Tivo/Tivo type capability.. What is best.. (1 Viewer)

[Richard_s]

What I am looking for is the ability to do the pause of real time TV and also use the system to record shows. I am not interested in the Tivo or Tivo type service. What would you recommend for the most cost efective product to purchase. I talk to the sales individuals and maybe they don't know or I am asking the wrong questions.

Appreciate the help.

 

[Jesse Leonard]

Your only real choices are Tivo, ReplayTV or using a computer with video capture ability. Do you have particular product in mind?

edit: I miss read your post. I thought you were not interested in getting a product that required a subscribtion service.

 

[Robert_J]

Stand alone Tivo and Replay will record any analog source. Cable, antenna, cable box or satellite receiver. Tivo has a $10 or $250 (I think) lifetime subscription. The recording time varies with the quality settings. Better recording=less time to record.

DirecTivo and UltimateTV only work with DirecTV to record the bitstream from the satellite dish. There is no quality setting since the recordings are identical to watching live TV. These also have the ablity to record Dolby Digital when available. They can also record two shows at the same time. With programming commitments you can get one for under $100 but there is a monthly $10 Tivo or Ultimat TV charge.

PVR501 and the soon to be released PVR508 only work with Dishnetwork. Same features as the DirecTV models with the exception of dual tuners. There is no monthly charge but the price has been adjusted up for that. Some of the neat Tivo features aren't on this box. Dish has announced a new dual tuner model but the release date is still in question.

-Robert

 

[Dave F]

Are any models network enabled? From the ones that I have seen, they require a phone line. Since I don't have a regular phone line (cell phone and cable modem), I'm kinda left out in the cold until someone joins the 21st century and releases a network model.
[EDIT: Yes, I'm a little bitter. ]
-Dave

 

[Steve Owen]

Are any models network enabled? From the ones that I have seen, they require a phone line. Since I don't have a regular phone line (cell phone and cable modem), I'm kinda left out in the cold until someone joins the 21st century and releases a network model.

There are ways around that with TiVo, though I don't know the specifics. Check tivocommunity.com for details...
-Steve

 

[Michael Reuben]

Are any models network enabled? From the ones that I have seen, they require a phone line. Since I don't have a regular phone line (cell phone and cable modem), I'm kinda left out in the cold until someone joins the 21st century and releases a network model.

The new ReplayTV 4000 units not only use a network; they require one -- they don't even have connections for a phone line.
http://www.sonicblue.com/video/repla...laytv_4000.asp
M.

 

[Richard_s]

Thanks

What I mean about not wanting the tivo service is that I want to only use the system on demand. Meaning pause real time TV when watching and record a show by turning on record by pushing a button. I don't need the ability to schedule a recording which is all I thought the service fee was for.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe recent model TiVo units with the current software will not work at all without the service. And there's really little point in getting one without the service. An SVHS deck makes a better recording device if you're doing everything manually, and pausing live TV is probably the function of a TiVo I use the least.

M.

 

[Richard_s]

Michael:
You make a great point. I probably will not use the pause much either just figured I need a new VCR (mine is an old MONO unit -- LOL ) so I figured I would look into getting the pause capability feature along with the recording capability. Probably not worth the money.
Does a S-VHS record and playback to at least the quality of what I see on my TV when watching normally? My old VHS playback is very poor and always has been. Even My 8mm camera (used as a VHS recorder)is not as good a playback as watching TV either. Is S-VHS better than my 8mm camera also in your opinion.
Are all S-VHS decks created equal or is there a particular Model that is exceptional?
Thanks
Richard

 

[Michael Reuben]

Are all S-VHS decks created equal or is there a particular Model that is exceptional?

They vary widely. The JVCs generally get good reviews, and that's what I use (though mine's about 3 years old now).

M.

 

[KonradM]

The key here is when recording to only use the 2hr speed for the tapes. You will get decent quality here, just don't use the 6Hr per tape speed. I do this with a cheep, i.e. $100 disposable VCR and quality is fine. Obviously it doesn't come close to watching a movie on dvd but it is fine for catching the few worthwile shows out there.

 

[Michael Reuben]

The key here is when recording to only use the 2hr speed for the tapes. You will get decent quality here, just don't use the 6Hr per tape speed.

Are you talking about VHS or SVHS? I find, with SVHS, the slower speed yields acceptable quality, though standard play is obviously superior.
M.

 

[Richard_s]

Thanks All
Looks like I will be best to just get a new S-VHS. I the recording feature to record a movie that is on early and I want to watch it later when I get a chance. I also record some specials for later viewing. Most importantly I use it to record a sporting event or some other one time event while I am nice and compfortable watching it from my recliner. That way when I fall asleep I don't miss anything I just rewind and view As for pausing real time TV guess I will just have to miss a few minutes when nature calls.
Now to find a good deal on a S-VHS. I saw a D-VHS unit but that cost $1500.

 

[Stephen Tu]

I don't need the ability to schedule a recording

Richard, I think you don't fully appreciate what the ease of recording a PVR can provide you. You are still thinking in VCR mode, where it's a hassle to set up a recording for everything, hence you only bother to do it for a few shows, and typically only at times you are in front of the TV to hit record. My bet is you don't schedule recordings in advance, since that would mean having to wait until the recording ends before you can see the beginning of the tape, juggling a bunch of blank tapes, and remembering what show's on which tape and where the blank space is.

With a PVR, it's so easy to record that you'll end up recording a lot more, probably everything. Pop up a guide, a few clicks, and a show you watch daily/weekly will record every time it's on, even if the time slot drifts. One time events are also easy to record. Then, you don't even have to remember to be in front of the TV when your shows start. Any time you feel like watching, you just plop down on the recliner and select from any of the recordings available, even one currently in progress, and skip over stuff you may not want to see, like commercials or halftime shows.

Don't dismiss the idea of a PVR so easily; you don't know what you are missing. Give one a shot for 30 days and return it if you don't like it.

 

[Brian Schucher]

I must tell you, if you ever decide to use Tivo and its true abilities.. you will love it. The subscription is well worth it. You can get them pretty cheap sometimes and you can add HD space to increase recording time fairly easy now too. Trust me, it is GREAT

 

[Michael Reuben]

With a PVR, it's so easy to record that you'll end up recording a lot more, probably everything.

I can vouch for that. I hardly ever watch live TV anymore. Often I set the show to record and then pick it up after about 15 minutes so that I can fast forward through the commercials. Can't do that with a VCR; you have to wait until the recording is finished.

M.

 

[Richard_s]

Sounds great except I do not see how I can record anything from my premium channels or any of my "digital" channels like HBO, Showtime, Starz etc. It looks like it will only work for basic cable where a decoder box is not needed. Basic cable does cover some of what I watch but mostly I watch premium channels and they don't have commercials so that is why I wanted the pause for real time TV feature. Is this all correct or is there a way to schedule the recording of shows that require the cable (decoder) box if there is that would be great.

Thanks Again

 

[Stephen Tu]

Not correct. The standalone PVRs like the Tivo (not the satellite combo models) all come with an IR emitter attachment that will change the channel on the cable box at the appropriate time. The cable box becomes its slave.

PVR works great with premium channels as well; you can grab the movies from random times in the day or late night and watch them at your leisure. You can easily search for the next time a movie repeats, or use various search features to pick out movies by genre / keyword.

 

[Richard_s]

Stephen:

I looked and there is a connector on the back of my cable box marked IR. It does not have any attachment however to receive an IR signal from the TIVO. I am assuming that IR is for Infra red interface. Does the TIVO come with the interface for the cable box or is that interface device something that ATT broadband should have supplied with the cable box.

Thanks

 

[Michael Reuben]

It does not have any attachment however to receive an IR signal from the TIVO.

Does it work with a remote? If your cable box can receive a signal from a remote, TiVo can control it. The Sony units (and I presume the Phillips units as well) come with a variety of cables and attachments sufficient to allow the unit to work with just about any cable (or satellite receiver) currently in use. Since you have an IR port on the back of the box, chances are very good that you can establish a direct connection to the TiVo unit, which is preferable.

M.