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Tivo vs. Comcast DVR vs. DirecTV (1 Viewer)

Brian Perry

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I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but here goes...

I currently have 2 DirecTivo units in standard definition and am looking to make the following changes:

1. Upgrade to HDTV
2. Add one extra room

There seem to be certain advantages with in switching to Comcast Cable over DirecTV satellite:

1. I've heard DirecTV's HD feeds are compressed more than those on cable. True?

2. Tivo is no longer affiliated with DirecTV so I would have to use DirecTV's DVR or buy a standalone Tivo.

3. I already use Comcast for Internet, so I think there are some savings if I also use them for cable TV.

Unfortunately, Comcast has their own DVR (supposedly inferior to Tivo as well), so I am looking at purchasing at least one Tivo Series 3, which handles HD. However, I am unclear about how "Cable Cards" work. If I insert two Cable Cards into the Series 3, does that mean I use the Series 3 as my cable box and thus don't need the Comcast receiver? If so, that seems to be the best alternative.

Thanks!
 

Robert_J

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1. Depends on your cable company. Yes, some of D*'s HD is compressed a little. I see very few compression artifacts even when I view it on my 103" screen.
2. You can still use the HR10-250 but you will not be able to get national HD channels when they move to MPEG4. The HR20-700 is getting better with each software update but it is no DirecTivo. A standalone HD Tivo only works with digital cable and OTA.

You are correct with your description of how cable cards work. Are you willing to pay $800 for an S3 or wait until Comcast releases their new cablebox running Tivo software? http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan.../D8MH64CO5.htm

-Robert
 

Brian Perry

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Thanks Robert. I guess I may try to find a Series 3 on sale and wait for the Comcast Tivo for the other two rooms. I wonder when the rollout would be.
 

Joseph DeMartino

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Looks like July 2007 for the start of the roll-out, which will be in selected markets. It also appears that the TiVo software may only be designed to work with certain Motorola DVRs. Finally there is no specific reference to HD DVRs in any of the pieces I've seen on the announcement. I'm guessing that since this is a matter of software/interface and service, that it will work on both SD and HD DVRs, but I'd feel better if someone would say so. I'd also feel better if Comcast would address the big swaths of the country where its local offices didn't provide Motorola boxes. I live in an area serviced (and I use the term loosely) by the recently departed and wholly unlamented Adelphia Cable. We have Scientific Atlanta equipment. So do lots of other areas that were either once serviced by other companies that Comcast has swallowed up or were original Comcast sites that just decided to go with a different technology. (I know that even prior to the merger Adelphia offered 3 different lines of cable boxes, DVRs and HD versions of both - including the Motorolas - depending on where in the country you were located.)

This article from C-NET seems to have more details, including a statement the Comcast will enable features like TiVo2Go and Home Networking - which would be a dream come true for this die-hard TiVo fan who had to drop the service when he went HD.

Regards,

Joe
 

Joseph DeMartino

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Update:

Things are sounding better, and I'm cautiously optimistic. This press release from TiVO addresses the HD issue (the new combined service will included HD DVRs.) The bad news is the new service will only work on Motoroloa STBs, the good news is that in my area they are going to start transitioning to Motorola equipment this summer. Apparently both Scientific Atlanta and Motorola hardware will co-exist for a time (which is interesting, since when I asked Adelphia two years ago about switching to Motorola they said their head-end equipment wasn't compatible with anything except SA and they saw no reason to change.) New customers will get Moto boxes, as will any existing customers who request a change. (Which presumably will be everyone who wants the TiVO service.) I guess those happy with the standard Comcast DVR service, or those who don't have a DVR at all, can stick with the SA boxes.

So, according to what I've read so far I'm about 6 months away from having two, 2-tuner TiVO-equipped HD-DVRs with home networking and TiVO-2-Go without having to buy any additional equipment, get mulitple cable cards or pay more than a few dollars above my current cable bill. If this all works out I am going to be very happy. :D

TiVO Series 3? Why? That's $1400 plus $18 a month that I don't have to spend while living with my adequate if unspectacular Comcast DVRs for half a year until I can get everything the Series 3 offers for no money down and a fraction of the monthly cost.

Regards,

Joe
 

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