Wednesday, December 27, 2006

TiVo Series 3 HD DVR

My friend Jaideep & Manna (who works at TiVo) just got a nice looking TiVo Series 3 DVR. It has 2 CableCARDs that allow it to record HDTV programming simultaneously. Comcast is now obligated to provide CableCARDs to customers at no cost instead of the the set-top box, so you don't waste all the valuable space in the entertainment center. Unfortunately, these CableCARDs don't allow you to record Comcast OnDemand programming that is possible from the HD Comcast DVRs. The TiVo boxes however have THX digital sound capability to enhance the home theater experience. These boxes allow you to stream iTunes music from playlists on a computer on the same network but unlike a MCE you can not search for songs/albums/artists and small user interface issue that stops music playback once you go to another menu.

Pros:
  • Sleek Device with front-panel displays showing the shows being currently viewed/recorded
  • Good display of HD programming
Cons:
  • No OnDemand Recording (Got to wait for CableCARD 2.0 cards)
  • Expensive (~$800, lower if you are know a TiVo employee)