I have had direct TV with Tivo service for a little over a year now. All I can say is I don't know how I watched TV before without it. It has totally changed the way I watch TV.

For those that don't know what it is, Tivo is the service and the DVR (digital video recorder) is the product. The DVR is a hard drive that built into the satalight reciever. The service cost me $5 a month. What it does is record anything on TV that I want to see. I can set it up to record every episode of any show. It can also filter out repeat episodes. It has a search feature to search for shows by title, channel, and day/time. So pretty much there is never a moment where we sit down and channel surf because it has already recorded something to watch. There is also never a need to hurry home to catch your fav show.

Some of the sweet features are dual recording. it can record 2 things that are on at the same exact time. It has 2 tuners to do this. Also while it is recording 2 shows you can watch something that it already recorded.

Another sweet feature is when you are watching live TV it records it automaticly so you can pause live TV and go get a drink or whatever. While its paused the show of course keeps going and it records it so when you come back you are behind so you can fast forward the show some or use that time to fast forward out a comercial.

While watching live TV you can watch 2 shows at the same time if you are not recording something. It has 2 tuners and can record 2 live shows at the same time. You can use this feature to watch one show until it goes to a comercial pause it, switch to the other tuner(from the remote) watch that show until it goes to a comercial, pause the second show, go back to the first show fast forward threw the comercial and repeat until both shows are over.

All in all I can't say enough good things about Tivo. What it cost me ? $5 a month plus I had to buy the DVR which was about $100(one time, I own the DVR). My only complaint my DVR only hold 30 hours of TV, believe it or not that fills up fast, and even faster if you are recording movies. I read they have a 100 hour DVR and even a DVR with DVD burner, both of which would be cool.

If you cable or satalight provider offers Tivo service give it a chance and you will never watch TV the same again.

 

here is me watching tv and you LOL Thank goodness for Tivo. I heart my soaps. All My Children and Passions is da bomb.

 

i have had tivo for a few years and i dont think i go with out it. its great know that you dont have to rush home to watch a show you been dieing for or hope they rerun it because you missed it.

i have seen 40 and 80 hours ones with dvd records for a while now. did you hear bout them teaming up with yahoo to where you will be about to pick shows to record anyone you can access the internet that should be cool.

 

TiVo is great. My GF's family is a collection of TiVo addicts. I have to say, it's pretty sweet. Sadly it's just too rich for my blood. TV just isn't that important to me.

..Besides, I'm holding out for high-def TiVo.. or if I get impatient, I may just build my own.

GF's mother wants me to help her put her TiVo online, so she can set up recordings from work! Adicts I tell you, addicts..

 

I'm with you Ranger1... Completely revolutionized the way I watch TV and has made it so much more enjoyable. All the shows you really like, any time you want them. And no commercials... GOOD STUFF!

Don

-

 

Wow, one can now waste time on three channels at the SAME TIME! Will wonders never cease?!

Should give you a good idea of my overall impression of television programming these days...

 

yeah John I agree there is very little on TV worth watching these days, reality tv is by far the dumest thing ever. Which is why Tivo is so great you don't have to flick around looking for or miss something worth watching.

I would say there are only a few shows I watch each week, Dr. Phil, Lost, Motor Week being the top three not in any order.

 

Yes, there are a few good shows on, I concede. However, the "pipeline" brings all the drek in as well, so there you are. I made a decision, gosh, it must be almost 10 years ago, to disconnect the pipe. Everytime I see TV these days, I'm reassured I've done the right thing.

The sad thing is, even a good show can have commercials assaulting one with a morality I find repugnant.

I've always said, if you don't like a show (or a website), just don't look at it. However, with few exceptions there are almost no channels which do not have crap on them and you can't buy ONLY the ones that don't, as it stands today in most markets.

Even if you could, I'm not willing to spend the money on cable anymore. We have muc better things to do with those funds now.

Not trying to challenge you or say you're "wrong" somehow for watching -- that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that it was a personal decision and it was the right one for my family.

 

I can respect that,

 

Hell yeah! Passions 0wnz!!!!!

That's right... I'm a guy and I watch soaps with my wife. If you watched it for a week you'd be hooked.

We've had our tivo for about 4 months and I don't really like it. I like the dvr we had from brighthouse better. I just figured out how to go in and enable satellite2 so now I don't have to watch what I'm recording. I do like those sounds it comes with though


How many people have tried fastforwarding through commercials on your radio? Or how about trying to replay something? I hope I'm not the only one.

edit - After looking at my post I realized that it looks like I'm saying Mrs.Ranger1 is my wife. She's not, but MrsRngr94 is! Just wanted to clear that up.

 

I dont have Tivo but I have digital cable with digital video recording and it is badass!

 

Ben might watch Passions with me too, although, he won't admit it. LOL I applaud you to watch the soaps with the wife.

So...who do you think the woman in white w/ the red nail polish is? I think its Katherine's twin sister back from the dead aka one of Alister's previous wives.

Also I'm really getting sick of the whole Ethan/Theresa/Gwen thing. I wish he'd come out of that coma and drop Gwen like a hot potato. I'm rooting for Theresa on this one.

 

Yeah I watch passions, I admit it, I want Ethan to throw Theresa down a flight of stairs.

 

Come on! You must be kidding. Theresa has the right to be with her one true love. If it weren't for Gwen and her mother who sent the email to the tabloids about Ethan's true paternity...Theresa would be married to Ethan! Gwen is the back stabber! Theresa should be with Ethan...she is the mother of his child after all. She just wants to be a familila with Ethan, Jane, and little Ethan.

 

she is a winey litlle Be-otch and phycotic, they should put her in the phyc ward with Norma and Edna

 

Hello Gwen was the psycho one...remember when she stabbed Theresa? Or the time she was in jail and she was having illusions of her and Ethan with her dead kids. She has lost her marbles. Theresita should be with Ethan...not Gwen!

 

Soaps have hot chix..

 

My wife really really wants Tivo bad. I have thought about getting it for her for christmas. I think it would be really cool too.

My question is, is it just better to buy an actual Tivo at a store and use it with your cable, or convert to digital cable and get the DVR they have.

 

I got cable with dvr

 

I also think it's Katherine's sis. I know it's the chick from Who's the Boss. And When Ethan wakes up he's only going to remember Theresa being there with him.

Here's a kicker for ya, Ranger1.... Theresa and Noah are going to kidnap Ethan! Plus there's going to be a murder sometime around New Years.

 

I only use my TiVo to watch NFL Sunday ticket.. I record two games at once and watch them... other than that, I dont want enough TV to make my TiVo purchase worth it

 

The woman who plays Katherine, she was on Who's the Boss? Really? She was the old lady with the red hair? Really?

REALLY?! kidnap Ethan...that sounds good! And a murder! Oh boy, I can hardly wait!

We should chat more often about Passions. Perhaps start a Passions thread.

 

Okay I think I decided that I am going to get my wife a Tivo for Christmas, since she cant stop talking about it, plus I have been telling her its pointless so she will be very surprised. Any ideas on what I should buy. I dont need anything very fancy.

 

do you have satellite or cable? I know some providers offer a dvr box.

 

I have cable, but you have to have digital cable to get the DVR. Not sure I want to do that, can I just buy a tivo and use it for the cable i have now?