $299, for lifetime service! Are you kidding me? Let's all withdraw everything in savings and have a bonfire..

I believe it's been mentioned, but I'd like to clarify: "Lifetime" service is the lifetime of the box. If this refurb dies after a year, you're SoL.

Also, a HTPC is a better solution than TiVo these days. It's a bit more expensive, but you get expandable storage, ability to watch Hulu/stream music/photos, and everything else a real computer can do. You can use a Xbox or other hardware to watch recordings in another room as well. You'll need a Silicondust HD Homerun prime (that deals.woot was selling not too long ago).

strohminator wrote:I believe it's been mentioned, but I'd like to clarify: "Lifetime" service is the lifetime of the box. If this refurb dies after a year, you're SoL.

Also, a HTPC is a better solution than TiVo these days. It's a bit more expensive, but you get expandable storage, ability to watch Hulu/stream music/photos, and everything else a real computer can do. You can use a Xbox or other hardware to watch recordings in another room as well. You'll need a Silicondust HD Homerun prime (that deals.woot was selling not too long ago).

Good looking out. There's no way an HTPC is more expensive when you factor in monthly fees! This Tivo box is a terrible daily deal.

This is a very small harddrive on this unit. You will have to buy extra storage seperate.

doc362 wrote:$14.99 a month is way too much to swallow for a glorified TV guide. Especially when you're already paying for the hardware outright.

The lifetime subscription price is also a riot. $299? For what? Life time access to a service that will probably be bought and sold 10 times before it is finally put down in the dirt and taken out of its misery? This device will be archaic by the time you actually reach the threshold of that fee when compared with the $14.99/mo charge.

You can get Hulu AND NetFlix for a dollar more per month.

I guess if you're already sieving/hemorrhaging $100+/mo on cable or satellite service that forces you to pay for channels you'll never use and you don't mind giving away even more of your hard earned money for a trivial (at best) amenity then it could be worth it.

I fail to see the value.

Cable and satellite are becoming obsolete FAST. Continuing to support it only prevents actual progress in digital media distribution. I refuse to pay for channels I'll never use.

edit: I just noticed on the Tivo site that it's $499(!!!), not $299, for lifetime service! Are you kidding me? Let's all withdraw everything in savings and have a bonfire..

It would be a good deal if you are already are a subscriber and they let you buy the warranty for the unit like new units have, but you still need storage 45 hours is not enough.

Gowan wrote:You don't have to pay monthly. You can buy the box and buy a lifetime subscription and never pay anything again. Buying a lifetime subscription also increases the resalability of the box.

What on Earth kind of logic is this?
Yeah, you can avoid a car payment by buying your car outright. BUT YOU'RE STILL PAYING THE MONEY.
Remember that the lifetime subscription can't be transferred to a new box. Once you get rid of this one for the latest and greatest in a couple of years, you're hit with that expense all over again.

I like the idea of TiVo, but they can go straight to hell with that subscription BS.

My dad had one of these for years.. There were many features of it I liked..He recently bought one of the newer models and likes that too!

My only problem with this is it will not play the xfinity on demand (which is one of the reasons I switched from Directv to Xfinity) in my area--looks like the only area that plays xfinity on demand is the complete oposite side of the country from me in San Fransisco (I live in Delaware).

If they offered the ability to play my on demand, i think i would get one..a box that will play my netflix, amazon prime, and on demand in one..if only!

IcedCorn wrote:Couple of things here:

It's 45 Hours of HD recording. The SD stuff is hundreds of hours.

You will absolutely need a Wireless adapter. Unless of course, you're right next to your router.

Great deal for the entry level box. I have a Premiere Elite (4 tuner, 2TB or some insane amount of space) and love it.

Although it may get pricey if you buy lifetime, I think it pays out if you use this box for a little over 2 years (if you're a Tivo customer already).

In fact, since you are made of money, I recommend buying two. Two of these boxes + two lifetime subs = 4 tuners and it may work out around the same price as an Elite..(I didn't do the math)...but you can stream from Tivo to Tivo --

The cool thing about the Premiere is that if you record a show, say on HBOHD on Tivo #1; in the past you would have to download the show onto Tivo #2 before playing it (unless you had a fast network) and ONLY if the broadcast flag wasn't on. If it was on (like on HBOHD) you couldn't do anything with it except watch it on the Tivo it's recorded on.

With 2 Premieres, you can stream real time from one Premiere to another and the broadcast flag is irrevelant. And you can still watch something else on the Tivo that's "serving" the recording to the other one.

The current Netflix interface, in a word, blows (you can't add movies, and only can play movies that are already in your queue) but word is this app will be updated this year.

HuluPlus works like HuluPlus. Amazon on Demand works great --but it does NOT stream Prime (free) videos, which sucks. No word on that one. Unless you have XFINITY in California, I don't think yhou can watch ondemand shows from your Tivo via Comcast.

Anyway, I love Tivo. I'm a fan boy, it beats the crap out of cable's DVR. Yes, there are some big upfront costs if you go lifetime, but you can usually make it up on ebay when you sell it for the next new version.

Hope this helps.

Nicely stated, clearly written. You obviously stayed away during freshman composition.

I had a TIVo 45 hour DVR. It really is a dream to work with: intuitive and great guide noises. I don't really watch a lot of tv, but 45 hours isn't a lot of storage. I found myself having to delete stuff in order to pick up new stuff. Sadly, mine died after 6 years of service. On the other hand, the sloth-like dvr supplied by cable company lived on and on. I guess it would: it saved so much effort by taking forever to respond to commands.

It raises doubt in my mind when I read "Lifetime" subscription. The device, the technology, or the Tivo company will likely die within 5 years.

Have Premier XL since they were released. Want the newest version, but not worth the cost at thist time. Have 2 older versions (one with DVD player) since around turn of century. All have lifetime and all work fine. Purchased warranty to extend lifetime to wash out the cost of warranty. Never had to use warranty, but liked the insurance.

Cox charges $2 or $4 for cablecard. They want $20 a month or so for DVR with about 30 hours HD recording. Have always figured I break even in about 2 or 3 years and after that I'm not paying fees. Cox's on demand blows in lots of ways and why pay $8.00 for a movie I can rent for $1 or get from Netflix.

The best, is that I have 4 kids 6 and under and we have all sorts of children's TV recorded in the SD format. Zip past commercials if necessary (non PBS or Disney). Cuts down on the "I want/need" requests. This should also have the 30 second FF button that is great to move fast through the commercials.

One question for someone with more knowledge. If I purchase this and don't activate with subscription, but use as a VCR with other HD TV, can I transfer HD recordings from my Premier XL to this box? Or does it need a subscription to show on your home computer network?

Can I get this and not use the TiVo part? I want it for the streaming Netflix and amazon

Or you could get one of these
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Magnavox-MDR515H-F7-500GB-HDD-and-DVD-R-with-Digital-Tuner/15080509
We wanted DVR with no subscription and my wife didn't want to deal with the hassle of a PVR. The main drawback of one of these over Tivo is the interface. It is still basically like a VCR. But you can pause and replay live TV and start playback while still recording. It does have one enormous advantage over Tivo. The content isn't locked down in the box. It can burn to DVD. Now if only it could play bluerays and work off of a Tivo-like menu.

channel master makes a HD DVR the last time i looked it was $300 but you do not have to pay a subscription

cma0651 wrote:Can I get this and not use the TiVo part? I want it for the streaming Netflix and amazon

buy a blu ray player then

If you're having any doubts about this purchase remember this: The HDD inside of it is 320GB which makes it worth at least 70 bucks by itself. I'm no rocket scientist but I'm pretty sure 50 is less than 70.

After reading through the forums here, I recalled I had a one of the free digital tuner box's from my provider (that they had to provide when they went all digital), that can be used with older hardware.

I have a Tivo Series 2, and once I grabbed the little digital tuner box, and got that between the cable in and the Tivo box, it works great.

I only point this out because it required the Tivo IR extenders in order for the Tivo remote to change channels on the digital tuner. As I've had my Tivo for at least 10 years now, I was afraid I had long throw the extender out, but was able to find it. I tried another IR extender I had and it didn't work. So if you're looking to get some final mileage out of an old Tivo, you will likely need the IR extender that came with the original Tivo.

As others have pointed out, recording is in standard def, but if you don't mind that, you should be good to go.

YMMV,
jeff

I was an early fan of DVRs ... got a couple in the early days of DVRing. Each died a quick (and $$$) death. After that, I vowed to not fall into the DVR trap ... built my own setup. Basically a DVR is just a not-so-large hard drive and a (likely) inadequate power supply. If you roll your own your are in control of all the parts -- you can upgrade the hard drive when it starts to feel too small. (I'm up to a 2TB drive now and eyeing a 3TB replacement.)

Got one of the Elgato tuners; it runs through the computer (runs in the background so the computer isn't dedicated to recording). The recorded shows can be converted (compressed) for watching on an iPad, Fire, or other device that you carry to watch shows "on the go." Or stream to view in another room.

I can connect to the cable/antenna feed, or I can rerecord off the VCR (my very old old stash of shows) or DVD.

The only subscription costs is for something like $20 a YEAR (not month) for the TV guide service (which supports the scheduled recording feature).

I've done this for many, many years now and couldn't be happier. No more under-powered DVR power supplies burning out and leaving a HD (albeit a small one) gathering dust.

I have six cableCARDS in house and comcast charges me $1.50/month total.

use boot disk purchased for premiere at dvrupgrade.com and WD "green" 1TB or 2TB drive.

the disk upgrade and migration very easy.

serial/subscription number stored in firmware -- not drive.

also, if you have more than one TIVO, you get multi-unit discounts.

-GA

ps -- I prefer the original Series3 Tivo because of LCD display on front that tells you what is being recorded. All the streaming stuffola is in my BluRay (and my tv) -- so I have streaming option overload.

I live in an apartment that has basic cable included - simply a coax cable from the wall. I currently have a Series 2 Tivo and was wondering if I'd be able to use this box instead to give me more storage space since I don't have HD? Yes, I know I'm a little behind the times, but my cost has been basically zero other than the lifetime subscription ordered years ago. Thanks

We've got three Tivo's and I wouldn't consider anything else. One I keep hooked up to a Slingbox for use when I travel, without even connecting it to a TV. The best bet is the lifetime service, by far, though it is tied to the box, not the user. But the hard drive is the one component you can expect to replace in time, and replacing these is easy, giving the boxed a long life. We had the earlier models for about five years before switching to the Premiere, and in the end we got most of our money back by selling the old boxes with lifetime service on ebay. This made buying the new ones a no-brainer, even the one not hooked to a TV for in-home use but instead for watching via the Slingbox when on the road. The Woot price is good, and it qualified for lifetime service. Can't think of a need for a fourth, so I'll pass, but you should not.

I searched all over internet and can't find a solid answer answer for this.
it's not on Tivo site's FAQ, and answers when i use google are not solid or informational.

question is:
if i buy 2 of these bad boys, will 1 subscription cover both of them?
Or will i have to pay for 2 separate subscriptions?
This is the difference between $15 and $30 a month, and pretty much makes or breaks me buying these right now.

thanks peeps.

REM can this be hacked into something useful\\

Soapie0 wrote:I am dropping Direct TV at the end of this month. I'm currently busy burning off all my movies on their DVR since they will take it back when I drop them. I have Netflix, Hulu Plus, and a computer hooked up to my television for those few pesky channels that only let you watch "online" - I can still view them on my television screen.

I'd love to get an antenna to pick up my local stations, but my "local" stations are sixty miles away. Can anybody recommend an antenna that will carry that far? I didn't think one would, but I'm kind of tech-impaired myself. (And, no, I didn't set up all the television stuff and yes, sometimes I figure out how to work it!)

Digital signals just don't carry very far so it's likely that you aren't going to be able to pick up the locals without some high end equipment. Anything more than 25-30 miles away is pretty hard to pick up.

I have Verizon for my cable company. They say this about cable cards:

"Using a CableCARD device instead of a Comcast digital converter means you will only be able to receive one-way digital cable channels and not be able to receive On Demand, pay-per-view, or the interactive programming guide."

So if I replace my Verizon DVR with this TiVo and a cable card, I'll lose the channel guide? (Maybe the interactive programming guide is different than the list of what is currently on each channel?)

echkbet wrote:How do you buy a lifetime subscription? Didn't TiVo stop selling those?

still available, but for the life of your box, not YOU.

I have two Tivo's, one Premier XL and one HD (not Premier). Both have two cable cards installed. If I get this Tivo can I change the cable cards on the non-premeir without having to waste a day waiting for a Comcast tech?

Rather than buying external storage for the Tivo use their software. With a Tivo the Tivo To Go software makes it very to send recorded shows to your PC. I've been using the 45-hr Tivo HD for yrs. I must have more than 1,000 hrs of shows on my PC. Transfer times are fast since my Tivo and PC both are wired to the same wireless network. BTW the software also will convert a Tivo file to iPad or iPhone format!!

Gowan wrote:If you need more hours, it's very easy to buy a larger hard drive and swap it out. Or you can even easier and buy one already formatted and just swap it out.

Ahh, remembering the good old days of paying $4.99 for Tivo's monthly service... Sorry Tivo it's 2012 not 2002 and you haven't kept up with the times to warrant your fee or realize to survive you need a great monthly rate.

novastarj wrote:
Another question... are there any comparable digital video recorders out there I can use with network TV that don't require a subscription? Always painful to add another subscription on top of everything else.

There was a unit called the MOXIE. It was pricey, but had no monthly subscription fees. However, the company seems to have been bought out by ARRIS. Not sure what the deal is now. Too bad, I was thinking seriously about a MOXIE myself.

This one will work just fine with broadcast TV.

In fact, it will analyze your signal and the TiVo guide will find all the programs. Only problem I have is, it found some to weak to get a picture signals from a different direction and I have be careful not to program ghosts.

It also has a built in signal strength meter that helps with the antennae.

If they offer a warranty for money, get it.

If you get the service on the monthly basis the warranty is not so important, but they lifetime service, is the life of the unit not your life. If the unit dies the warranty means the service continues.

We are on our 4th but the first 3 were the series 3, also bought here reconditioned.

Can someone please tell me if I can use this Tivo without any kind of cable subscription?

We currently have DirectTV satellite but we are cancelling it and getting an antenna that will provide the local channels.

Can I buy this TiVo, subscribe with the monthly fee, and record stuff off of the local channels that we will be receiving?

I bought one of these when it first came out and have loved it ever since. The interface is much improved and Netflix and Pandora streaming is a nice plus. For me, though, the feature that sends it over the top is the ability to download movies from Amazon VOD. I've rented lots of movies from Amazon and it's a great service. If you have an iDevice, you can download the TiVo app and control the box from your device.

I love my Tivo. That said.....be sure and contact your cable company. Mine (E.Ritter) offers a service similar to Tivo and so they did not want to provide me with the cable cards. I called Tivo and they directed me to a web site from the FCC.gov and I had to actually go back to E.Ritter and quote to them what this web site said. By law they must provide you with the cable cards. They can charge you, and they will, but they must provide them to you.

Does this work with DirecTV?

hans57sauc wrote:Does this work with DirecTV?

No. You have to buy a specific directTV-compatible unit.

imscience wrote:It raises doubt in my mind when I read "Lifetime" subscription. The device, the technology, or the Tivo company will likely die within 5 years.

I've got a Series 2 unit, with a Lifetime Subscription, that's still going strong after something like 6 or 7 years.

Yes, the "lifetime" refers to that specific unit itself (which was a neat bit of legalese maneuvering by Tivo, I fully admit), but I'm still impressed, and it's paid for itself several times over.

No Amazon Prime Videos?

I have a TiVo Series 3 with an MCard from RCN, my cable company. Anyone know what upgrading to the Premier version will do for me other than increase my recording capacity and monthly cost? Are there any must have features etc?

nightdesigns wrote:Tivo is offering the same DVR for free with a 2-year commitment at $19.95/month. Much better deal: http://www3.tivo.com/promo/renewedpremiere_0.html

Did you flunk math?