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DVR recommendation
#312193 06/27/10 11:10 PM
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We've been considering getting a dvr so we can watch some programming that comes on later at night. I called our cable provider (Comcast) and they want $16.95 a month to rent theirs. That to me is ridiculous.

What would be a good stand alone dvr that wouldn't break the bank. I tried looking around and didn't make much sense of most of it.


Rick


"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud

Re: DVR recommendation
Wid #312200 06/28/10 12:22 AM
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Rick, a standalone DVR such as the TiVo still requires a monthly fee... in essance because the unit relies heavily on constantly-updating program data to allow for the great way it operates.


::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
Re: DVR recommendation
MarkSJohnson #312203 06/28/10 12:29 AM
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Well darn it, what to do, what to do?


Rick


"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud

Re: DVR recommendation
Wid #312204 06/28/10 12:32 AM
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Get a TiVo anyway. In a month, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Seriously.


::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
Re: DVR recommendation
MarkSJohnson #312205 06/28/10 12:40 AM
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I'll check into it. Thanks Mark.


Rick


"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud

Re: DVR recommendation
Wid #312206 06/28/10 12:44 AM
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Or get a TiVo with a lifetime subscription. It costs (a lot) more upfront, but if you keep the unit for several years, it pays for itself. Of course, the lifetime subscription is permanently attached to the unit, so you can't upgrade without the significant cost of buying a second lifetime subscription.


I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
Re: DVR recommendation
Wid #312231 06/28/10 02:50 AM
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Originally Posted By: wid

Well darn it, what to do, what to do?

Repent and cancel cable.


Fred

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Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: DVR recommendation
fredk #312274 06/28/10 05:45 AM
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Tivo. You can hunt Craigslist or ebay for a Tivo HD (or Series 3 but HD will be cheaper). Then you get a Cablecard from Comcast. Yeah, you have to pay the monthly fee but the GUI is much better than Comcast AND you can pull the shows off Tivo onto your PC/Mac and view it on the road. The Tivo will also play Netflix.

If you are handy w/ Linux, you can upgrade/replace the Tivo drives yourself. If not, you can always get pre-programmed drives on Weaknees or DVRUpgrade.

Sometimes you actually can transfer lifetime w/ a fee, I've done it before. But you almost never do that. I have one box w/ Lifetime and just pay a monthly, reduced rate on the 2nd box. W/ multiple Tivos, you can share shows between boxes, then you don't have to record the same shows in different boxes. Think of it as distributed storage.

The Tivo can also see video servers on the network and play video that way. It's not really DLNA, but it's close.

Re: DVR recommendation
oldskoolboarder #312276 06/28/10 05:54 AM
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What do you use to transfer shows to your Mac? I know Roxio has a solution, but it pains me even now to pay for Toast...


I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
Re: DVR recommendation
Ken.C #312303 06/28/10 01:49 PM
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TiVo is indeed a life-changer.

DirecTV is cheaper, but you don't get real TiVo, you get their own knock off, which is not that bad, now that I've gotten used to it. On the plus side, I only pay $5 monthly for it.


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