Tivo

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I’m curious about Tivo. I hear so many great things. What I’d like to know is just how easy is it to install, is it worth the 229 lifetime plan, and so on. I hear about people “hacking” it, and connecting it up to linux boxes. Is it Really needed? I’d love to hear from people who already own Tivo that have had good and bad experiences with it.

So is it worth it?

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13 thoughts on “Tivo”

  1. I don’t have it, but my friends who have it love it and say it’s easy to use.  I was thinking of getting it, but I keep reading articles (like this one) about how the next wave of home computers will have the same capabilities without the monthly charges. Since I need a new box pretty soon anyway, I think I’ll just wait.

  2. Hmm. I used to have a box that had an all-in-wonder card in it so I could watch VCD’s on my tv (before I had a DVD player that could play VCD’s) but it broke down.

    I never actually tried recording tv shows on it since it was a really slow computer with only 4 gig’s of HD space. What could I possibly record, right? ;)

    But after reading that article, I might have to check that out! Thanks dave!

    Of course, just having Tivo and a lifetime contract is much easier I’m sure. :)

  3. Oh, yes, it’s certainly worth it. We keep thinking about getting a lifetime contract, but haven’t done it.

    My husband bought it a few years ago, but it very quickly became my toy.

  5. My concern about buying a TIVO box and purchasing a lifetime contract would be that *if* the concept of using your computer to record tv catches on, Tivo may not be in business very much longer. However, it’s still way too early to try and guess how that will all shake out.

  6. I think the only thing with the computer recording tv is the technological scare. Tivo is friendly and in a box. with the computer method, this requires you to get a separate computer, which turns out like this:

    A: so why’d you get that new computer?

    X: So I could record stuff from TV.

    A: that’s cool. So you can watch tv through your computer?

    X: Yeah! It’s awesome! I don’t have to worry about commercials, I can watch it anytime I want! It’s pretty nice.

    A: Yeah but, why didn’t you just buy a TiVo?

    People go for easy simple stuff. :)

  7. If you bought the computer just to record tv, I’d agree. But if your computer becomes your Tivo, your stereo, your home theater/surround system, and your DVD player, then maybe it’s not such a bad deal.  From what I can tell, they’ll be marketed as home entertianment computers, perhaps with a special OS, and I’d hope they’d come with a pretty idiot proof user interface.  Sort of like the interface on a typical VCR :-)

  8. Yeah, they already have them at Gateway. At least they used to have them. They come with Windows XP Media Center version. It’s ok, but it will never replace my DVD player. They look really cool though.

    I don’t think they caught on too well though. I think they didn’t really push them, because I would have never known about them if a friend who used to work for gateway had never mentioned it.

  9. Wow, I looked at the Gateway 610XL Media Center. NICE. it does everything, including a DVD-R so you can record the shows you get onto DVD. All for 2,000 bucks! Not sure if it’s worth it. LOL

  10. Not just for recording tv.  But again, if it replaces all of your other components (TIVO, dvd, cd, surround sound), plus serves as a giant mp3 jukebox, then it’s not a bad deal.

    There’s supposed to be a new wave of “multimedia” computers released late this year or early next. Hopefully they’ll be cheaper and more user-friendly than the current offerings.

  11. Yeah I’m starting to think TiVo would be nice, but might be best to hold off and just build my own “ultimate multimedia PC”. I wonder how much the Windows XP media center edition is. I’ll have to look it up.

  13. That’s interesting. That article has got me teetering on the edge of getting a TiVo. At least I have time to think about it more during the move!