Series3
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WeaKnees' modded TiVos eligible for lifetime service transfer
If you're a big enough TV fan to need 100 recorded hours of HDTV (or 925 hours of ever lovin' standard def) then you probably already know about WeaKnees, the website that sells modded TiVos at a premium. The site already has the TiVo Series3 available for pre-order at prices ranging from $800 to $1600, and the company says the new Series3 are expected in stock by September 22. But the better news -- and the reason we're writing this article -- is that these modded TiVos are being officially deigned eligible for the $200 lifetime service transfer that TiVo is offering to existing customers who buy the new Series3. We still don't know why TiVo doesn't just sell these beefed-up boxes itself instead of letting someone else do it -- but no matter, more power to the independent retailer![Via PVRWire]
TiVo fanatics livid over Series3 shipping delays
So if you're a consumer electronics manufacturer in the midst of a highly-publicized product release, you'd think that the last group of customers you'd want to alienate would be the die-hard fanatics who participate in your forums everyday and were among the very first to place orders for said product, right? Well judging by the tone of the comments on the TiVo Community boards, that's exactly what the company has down to its so-called VIP subscribers -- you know, the ones who possess those coveted lifetime subscriptions and woke up extra-early this past Tuesday to ensure that their new Series3 boxes would arrive the next day. Except TiVo apparently wasn't ready to handle the deluge of orders that it received, and after two days of wondering what the heck was going on (calls to customer service were met by confusion and misinformation on the part of the phone reps), everyone finally received an email confirming the delays and promising shipment by Friday. Luckily TiVo had the good sense to refund the shipping charges -- in some cases $50 worth -- to these early adopters, but much to the VIPs' displeasure, they learned that they'd be unable to cancel their pending orders if they wanted to go the retail route; and what's more, there was some confusion as to whether store-bought TiVos would even be eligible for the $200 lifetime subscription transfer. As of this writing it seems that only a handful of folks actually got their boxes on Friday, with everyone else scrambling to reschedule the CableCARD installation appointments they'd made with their cable providers. So while there's little argument that TiVo makes a fine product with a world-class interface, perhaps when it eventually comes out with the Series4, it'll do some better planning or leave distribution to the professionals -- apparently, TiVo and e-commerce don't seem to go too well together lately.[Via HDBeat]
Weaknees has already upgraded their Series3 to 750GB
The guys over at Weaknees.com have already upgraded their Series3 to 750GB and will be taking pre-orders on upgraded Series3 TiVo's later today. There are not many details yet, but it appears that many of the same old tricks that worked for the other TiVo's might also work on the Series3. We for one are hoping that someone can find a way to add MRV and TTG as well. Wow 98 hours of HD programming![Via Tivocommunity.com]
TiVo Series 3 HD Box officially announced
As we predicted, the TiVo Series 3 HD Box has finally been officially announced today, with availability coming "mid-September" according to the press release (or October?) -- but as we already know, you can order one from TiVo.com immediately. Like we've reported countless times before, dual CableCARDs enable the recording of two different shows in HD simultaneously, and the whole package has THX certification. And yes, our pricing was spot on: $800 for this bad boy. Oh, and don't forget to check out the new television commercial, featuring the little TiVo guy bouncing around and getting out of a limo, transitioning to the ever-popular Shanan presenting the features of the Series3 -- you know, the one who looks like she's straight out of the Broadway musical Cabaret.Read- Official Series 3 press releaseRead- Promo vid
Videos of the TiVo Series3 in action!
You didn't think we'd leave you without some accompanying videos, now do you? Dave shot some sweet videos of unboxing the new TiVo Series3, the new TiVo bootup sequence, and going through all the new high def video modes. Definitely a must see for TiVo fans whose staid boxes have changed very little in the past few years. Enjoy!Watch [WMV] - unboxingWatch [WMV] - startup sequenceWatch [WMV] - video mode options
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!
Circuit City site adds TiVo Series 3, cites October release
So the worst-kept secret in the consumer electronics industry right now is that TiVo is on the verge of releasing the CableCARD-sportin', HD-recordin' Series 3 box -- but no one seems to know exactly when you'll be able to buy one. We heard from Todd the Best Buy employee that the new machines will be in stock on the 17th of this month, and now our friend Dave over at ZatzNotFunny has spotted the highly-anticipated DMR (remember, they're not DVRs anymore, and TiVo won't sell you one if you use that terminology) on Circuit City's website showing an October availability. Now does that mean October 1st? The 15th? The 31st? Well if we knew, we'd tell ya, but at least now we seem to have an actual release window: the Series 3 will (probably) be available sometime between September 17th and October 31st. As usual, we'll keep you posted as more information comes to light, but if that's not good enough, you're always welcome to switch over to satellite and pick up on of DirecTV's new HR20-700 HD DVRs -- thanks to HDBeat, we know that Best Buy will ship you one of those post haste.Read- Series 3 [Via ZatzNotFunny]Read- HR20-700 [Via HDBeat]
Is the TiVo Series3 worth $800?
We know that the TiVo isn't inexpensive by any means: currently the highest tier (180-hour TiVo Series2 DT DVR) will run you a few hundred dollars per year. However, the newest TiVo, the Series3 will retail for $800, a fair jump from its last iteration. HDBeat examines the question: is the Series3 is really worth 400 Jeffersons (or 80 Hamiltons, take your pick) ? Here's some of the things you'll get for shelling out that wad of dough: NTSC, analog cable and un-encrypted QAM support, eSATA support, front panel display, Ethernet port, two USB ports, HDMI TOSLINK and component out, can record OTA or cable, and, of course, has CableCARD support. Also, we should remind you that your lifetime TiVo subscription is transferrable to the Series3 for an additional $200 (though it's possible that TiVo's dealings with Cox and other cable companies may make it possible for you to get yer paws on a slightly stripped down model for far less cash). Still, TiVo certainly has a lot of catching up to do in the marketplace, and the high price will make it difficult to help out the company's bottom line -- we're gunning for 'em, though.
The Clicker: TiVo and cable -- they're like BFF, right?
Stephen Speicher contributes The Clicker, an opinion column on entertainment and technology: Every now and again an advertisement is so perfect that one must draw attention to it. Sometimes it's the humor that sits up and demands to be seen. Sometimes it's the spot-on commentary. Sometimes it's the unique form. And, as is the case with TiVo's latest advert, sometimes it's all three. Even disregarding the delicious irony of TiVo -- a company that made its mark by skipping commercials -- reaching out with advertisements of its own, its newest ad is a doozy.In a recent Television Week, TiVo placed an ad for its latest creation, a CableCARD compliant TiVo. The ad is brilliant on so many levels. First and foremost -- it's completely unclear to whom it's actually targeted. While the ad (taking the form of an open letter) is addressed to "Cable Friends," one must seriously question both its true audience and how friendly they really are. After all, no one really expects the boys in cable to read this letter and suddenly say, "Wait a minute; that battle we've been fighting to keep those TiVo guys out -- forget it!" It's just not going to happen. Its target aside, the ad's true genius reveals itself in the dizzying levels of disingenuousness it is able to achieve. There is nary a thought or concept that reads true and sincere. Let's take a look at some of the points, shall we?
Lifetime TiVo subs transferrable to Series 3 -- for a price
Ever since TiVo realized that it was actually going to be around for awhile and that lifetime subscriptions no longer made financial sense, those subscribers already locked into the $300 lifetime deal found themselves in a bit of a quandary -- how would they be able to upgrade to Series 3 without becoming one of the plebes paying for service by the month? Well current Series 1 and 2 owners looking to get their HD recording on need no longer worry about losing their lifetime subs, thanks to a just-announced offer by TiVo that will allow them to transfer that all-you-can-eat goodness to newly purchased Series 3 boxes -- with a few catches, of course. The TiVo Community forums are buzzing about a recently-recorded Teleworld-broadcast promotion, wherein lifetime subscribers who purchase their Series 3 devices prior to December 31st can transfer those subscriptions before January 31, 2007 for exactly $199; and what's more, this offer gives them a full year of free service on the box that they already own. Yeah, we know, you'd think that paying $800 for a new DVR would be enough to get those subs switched over for free, but considering that a transfer was previously thought to be impossible at any price, in the long run this is still a great deal -- plus, now the rest of us know that Series 3 will be available by the end of the year at the latest. See, everyone wins.[Via TiVoBlog]
TiVo Series3: Worth $800?
Many of us can't wait to get our hands on the latest HD DVR; the TiVo Series 3, but others are left wondering why it costs $799, not to mention the monthly service fee. Other than the fact that you hate your SA8300 or Motorola 6412 or DirecTV is letting you down with their HD selection, these are some the reason the TiVo series 3 should be so great. The Series 3 is the first stand alone dual tuner HD DVR for cable or OTA. It will not be the same as the TiVo made available via Comcast or Cox, those boxes will run on existing Cable Co hardware. ie. Motorola
TiVo Series3 price confirmed: $800
Looks like Popular Mechanics either jumped the gun or got the scoop, but either way it's displayed plain as day in their October issue that the price on the Series3 is, in fact, going to be $800. Um, that's it. Didn't sound like there was a launch date issued in this month's book, but big ups to reader Matt for sending it in!
Unboxing the TiVo Series 3
You've been waiting for this moment for a long time now, so we're not gonna get all mushy and backlinky here, instead letting you feast your eyes on the first unboxing pics of the almost-mythical TiVo Series 3. Keep reading for a few key shots, then head over to our sister blog PVR Wire for the whole glorious ritual...
TiVo Series 3 coming September 17th for $799?
It's no secret that TiVo's on the verge of shipping its HD-capable Series 3 set-top-box -- after all, the company's already notified the FCC, posted a product page, and even ignited a flurry of controversy over Time Warner's CableCARD policy -- but we have yet to hear of a solid release date or retail price for this highly-anticipated device. Well HDBeat's got an inside source at one of the big box electronics stores (to protect his identity, we won't say which one, but he goes by the name Todd and wears a blue shirt to work) who claims that the Series 3 has already been added to their system, scheduled to be in stock on September 17th for a hefty-but-not-unreasonable $799. (Side note: if that price stands, props to our boy Dave Zatz for prognosticating it many moons ago). You first heard about this box all the way back at CES, recently spotted it in the wild, and now it may finally be time to withhold next month's rent as well as ring up your cable provider to make sure they have those precious CARDs all stocked up.
TiVo Series 3 appears on TiVo's page
It's not like they're treating the Series3 like some well-kept secret or anything, but it's kind of nice to finally see TiVo acknowledge their new dual CableCARD equipped high def DVR, even if it's only just a form on their site for getting more info when the device is released, and a silly tagline: "Combine the best of both worlds: the Emmy® award-winning TiVo® service with high-definition television for the ultimate home theater experience. Experience HD digital cable like never before." Don't act like it's nothin', even the hard hearted are eagerly awaiting this one.[Via Zatz Not Funny, thanks Adam]
TiVo Series 3 beta box snapped in the wild!
It wasn't exactly a well kept secret that TiVo was beta testing its Series 3 boxes in select markets, but up until now there wasn't a man or woman brassy enough to break the NDA and snap some shots of the damned thing. Behold, the Series 3 in the wild! Unfortunately it doesn't yet seem to have TiVoToGo, and from what we hear the cable company had to go through four CableCARDs to get the damned thing working properly (no comment on whether it was TWC) -- but all that's irrelevant. If you're half as excited as we are about this thing then you're pretty mofriggin' stoked. Click on for some more shots of this thing running on some lucky bastard's rig.
Time Warner won't provide CableCARDs for Series 3 TiVos?
Remember how TiVo recently sent that letter to the FCC and cable operators telling them to be prepared for the Series 3 rollout, partly because of reports that some providers were refusing to hook up beta testers with the necessary CableCARDS? Well now it looks like the company's concerns may be completely legitimate, as a complaint on the website ConsumerFury contends that Time Warner Cable's Raleigh division responded to a recent customer inquiry on the matter by stating that "Time Warner Cable of Raleigh does not provide support for or allow TiVo devices on our cable network...CableCARDS will only be installed on cable-ready, CableCARD-slot-available television sets." Pretty harsh, especially considering the fact that Time Warner's policy may not even be legal: federal regulations concerning CableCARDS seem to indicate that providers must support them for any unidirectional TV, set-top-box, or recording device connected to a digital cable system. We certainly understand that cable companies see TiVo as a direct competitor to their own DVR offerings, but we're not sure that alienating customers with such a hard-line stance is the best move; after all, isn't a customer who brings his/her own DVR to the table better than no customer at all?[Via TiVoBlog]
TiVo tells FCC, cable operators to expect Series 3 boxes "soon"
So it looks like TiVo is finally getting ready to roll out the long-awaited Series 3 DVR Digital Media Recorder, and just in the nick of time, it would seem; from what we can tell, consumers are chomping at the bit to start capturing the growing variety of high definition broadcasts available to them, making HTPCs a more attractive alternative as the days, weeks, and months pass with no HD TiVo. Zatz Not Funny is reporting that the DVR giant recently sent letters to both the FCC and major cable operators stating that Series 3 boxes are already being beta tested around the country and will be available "soon," though no actual release date is given. According to the letters, the CableLabs-certified device will sport two separate UDCP CableCARD slots, and TiVo is concerned about reports that certain cable installers have been refusing to provide beta testers with the necessary support -- no big surprise, as the industry has never shown much love for CableCARDs in the first place. Now, of course, we all want to know how TiVo defines the word "soon" -- previous speculation has centered around a September or early October release -- but we've been covering this beat long enough to know that hazarding a guess is pretty much useless, and that we won't find out any more info until the company is good and ready to reveal its launch plans. [Warning: PDF link][Via Zatz Not Funny]
TiVo confirms Series3 testing, hitting retail "soon"
Dave Zatz continues to break news on the upcoming standalone HD TiVo known as the Series 3. He reports that TiVo has notified the FCC that the new series 3 is in testing and will be released soon. The unit will support dual CableCARDs and can also be used with a single card. This is fantastic news to TiVo fans everywhere who have been tortured by bad DVR software supplied to them by their programming provider. Of course this will come at a price and no doubt will cost enough to make many think twice about the benefits. What we really want to know is why Dave didn't tip us off to this, we must be on his bad side.
