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Mossberg harshes on Comcast's DVR (and says something or other about TiVo Series3)
Mossy has a pleasant little rant today about one of our biggest pet peeves here at Engadget: namely, how totally crap the DVRs offered by cable companies are, especially when compared with the new TiVo Series3. He focuses primarly on Comcast's abomination of a box, the Motorola DCT3412 (pictured above), but we can tell you that the garbage you get from Time Warner Cable isn't any better. Mossberg nails the dilemma facing every gadgethead who wants a DVR that can handle HD cable: you can either overpay for an elegant solution or cough up a few bucks a month for a frustrating, awful solution. The smart thing would be for the cable companies to license TiVo's technology, which would allow them to charge a little bit more for a premium experience, but still way less than the total cost of ownership of a TiVo Series3. That's supposedly what Comcast is doing (we're still waiting to see the first fruits of their partnership), but in the meantime we're keeping an eye out for the first CableCARD-ready Vista Media Center PCs. Nah, they won't be as cheap as a Series3 (at least initially), but at least you get a full-fledged PC for your money -- and there isn't a silly monthly service charge for program listings.
Comcast DVR problems coming to light in Boston?
Last week, Matt indicated that his love-hate relationship with his Comcast DVR turned to the negative and based on the comments, it sounds like you're all ready to file for divorce. What are the grounds? The Motorola 6412 is dropping the audio channel, has been returned by some of you a number of times, or occasionally requires a reboot.The general Comcast DVR story might be taking on the spotlight in Boston as well, since WCVB up in Beantown is looking for folks to go on camera and discuss the issues. Not that we're Comcast-bashing, but it is important for the facts and background to be accurate, so if you and your Comcast DVR are watching TV in separate rooms, you might want to contact WCVB via their contact form. You'll need to be close to Boston, of course. If you're not, we might be able to recommend a good counselor for you and your DVR.
