Do you have a PVR/DVR?

[zixxer]

I have comcast and pay for their pvr service... unfortunately this means I have to pay for a LOT of crap I don't use.. digital box, ext basic, silver package, 1 premium channel... all REQUIRED in order to have a PVR through them. I use it a lot...


What is a better alternative? I pay $140 a month (inc internet) vs about $70 if I take off everything except basic cable and internet.



Anyone use tivo? What's the price? I have an extra 1.8ghz p4 w/ 1gig of ram I could use if theres good software/hardware out there that will do this.


opinions?


EDIT::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I have two choices for broadband; bellsouth (dsl) and comcast (cable)

I have NO use for a home phone. That would be a waste of money.

Since I already HAVE to pay for cable tv to have cable internet, might as well stick with comcast vs going for an alternative method for isp then another for tv


EDIT::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Okay WTF I called comcast to downgrade my service... the lady asked why and I told her I'm paying for a bunch of stuff I don't use... so she downgraded me to basic cable (channels 2-81) and DVR service. They told me that it's impossible to do that... on one hand I'm glad cause it's cheaper, on the other hand I've been paying $40 a month more for how many months??

 

[GroundZero]

my ati 9800 all-in-wonder pro came with good software for this

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: GroundZero
my ati 9800 all-in-wonder pro came with good software for this

I know of someone who has it, and uses a 9800 AIW as his 'bedroom tv' and says it absolutely sucks. Apparently it crashes all the time, and the program 'guide' for settings recordings crashes all the time as well

 

[blackdogdeek]

we have a 40gb replaytv. i don't remember how much the unit cost when we bought it about 3 or 4 years ago. we paid for the lifetime subscription for $250 or $300.

we have basic cable for $50/mo.

we love it.

 

[MustISO]

We have two Tivos and a Comcrap HD-DVR. Tivo is usually close to free after rebate but the monthy cost is high @ 12.95, although it would be cheaper than getting raped by Comcast.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

I have 2 Tivos and could not live without them. If you have 2 or more Tivos, you get service for $6.95/month each.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Here's the current deal:


Get a $150 rebate on Tivo with 1 year paid service. Will run you right around $200 for a year of service and the box.

Link

Also, if you buy your Tivo at Best Buy, for a limited time you get a coupon for 3 free months on top of the rebate.

 

[jtvang125]

Originally posted by: armatron

Originally posted by: GroundZero
my ati 9800 all-in-wonder pro came with good software for this

I know of someone who has it, and uses a 9800 AIW as his 'bedroom tv' and says it absolutely sucks. Apparently it crashes all the time, and the program 'guide' for settings recordings crashes all the time as well

Their (ATi) software is way too buggy. I tried watching TV on my AIW but gave up cause it just kept crashing and freezing my PC.

 

[Jzero]

I think your first order of business is to switch from Comcast to satellite!

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: Jzero
I think your first order of business is to switch from Comcast to satellite!

Yeah, satellite broadband is GREAT!!!

 

[Lvis]

I have the dish network, two tvs, both with dvr for 48 a month. I've been happy with it.

 

[cerebusPu]

Id love to not use comcast but they provide a HDTV DVR box with two tuners.

cant beat that.

 

[Rickten]

tivo stand alone models, SUCK. Horrible picture quality. I called to complain they told me to try the svideo inputs, I said well my cable comes over coax there is no way to use the svideo input. Oh sorry sir the RF input is the worst quality choice of the options tivo has made available to you. So they say I should rent a stb from my cable company so I can feed my tivo with svideo, no thanks. I've also noticed that tivo is really bogging down their system. THey keep adding tons of advertising and gimmicks and my unit is becoming very slow. I'll press the tivo button and have to wait five seconds for anything to pop up. Stay away from tivo it may seem like a great deal for 50 bucks but you will be dissappointed. The directv tivo is supposedly better because it records the exact mpeg2 stream directtv sends.

My friend also has a htpc with sage tv or something and he hates it. Always crashing or screwing up and you constantly have to tweak settings, then the ram died, its been a huge money pit for him.

 

[TallBill]

I would get one with a lifetime subscription but would be scared at how long the box will actually last.

And dont wanna pay a monthly fee.

 

[Kelemvor]

I use SageTV on a computer in my basement. I don't understand the point of paying am onthly fee for something like Tivo. You aren't using their system for anything except downloading the TV guide. Why pay a monthly fee for that.

Spend a hundred bucks for a graphic card and SageTV and dump it on a computer you have laying around.

DOne.

 

[Rickten]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
I use SageTV on a computer in my basement. I don't understand the point of paying am onthly fee for something like Tivo. You aren't using their system for anything except downloading the TV guide. Why pay a monthly fee for that.

Spend a hundred bucks for a graphic card and SageTV and dump it on a computer you have laying around.

DOne.

I bet once sage tv gets a strong base of followers they will start charging monthly.

quoted from their site ....
**Currently, SageTV provides electronic programming guide service (the "EPG Service") to End Users in the U.S. and Canada at no charge. SageTV reserves the right to discontinue provision of the EPG Service or to separately charge End Users for provision of the EPG Service.

distributing the guide data isn't free gotta pay for the bandwidth and servers somehow.

 

[lokiju]

Originally posted by: armatron
I have comcast and pay for their pvr service... unfortunately this means I have to pay for a LOT of crap I don't use.. digital box, ext basic, silver package, 1 premium channel... all REQUIRED in order to have a PVR through them. I use it a lot...


What is a better alternative? I pay $140 a month (inc internet) vs about $70 if I take off everything except basic cable and internet.



Anyone use tivo? What's the price? I have an extra 1.8ghz p4 w/ 1gig of ram I could use if theres good software/hardware out there that will do this.


opinions?

Call Comcast and tell them you're going to switch to DirecTV and see what they do for you, I'm on their "Dish Win Back" program and pay $100 per month for 6mb internet, PVR HD, On-Demand, HBO, Encore, TMC, and Show Time.

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Lvis
I have the dish network, two tvs, both with dvr for 48 a month. I've been happy with it.

I have two choices for broadband; bellsouth (dsl) and comcast (cable)

I have NO use for a home phone. That would be a waste of money.

Since I already HAVE to pay for cable tv to have cable internet, might as well stick with comcast vs going for an alternative method for an isp.

 

[Jzero]

You don't have to have voice service to have DSL anymore. Anything to get away from Comcast, IMO.

 

[Falloutboy]

I have a usenet account and a hacked xbox you do the math

who needs a pvr

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: Rickten

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
I use SageTV on a computer in my basement. I don't understand the point of paying am onthly fee for something like Tivo. You aren't using their system for anything except downloading the TV guide. Why pay a monthly fee for that.

Spend a hundred bucks for a graphic card and SageTV and dump it on a computer you have laying around.

DOne.

I bet once sage tv gets a strong base of followers they will start charging monthly.

quoted from their site ....
**Currently, SageTV provides electronic programming guide service (the "EPG Service") to End Users in the U.S. and Canada at no charge. SageTV reserves the right to discontinue provision of the EPG Service or to separately charge End Users for provision of the EPG Service.

distributing the guide data isn't free gotta pay for the bandwidth and servers somehow.

Maybe but not very likely. It hasa huge following already and there's no mention of them actually acting on that disclaimer.

And if they did, I could just schedule my recordings byt knowing what days and times things are on anyway. And I'm sure someone woul djust make a plugin to work with some of the other free TV guide systems out there anyway.

 

[loup garou]

I have an MCE box (livingroom) and a S2 Tivo (bedroom).

 

[BornStar]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
I have 2 Tivos and could not live without them. If you have 2 or more Tivos, you get service for $6.95/month each.

That's not accurate. You pay $12.95/mo on the first TiVo and $6.95/mo on every TiVo after that up to a total of 7 TiVos.

That said I have 3 TiVos and couldn't live without one of them. The convenience far outweighs the cost.

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Falloutboy
I have a usenet account and a hacked xbox you do the math

who needs a pvr

I have a hacked xbox and could get a usenet account.



It's honestly so freakin easy to just set to record, then watch it whenever. I don't really want to deal w/ finding something, dloading it, ftp'ing to my xbox, then wondering if the feds are going to be breaking my door down in 6 months

 

[Montano]

Originally posted by: cerebusPu
Id love to not use comcast but they provide a HDTV DVR box with two tuners.

cant beat that.

qft