Pioneer launches DVRs with external drives

We all know we'll never see a Pioneer standalone DVR this side of the Pacific -- we know this -- and the announcement of their new 160GB DVR-540H, 250GB DVR-640H, and VHS / DVD / DVR DVR-RT50H don't exactly ring any major technical chords or anything. But what does catch our attention is the fact that all these DVRs support external drives (up to 3 simultaneously), and are being sold alongside Pioneer branded external drives. Where you at TiVo? Once again Japan leads the way -- if not technologically then by being unabashedly pro-consumer.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 15th 2006 9:48AM]

now can i take these exteral drives and plug them via usb to my pc and copy the content off of them and convert the stuff to xvid? if so im game! if not... try again....

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 15th 2006 10:28AM]

The Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD DVR has been able to support external SATA hard drives for quite some time now. Granted, you have to get it through your cable provider, but still...

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 15th 2006 12:37PM]

wow!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 15th 2006 4:24PM]

In calling out Tivo in this article, I thought that in the video about the HD Tivo due out later this year (pretty sure I saw it on Engadget a few months ago or so), the Tivo representative answering all the questions had mentioned the fact that you could hook up USB drives to the new Tivo. He also kept mentioning that it would be due out later this year. So, it sounds like it's coming, but Tivo's obviously never been quick to come out with the products that consumers are screaming for - HD being the major case in point.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 15th 2006 10:40PM]

"We all know we'll never see a Pioneer standalone DVR this side of the Pacific"

Huh? I have one under my TV right now. If I remember correctly it is the DVR 520. Had it for about a year now.