TiVo TCD648250B Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder
by TiVo
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List Price: Our Price: $139.99 You Save: $360.00 (72%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Receiver or Amplifier See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of TiVo TCD648250B Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder
Customer Review: Great DVR
Summary: 5 Stars
OK, it's expensive.
Sometimes you get what you pay for. This is one of those times.
We bought a Tivo Series 1 about six months after it was introduced and loved it. Even my wife, who made fun of me when a bought "another guy thing", told me that it was great two weeks after I bought it. TWO WEEKS. That's a record. Most people understand that you can use it to record shows. What they don't understand is that you use it all the time, even when you're not recording. Phone rings? No problem, pause the show you're watching and answer the phone. A character say something you didn't understand. Just go back and listen to it again. It's kind of like the phone. I don't know my wife's office phone number; I just know it's number 1 on the speed dial. Tivo is the same way. I don't know what time Friday Night Lights is on (great show btw), I just know that Tivo records it.
What's this got to do with the Series 3? Simply this, we waited to upgrade to HDTV until there would be a Tivo that could handle it. Now, strangely enough, we don't feel the need for the HDTV. The Series 3 gives two big improvements over our old machine. First, because it uses cable cards, it can record shows off of two channels at once. Very cool. Second, because it has a large hard drive, I can record SDTV shows at highest quality and not worry about running out of space. The old Tivo tended to pixilate fast movement which could be irritating. This is not a problem with the new system.
The only downside to this device is that it is overpriced but hey, some things are worth it.
Customer Review: A Tivo and Amazon nightmare!!!
Summary: 1 Stars
As an avid TV junkie. I was excited when my Tivo series 3 HD arrived. Then the nightmare began. First of all, I had no idea about the fact that this unit required cable cards because Amazon's ad did not state so at the time. I called to get cable cards from my cable provider, Suddenlink, and was told that they would not give them to me. After many calls, two visits to the local office, and about 45 days, I finally got a technician out to install the cards. There was very heavy static on all of the digital cable channels, and the tech told me it was a result of old, outdated cards. The tech then told me he had no idea when they would get new cards that work.
Frustrated, I thought I would give the tivo, the years worth of service, and the wireless router (now about $800 in to this project) to my Dad and Step-Mom for the Holidays. They live in a comcast area with readily available cards. After waiting for cards we realized that it was not the cards, but the tivo that was defective. Now it has been 3 months since I purchased the tivo and I have finally figured out it does not work. Amazon will not exchange it for me. I have been on hold with tivo the entire time I have been writing this.
I think that there should be more time aloud to return this product since it does not function without cards that you have to obtain from another source. And you may find, as I did, that most cable companies will do anything for you to not have a tivo. After Amazon.com was no help at all on this matter I am taking my business elsewhere.
Customer Review: Great DVR! But NOT for the budget-conscious...
Summary: 5 Stars
From the reviews I have read, TiVo Series 3 HD is the best TV experience. So far, I agree. But be prepared to open your wallet. TiVo box, TiVo subscription, etc. My alternative was Comcast DVR, which most reviewers have panned, so I ruled it out early on. I have never personally tried Comcast DVR.
With the Series 3, you *absoLUTEly* need TWO CableCARDs, regardless of card type (MCard or SCard). This is cited from the TiVo website. So be prepared to fight with CC (and their 3rd party installers) about this requirement. AND pay a monthly CC fee for the second CableCARD. I have two MCards installed in my TiVo.
You will also need the DVR Expander, which is avail from amazon for $150. This is essentially a 500GB hard drive with a E-SATA interface. Triples your HD TiVo storage from 30 HD hours to 90 HD hours. Don't be confused by the SD recording hours. No one buys the Series 3 to record SD.
Oh yeah, don't forget the TiVo-specific wireless network adapter. This plugs into a USB port on the TiVo box. Connects to your home wireless network. If you only have a vague idea what I am talking about, sorry, I can't help you.
Also, you need to KEEP your existing cable converter box, if you want to keep On Demand. Things like Howard Stern are ONLY available On Demand. If you don't care about On Demand-specific stuff, my understanding is, you can use the TiVo box as your converter box, and save the box monthly fee. I am not clear on those details.
IT J.
Customer Review: Finally TiVo in HD
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been waiting for this product for quite some time and it is finally here. It has all the great TiVo functionality and ease of use with stunning sound and video. No longer are there artifacts when recording digital cable channels, the picture quality is spectacular, and the ability to record two channels at once exactly what I have been looking for. It has been a long time in coming, and it isn't inexpensive -- but the software is far superior, TiVo lets you transfer your lifetime subscription (for a not insignificant fee) to this new device, and it is loaded with unexpected niceties. The CableCard order was the hardest thing, but I received the units before the TiVo and it only took a few minutes of my time to have the cable company provision my card and I was up and running. Also paying $1.50 a month for each card beats the $13.95 I was paying just for the HD cable box -- without a DVR and no hopes of ever purchasing one at any price and thus always being at the mercy of the cable company and their yearly equipment rental fee increases. All of the DVRs I have seen other than TiVo are less than user friendly and lack adequate storage -- and whenever the cable company decides to change the software you loose all of your programming, parental controls, etc. TiVo gives you great software support as well as a superior product, despite the price it gets an A+ from me. Also given the future potential expansion with the external SATA interface this is a product that cannot be beat.Customer Review: Great product, but know the limitations!
Summary: 4 Stars
UPDATE: Please note that the software has been updated so that you CAN transfer programs between the Series 3 HD Tivo and other Tivos on your home network. There is, however, one caveat: you can't transfer HD recordings to non-HD Tivos.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: We purchased the dual tuner HD Tivo to replace an older Series 2 that stopped working. Overall, we're very pleased. The two tuner aspect manages itself - you don't have to switch between screens to view shows from the different tuners or to schedule simultaneous recording. The picture quality is wonderful and we're very happy with the remote's ability to switch input sources on our television, change the volume on the receiver, and turn the TV itself on and off. There are, however, a few disruptive drawbacks. The Tivo does not yet have the ability to transfer programs to other Tivos on our home network. The Tivo also REQUIRES cable cards and will not work with cable boxes. The is actually more convenient in the end, but we had to schedule a cable company (FIOS in our case) visit to get the cards, which took about a week. We also had problems getting the HDMI output to adjust the picture correctly on our widescreen. We don't know whether the problem there is the TV or the Tivo. The other inputs work fine, however, and the picture switches automatically between formats. Overall we love it and may replace other Tivos in our home with the Series 3 - if we can find a way to transfer our lifetime service!