can someone who has owned a TiVo AND a Comcast DVR tell me what's better about TiVo? I have used the Comcast box for over a year now and don't have many problems with it. Thanks.
I have had both a comcast DVR and a TIVO. The user interface for the TIVO is so incredibly simple, user friendly and visualy nice. I can't say how nice it is. For those that had trouble programing a VCR, it can't get any simpler than this. The hardware was nice as well. I signed up for Comcast and they offered their DVR to me for free. First off, the hardware was horrible. It was so loud (DVR run constantly) even the tech said not to install it in the bedroom. Then the interface was not simple to understand, you had to read the instructions, my was not able to do it herself...Long story short, we had them remove it. I would rather pay the $12 a month than have a free DVR from comcast. Really, you should just buy one of their machines at bestbuy, pay the monthly and then hook it up to broadband. You will be able to download items from internet, e.g. cnet, also get your pictures and movies from your computer to your TV. It is just worth it.
The Tivo software is much more sofisticated and user friendly than the current Comcast DVR software. I am a TIVO owener for 2 plus years. I recently added a Comcast HD DVR for my new home theater room. So I feel like I am well qualified to answer your question. Its like comparing a Mercedes to a Yugo. They both get the job done, but the TIVO experience is much more enjoyable.
Here are the areas that TIVo is much better than my Motorolla DVR:
1) Scheduling. Tivo is a piece of cake. After 3 months my wife or kids still don't know how to schedule a show on the Motorolla.
2)Recordings - Tivo is much more flexibile about recording start times, stop times, ect. It also is better at figuring conflicts in recordings. Basically you never miss a show.
3)Searching- TIVO has much better searching capabilities. Easy to find the show you want to record.
4) KidZone - Tivo provide th ultimate in parenatal controls. You can decide what channels, what shows, even which episodes your kids can watch.
5) Home Media Center- Tivo supports other content as well. TIVo can play MP3, video files, photos ect from your home computer. And its a piece of cake to setup. I play MP3 through my home stereo through the TIVO. Sounds great!.
There lots of other things, too, like the little tricks witht he remote, ect that make TIVO more customizable to the user.
Basically, I can't wait for the TIVO upgrade from Comcast.
I had a directivo and now have comcast. Can I count the ways in which my comcast dvr sucks? Well I'll do my best.
TiVo have nailed the UI whereas the comcast UI sucks in a thousand tiny ways. For example, when you scroll through a few days of the guide and hit "info". When you return it forgets where you were so you have to scroll again. Little things like that.
My Comcast will just ignore the remote for several seconds at a time. Maddening when trying to fast forward through the ads (since they removed the skip forward feature -- what moron decided on that? It doesn't make me watch ads it just pisses me off!)
Searching. TiVo can remember my searches so I can just repeat them periodically. Searches can do title, actor, genre, keyword (words in the description) or a combination thereof. Better yet TiVo can create wishlists to automatically record shows that match searches I've created. e.g. Record me all the shows that feature "lewis black" in the description.
TiVo suggestions. Tell Tivo what you like and dislike and it can fill unused space with automatically recorded suggestions. Found many a great show that way.
Season passes (series recordings) are intelligent. TiVo doesn't tie you to a specific time or channel, it'll record whenever and wherever. It also has a better grasp of what is and is not a repeat so you don't end up missing shows because the DVR was recording 50 repeats of a marathon.
Conflict resolution on TiVo was never a problem. On the comcast DVR it's a constant issue. It seems the comcast DVR insists on highlighting every fricking conflict and conflicts are made worse by the repeated recording issue above.
When setting up a series on the comcast system if there's a conflict the system freezes for anything up to a few minutes with zero indication of what it's doing. Then when it comes back it remembers every key you pressed often canceling what you were trying to achieve.
These are just off the top of my head. I don't keep a record of every way the comcast system irritates me. Also these are all with the basic DirecTiVo DVR. We didn't have access to kidzone or tivotogo or any of the other neat stuff.
Bottom line is that I've had a dish network dvr, a directv tivo and a comcast dvr and the tivo kicked ass. Until I used the tivo I didn't know what I was missing. Now I'm stuck with the comcast POS I'm pining for a real tivo.
“That iconic Klipsch sound is here in full force, with crisp highs, delicate mids (which can easily have a bit more meat added with an EQ tweak) and tight, booming bass.”
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
can someone who has owned a TiVo AND a Comcast DVR tell me what's better about TiVo? I have used the Comcast box for over a year now and don't have many problems with it. Thanks.
I have had both a comcast DVR and a TIVO. The user interface for the TIVO is so incredibly simple, user friendly and visualy nice. I can't say how nice it is. For those that had trouble programing a VCR, it can't get any simpler than this. The hardware was nice as well. I signed up for Comcast and they offered their DVR to me for free. First off, the hardware was horrible. It was so loud (DVR run constantly) even the tech said not to install it in the bedroom. Then the interface was not simple to understand, you had to read the instructions, my was not able to do it herself...Long story short, we had them remove it. I would rather pay the $12 a month than have a free DVR from comcast. Really, you should just buy one of their machines at bestbuy, pay the monthly and then hook it up to broadband. You will be able to download items from internet, e.g. cnet, also get your pictures and movies from your computer to your TV. It is just worth it.
The Tivo software is much more sofisticated and user friendly than the current Comcast DVR software. I am a TIVO owener for 2 plus years. I recently added a Comcast HD DVR for my new home theater room. So I feel like I am well qualified to answer your question. Its like comparing a Mercedes to a Yugo. They both get the job done, but the TIVO experience is much more enjoyable.
Here are the areas that TIVo is much better than my Motorolla DVR:
1) Scheduling. Tivo is a piece of cake. After 3 months my wife or kids still don't know how to schedule a show on the Motorolla.
2)Recordings - Tivo is much more flexibile about recording start times, stop times, ect. It also is better at figuring conflicts in recordings. Basically you never miss a show.
3)Searching- TIVO has much better searching capabilities. Easy to find the show you want to record.
4) KidZone - Tivo provide th ultimate in parenatal controls. You can decide what channels, what shows, even which episodes your kids can watch.
5) Home Media Center- Tivo supports other content as well. TIVo can play MP3, video files, photos ect from your home computer. And its a piece of cake to setup. I play MP3 through my home stereo through the TIVO. Sounds great!.
There lots of other things, too, like the little tricks witht he remote, ect that make TIVO more customizable to the user.
Basically, I can't wait for the TIVO upgrade from Comcast.
I had a directivo and now have comcast. Can I count the ways in which my comcast dvr sucks? Well I'll do my best.
TiVo have nailed the UI whereas the comcast UI sucks in a thousand tiny ways. For example, when you scroll through a few days of the guide and hit "info". When you return it forgets where you were so you have to scroll again. Little things like that.
My Comcast will just ignore the remote for several seconds at a time. Maddening when trying to fast forward through the ads (since they removed the skip forward feature -- what moron decided on that? It doesn't make me watch ads it just pisses me off!)
Searching. TiVo can remember my searches so I can just repeat them periodically. Searches can do title, actor, genre, keyword (words in the description) or a combination thereof. Better yet TiVo can create wishlists to automatically record shows that match searches I've created. e.g. Record me all the shows that feature "lewis black" in the description.
TiVo suggestions. Tell Tivo what you like and dislike and it can fill unused space with automatically recorded suggestions. Found many a great show that way.
Season passes (series recordings) are intelligent. TiVo doesn't tie you to a specific time or channel, it'll record whenever and wherever. It also has a better grasp of what is and is not a repeat so you don't end up missing shows because the DVR was recording 50 repeats of a marathon.
Conflict resolution on TiVo was never a problem. On the comcast DVR it's a constant issue. It seems the comcast DVR insists on highlighting every fricking conflict and conflicts are made worse by the repeated recording issue above.
When setting up a series on the comcast system if there's a conflict the system freezes for anything up to a few minutes with zero indication of what it's doing. Then when it comes back it remembers every key you pressed often canceling what you were trying to achieve.
These are just off the top of my head. I don't keep a record of every way the comcast system irritates me. Also these are all with the basic DirecTiVo DVR. We didn't have access to kidzone or tivotogo or any of the other neat stuff.
Bottom line is that I've had a dish network dvr, a directv tivo and a comcast dvr and the tivo kicked ass. Until I used the tivo I didn't know what I was missing. Now I'm stuck with the comcast POS I'm pining for a real tivo.