Conesmasher Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 I am tired of the basic cable world and think that it's time to step it up a little bit. I'm thinking about stepping up to the digital cable with DVR. I am looking for some first hand product experience regarding DVR's as I know the basics of them, but don't know the great things about them and the horrible things about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwishiwascool Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 Time Warner Provides me with mine for like 8 bucks a month. It works fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Elinar Longsight Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 We have one through WOW for an extra $5 a month. I love it because I can pause a show I am watching if I have to get up to deal with the kids or answer the phone. I also like the fact that I can select to record a whole season of shows before they come on that way I don't miss any of them. The only bad thing I can think of is the fact that ours only allows 2 shows to be recored at the same time (ie 2 8:30 shows etc) and you have to have one of the channels you are recording on if you are recording 2 shows at once. other than that, I like it and think it is well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwishiwascool Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 Originally posted by Elinar Longsight: I can think of is the fact that ours only allows 2 shows to be recored at the same time (ie 2 8:30 shows etc) and you have to have one of the channels you are recording on if you are recording 2 shows at once.They all do that including TiVo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Elinar Longsight Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 Originally posted by iwishiwascool: They all do that including TiVoWell then, nevermind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 We love our tivo, we have one of hte older ones that only records one show at a time, but we always have so many shows in waiting to watch, that we arent worrieda bout mising stuff. I hate the generic one that time warner uses.. On Demand SUCKS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 oops sorry.. never mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conesmasher Posted February 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 So, would it be possible for my finace to record the one soap opera she likes for one hour per day and watch them all on the weekend? Probablly gonna get it through Insight, I already have them and it's actually cheaper than WOW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtschulze Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 I couldn't live without it. I've had a bunch of problems with my box from Time Warner. It's been replaced 3 times. It works pretty good. I wish I could get the stuff off onto DVD via a computer connection. If anyone has tried and been successful please post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 Yes she could record it and watch it over and over and over. smile.gif Bliss.. thats what i do. Record my soap and watch it when i get up. Dont the newer Tivos have a recorder to dvd function built in? IN all thoguths, i would go ahead and buy the tivo and pay for the lifetime sub... nathan bought his tivo 5 years ago, and its been running continusly since he bought it. 24/7/365 The price of the lifetime has more or less gotten down to 4 bucks a month over a 5 year period. granted thelifetime has gone up to 299, i think its worth it. Most people are going to have cable that long so i would look at as in investment in just buying the equipment and not havint to trust the cable company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted February 6, 2005 Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 Originally posted by iwishiwascool: They all do that including TiVo100% WRONG. Insight's Motorola POS DVR only has one tuner. Most Tivo units only have one tuner too. WOW and TW both use the Scientific Atlanta 8000/8300 DVR's, which have 2 tuners. Originally posted by Cone Smasher: So, would it be possible for my finace to record the one soap opera she likes for one hour per day and watch them all on the weekend? Probablly gonna get it through Insight, I already have them and it's actually cheaper than WOW.Yes, you can setup to record all week then watch whenever you want; I do that w/ Family Guy. But Insights DVR sucks a butt nugget. You are FAR better buying a Tivo or going to WOW/TW (I'd suggest WOW ) and getting a SA DVR. I have a friend who was forced to get Insight (only cable available....he hates it), and his DVR is a total joke. From a single tuner to having to go thru 2 menus just to get to the recording lists, to half the screen being filled w/ ads.....it SUCKS! There are too many better options out there. I love my DVR (8300 HD, 160GB hard drive). 2 Tuners. Composite, component, S-video, coax/optical sound, HDMI outputs. Tivo's are nice (they have a great GUI), but are slow to respond to channel changes when going thru cable setups (because they have to interface w/ the cable box), which can get annoying. Also, you've got to spend the $$ on the box vs. leasing it thru a cable company (plus pay for the service), and you have to connect a phone line for listing updates. Just ends up costing more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 2001 TA Posted February 6, 2005 Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 I will also say Insight DVR blows! I am stuck with it due to the fact that my apartment complex only offers Insight. The thing I hate most about it is the fact that it will only record one show at a time. The cable has to stay on that chanel to record.... AKA you have to watch the show you are recording. I can however watch a recorded program while recording another. Like Joe said the menu's are a pain to navigate and adds are all over the place. I will have to stick this out untill Insight rolls out a better DVR or when I move. I do have a DVD burner upstairs though so I record shows upstairs when two are on at the same time. It works out well for me.... a tempory solution. If you have a choice go with WOW first then Time Warner second. Dump insight ASAP if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted February 6, 2005 Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 Originally posted by Nitrousbird: [qb] 100% WRONG. Insight's Motorola POS DVR only has one tuner. Most Tivo units only have one tuner too. WOW and TW both use the Scientific Atlanta 8000/8300 DVR's, which have 2 tuners.Tivos Series2 DO have 2 tuners in them. the older versions do not. Tivo also has *** TivoToGo function that allows you to transfer to pc or laptop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted February 6, 2005 Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 Originally posted by Mrs. CentralOhioSubarus: Tivos Series2 DO have 2 tuners in them. the older versions do not. Tivo also has *** TivoToGo function that allows you to transfer to pc or laptop.Hence I said most, not all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conesmasher Posted February 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 Thanks for all of the insight towards DVR's guys, I really appriciate it. Coming from me, a guy who wouldn't buy through Verizon wireless, becuase there were no more non-color phones, I try to stay behind the technology trend, so that I may get a little more view of what's good and what's bad. The last experience I had with recording television was with a VCR, you know those things that had that used tapes, haha. Once again thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinner Posted February 7, 2005 Report Share Posted February 7, 2005 we just switched from wow to TW and got a great deal. we got internet 3 mb which now is 5mb digital cable and a DVR box for $69 locked for 2 years. right now the only way to get the deal is if your a wow customer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted February 7, 2005 Report Share Posted February 7, 2005 Originally posted by Speci@lized.: we just switched from wow to TW and got a great deal. we got internet 3 mb which now is 5mb digital cable and a DVR box for $69 locked for 2 years. right now the only way to get the deal is if your a wow customer.I haven't heard that, but it's no surprise. We keep taking their business, and it's killing them. Of course at that price, they are losing money having you as a customer. BTW, better add $10 to that price if you want to compare, as WOW gives the Starz/Encore package free to digital subscribers (and IMO Starz tends to have better movies than HBO/Showtime/Cinemax....and I have all of them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted February 7, 2005 Report Share Posted February 7, 2005 Originally posted by Nitrousbird: 100% WRONG. Insight's Motorola POS DVR only has one tuner. Most Tivo units only have one tuner too. WOW and TW both use the Scientific Atlanta 8000/8300 DVR's, which have 2 tuners. Yes, you can setup to record all week then watch whenever you want; I do that w/ Family Guy. But Insights DVR sucks a butt nugget. You are FAR better buying a Tivo or going to WOW/TW (I'd suggest WOW ) and getting a SA DVR. I have a friend who was forced to get Insight (only cable available....he hates it), and his DVR is a total joke. From a single tuner to having to go thru 2 menus just to get to the recording lists, to half the screen being filled w/ ads.....it SUCKS! There are too many better options out there. I love my DVR (8300 HD, 160GB hard drive). 2 Tuners. Composite, component, S-video, coax/optical sound, HDMI outputs. Tivo's are nice (they have a great GUI), but are slow to respond to channel changes when going thru cable setups (because they have to interface w/ the cable box), which can get annoying. Also, you've got to spend the $$ on the box vs. leasing it thru a cable company (plus pay for the service), and you have to connect a phone line for listing updates. Just ends up costing more. Yeah, but with the Tivo, my brother in law just has his hooked up to his server, as well 2 160 GB hard drives. So he records shows for me on channels I don't get, or shows I miss, uploads them to his server, then I just download them directly. Can you do that with the other DVR's? or is he a nerd that built his own kick ass setup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted February 7, 2005 Report Share Posted February 7, 2005 Originally posted by The_Wang_Of_Fury: Yeah, but with the Tivo, my brother in law just has his hooked up to his server, as well 2 160 GB hard drives. So he records shows for me on channels I don't get, or shows I miss, uploads them to his server, then I just download them directly. Can you do that with the other DVR's? or is he a nerd that built his own kick ass setupThe SA DVR's haven't been out real long, and there are some conflicting stories about them. There is "supposed" to be some encryption of the data, but when looking at the diagnostic pages for the unit, encription is not enabled. Also, they just use plain, jane Maxtor Hard drives, and the 8300's even over an SATA port to hook up an external drive. Basically, not enough people have played with them to find out. I know the Firewire ports are disabled, so you can't transfer data that way, and the USB port is for diagnostic stuff only (which only SA would use). You could always use the HDMI output of the box to an HDMI input tuner card, and everything would still stay digital, but IMO that's more of a last resort option (and probably the most expensive option, if there are even any tuner cards out using HDMI inputs). So the quick answer is no, there isn't info available on doing it yet, but is likely it can be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted February 7, 2005 Report Share Posted February 7, 2005 Originally posted by Nitrousbird: The SA DVR's haven't been out real long, and there are some conflicting stories about them. There is "supposed" to be some encryption of the data, but when looking at the diagnostic pages for the unit, encription is not enabled. Also, they just use plain, jane Maxtor Hard drives, and the 8300's even over an SATA port to hook up an external drive. Basically, not enough people have played with them to find out. I know the Firewire ports are disabled, so you can't transfer data that way, and the USB port is for diagnostic stuff only (which only SA would use). You could always use the HDMI output of the box to an HDMI input tuner card, and everything would still stay digital, but IMO that's more of a last resort option (and probably the most expensive option, if there are even any tuner cards out using HDMI inputs). So the quick answer is no, there isn't info available on doing it yet, but is likely it can be done. So in other words he is a nerd and built a bad ass setup himself, because he has an old Tivo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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