TiVo: An Introduction for the Few Who Dont Know Yet

TiVo will change your life... for the better. Plain and simple: record shows by telling TiVo to record them (not when, what channel, how long, etc.), record all new episodes of X, record all movies w/ so-and-so in them, etc.

High Points:

Most people know the basics of the concept. Here's the low-down on the things I'm asked most...

1. You can record one thing and watch something else already recorded.

2. You can get a dual tuner TiVo, but you'll need two SEPARATE feeds to the TiVo (i.e., two lines from your satellite dish). Then you can record 2 things at once or watch one/record another. These are more expensive, but you can get a DirecTiVo w/ dual tuner cheaper and then the monthly TiVo fee is about half normal.

3. Pause live TV - if you don't realize the value of this, I can't explain it. :)

TiVo has many different versions which all some slight variations. If you want to go beyond 'average guy' level, check out this forum.

Comparison to ReplayTV:

TiVo seems to have a better interface from what I've seen and what others have said. It's easier to use. However, ReplayTV is more easily hackable - you can access it from the web and the PC easier to convert/archive shows, etc. I have a DVD recorder for this which is another post for another time.

Both can be made to do mostly the same things, but you get the idea.

My Suggestion

I recommend the DirecTiVo Hughes HDVR2 (dual tuner) w/ the Triple LNB dish (this is the oval dish w/ 4 lines from it and it's HDTV ready). It's got the satellite converter box built in so it's only one box to deal w/, the TiVo monthly fee is less and it's dual tuner.

This model isn't as hackable as some TiVo's, but it can do some and if you want to go beyond the basics than you probably haven't read this far.

Sites:

http://www.dvrinfospot.com

http://www.TiVo.com

http://www.TiVoCommunity.com

http://www.WeaKnees.com

...and, of course, The Armchair Geek (see below).

Bear Cahill is a software engineer in the Dallas, TX area and runs a few websites: The Armchair Geek (thearmchairgeek.com), Webpage Hosting Info (webpagehostinginfo.com), Go To College Online (gotocollegeonline.com) and The Video Exchange Community (videoexchange.org)

Publish freely if this resource box is included and links maintained as links.

---

An Introduction to HD-DVD

High density digital versatile disc is a digital optical media... Read More

What is ESR Meter?

All capacitors have a certain amount of resistance to the... Read More

Cheap Ink Cartridge

A cheap ink cartridge is sometimes the only way that... Read More

Ergonomic Products 101

Human beings are scaling new heights day by day. Markets... Read More

Two Essential Accessories For Notebook Computers

A Good Notebook BagForget those that are bundled with your... Read More

Best DVDs for Your Personal DVD Player

When bought personal DVD player, the very next thing to... Read More

A Review of Refurbished Toshiba Laptops

Toshiba offers a few of their refurbished laptops in the... Read More

Printer Ink Cartridges - The History

You are working at your computer and trying to print... Read More

Power Protection in the Home Theater - Use of Surge Suppressors to Guard Expensive Electronic Gear

Surge Suppressors ? A First Line of DefenseAll home theater... Read More

A Review of Brother Laser Toners

Brother is right up there with HP and Samsung as... Read More

Selecting a Laptop

Small Can Be BeautifulWhen purchasing a new computer, you may... Read More

The Making of Energy Efficient Datacenters

The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron is a... Read More

Flash Memory Part 2: MMC and SD

MMC and SDFlash memory is available in so many formats... Read More

Portable MP3 Player Based Education

A revolution in learning technology has taken place. Actually, it... Read More

How To Backup Your Hard Drive

We all know that we should back up our system... Read More

Expansion Cards Part 2: AGP

Expansion Cards Part 2: AGPThe first in this series of... Read More

What Tablet PCs Can Do for You

Tablet PCs are great. If you are a mobile person,... Read More

Buying / Selecting Computer Components

This is the step takes the most time and consideration.... Read More

Blu-ray: A Primer

Blu-ray is an optical disc format which is set to... Read More

Inexpensive Radius Server Gives Wireless Networks The Security They Need

Many small businesses have considered connecting computers and other devices... Read More

What to Do Once You Are Infected with Spyware, Ad-ware or Viruses

What to do once your PC is infected with spyware,... Read More

How to Check Your IP

So you need to check your IP address, for whatever... Read More

How to Solve Multiple Paper Loading Problem in HP5L and HP6L Laser Printer

Have you ever encountered before the problem of having multiple... Read More

How To Buy The Perfect Student Laptop

If you are like most student's, money isn't exactly growing... Read More

Getting The Proper Laptop Screen Size

Are you sick of viewing everything on that small screen... Read More

What Can You Do With A Mac Mini?

If you have not seen the newest addition to the... Read More

Surge Protector: A Simple Mechanism Description

A surge protector [AKA surge suppressor] is an electrical plug-in... Read More

Printer Cartridges - Step Back in History

You are working and trying to print out important documents... Read More

Ten Ways (plus 1) to Save on Printer Ink and Toner Cartridges

Are you getting tired of the high cost of printing?... Read More

Adding Serial Ports to a Computer with Only USB Ports

So you bought a new computer but you don't have... Read More

Recordable DVD Formats Explained

Picking your way through the ton of information available on... Read More

How To Choose a Computer Mouse

Computer MiceEvery computer user can hopefully identify their mouse and... Read More

Power and Your PC

The power coming into a computer is the most critical... Read More