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Hands-on with the TiVo Series3!
The world's first THX-certified, dual CableCARD DVR has finally arrived in the form of TiVo's Series3. It doesn't come cheap with a price tag of $799 (don't forget service!), but it's a fine cable company DVR replacement if your budget allows it. What are you waiting for, click on for the full rundown and lots more pics!
DirecTV's HD DVR hits stores, unpacked
The whole situation surrounding DirecTV's HR20-700 HD DVR launch is still a bit confusing, but apparently a few units have already made their way into stores, and Earl B. over at the DBSTalk forums has managed to get his very own to play around with. He's posted up some excruciatingly detailed hands-on info, so if that's your thing, be sure to check the read link. Or, if you're more like us, just soak up the pretty pictures. Tipster Eric managed to spot a couple of units at his local Best Buy, and snapped some pics which can be viewed after the break.[Thanks, Terry and Eric]
DirecTV's HD DVR coming in August?
So what's the dealio, DirecTV? The vicious cycle of delays surrounding its upcoming HD DVR has definitely not been pleasing, and these release date reports are beginning to lose clout. What we do know is that DirecTV's HD DVR has been delayed for months, and according to analyst speculation, the delay could be stemming from inventory shortages. Although we recently reported that you could (possibly) expect this much-anticipated device to drop in the September / October time frame, DirecTV has crafted a new statement shaving a month or so off that estimate. The company seems so sure (or just desperate?) about the forecast that a spokesperson made a point to "clarify that it's rolling out in LA in mid-August." While we realize it may actually be this fall before those outside of California get their paws on one, at least this party would finally get started somewhere. But before we put too much stock in what DirecTV is selling, it also proclaimed that "the box has performed magnificently in tests." While we can muster some patience waiting for a product to be done right, the question beckons: if it's all good, what the heck is taking so long?
DirecTV delays its HD DVR (again) until the fall
We can't blame DirecTV subscribers for getting a little antsy over the company's HD DVR that has yet to materialize -- after all, it was originally scheduled to drop early this year -- so the fact that this highly-anticipated product has once again been delayed until the fall will probably cause some very understandable frustration. The satellite TV provider recently sent wait-listed customers a letter explaining that the box is undergoing additional testing to ensure smooth operation (yeah, we've heard that line before), and that it's now set to ship in "the September/October time frame." One skeptical analyst over at Sanford C. Bernstein, however, feels that the delay is actually due to inventory shortages, and that DirecTV is only putting off the inevitable cost it will incur from a new product deployment. Bernstein's Craig Moffett went on to speculate that the company's procrastination may actually cause some subscribers to flee to (future partner?) Dish or cable, but his analysis doesn't seem to take into account the somewhat-crippled and limited HD TiVo already available to DirecTV's customers. Still, these habitual delays are certainly doing nothing to bring new subscribers into the fold, so we humbly suggest that DirecTV give their testers a few cases of Red Bull and some serious overtime to get this thing out the door as quickly as possible.[Via HDBeat]
