Digital Lifestyles Reference Guide

Aug 27, 2004

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Set top box PVR solutions are typically compared to the industry leader TiVo. When you look at PVR solutions that integrate directly into your home theater, keep a few things in mind while shopping. The two primary things to look at in the set top market are how much storage space is available and how well the user interface works. A third factor to look at is portability of recordings. Typically set top solutions offer an extended guide that locates upcoming shows with favorite actors or recommends shows based on previous recording habits. Another standard feature is pausing live television for various amounts of time, allowing you to answer the phone and pick-up where you left off in a program. One commonality across the set top options is support for satellite, cable and over-the-air television recording.

Tivo

TiVo set the standard for PVR boxes by providing a beautiful user experience. Browsing and recording shows is faster than using the onscreen guide from your cable or satellite provider. The remote control is among the most usable ever created. Available storage depends on which set top model you select, starting with 40 hours up to 300 hours of programming. An online service makes scheduling recording while you are away from home simple. TiVoToGo transfers files to a Windows 2000 or XP computer for playback or recording to DVD using Sonic MyDVD. TiVos can be networked to send shows to other TiVos throughout your home, and the units are inherently hackable. There are many books available and an active online community supporting unofficial enhancements. TiVo requires a $12.95 monthly subscription fee in addition to purchase of a set top unit.

Depending on which type of television service you subscribe to, a variety of integrated TiVo options are available. Humax makes an integrated TiVo/DVD Recorder, DirecTV (up until recently) has offered satellite boxes with the TiVo user interface for recording combined with all the standard features of a satellite television box, and a TiVo-powered set top box for Comcast cable subscribers is also in the works.

ReplayTV

ReplayTV is the other big name in set top recording. ReplayTV offers a 12-day channel guide, with one-button recording to locate a show and record. Internet scheduling of shows is supported. Series recording, live TV buffering of up to the full size of the drive and search by actor, director, title or subject are all supported. QuickSkip jumps through shows 30-seconds at a time. Playback of shows recorded in one room anywhere in the house is possible assuming you have a second (or third) ReplayTV box in the room where you want to view the show. The one gotcha to this networked playback is it requires all your ReplayTV boxes to be part of the same product series (4xxx or 5xxx). ReplayTV scales standard definition television to 480p, in theory making the shows look better on HDTV. ReplayTV starts at 40 hours up to 320 hours of recording.

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Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents

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Sharing and Disclosure

Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

As required by law.
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Last Update: November 17, 2020

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