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Does your cable company offer such a thing? I was on the hunt and decided to just get the HD/DVR cable box from Comcast. It's like $10 a month, which I guess is a subscription, but the next best I could find was the Tivo option which, at the time, was about $1000 for a model similar to what Comcast was offering.

pottymouth wrote:

Does your cable company offer such a thing? I was on the hunt and decided to just get the HD/DVR cable box from Comcast. It's like $10 a month, which I guess is a subscription, but the next best I could find was the Tivo option which, at the time, was about $1000 for a model similar to what Comcast was offering.

Those boxes (Comcast/Motorola) smurf the bed like there's no tomorrow. One product I'd rather rent rent than own.

If you are on cable and want to record, beware. The signal may be scrambled and not recordable by another box.

I live in Canada, so Tivo is out.  Tivo HD doesn't work up here, because our local monopoly cable company (rogers) doesn't offer cable cards.  Besides, one of my requirements was no subscription.

Rogers does offer an HD PVR box though.  It's $25 a month (!!!) or you can buy it for $500.  It'll take nearly two years for that to be worthwhile, and then I'll have an outdated box on my hands.  And, it wouldn't play media from the network so I'd still need another box on top of it.

I pay enough for TV, and I shouldn't have to pause my life for it.  It should pause for ME.  And, I refuse to be further shackled by a greedy monopoly pushing hobbled tech on me.

*Ahem*  So, any other solutions out there?  Please?

jeff-o wrote:

I live in Canada, so Tivo is out.  Tivo HD doesn't work up here, because our local monopoly cable company (rogers) doesn't offer cable cards.  Besides, one of my requirements was no subscription.

Rogers does offer an HD PVR box though.  It's $25 a month (!!!) or you can buy it for $500.  It'll take nearly two years for that to be worthwhile, and then I'll have an outdated box on my hands.  And, it wouldn't play media from the network so I'd still need another box on top of it.

I pay enough for TV, and I shouldn't have to pause my life for it.  It should pause for ME.  And, I refuse to be further shackled by a greedy monopoly pushing hobbled tech on me.

*Ahem*  So, any other solutions out there?  Please?

Like I said before you can get Tivo with a lifetime subscription ... one payment and your good to go.
You living in Canada, however, is a valid reason not to have Tivo

I've only seen the sony products for consumer use.

I've been looking for the same thing, and haven't had much luck, either.  The problem with Tivo lifetime is that it's tied to the hardware --so when your box dies or becomes obsolesced, your subscription dies with it.

I'm probably just going to end up running MythTV on an old PC (target hardware is a 3 GHz P4 with HT).  It seems like this should be possible (and totally free).  Really, I just can't justify spending extra cash every month for a "service" that isn't technically necessary.

But whether you go with the monthly subscription or lifetime, you're still paying full price for the box.  And unlike a cell phone, the Tivo service isn't technically necessary.  In phone analogies, it's more like buying a house phone and paying monthly fee on top of your phone bill.

Meanwhile, the lifetime subscription is probably adjusted to the box's mtbf.  In fact, it's more profitable for Tivo to collect the money up-front, because they can immediately invest the entire amount.

Last edited by Mr. T (2009-09-14 1:43 pm)

mrreet2001 wrote:

TiVos support cable cards

Unless they have updated the cards, using one takes away a lot of the features that a box supports (pay per view, show previews, on demand). That is the only reason I have not gotten one and rent an HD box (Motorola). I' must have had our box replaced 3 times in two years.

Dunkin' wrote:

EyeTV by Elgato.
They have a USB tuner and DVR software that will do HD.

I don't have one nor do I know anyone who does ... but the manual says there is a yearly charge after the first year for the tv guide.

mrreet2001 wrote:

Dunkin' wrote:

EyeTV by Elgato.
They have a USB tuner and DVR software that will do HD.

I don't have one nor do I know anyone who does ... but the manual says there is a yearly charge after the first year for the tv guide.

I believe you can use other guides with them (Titan TV or something). Although the TV Guide subscription is only $20 a year.