Gizmodo
A little bird dropped a TiVo Series3 into our laps early, just in time for the official launch, right now. The Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder is going for the sky high $799.99 we reported earlier. The good news: it may be worth it. The 720p/1080i resolution digital video recorder packs in two CableCards, letting you record a couple of channels of HD digital cable or over-the-air HD programs at the same time while watching a third recording.
Here's an exclusive hands-on review with pictures and video, after the jump.
This TiVo feels just like the ones we've grown to love over the years, but now it records HD in a way that can only be called flawless. Its Dolby Digital audio isn't too shabby either, thanks to it being the first THX-certified personal video recorder in the world. It definitely sounds and looks the part. Plus, it has an HDMI port, a shiny piano-black case, a revamped remote control with backlighting, and of course that unparalleled usability of its famed TiVo interface.
Check out the back of this Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder and you'll see it's loaded with connectivity options. Of course, there is that HDMI output, optical digital audio output, and if you look over on your right, there is an E-SATA data output so you can expand that disk space ad nauseum. Too bad there's no coaxial digital audio output, something that we use quite often with some of our other home theater gear.
We also had a great experience with the Time Warner cable installer, a dude named Adam Jahnke, whom the company sent over with two CableCards. After carefully and precisely calibrating our video signal, he popped those two suckers into the TiVo and after a couple of minutes they were all registered and ready to go. Who says Time Warner is reluctant to install CableCards? Nothing doing here, and they sent one of their best guys to help us out. Thanks, Time Warner. Now take this Scientific-Atlanta 8300HD PVR piece of shite outta here and eliminate its command with extreme prejudice. KBye.
Next, I sat down to fire up this box to see what it could do. I quickly noticed how nice and quiet this TiVo is, and it has a cool-looking OLED display on the front that tells you the name of the program that’s being recorded. I plugged in the wireless G USB network adapter and the TiVo immediately recognized our network here. Not long after that, it was all ready to go and started downloading its program info. After installing the TiVo desktop on another one of our workstations, the TiVo was eager to exchange MP3s. It wasn't quite so happy about some high-rez photos I had, though, and TiVo reps say that's a feature that will be implemented later this year.
Another feature that was sorely missed is TiVo2Go, where you can rip programs from the TiVo onto a computer, a mobile device or an iPod. There's no sign of that on this latest TiVo yet, and TiVo officials say they are investigating this and working on getting it certified, but couldn't say when that would happen. But you're still able to program the TiVo via the Web, a great feature that can save your ass if you've, say, forgotten to program one of your favorite shows after you've gone to work.
What I didn't really miss were the two features that you can't get when using these first-generation CableCards: Video on Demand and the Program Guide service. That's because CableCard is currently only a one-way service, and for true two-way functionality we’ll have to wait for CableCard 2.0. But so what? If I record whatever I want to watch on TV and BitTorrent the rest, what other on-demand programs will I need, anyway? And the program guide from Time Warner? Puh-leeze.
The usability of the TiVo, even in HD, is all there. There is that exceptional TiVo interface, with its thumbs-up/thumbs down rating system, Season Pass, WishList—all that is still there and it all works very quickly, just like in a standard-definition TiVo. Some of the menus appeared a little stretched on the 16:9 screen, apparently holdovers from TiVo's 4:3 standard-definition models. But overall, very little is lost in the TiVo interface in the translation over to multiple-tuner-HD land.
I'm also digging the remote, which is now a shiny piano black color with easy-grip ribbing on the back, but still has that lovable dog-bone shape. When watching our projector in the dark home theater, it's especially useful to have those backlit keys, particularly when we're just becoming accustomed to this remote.
Another coolness is the way you can still program in that 30-second skip function using the secret combination of keys (okay, okay, hit Select - Play - Select - 3 - 0 - Select on the remote while playing back a recorded program—you won't hear that little dinging noise to confirm it, as it was in the past). It took multiple attempts, but it finally worked and now I can quickly bounce from one commercial to the next, precisely mowing down entire commercial breaks with just a few button pushes.
This latest HD version of the TiVo with its two CableCards is a huge hit. Even though it costs just a penny shy of $800. No matter, it's worth it. We simply love it. It's going to be hard to send this back to TiVo at the end of the month. If you're a TiVo fan, you will be doing back flips over this unit. It's positively excellent. Thumbs up all around.
Comments
Aww... I wanted Apple news. Like Tivo2Go for Macs, maybe.
nice guys!
Yah we get to talk about the Tivo :)
ok, it was worth the wait :) very nice!
NOT WORTH THE WAIT AT ALL
yeah. i thought it was an apple scoop too. tivo's alright.
I agree with ejl10
I waited for THIS? It's a TiVo, the natural evolution of it (HD, CableCard2, blah blah). We all knew it was coming, and chances are it would be pretty sweet. So, more like a 5 on the gadget scale. I'm doing to bed. Hmph! =P
I love the grumpy people.
Worth staying up for. Still, I am waiting for something on TV worth paying $800 to record. :)
ignore all my previous comments on the other post. i fucking love you guys :D
This is stupid. My safari browser doesn't even view the top image anyway. Good friggin night.
no wait wheres the video
So is that $800 confirmed? Do you have any eSata drives to test that feature with?
way to tease apple news and post tivo. series 3 is overpriced and too late... next.
Comcast has had HD DVR's for a while now.
I say it was worth it. But I do question Gizmodo's richter scale.
PS3 = 10
iPhone/iPod = 10
Fancy doohickey mouse 2 weeks ago = 2
SO it costs again what it cost in the beginning (we were early adopters way back when...) I think I'll wait for the comcast/tivo software at this point.
cost about what it cost originally all those many years ago... I'll wait for the comcast/tivo software upgrade...
Worth $800 !!??? Should be $600 but they show you some love with the launch demo and you give it an A++ review.
You're so excited (or sleepy) you forgot to mention the additional service charge is yet another $150 or so per year on top of the $800. Otherwise that shiny box is JADS (Just another door stop).
No On Demand? For $800? I like the product, but that is a corner I'm not willing to cut, especially given the astronomical price. I will stick (albeit not entirely happily) with my 8300HD.
Did Time Warner know in advance that they were installing for the famed Gizmodo crew? That might have clued them in enough to send out a senior installer. What other tech uses 2 cable cards these days anyway?
yeah i have the comcast hd dvr with 2 tuners for a while, love the hd and the fact that you can record one while watching another but this thing is crazy expensive. I guess if there was no monthly fee it would make sense but honestly at 8 bucks a month for a dvr from your cable company how can you beet that. It would take 8 years to pay off that box if you paid that much. ok well i'll stop i just can't imagine spending that much money when you can get the one for free. It is badass but sometimes even I have to draw the line
Inexpensive it is not. Useful to me no. I'll stick with my DVD burning TiVo.
Hmm.... the front of the console looks like a sideways thermometer.
is it just me or does this post seem a bit like an infomercial?
Keebler - yeah, Charlie's actually got a great media voice!
But it's the "peanut" remote, not a dog-bone remote!
Anyone who ever compares the hideous Motorola box from Comcast to a Tivo, "Mine does the same thing blah...blah..." has clearly never used a Tivo before, or is on crack, or both. Regardless, there really is no comparison. My wallet will suffer for this, but God help me, I'm going to buy one. Must...hear...the...bloop...bloop...bloop again!
I gotta get me one of them there telly-vision things.
I agree with okram up there. For $800, this thing should be able to record off two digital channels at once. I'll stick with my cable company's HD DVR which even though it lacks the TiVo's nice interface, it's way cheaper (for a while anyway) and I can record off two digital channels.
It sure is a sweet ride! But my old jalopy will have to do for a while longer. OK, if it was a free transfer of lifetime I'd say "hellsyeah ship one to me today!" - even at $800 bucks I'd do it. But no $800 + monthly or $200 "transfer" for me.
"I agree with okram up there. For $800, this thing should be able to record off two digital channels at once."
It can.
At last, a native ethernet plug. It's nice to see they included that for those people who still use actual wires.
I plugged in the wireless G USB network adapter and the TiVo immediately recognized our network here
The lack of integrated wifi, the $800 price tag, and the new contract pricing structure w/o lifetime option just kill this for me. Boo, TiVo.
Who says the new TiVo can't record two HD channels at once? In fact, their press release reads: "Dual tuners allow subscribers to record two different shows in HD at the same time..."
I had one to review as well, I also compiled a FAQ and took 195 or so photos. :-)
http://www.tivolovers.com/Series3-Review.html
http://www.tivolovers.com/Series3-FAQ.html
http://www.tivolovers.com/Photos/Series3-Review/
I've got two Comcast Motorola HD DVRs. They're both POS. The picture quality is good, but the remote cablebox interface is terrible. I've gotten so frustrated with the Comcast remote that the $899 TiVo sounds like a good bargain to me. I also have 2 Series 2 TiVos and have neverr found anything to complain about wwith them.
if you pay $800 for a freaking tivo you are a bum. get off of the couch and do something besides watch tv and be lazy. oh and by the way i've got some swampland i'll give you real cheap that will look nice with the retarded tivo box.
you guys are freakin retarded if you spend $800 dollars for a tivo. how lazy are you that you need to have the ability to record three shows at once to watch later. get off the couch, get some exercise and don't be retarded. by the way i've got some magic fairy dust if anybody wants to buy it for $1,000,000.
-the lawdog
anybody who buys a tivo for $800 needs to check to see if they can also count to ten because they may be retarded. do you people watch that much tv that you have to record four shows at once to watch later. get off the couch and do something active, don't be lazy. you guys want some swampland while you're at it? it's got a great view, however you won't need to worry about it b/c you'll be taping the view and the ellen show everyday.
give it some time, eshmanb. Your post will get there. I admire your dedication, though.
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