Sony's DHG-HDD250 and DHG-HDD500 high-def DVRs

Sony is releasing the DHG-HDD250 and DHG-HDD500 DVRs featuring 250GB and 500GB hard drives, respectively, and in a Sony-like move, they will use the TV Guide On Screen interactive program guide instead of tried-and-true Tivo for their programming interface (like several of the other DVRs do). Expect to get around 30 hours of HD recording on the $799 HDD250 and 60 hours on the $999 HDD500, and they will also sport HDMI and component video interfaces.  A few major questions remain, however. Most new DVRs include multiple tuners to allow recording and viewing on different channels, or recording of multiple channels simumtaneously.  Do these units follow suit?  Also, why isn't there support for QAM so we can record HD content from digital cable with the tuners built in (the press release seems to insinuate this when stating that the units "provide access to analog cable services, as well as such non-subscription services like high definition digital terrestrial and analog broadcasts.")? Sony? Sony?

[sixtoe @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

I hate, hate, hate the TV Guide On Screen interface and functionality. Hate. Put TiVo in the box, and back the truck up to my house. I'll take three, thanks. Why can't anyone seem to work out a deal with TiVo on this (or vice-versa)?

[DJR @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

How unfortunate....

Sony's first DVRs *had* TiVo and are great units with a perfect synergy of hardware and software. Dunno why they ever suspended production of those...

I haven't tried TV Guide On Screen but I'd be willing to bet it is *way* inferior to TiVo.

Sorry Sony -- you've dropped the ball again.

Aside from tuners, the other question is whether they're networked -- can you access "HMO" type features and share shows between units?

[J @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

If you read carefully, it's digital cable ready. Just add a cheap Cable Card (which your cable company by law must provide) and you get access to HBO HD, ESPN HD, etc. without any additional box. Can TiVo do that?.....uh-huh, I didn't think so.

[Rob @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

TiVo are dead if they don't bring out a cable-card model in 05. It's coming.

[Dee_Money @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

As far as I am concerned, this is a great product. What people don't realize is that $12.95/m for Replay & Tivo is mainly for the channel guide. The remaining nice but unneccesary features are added to justify your paying for a service that has always been free(Gemstar, Zap-2-it). Realize that it is HD DVR, which the last time I checked, Tivo and Replay didn't have any units for that. It is also an OTA decoder with a Cable Card slot, meaning that with a cable card from your cable company (legally available for about $1.95 just in case you don't know), not only are you getting your usual analog, digital and HighDef channels from your cable company, you are also getting what ever is available over the air, a whopping 30 to 60 hours of High Def Recording and over 300 hours of analog and standard definition content.And best of all, you don't pay a dime. As great as Tivo and Replay are, with their numerous features, this is a great product. Good Job SONY !!!!!!!!!

[Larry @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Please forgive me; I am a chemist not an electrical guy. Ergo the acronyms are difficult for me. I currently have a Sony TiVo and, as you know, cannot use it for HD recording. So I am plenty excited about this product (like you, I have cable, not a satellite) but am trying to understand what you are discussing. What is the difference in function between my TiVo unit and this one; will this unit also (1) learn my preferences, (2) keep up with the next few weeks programming and (3) make suggestions, etc? If so, what is it missing? Would I be better off waiting to see if TiVo makes a competing product? TIA

[Zed @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

It is hard to describe in a short bit how many ways tivo is superior and different. Basically you can imagine with the other systems, the software was built with little or no design thought. The interface (software & remotes) are klunky, cumbersome, frustrating and basically nothing better than a VCR. With tivo you can tell that every element was carefully planned and thought out. At every turn nice little things make it SOOOO easy to use. My 7 year old can work it without problems. Now, comparing that with the latest rev of cable company PVRs is night and day. The software on them is so bad it's hard to put into words. I have a cable provided HD PVR and a tivo. My family use tivo for all normal programming (they can't stand the cable pvr), and just I use the HD PVR for recording HD content. As soon as a HD capable tivo powered PVR is available, I'm on it. And the cripled Directv box doesn't count.

[Eric @ Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

I've been waiting for exactly what Directv
created without it requiring Directv, as I am a cheap bastard, and can get great atsc reception.

Looks like Tivo's stand alone version is still a year out, and so buying Sony's product makes sense for the impatient, as I am becoming.

When is this going to ship?