jasong
09-07-2005, 08:37 PM
I don't want to get this deleted so I'm not going to give my advertising code that Tivo gives out as an incentive. To be perfectly honest, I don't even know what my code IS. Anyhow...
The Tivo is an almost simplistic device with a limited ability to interact with your computer, assuming you're not a relatively skilled hacker, which I'm not. It's basically a glorified VCR with a subscription plan. Everything you do is via the remote, whether you're channel-surfing, assigning a Sason Pass, or making a Wishlist entry. Mine is a Series 2 with about 40 hours of recording at it's worst setting. Because of the way the Tivo works, I haven't actually looked up TV guide entries in weeks. If a commercial advertises a show I want to see(like Invasion), I simply make a Wishlist entry and, when it's less than 2 weeks away from showing, I delete the Wishlist entry and get a Season Pass. Unless the shows come on at similar times, I simply check the Tivo about every 24 hours, delete shows I don't want, and watch what I do want. It works out great.
There are a lot of people out there that think just because their digital video recorder can be used as a regular computer, that it makes a better than a Tivo. Well, I've got two words for them: System Crash. I've had my Tivo for about 5 months and it has behaved in a distressing fashion ONCE. Just one time. It displayed it's "Please Wait" message for way longer than normal. I simply walked away, came back 15 minutes later, and it had dealt with whatever problem it was having. Who can claim they've had a similar experience with MCE, or even one of the dvr bundles out there? Not many.
About 20 minutes ago, experiencing one of my impulisive moments, I announced to my dad that I've decided to save for for a Media Center. I was thinking crunching power AND a recorder in one. Now that I think about it, it's simply not worth it. Who wants to reboot a machine so they can simply watch Family Guy? Not me.
Tivo is a nice, dependable concept that will stick around as long as it maintains it's quality. I intend to be a customer of their's for a long, LONG time.
If you ever want to buy a DVR, I suggest you take a good, hard look at Tivo.
The Tivo is an almost simplistic device with a limited ability to interact with your computer, assuming you're not a relatively skilled hacker, which I'm not. It's basically a glorified VCR with a subscription plan. Everything you do is via the remote, whether you're channel-surfing, assigning a Sason Pass, or making a Wishlist entry. Mine is a Series 2 with about 40 hours of recording at it's worst setting. Because of the way the Tivo works, I haven't actually looked up TV guide entries in weeks. If a commercial advertises a show I want to see(like Invasion), I simply make a Wishlist entry and, when it's less than 2 weeks away from showing, I delete the Wishlist entry and get a Season Pass. Unless the shows come on at similar times, I simply check the Tivo about every 24 hours, delete shows I don't want, and watch what I do want. It works out great.
There are a lot of people out there that think just because their digital video recorder can be used as a regular computer, that it makes a better than a Tivo. Well, I've got two words for them: System Crash. I've had my Tivo for about 5 months and it has behaved in a distressing fashion ONCE. Just one time. It displayed it's "Please Wait" message for way longer than normal. I simply walked away, came back 15 minutes later, and it had dealt with whatever problem it was having. Who can claim they've had a similar experience with MCE, or even one of the dvr bundles out there? Not many.
About 20 minutes ago, experiencing one of my impulisive moments, I announced to my dad that I've decided to save for for a Media Center. I was thinking crunching power AND a recorder in one. Now that I think about it, it's simply not worth it. Who wants to reboot a machine so they can simply watch Family Guy? Not me.
Tivo is a nice, dependable concept that will stick around as long as it maintains it's quality. I intend to be a customer of their's for a long, LONG time.
If you ever want to buy a DVR, I suggest you take a good, hard look at Tivo.