why is TiVo good?

[NomadTW]

does anyone have a tivo?
it is 16 dollars a month to add a TiVo digital cable box to the cable bill

my parents will not authorize the addition of the tivo for me in my room, saying that i should take that 16 dollars a month and put it in a savings account unless i can come up w/ a reason that it's actually worth 16 bux a month instead of getting a VCR

so i was hoping that you guys could help me out and tell me the good with the bad of having a TiVo and why i should or should not get one

[Landshark]

TIVO owns. it is a device that once you have, you will not be able to live without it. wife rolled her eyes when i bought it (another "gadget"), but now she wouldn't deal without it! i never watch live TV anymore - i'll start a show half hour after it begins and just skip all the commercials. you'll love it. record two shows at the same time and watch another on the hard drive. i can't really think of any bad points to TIVO.

its only $5/month with DirecTV - why cable cost so much?

[NomadTW]

it would only be an extra like 8/month if it were the only digital reciever

but to add it as a second reciever makes it the primary reciever and then the other non tivo reciever secondary which is also 8/month as having the 2nd box. so the total increase in the bill will be 16 dollars, 8 for an extra box and 8 for the tivo.

if my parents didn't have the normal dig box downstairs it would be cheaper

anyway your not helping

my dad apparently has talked to as many ppl that say that it's worthless and they never use it as i have heard that it's great (never heard that it was bad)

i need pros/cons lists

so far i have
pros:
record multiple shows simultaneously
skip commercials automatically
better quality than vhs
no fast forwarding/ rewinding time
ability to rip to computer

cons:
16 dollars/month
the tivo functions might not be compatible w/ my 8 function one for all remote. so i'll have 2 remotes

[Mr. Pockets]

My opinion is that TV isn't that important.

[Landshark]

Originally posted by NomadTW
my dad apparently has talked to as many ppl that say that it's worthless and they never use it as i have heard that it's great (never heard that it was bad)

never heard ANYONE say they didn't love it!

i have a Kameleon remote that does the TIVO functions, and all my other components, plus macros (push a button, turns on DVD player, sets TV and stereo to DVD, etc.)

[Landshark]

Originally posted by Mr. Pockets
My opinion is that TV isn't that important.

good advice. Nomad, have you just considered selling the TV?

[sharky512345]

Originally posted by Landshark


good advice. Nomad, have you just considered selling the TV?

i don't think this was the direction he wanted the topic to go. lol

[NomadTW]

anyone else have useful input?

[Landshark]

Originally posted by NomadTW
anyone else have useful input?

if you DO get one, keep it well ventilated. my first one didn't last 8 months - burned up. i had it in an enclosed stereo cabinet and it overheated. i found on the TIVO Forum (yeah, there's forums for everything...), that it needs to be in a ventilated space, so i cut out a section of the fiberboard rear of the cabinet and jacked the "feet" up on 2 liter bottle caps for circulation underneath ('nother forum tip). the new one has been cool to the touch for over a year now.

sorry - someone else give some input......

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by NomadTW
anyone else have useful input?

My input wasn't useful? You asked for opinions on why you should or should not get one. My opinion is that TV isn't that important and it's not worth the debate.

I do, however, have plenty of friends with TiVo. They love it. But the stupid thing records tons of things they otherwise wouldn't watch, and they spend whole weekends 'catching up.'

[nubs]

I have a ReplayTV which is similar to a Tivo. I love it. It catches thing that I like to watch but don't have the time to search for or
have the time to watch it when it is on real time.
It also is nice to be able to pause live TV, for doing other important things( like getting another beer,if the wife's not around
I bought mine new from someone who won it. It is an early version that included a lifetime subscription to the ReplayTV
service.

[NomadTW]

Originally posted by Mr. Pockets


I do, however, have plenty of friends with TiVo. They love it. But the stupid thing records tons of things they otherwise wouldn't watch, and they spend whole weekends 'catching up.'

yeah yeah that's what i want to do
i don't watch enough tv

i spend my tv watching time watchign crap that i don't really want to watch but could be spending the time watching the stuff i want to watch

[Chiketkd]

Originally posted by NomadTW
i spend my tv watching time watchign crap that i don't really want to watch but could be spending the time watching the stuff i want to watch

[Landshark]

Originally posted by NomadTW
yeah yeah that's what i want to do
i don't watch enough tv

i spend my tv watching time watchign crap that i don't really want to watch but could be spending the time watching the stuff i want to watch

TIVO can choose things to record based on what you manually record, and how you "rate" shows (with the thumbs up/thumbs down buttons), but you don't HAVE to enable this feature - i didn't. i have enough "Season Passes" that record shows i've selected when they are on automatically. i always have plenty to watch - episodes of Car & Driver, MotorWeek, AutoWeek, Crank Yankers, Joe Schmo, Headbanger's Ball, etc.

[Chiketkd]

You just listed my entire TV viewing during an average week with the exception of Formula 1 races and Saturday Night Live!

Love the car shows!!!

-Chike

Originally posted by Landshark
i always have plenty to watch - episodes of Car & Driver, MotorWeek, AutoWeek