Comparing the DVRs?

zonker asks: "We are getting hooked up with Dish Network Satellite TV this weekend and opted to go with one of their PVR (personal video recorder) plans. I started wondering if anyone has done any technical reviews or comparisons of the video quality (not just features) of the various digital video recorders out there (TiVo, DishPVR, ReplayTV, etc.). I am curious mostly about recorded video quality compared to the source video. All of them make claims to have various recording 'speeds' like VCR's. VCR's analog output is predictable (fuzzy recording with bits of static here and there, worse when signal quality is bad). However digital recorders have varying levels of pixelization. I was curious which ones fared the best and if anyone has comments on either systems?"

Comments

Internationel support?

[Chloe Dubois]

These Tivo devices entrance me; there are many shows I would love watching more frequently, but my schechdule (is that how on spells the word?) often conflicts with the time-slots of my favourite programmes. However, as I looked into the getting of a DVR player, I was saddened to see that their services do not extend beyond the United States! Does anybody know when or maybe if the programming services these interesting devices will be available in Europe? I would love to have another Linux box on my TV to go with all the other ones I have around my house ^_^.

TiVo software is inflexible

[jungd]

I bought a TiVo because it runs linux and has a good hacker community, can be upgraded etc.
However, while I do like the TiVo, the software could be alot more flexible. There are many little things that could be improved. For example:
1) You can select to record programs by searching by name, but it only searched within a limited horizon of programming (the week or so for which it has the guide). If not found, it can be recorded. For example, you couldn't ask it to record "Mission to Mars" whenever it comes on next.
2) You can't ask it to record programs matching criteria like a particular actor, or keyword in title etc.
3) Once a program has been selected for recording, you can't change the record quality without cancelling it, finding it again via search, channel guide or whatever, and re-selecting to record it.
4) It takes 2-4 hours to process and index the program guide after making a call to TiVo! (what on earth is it doing?)
5) There are a few subtle bugs in the menu display software that sometimes cause display artifacts (rarely though).
6) If you have a partial recording of something that you are also currently recording, it doesn't distinguish between the two - so you can delete the partial until the current recording it complete
7) Sometimes the GUI is slow to respond (I assume the CPU is busy - just evert so slightly underpowered to do everything it needs. Although the record/playback seems to get highest priority - I've noticed no artifacts there)
Many other, small, but annoying things like this.

Perhaps they should Open Source the software and let us ./'ers fix and improve it! :)

Apart from those gripes the TiVo is good. I am impressed by the record quality and playback.

OOT: If you have a Comcast General Instrument cable box, the supplied infrared blasters for channel changing are not strong enough and you'll have to but better ones (for ~$30).

Interesting... but will they do what I want?

[cpt kangarooski]

Features I'm looking for in a DVR...

HARDWARE
*Integrates nicely with my existing rats' nest of cabling. It can't eat up precious i/o jacks, particularly if it's going to presume to add Macrovision to the output. RCA/Coax/Optical Sound/S-Video, etc.
*In fact, let's dump Macrovision altogether. (I suspect it might slip through 17 USC 1201(k) being a digital device)
*CDRW for archival purposes (fully legal, falls within the Sony case) eventually upgradable to some manner of DVDRW
*2-4 HD bays, with instructions printed on the interior regarding installation, and a backup CD if the DVR software is ever lost. (but frankly, it ought to be able to automatically format unrecognized disks and install the sw itself, sans disk)
*PCI slots so that additional cards, including TV tuners, MPEG2 encoders, etc. can be added
*10bT ethernet to utilize broadband connections if available, and permit control from computers on the LAN.
*Good programmable learning remote, plus well-documented, modifiable codes on the unit for integration w/ existing setups, etc. Needs analog volume knob, definately. Backlit buttons and labels.
*User servicable (except for shielded power supply)

SOFTWARE
*Good UI -- I understand TiVo's decent, but it doesn't strike me as excellent the couple of times I've played with it.
*Storage of previous versions of sw on system so that a) features can't be changed unilaterally by the developer w/o permission of user, b) user can always go back to something he liked better
*No tracking of demographic information whatsoever, in any way, not even an opt-in
*Saves data in easily read format, easily shifted to other storage media.
*Responds to remote commands, e.g. for programming it at work
*Autodetect ads and edit them out/skip them
*30 second skip just in case autodetect doesn't work (including setting marks to assist the autodetect if a show will be viewed repeatedly)
*Good FF/RW just in case you need to resort to that instead. Did I mention that I absolutely won't tolerate ads?
*For God's sake no ads on the UI. That genius deserves a cruel death.
*VCD support, DVD support, eventually DVDRW support -- primarily for offline archive disks, but also legit purchased VCDs and DVDs.
*Sets its own damn clock, has comprehensive rules for daylight savings, leap days, etc.

MISC
*No monthly fees
*Can obtain data (possibly with some additional third-party software) from any source, e.g. TVGuide Online, Digital Cable, etc.
*1 yr warranty

---
That's most of what I can think of, offhand... of course, I don't exactly watch a hell of a lot of TV, and still use a pair of rabbit ears for reception, but it'd be nice to have an archive of ad-free Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama, Nova, Law & Order, etc. that I could watch in decently high quality on the TV.

As always, cutting out every last damn second of advertising is of paramount priority; not having to pay beyond the up front cost, and not having demographic information collected is up there too.