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TiVo Announces High-Def Series3 DVR
prostoalex writes "Catching up with the competition, TiVo is set to unveil a high-definition digital video recorder. The unit will feature dual tuners, 250 GB, and a hefty price sticker: 'The long-awaited product will be $800 and available in mid-September, the company said. Subscription fees for the TiVo service are separate ... TiVo officials attributed its long development time in part to waiting for certain technologies to mature and the lengthy process of getting industry-related approvals, such as for the set-top-box's two built-in CableCARD slots. CableCARD slots allow users to access digital programming from a cable TV provider without the need for a separate receiver. The Series3 HD box also represents TiVo's first major product upgrade since it released its networked Series2 DVR in 2002.'"
I've been a DTV subscriber because of their TiVo service. I stayed DTV because I could get a HD model and get HD programming via DTV. Now DTV is planning to (eventually) get rid of my TiVo, and there is now a real competitor as I could get an HD TiVo with my local (evil) cable company.
You are on notice, DirecTV. I chose you over cable because (Adelphia) cable is (more) evil and I like my TiVo, and the multitude of hacks available. Now that you are charging me more, taking away my TiVo, and your TiVo has less funcationality than a real one, cable just may win out.
$800 is a chunk of change, but the price will come down eventually. I'd be happy in the $400 range if I ended up with real value in the end.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
The DIY HTPC won't do CableCard, and your inexpensive tuner cards won't do HD. If you want that functionality the expensive Tivo is a good choice.
It doesn't matter what kind of hardware they want to sell for a retarded amount of money. I have a series one tivo sitting in my garage gathering dust. It's got a pair of 100gig drives in it, ethernet card, extra fan attached, all that... Tivo still wants 12.95 a month for the service. My comcast DVR costs me $3.95/month on a lease deal, it records high def, and I didn't spend a dime to get it. Without some kind of radical change in their pricing and features, Tivo can't stay in the market.
This TiVo reminds me of that Simpsons episode, where Homer finds his long lost brother who runs a car company. Homer designs the world's greatest car for the common man, but it turns out to cost $82,000 and his brother's company is ruined. Tivo has done the same thing by added so many frivolous extras (THX Certification comes to mind) that it's priced out of a lot of people's budgets (including mine).
I haven't bothered with a MythTV/MCE because TiVo was cheap (free after rebate for the 40GB model, quickly hacked with bigger HD) and was easy to use and good at what it does. Now if I want to upgrade it's priced right in line with these other technologies that offer more features. Tivo just isn't competitive anymore, especially once MCE supports CableCard.
EyeTV Hybrid cannot record cable HDTV, period; only over air (don't believe me? read the FAQ). The CableCard provides not only unencrypted cable HDTV channels, but even encrypted channels. I use my EyeTV on my PowerMac as an adjunct to my TiVo, but don't consider it a replacement.