DVR, TiVo, etc

[damonshort]

I'm contemplating either pursuing a TiVo option or just going with a Comcast DVR setup. Curious if any tech-heads here have experience and opinions about either...

[Jon Brakel]

Do you need HD or non-HD? What source will you be using for the TV signal? Sat, cable, etc.

I've been using the Comcast box for about 4 years with the last two being with HD. The box is a little flaky and needs to be reset about once per month (power cycle). Because of its quirkyness it is best to leave on 24/7. The hard drive is a little small but we get at least a week and a half of HD on there and we watch a lot of TV! It is much cheaper than tivo but doesn't have all the features that tivo has.

[discmonkey]

While TIVO functions more smoothly, and the Comcast DVR can be glitchy to the point of wanting to throw it out the window, your best bet is the Comcast box.  From Comcast, it runs 11.99 a month with no equipment to buy.  Here are the major comparison points:

1  CCDVR has two tuners, the $299 Tivo requires a new type of cable card to enable it to tune 2 different stations.  If you thought the DVR was glitchy, just try and get a cable card to work right.
2  Tivo runs either $299 or $899 for the box and then $13 per month for service, much more than the CCDVR (0 equip cost and 11.99 per month).
3  The 299 Tivo has about the same size hard drive as the Comcast box.
4  The 899 Tivo has a slightly larger hard drive, but not $600 bigger.
5  The Tivo can be networked with other Tivos in your house, the CCDVR cannot
6  The Tivo can be programmed from off site if integrated into your home network, the CCDVR cannot
7  The Tivo can do wishlists (one of only two functional recording differnce between the two) and the CCDVR cannot.  This is a function I find that no one uses (wishlists are when you tell your Tivo a subject or person you like and it records that item every time it is on TV).
8  The Tivo can make its own recommendations as to what it thinks you will like.  This function is useless as it only fills your hard drive with stuff you'll never watch.
9  Most importantly....The Comcast box will be a Tivo eventually as both companies have partnered after DirecTV dropped Tivo (over a $1 per customer cost, by the way).  The beta test for the Tivo/Comcast box is nearly over and the software upgrade or box upgrade (they haven't been clear on which it will be) will be available nationwide in the next 6 months or so.  With this upgrade, your bill will go up another $2-3 per month, but all the bugs and glitches are said to have been worked out.

The only people I have seen who really benefit from having the Tivo over the CCDVR are those that already have a Tivo and are used to the interface.  The Comcast box works a little differently in regards to the buttons you press and long time Tivo users have a little bit of a hard time getting used to it.  There is also a large group of CCDVR haters out there who will tell you that Tivo is the only way to go.  Most of them are just closed minded and unwilling to learn something new.  Hope that helps.

[damonshort]

Thanks Tim & Jon! This is a terrific help. I was sort of sifting through some msg boards, which were largely out-of-date and (as usual) are mostly complaints, not recommendations, so my eyes were glazing over.

[Mike S]

I had Comcast DVR and my girlfriend has Tivo at her place...  I think the Tivo is much better but not worth the extra cost.  The interface is much smoother, and it is much easier to set up your recordings how you really want.  There are a lot more options.  But having to actually buy the unit is a dealbreaker- the added convenience isnt worth that much cash upfront.  If the comcast one breaks you just return it for a new one (and you will definitely have to at least once).

[mirth]

For what its worth, it would take almost 27 months of paying for the comcast dvr to make up for the up front cost of the Tivo. IDK what Tivo's trade in policies are, but Comcast you can pretty much take your box to any service center at any time & upgrade/downgrade/crossgrade.