The Series 3 has landed; UPDATE available on TiVo.com
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Sep 12th 2006 7:11AM
posted Sep 12th 2006 7:11AM
Almost everything we thought we knew about the Series 3 has became a reality, ALMOST, we have to take the good with the bad and here it is after the break.
Good things we didn't know.
- HD Only Now Playing list
- Detailed HD information such as resolution in guide data.
Bad things we were afraid of.
- H.264 support not enabled by default
- No Multi-room Viewing out of the box. (Maybe a hack?)
- No TiVoToGo out of the box
- No External eSATA drive at launch either.
- No way to manually map QAM channels.
Now it is a race between Best Buy and UPS, who will win? Look forward to our full review!
You can also check out Dave's Videos of the Series 3 in action over at Engaget.
It's weighted and back-lit too!
Nice display, too bad this guy will be in the closet where no one will be able to enjoy it.
Wow, looks like there is room for a second hard drive.
I think I want one of these! NOW!
I'm ready to buy, but i need to know about the esata external drive connection. is that ready to implement right out of the box? i can't handle 30 hours. i need to upgrade right away. if people already have the unit, why have they not tested this out yet? is there any information about this? does the software in the series 3 support external storage out of the box?
I just ordered mine from tivo.com. It looks like they became available at 9AM EST. I hope it ships today, I paid for overnight shipping!
Ordered mine as well. I also paid for overnight shipping, so I hope they don't sit on these for too long. I just happen to have Comcast coming out on Saturday, so I hope it is here so I can just ask them to bring two more CableCards.
FYI, I went through the www.tivo.com/VIP site since I have a lifetimed Series 1 and just noticed that the transfer offer is only good on purchases from the TiVo website.
It's out: http://www.tivo.com/2.0.boxdetails.asp?box=series3HDDVR
I posted about this on Engadget's comments as well, but I just can't justify the cost. If they either cut out the montly fee, or slashed the price of the unit, I might bite, but currently, this is just too expensive for what you get. For roughly $15/month with no startup cost, I am getting a dual tuner HD DVR in my Moxi. While it's interface isn't as nice, and it doesn't have as much storage, the jump in price to the Tivo S3 does not reflect an equal jump in value. Besides, I am still more excited about Vista Media Center with CableCard support! Now THERE is a unit that will live up to its cost!
just called tivo and the sales guy said that you won't be able to do the 6.95 extra box if u already have tivo??? not sure if that's correct or hes just misinformed... not going to get it through tivo.com at least...
Thanks for the tips about availability.
I updated the post.
I also ordered mine next day air as well as the 3 year deal. I couldn't turn it down since it was a significant savings over the next 3 years.
250 Gig'Z? wtf? i just slammed the brakes on this one. 250 gigs does not justify the $799 price point. What happened to the 500gb? 750gb? i was all set. dag wabb :{ even still my damn credit card keeps looking at me! My hdtv set is grip'n & whining too!
Too bad Time Warner (formerly Comcast) still has not upgraded my area to a single line so I can use a cable card and get all the channels :( I'm tempted to try it out to see how it does with the QAM channels in the meantime.
For those who got overnight shipping - what was the cost? They won't tell me until I am about to confirm the order.
Overnight shipping was $39.78 for me. Figured I saved 9% sales tax (Chicago), so 5% shipping overnight wasn't as bad and I want this yesterday. 4-6 day ground was not going to cut it.
So how does this TIVO work? If you hook it up to your cable wire and insert a cable card, howcome you still need to pay a monthly fee to Tivo? Aren't you getting the material from your cable company?
Why not just get a Comcast/Charter/Time Warner etc DVR instead? There's no box charge, and it's about $12 a month. I'm not knocking this product...I'm just wondering what it has that Motorola and Scientific Atlanta products don't.
Also, why should I get this and not something like the Sony HDG-HDD250 or Sony HDG-HDD500 which have similar capacity, have cable-card slots, cost less, and don't require a monthly fee to either Tivo or a cable company?
Someone educate me.
Primary issue that I see is the relatively small harddrive. The FAQ seems to indicate that TivoToGo may not be fully implemented yet. 30hr of HD is a problem if you can't archive programs. We'll have to see how the eSata option is implemented.
Ben,
Now that you ordered a Tivo will you be dropping DirecTV and the Sunday Ticket?
I just ordered mine and just went with the standard shipping. I was told that they won't be shipping until (hopefully) Thursday, anyway.
Was anyone else told this (or that they would ship today)? I called earlier and was told that they were ready to ship today, so I am wondering if they were mistaken, or if I just missed out by waiting for 2 hours before I placed my order...
Jeff: Just called to see when they expect to ship and an operator who sounded oddly like Miss Cleo said that the Series 3 would ship on Thursday. I noted that with overnight I should expect it Friday and she said possibly Monday. I hoping she was just being conservative, but then again she did sound like Miss Cleo.
Here is the second time I'm trying to post this: Why would you pay $1,000 ($800 plus $200 to transfer a lifetime subscription) when (after contacting an 'inside' person at Comcast) by the end of 2006 Comcast will be out w/their TiVo PVR? The Comcast PVR will have all the same functionality as this current S3 (sans yahoo weather etc but who really uses that?) and at an estimated $15 a month for the box and TiVo interface; it'll take you 5 1/2 years to recoup your $$. And if the standard favors 1080p what then? S3 does 1080i. I'll sit pat and amble on with the Comcast PVR until the TiVo one arrives. So I put it back to you early adopters: what do you gain by buying it right now?
just called and they confirmed shipping thursday... better get it by saturday since i have cable guy coming sunday... would suck pretty bad otherwise...
Reply to #19.
Some of us don't have Comcast in our area. (I am a Charter customer).
Wryker: I would be surprised if the TiVo software that is downloaded to the Comcast owned cable boxes is as fully functional as the Series 3. I would guess it would be more in line with Series 1 functionality since not all of the cable boxes it would be installed on have network (ethernet or Wi-Fi) connectivity for the Home Media Option or TiVoToGo. I could see Remote Scheduling as a possibility, but doubt it. Comcast has also had internal deadlines like "the end of 2006" before for this product and they have slipped. Also, I was told that the TiVo download to your box would incur an additional monthly fee, but I am not sure about the accuracy of that since this was the same rep who told me additional CableCards would be free.
In any event, the bottom line for me is why would TiVo give away the fully functioning TiVo software to anyone with a Comcast cable box? (I know Comcast paid for it, but bear with me for a second) They would destroy the market for stand alone TiVos, which is where they make their subscription money. My guess is this is more of a teaser to all of the PVR people out there. Show them how easy the TiVo software is to use, but tell them if they want the full experience (Home Media Option, etc.), then they can buy a stand alone TiVo. Sort of the often theorized iPod/Mac halo effect.
Anyway, just my take on it. Could be complete BS as well.
Wryker: Sorry, I missed your last question. What do I gain by buying it right now? I get HD TiVo. I get it sooner rather than later. That is the entire principle of early adopters. This is priced squarely at early adopters who will pay a premium for the best experience available. Do I think these will get a price cut or rebate offer before the Holidays? Quite possibly. If you cannot justify the cost right now, just wait and they may come down to your level. Eventually. Same thing has happened with every new TiVo series so far.
BTW, I have had my Sony TiVo Series 1 for just over 5 1/2 years with a lifetime subscription on it. It paid for itself a long time ago (lifetime subs used to be rather cheap). Sometimes it pays to be an early adopter.
Shamse
The Comcast HD PVR already does everything the S3 does. It's just not as 'pretty' or user friendly. TiVo owns many patents that prohibit PVRs from being as 'friendly' however Comcast and TiVo inked the deal in 2005 and I see TiVo bowing out of manufacturing and focusing more of what they do best: software. So, putting a TiVo interface on the current Comcast PVR will give you everything the current S3 does except the wireless network of pictures and mp3s (which most people use an mp3 portable hooked up to the main amp nowadays) and the S3 does not support TiVoToGo. So is home media really that important? Considering there are so many other ways that are inexpensive to port your mp3's and pics to your TV? My Toshiba came with an ethernet port built in - i plugged it into my router and voila - all my pictures and mp3s available over my network. Home Media PC software etc makes it easy and economical to stream your media to your TV. So buying the new box AND paying a monthly fee if you don't have a lifetime subscription makes no sen$e. Currently the HDPVR box is $9.99 a month. I estimate another 5-6$ for the TiVo interface so that's $15 a month. It'll take you 5 1/2 years to make up the $1,000 outlay (providing you HAVE a lifetime subscription already). So no, I'll wait. The TiVo interface will solve the 'buggy' problems now, provide a 'friendlier' interface and provide the dual-HD recording etc etc. For those that want the TiVoToGo? - Wait until they have it for the S3, and then see how much it'll cost - and how much additional software/hardware you might need on your PC to stream an HD show...and how long will that take? I love TiVo and have been a fan for over 5 years, but this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I'll wait for the Comcast TiVo box (and yes, they've slipped before on their timelines but it's been a 'guarantee' to have it out before end of 2006).
Shamse
The Comcast HD PVR already does everything the S3 does. It's just not as 'pretty' or user friendly. TiVo owns many patents that prohibit PVRs from being as 'friendly' however Comcast and TiVo inked the deal in 2005 and I see TiVo bowing out of manufacturing and focusing more of what they do best: software. So, putting a TiVo interface on the current Comcast PVR will give you everything the current S3 does except the wireless network of pictures and mp3s (which most people use an mp3 portable hooked up to the main amp nowadays) and the S3 does not support TiVoToGo. So is home media really that important? Considering there are so many other ways that are inexpensive to port your mp3's and pics to your TV? My Toshiba came with an ethernet port built in - i plugged it into my router and voila - all my pictures and mp3s available over my network. Home Media PC software etc makes it easy and economical to stream your media to your TV. So buying the new box AND paying a monthly fee if you don't have a lifetime subscription makes no sen$e. Currently the HDPVR box is $9.99 a month. I estimate another 5-6$ for the TiVo interface so that's $15 a month. It'll take you 5 1/2 years to make up the $1,000 outlay (providing you HAVE a lifetime subscription already). So no, I'll wait. The TiVo interface will solve the 'buggy' problems now, provide a 'friendlier' interface and provide the dual-HD recording etc etc. For those that want the TiVoToGo? - Wait until they have it for the S3, and then see how much it'll cost - and how much additional software/hardware you might need on your PC to stream an HD show...and how long will that take? I love TiVo and have been a fan for over 5 years, but this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I'll wait for the Comcast TiVo box (and yes, they've slipped before on their timelines but it's been a 'guarantee' to have it out before end of 2006).
Wryker
Just to let you know comcast isn't everywhere. Aslo, try to get in writing that it will be out by the end of the year. Then use it as toliet paper when it doens't come out by the end of the year:)