http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/ Engadget Comments for TiVo Series2 DT hands-on review http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 1:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 1:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 2:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/The Series2 DT DVR can record from two basic cable channels, or one basic cable and one digital cable channel, at once. It does not support recording from two digital cable or satellite channels at once.

Pony]]>Apr 25th 2006 2:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 2:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 2:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 3:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
Pony"
Thanks, as always, Pony! That's what I thought it would be, until this article confused things for me.]]>Apr 25th 2006 3:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
This creates a support nightmare. The way they have it setup now, most places, it'll work great because so much of the digital cable stuff is echo'ed in analog, most places as far as I know still do this for extended basic. So one tuner gets extended basic, the other tuner gets digital. I don't think it's asking all that much.

I'll be holding out on both HD and the dual tuner series 2 - in hopes for the Series 3 hd.

-Alex]]>Apr 25th 2006 3:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
It doesn't have "a digital tuner" at all. It has one tuner--there's one RF-In. What it has that current Tivos don't have is two MPEG-2 capture circuits, and the ability to control the built-in tuner and a cable-box simultaneously. If you are using a cable box with an existing Tivo, the video comes in through either the composite, S-Video, or RF jack. With the new Tivo, you can get the cable-box feed through S-Vid or Composite, AND run a live analog cable feed into the RF-IN--and the Tivo will be able to record from both at once thanks to the MPEG-2 chips.

In order to record from "two digital tuner" you would need two CABLE-BOXES, and circuitry for independent control of both by the Tivo. Which they could probably have done, but they are right: who in the world wants a second cable box? I don't want ONE! And since the first 100+ channels of most cable systems is analog anyway...

Oh and G-Money, you are aware that 95% of the TV-watching population doesn't have HD, right? And I don't know about your cable, but around here (DC/VA), the "HD digital DVR" service from Cox and Comcast run an extra $20 a month ($10 for the HD box, $10 for the DVR upgrade). I think I'd rather shell out $200 now and $13 (not $16) for monthly service AND get Tivo's much better GUI, more reliable scheduling, home-media features, and TivoToGo. With no random lock-ups or restarts.]]>Apr 25th 2006 3:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
From TiVoPony's posts over at the TiVo Community forums, this box *does* have two tuners internally AND two MPEG encode paths. The incoming RF is just split internally. So, you can record either 2 shows simultaneously with no cable box at all, or one off the RF feed and one from an attached cable box.]]>Apr 25th 2006 3:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
A small correction, there are apparently TWO analog tuners (in other words, RF sections) inside the unit.I make a point of this because, like others, I use analog cable and no cable box.

Side bar: I think Tivo is right; dual digital tuners will only be practical when CableCard is well adopted throughout. I personally just want a cheaper HD Tivo that supports QAM.
]]>Apr 25th 2006 4:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
As others here have said, I came looking for some information on these boxes and didn't get it.

1) It has dual analog tuners. But presumably if I hook up a digital cable box via S-Video or whatever that replaces one of them, since it can't record three channels at a time. How does this work? Is there a "first tuner" that you see when you hit the Live TV button and that's the cable box one?

2) If I have a cable box AND have hooked up a split cable feed to the box via an RF input, how does the box decide which tuner to use to record something? Does it use the analog tuner whenever it can, leaving the digital capable cable box path for me to watch something else more flexibly (and also get the analog channel tuned more reliably than with IR) or what? What if there are both analog and digital versions of the same channel--does it know that these are the same channel? I assume not, but if it does you might prefer the digital version be recorded. Which means there might need to be a preference setting for which tuner to use if there is a choice.

3) The pictures aren't high enough resolution, but I don't see a serial interface back there for the MOT DCT 2000. Is there one?

Like others have said, I am unaware of any cable companies that (yet) provide only digital cable. And since most people watch the extended basic channels (ABC, CBS, ABC, FOX, WB, UPN, PBS, etc etc) most of the time, seems to me like having two tuners would be quite useful.

Seems like they should find somebody else to preview their boxes with.]]>Apr 25th 2006 4:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
My comcast HD/DVR only costs me an extra 9.99 a month, and I DIDNT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE MOTO 6412. My sister has a tivo that i bought for her 2 christmases ago and I dont understand the fasination with it. It can only record 1 channel! Whats the point of recording something YOU ARE ALREADY WATCHING?

Yes i am aware that a majority of TV viewers dont have HD but I would presume that the majority of TIVO's customers are videophiles on some level that value the tv watching experience which would mean to me that they have the latest and greatest A/V Equipment. I dont know, they should have just skipped to the dual tuner HD config.

And just to add i have no issues with my 6412.]]>Apr 25th 2006 4:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 4:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
BTW- Cox and Comcast can't turn off the HD in their boxes, as best as I know. Order DVR service only, and avoid paying for the HD programming that's already there...

]]>Apr 25th 2006 4:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 4:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 25th 2006 4:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
Well seeing that the only way TiVo will be able to dual(for quad) record Digital cable is via Cablecard, it's kinda out of there control if Comcast want to go and take what they created and say they created it...after all Cable is just the Telephone Industry 2.0.... ]]>Apr 25th 2006 5:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
That means you can't connect two satellite receivers. And everyone knows the primary reason for choosing a TiVo is as an alternative to some other (uglier) PVR.

Controlling external boxes with IR is done with IR blasters or buds (stick-on emitters) that will only be seen by the device you stick them to. You can have a whole wall of identical devices and control them all with emitters if you wanted to.

I suppose none of this matters anyway, as TiVo's current subscription-only model is a deal-breaker and will likely lose them more money into the future. So it's up to SageTV to fill the gap for now, even if its UI stinks compared to TiVo's.]]>Apr 25th 2006 5:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
So it looks like lifetime is gone, TiVo isn't no willing to throw in a year or two service in with a bundle...]]>Apr 25th 2006 5:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/I'm not upgrading to the Series3 until TiVo comes to its senses and brings back the Lifetime Service "option". There is no reason to believe TiVo cannot exist without exclusively offering the subscription model. The more TiVo units out there working means more aggregate data and the option to sell additional services to both the customers (the consumers) and advertisers/content owners.

The truth is, TiVo cannot turn a decent profit because it lacks economies-of-scale to drive down the component costs of the units. And thus TiVo needs to sell itself out to Apple if it wants to survive beyond living off patent royalties. Just remember, Atari Corp. thought it could survive in the videogame and computer industries just by suing their rival game competitors based upon the patents earned by the original Atari Inc. It didn't last long.

These units should have had CableCard slots to deliver "dual tuner" status for digital cable. Digital cable is what is being pushed today. Analog cable is the domain of the Spanish language channels. And the customers who stay with analog cable aren't the types of customers who will shell out $17 per month just for the luxury of using a TiVo. They'll go with the crap the cable companies provide instead, just as they chose Windows based computers over Macs and other alternatives in the 90s.

Wake up, TiVo. You are really cheesing off your formerly-loyal customer base.
]]>Apr 25th 2006 7:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
For those who say "But they'd interfere with each other's IR signals" I say you obviously haven't read the TiVo manual inwhich they show installing two tivos in your livingroom and tenting their face plates to prevent IR signals from crossing over. Ugly solution. But it's better than paying Echostar.

How I'd hoped Echostar would be forced to license TiVo. *SIGH* Say it with me: "Dish's PVR software sucks rocks."]]>Apr 26th 2006 12:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 26th 2006 9:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 26th 2006 11:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
However, cable service(tv and internet) is way too expensive, and the way they run their company is completely retarded. I think they just got lucky when some smart third party sold them an awesome product.
]]>Apr 26th 2006 2:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
Just ask yourself this: Someone at Motorola actually wasted their breath when they uttered this about the DCT64XX, "Ship it." ]]>Apr 26th 2006 2:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
You asked "what's the point of recording something you are already watching" as a way of complaining about Tivo's single tuner. I guess Tivos are for lesser mortals with actual obligations in life and less free TV-watching time than you. These poor sods are forced to record TV shows when they're off doing something else.

Note to B: analog OTA only. Digital OTA would require an ATSC tuner, which presumes HD capabilities.
]]>Apr 26th 2006 3:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/Apr 27th 2006 1:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
#14 -- we're not watching what we're currently recording.. We're watching something else PREVIOUSLY recorded while recording something else. (I have two standalone Tivos, as well as a non-Tivo hard drive/DVD recorder.. all can do this). Of course you CAN also watch what you're currently recording, but that's by far the least frequent thing.

#15 -- no digital OTA (it has no digital tuner).. That will be series 3 and the existing HD DirecTV/Tivo.

#16 -- it sounds like you're just talking about QAM-encrypted HD. It's similar to "broadcast" channels on cable.. AFAIK, it's covered by 'must carry' rules, that's why you get HD "free".

#20 -- if you want to connect two satellite receivers, get a DirecTivo, or one of EchoStar's DVRs, both of which have dual tuners internally and are cheaper than Tivo's service (if paying monthly.. of course loooong time DirecTV customers could have had lifetime already)

#23 -- I really really doubt you HAVE to get digital. At the very least, they are legally REQUIRED to have a bare minimum lifeline cable service, even if they don't advertize it.. That is mostly broadcast stations. I strongly suspect they would also have an expanded basic with most of the analog cable channels you can think of..

Boy I wish this system had a real quoting option..]]>Apr 27th 2006 10:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
CableCard should help this in the future.]]>Apr 28th 2006 11:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
Some of us do like to get up off the couch every once in a while . . .
]]>May 1st 2006 1:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/25/tivo-series2-dt-hands-on-review/
Comcast SAYS they are going to upgrade the interface… BUT THEY NEVER DO. For 3 years, nothing but talk and bullsh_t. Instead of the sound cutting out when you’re recording a program, NOW, after 1 year, the sound cuts out while you’re simply watching it. I guess I made the mistake of pressing the play button, dam what was I thinking. It’s good to know that $100 dollars a month buys such quality. This is the second box.

Seriously, how hard is it to get a couple kids in their basement to program a better interface with controls that ACTUALLY WORK. With all the money that Comcast has, make it a contest; the programming team who can produce the best software interface, gets $20,000 dollars tax-free. Believe me, guys will be standing in line.
]]>Aug 14th 2006 10:23PM