$99 tivo for existing directv customer

[KrustyVT]

Originally posted by: Snatchface

The ReplayTV comes with that functionality out of the box for $150 (40 hr unit). For a 40 hour series 2 tivo its around $250+ then you need to upgrade to the HMO option which I believe costs ~ $60-$100 more. Even then I have heard no reports of people being able to upload video to a PC without major hacking...just allows you to get programming updates over the web (big deal). The Directivo's do not allow HMO functionality at all and have no plans of integrating that in the future (which was why I had to return mine). The service is more expensive for Tivo as well. The remote scheduling is cool in concept but I can't really see using that feature ever...unless you are a total TV addict.

Anyhoo, I just spent a month using tivo and will be hooking up my Replay this week so I'll have first hand experience with both soon. The Replay does seem like a much better deal though.

I spent $150 on my Series 1, then another $60 to upgrade the hard drive so my total capacity was 118 hours. I dropped a $35 network card in there, and I now have a fully functional TiVo connected to my home network. FYI, 40 Hour Series 2 TiVo's now sell for $175 after $50 rebate @ amazon.com.

The differences between the TiVo and the Replay run far deeper then the external hardware features. The TiVo units are vastly superior in terms of their core operating software, which allows for season passes, wishlists, more intuitive conflict management and better reliability (read: your replay TV unit locking up is a bug, not a feature!). There's a reason the ReplayTV units are cheaper - this is a case of getting what you pay for.

-=K=-

 

[torpid]

This is a great deal if you don't mind defrauding a company by claiming to be a friend / family of a directv employee. Unfortunately I do or I'd take advantage.

 

[The Sauce]

I am not saying that the Tivo's are bad. In fact I liked it quite a bit. I just was not enamored with the fact that I would have to void my warrantee, and reprogram in Linux, and spend likely an entire day of my free time hacking the sucker to get it to do what the Replay does out of the box...and pay significantly more in the process. In addition there were problems that I had with the Tivo's functionality such as season pass...nice idea but it was missing episodes all over the place (I set it up for The Simpsons with season pass and in one week it recorded 2 episodes - didn't record even the new one on Sundays). Also it was frequently recording programs I hadn't asked it to on channels that I dont even get...which would come up blank after it was done. So it definitely has it's problems.

Nonetheless I do anticipate that there is a good chance that I will go back to it after trying the Replay...unless I think the replay is really great. I got quite attached to it in the one month I had it.

 

[torpid]

snatchface, sounds like user error to me. you probably got a season pass on the wrong channel, and told it to auto record suggestions or similar.

 

[The Sauce]

Well I was hoping that was the case too. I went over it several times. I set up Season pass for the correct channel, when I looked in "Upcoming Shows" it showed all of the episodes to record, but then just didn't. Can't really explain why.

And how would you explain it recording shows all the time that I didn't program on channels that I don't even subscribe to on DTV? Unlikely that that's user error.

 

[Sepen]

Thanks for the deal. I have 4 DirecTivos going and thought why not add another one to my computer(slash)office tv.


Wheeeee.....

 

[TheBeast]

yes, snatchface, its user error.

You have to tell tivo which channels you receive. Once you do that, it will only record on those channels.

If it didn't record the episodes of the simpsons you wanted, you can look in the season pass manager under the to do list and go back to the episode and it will tell you why it didn't record. Most likely you had higher priority recordings that were recorded or someone in your house stopped it without you knowing.

None of these are bugs with TiVO.

 

[KrustyVT]

And in terms of the TiVo recording shows at different times that he didn't explicitly setup ... TiVo Suggestions are turned on by default, and the unit is recording things it thinks you will enjoy. This feature can be turned off under the Messages & Setup menu option.

-=K=-

 

[LiQiCE]

Originally posted by: torpid
This is a great deal if you don't mind defrauding a company by claiming to be a friend / family of a directv employee. Unfortunately I do or I'd take advantage.

This is not a deal for friends & family of directv employees only. It is deal for all existing Directv customers. I didn't need to follow the above link to get the same $99 deal. All I did was logon to directv.com and click to purchase a new DVR receiver and I was presented with the same option, and I don't know anyone who's a Directv employee. It was normally $199.99, and now $99. So you're not defrauding anyone by doing this... just cheating yourself out of a deal if you're not!

 

[deci8]

Anyone know the make/model of this?

 

[wilki24]

Wow! Awesome deal! I just ordered one, and it'll be installed on the 25th. I already have a series 1 Tivo in the bedroom, but have been wanting one for the living room, and this was the perfect deal to get me to bite.

 

[AnyMal]

What am I doing wrong? I loged in and tried to place an order but it's still shows up as $199.00 all the way to order confirmation, so I backed out. Is there a promotional code I should use?

 

[Wingznut]

Great deal! Mine will be installed on Monday.

 

[Hav0k99]

Who did you guys use as a friend/family member?

 

[douglassirk]

again i've said this in other threads here.... if you are mulling over going replay or dtivo..... you would have to be an idiot to go replay imho.....

dtivos record the actual stream so picture and dolby digital sound if any is identical to the broadcast stream..... no degradation whatsoever....

but the kicker is since dtivos record the actual stream..... its not an analog thing..... you not only get a 10 times better picture and sound than a replay unit... you also get over 3 times the storage for the same gb's of hard drive......

even at highest quality (where the replay still stinks up the joint in PQ as oposed to a dtivo) replays give you 14 hours per 40gb of hd (the standard size) as opposed to almost 40 hours with the same drive in a dtivo and the better picture/sound quality........

if you drop in two new drives (a simple as heck procedure) you get a whopping 230-240 hours on a dtivo with two 70 dollar 120gb drives.......... i havent hacked a replay unti but from what i've read you can upgrade those drives too..... but even if you did...... you wouldnt have 235 hours of broadcast quality storage for like every episode of your 10 favorite shows of the season you'd only have like 84 hours enough for 4 at most

you can hack the tivo with a 69 dollar card and take shows off onto your computer for dvd'ing etc.... but whats the point really? dvd recorders are down to 349$ or so why go thru the hassle.........

and with dtivos the tivo fee is almost gone like all the tivos you can eat for 4.99 a month

 

[Nightfall]

I am new to Directv. I just got it installed a week ago and I must say it is awesome. The Directivo makes it worth the money all on its own. I no longer sit down in front of the TV to catch a show when it comes on. I watch it when I want to. With a couple presses of the remote, I am past all the commercials. The main thing that is nice is recording 2 shows at once while I am watching a 3rd that is already recorded.

I love my Tivo, and with this code I got another one. The wife will now be happy.

 

[Hav0k99]

actualy go here and you it explains how to do it all online!


http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-v...4f619aa7266f6077dad14927547d5&threadid=129722

 

[slag]

Originally posted by: douglassirk
well you can do it if you are techie check some tivo forums...

but the deal breaker is its 1gb per hour with dtivos cause they record the actual mpeg stream as opposed to replays that are analog and dont get 1gb per hour by far at PERFECT SIGNAL/PICTURE EXACT STREAM COPY sorta thing dtivos do....

basically dtivos record identical to the live stream... replays and standalone tivos do not and they dont get near the hours per gig...

i have a couple dtivos modded for 240 hours or so recording at perfect quality

try that with a replay or standalone.....

The point is, you wouldnt need to.. 20 or 40 hours is PLENTY of time. Who captures entire seasons of a show or tons and tons of movies to watch over and over again. Not me, its pretty pointless. Thats what summertime reruns are for. Keep 4-5 shows on the system and cycle through what you watch. By the time you have watched them twice, they are old and can be discarded...

If you really have that much time to watch 240 hours of programming, then you really need to get another job or a hobby somewhere away from the TV.

 

[labgeek]

Originally posted by: LiQiCE

Originally posted by: torpid
This is a great deal if you don't mind defrauding a company by claiming to be a friend / family of a directv employee. Unfortunately I do or I'd take advantage.

This is not a deal for friends & family of directv employees only. It is deal for all existing Directv customers. I didn't need to follow the above link to get the same $99 deal. All I did was logon to directv.com and click to purchase a new DVR receiver and I was presented with the same option, and I don't know anyone who's a Directv employee. It was normally $199.99, and now $99. So you're not defrauding anyone by doing this... just cheating yourself out of a deal if you're not!

From the webpage in the link above:

In fact, this special $99 offer is only available to existing DIRECTV® subscribers who are friends and family of DIRECTV employees.

When I login and try to buy one without the code it displays the price as $199 just as others are stating as well.

 

[douglassirk]

the point is i never have time to watch tv really...... but when i do.... i want to have something to watch and a vast library to choose from.....

i use the 1 watch / and 2 different channel record alot during the first week of the fall season to suss out shows.... but mainly i use the dtivo for movies etc..... my 10 series example was just that..... i dont use it for series tv that much really....

mainly i keep alot of a&e mysteries, bbc america mysteries and movies that arent out on dvd and probably never will be........ it may take me years to watch the backlog of good stuff i know i want to watch...... but hey at least its there waiting when i do get the chance my 240 hours is always full to the brim i could use 500

most people i find use the replay out simply because they run out of room so fast on the things......

i'm always having to pick and choose what i can loose and what i can keep "can i keep that rohmer movie that the dvd release to suc*s.... or can i keep the edited version of The grove/a name for evil? or can i keep the uncut Hickey and boggs to show it to more people?? but mainly its just mysteries and movies not on dvd that i havent seen yet and want to that i have to cycle thru..... its always a strugle to decide what you can loose..... unwatched .... even at 235 hours

 

[The Sauce]

but the kicker is since dtivos record the actual stream..... its not an analog thing..... you not only get a 10 times better picture and sound than a replay unit... you also get over 3 times the storage for the same gb's of hard drive......

even at highest quality (where the replay still stinks up the joint in PQ as oposed to a dtivo) replays give you 14 hours per 40gb of hd (the standard size) as opposed to almost 40 hours with the same drive in a dtivo and the better picture/sound quality........

Nothing you said here seems to be based in fact. In all the reviews the Replay 5xxx series seems to get the best ratings for picture quality. And about your second point, the DTivo's with 40GB get 35 hours record time at low quality whereas the 40GB Replays get 40hrs. I know because I have owned both and reviewed the topic extensively (Phillips DVR 7000 and Replay 5040). Show me where you got that information from.

 

[MOONKEY]

the DTivo's with 40GB get 35 hours record time at low quality whereas the 40GB Replays get 40hrs. I know because I have owned both and reviewed the topic extensively (Phillips DVR 7000 and Replay 5040). Show me where you got that information from.

Is picture quality big different? I'd to know your first hand opinion. Thank you.

 

[Doomer]

I called Directv and the cust rep told me that since there was no place to verify that I knew a DTV employee in the order process I could go ahead with it. I said "gee, thanks" and did.

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: MOONKEY

the DTivo's with 40GB get 35 hours record time at low quality whereas the 40GB Replays get 40hrs. I know because I have owned both and reviewed the topic extensively (Phillips DVR 7000 and Replay 5040). Show me where you got that information from.

Is picture quality big different? I'd to know your first hand opinion. Thank you.

I'm going to hook up the Replay tonight or tomorrow...I'll let you know.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: Doomer
I called Directv and the cust rep told me that since there was no place to verify that I knew a DTV employee in the order process I could go ahead with it. I said "gee, thanks" and did.

I ordered it online, and was never asked to provide a name.