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Gadgets Dual Tuner TiVo Announced
Sven Olsen (Blog) - April 26, 2006 1:31 PM
Print 16 comment(s) - last by OrSin.. on Apr 27 at 4:21 PM
Single tuner DVRs go the way of the dinosaur

As if you needed another reason to enjoy TiVo, the company just announced its dual tuner Series2 digital video recorder.  The tuner incorporates all of the same functionality of the traditional Series2 tuners, with up to 180 hours of recording time to boot.

The new dual tuner allows the TiVo to capture two analog signals at once, or a single analog signal and a single digital signal.  However, since the Series2 does not feature CableCard, the digital signal must be processed by a set top box (STB).  Unfortunately, in most urban and suburban areas in the US, analog broadcasting over cable is being phased out fast.  Satellite does not offer analog broadcasting either. However, the most interesting feature about the new Series2 tuners is the integrated Ethernet. You will be able to transfer material from one TiVo to another, and almost certainly from TiVo to your PC via this Ethernet port.

TiVo has been playing catch up with some of the other DVR solutions such as the Motorola 6xxx series tuners as far as hardware goes, but just about any home entertainment nut will agree TiVo's software is by far the cleanest and friendliest around.

The dual tuner Series2 is expected to hit store shelves on May 1, 2006 at $100 for the 80 hour version (TCD649080) or $200 for the 180 hour version (TCD649180).  TiVo plans to release a dual digital tuner CableCard-ready platform later this year.

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old feature
By brownba on 4/26/2006 3:05:47 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
However, the most interesting feature about the new Series2 tuners is the integrated Ethernet. You will be able to transfer material from one TiVo to another, and almost certainly from TiVo to your PC via this Ethernet port.


Ethernet is a new feature?
My 2-3 year old ReplayTV has ethernet.
It grabs the schedules off the net,
I can transfer shows to other units,
and I can transfer shows to my computer.




RE: old feature
By DigitalFreak on 4/26/2006 3:57:08 PM , Rating: 2
This unit has built in Ethernet. No need for a USB dongle.


RE: old feature
By brownba on 4/26/2006 5:04:28 PM , Rating: 2
like I said, my ReplayTV has had built-in ethernet for years,
so I'm surprised it is being touted as a the 'the most interesting feature about the new Series2 tuners'.


RE: old feature
By Trisped on 4/27/2006 2:39:24 PM , Rating: 2
Prob new for Tivo


RE: old feature
By brystmar on 4/26/2006 5:20:14 PM , Rating: 2
i too have an RTV 5040 from yesteryear that still works great. it's definitely not as user-friendly as Tivo on the whole, but the extra features it offers still make it a better unit than any other single-tuner DVR on the market today. if only i could upgrade it to dual tuners...Commercial Advance rocks my world!


Differences?
By Ryan Norton on 4/26/2006 4:49:37 PM , Rating: 2
Looked into TIVO extensively, decided not to pursue it, got Cablecard from Comcast in wash DC, turns out COmcast doesn't know dick about cablecard so they told me to get a box/DVR if I wanted reliable service. I have a motorola 3412 with two digital only HD tuners and it's wonderful... my understanding is that Tivo's advantage is in the software, e.g. better series functionality and recommendations. Is this accurate? Cause if so I see no reason to pay $15/mo for Tivo when Comcast has better hardware (but god how their service sucks).




RE: Differences?
By on 4/26/2006 7:46:41 PM , Rating: 2
The strength of the Tivo unit is in a myriad of subtle but helpful features. Detailed guide, smart season passes for your regular shows, wish lists, the way the video jumps back a few seconds when you finish fast-forwarding, suggestions recorded based upon your viewing habits. Tivo Desktop and Tivo-To-Go also let you download your recordings to your PC and burn off to DVD or whatever.

Unlike the Motorola or similar units supplied by the CableCo, a Tivo rarely crashes, has a fairly intuitive user-interface (high WAF), and doesn't do silly things like the CableCo boxes like for example when you cancel one recording (say a re-run) and lose your season pass for that show. Tivo's recent patent win against EchoStar (DiSH) is going to make for interesting tectonic shifts in the DVR landscape.

Having said that, this dual-tuner unit seems about 3 years too late. The DirecTV (satellite) Tivo models have had dual-tuners for ages. Additionally in the Fall, Tivo should be starting to sell their Hi-Def dual-tuner CableCard model. This analog dual-tuner model seems more of a stop-gap product -- maybe even a customer sponsered test-run to work out the kinks in the system software. Also unfortunately, Tivo ended the lifetime subscription (no monthly charge) option which makes any new Tivo product much more expensive to keep on the pay-forever plan in the long run.


RE: Differences?
By abhaxus on 4/27/2006 1:35:19 AM , Rating: 2
eh... my cable box doesn't lose a "season pass" when i cancel one recording. nor does it crash. EVER. the cable company resets it a few times a week at 3:30am when they do something to the cable, but the box is otherwise stable. my dad's tivo on the other hand crashes at least once a day.

i definitely prefer the comcast program guide as well. as you scroll through the channels it is very easy to see how much longer each program will last. whereas in the tivo gui, on the left each channel's current program is listed, and on the right is a list of whats on for the next few hours... not as intuitive to find out if the thing currently on just started or is just ending.

i like tivo... and in fact plan on getting a series 3 tivo when they eventually release unless the price is ridiculous. they have some fantastic features (namely being able to convert the videos on your PC over your network and burn them to DVD). and of course a 250gb tivo will hold more than my 6412 or whatever it is.


RE: Differences?
By gmallen on 4/27/2006 1:43:21 PM , Rating: 2
Sorry about your Dad's TiVO. Mine never crashes (good ol' Linux) and is the two-tuner DirecTV model. About the GUI -- I don't understand your objection. It's easy to determine the program status -- just look at the time displayed in the upper right-hand corner to tell whether the program is ending or beginning. Perhaps you mean something I didn't get.


By segagenesis on 4/26/2006 2:05:21 PM , Rating: 2
The DVR I had 2 years ago from my cable company had dual tuners and worked for both analog and digital channels each. How is this ground breaking?




By kalaap on 4/26/2006 2:15:17 PM , Rating: 2
its groundbreaking for Tivo and Tivo owners. I'd personally wait for the cable-card version, before I get another Tivo.


DirecTV Tivo had dual tuners for long time
By hstewarth on 4/26/2006 3:13:25 PM , Rating: 1
I have 2 DirecTV TIVO's and love them. They have dual input ability for a long time with DirecTV ( even though I only use one of them )

One warning about Tivo's, I ended watching two much tv when I first got so - unless you planned to watch out, be selective about season passes.

The combination of DirecTV and Tivo is awesome. I can't imagine TV without it.

Of course this unit is probably only for Cable units - maybe cable TIVO's have been slow in development compare to directv




RE: DirecTV Tivo had dual tuners for long time
By jEnus on 4/26/2006 3:19:47 PM , Rating: 2
Enjoy your DirecTv Tivo Unit, as DirecTv and Tivo has parted ways. DirecTV now has their own DVR.


By hstewarth on 4/26/2006 4:00:26 PM , Rating: 1
Yep but they are still supporting TIVO units.. this actually worst news for Tivo then DirecTV. Majority of Tivo sales are because of DirecTV.


Dish Network
By kattanna on 4/27/2006 2:35:45 PM , Rating: 2
i have a dual tuner DVR when i moved to dish network last year and MAN oh MAN are dual tuners nice.

no longer is there contention as to what to watch. if there are 2 shows on we want to view we watch 1 and record the other.

we go through the schedule and find things we want to record and make sure they record on the second tuner, that way it doesnt interfere with what ever someone may want to watch. we always have things recorded now to watch..very cool.

actually between it and netflix we no longer get any movie channels, so it has reduced our TV/movie viewing bill so much that we are getting a 6 disk subscription to netflix for free with a few dollars left over for us to boot.

compared to what we were doing with cable







RE: Dish Network
By OrSin on 4/27/2006 4:21:56 PM , Rating: 2
I will only pby a Standlone unit like this when card companies actually support cable cards. Most compaies make you rent thier box and don't want to give up that revue stream. I have dish network and its dvr is as good as Tivo. It has dualt tuner for years. Tivo does have few more features but not enought for the hassel of getting it to work with cable or dish and for the fee.


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