DVRs, TiVo + Entertainment Weekly suggested recordings = ?
By Richard Lawler 
posted Aug 27th 2008 11:18AM
posted Aug 27th 2008 11:18AM
Look TiVo, it's not like we enjoy having you on deathwatch, so the next thing we want to hear about is HD Amazon Unbox rentals, or a do everything tru2way box or...something. Direct marketing via our set-top box and this latest announcement -- automatic recordings based on suggestions from Time Warner's (the parent company of this blog) Entertainment Weekly -- just aren't cutting it. Broadband-enabled TiVo users can subscribe to EW's "What to Watch" picks and download EW.com video clips to watch on their TV. As much as we enjoy telling ( and being told) what to watch, most of us have a good idea of what we'd like to see on TV already. As part of a strategy it claims as a way to differentiate itself from generic cable & satellite DVRs it's already regarded as being significantly better than, it's not very inspiring.
TiVo rules. It sucks to have all the direct marketing, but I guess its just as easy to tune out as all the other crap.
I've been with TiVo since 2002 and have endured their seeming servility to the advertisers. But I look at it as TiVo letting me watch TV the way I want to. My Cox HD DVR is buggy, poorly implemented and ridiculously lame. I will be replacing it as soon as I save up for a TiVo HD + lifetime.
You need to save up for TiVo HD + Lifetime service + two 1TB hard drives (one internal, one eSATA). That's my configuration, and it absolutely rules. You can't beat having over 260 hours of HD recording available.
Realistically, Engadget.com will probably die before TiVo. After all, TiVo has much better brand awareness among consumers.
I like the concept of the subscription guides. I don't have a lot of time to manage my TiVo and it would be nice to have shows waiting for me. Most of the guides that I have tried only record junk, but I feel there is potential.