Tivo

[Sonny]

Anybody have the TiVo Series2 DVR?

My wife uses her old Tivo Series1 box (from 2003) to watch and record her shows. We hardly ever go to Tivo.com. Last time was August 2005 after getting a rate reduction for not canceling our service.

This weekend I recieved an email from Tivo asking us to update our credit card info because our current CC was about to expire. So I did and after I was done I decided to browse their website. DAYUM! The TiVo Series2 DVR and the extra services seem awesome!! The one feature I'm most interested in is the TivoToGo. It allows you to transfer your shows to your PC, laptop, or hand held devices via your home network.

Before I jump the gun and switch my Comcast DVR and my wifes Tivo DVR to the TiVo Series2 DVR I have a couple of questions. I can call Tivo for the same answers but I wanted to get personal feedback from users.

1. Who else use these services?
2. Are there any restrictions or limitations to watching these shows on your PC, laptop or hand held devices?
3. Can you only record TV shows? What about movies or PPV?
4. What format does Tivo use to record?
5. Any special software required?

I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks,
-Sonny

[JamesB]

I have a series 2 TiVo and a series 3 HD TiVo.

Love both of them

the TiVo togo feature is awesome. I can burn the programs to DVD or make them compatible for my wifes 30gig Creative Zen portable media player.

you can record anything, the only restrictions are on the HD TiVo's where you cant transfer the HD shows to anything other than another HD TiVo box. But regular standard programs can be transfered to to your PC.

I have both my TiVo's hooked up to my home network and can transfer shows to my PC or to the other TiVo (except for HD recordings)

TiVo uses a proprietary format (.tivo) but the Roxio software and TiVo togo software will encode it to MP4 for portable devices. With TiVo togo software it will allow you to watch it on your PC with out any other software.

Roxio software is needed to convert the files to burn to DVD. The TiVo togo software (the version you have to buy) will convert the files for portable devices. The free version wont do this.

We briefly replaced our Series 2 TiVo with the Comcast HD DVR when we got our HD TV and it sucked. I bit the bullet and got the Series 3 HD TiVo.

The TiVo box is WAY better to operate and use. The HD TiVo does have a better quality

Any other questions feel free to ask

James

[srwatters]

I have a series two Samsung DirecTV Tivo. I've hacked it so I can do video extraction and it doesn't have to 'call home' but to be honest with you, it's getting long in the tooth and I'm most likely going to upgrade to a second DTV HD DVR like I have in the living room.

If you really want to know more that you ever wanted about Tivos, go to the DealDatabase forum http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/