[DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

[DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?
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cyrus360 @ 26th Oct 12:29AM:
[DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

The $16 a month seems a bit steep for a shitty DVR that is constantly not recording what it should or recording everything it shouldn't.

Comcast cannot seem to fix the issue. So I am thinking it might be cheaper in the long run to just get a TIVO or something.

Anyone have any suggestions for such a product that plays well with Comcast's system? Thanks!
--
»www.freakynorm.com
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rv65 @ 26th Oct 12:51AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Or you could build a Windows 7 machine. They now made it so that you can build your own cablecard PC. However only the ATI tuner is available but other tuners will be available for it. You can have as much HDD space with W7MC and you get multi media capabilities. You can still get some VOD with TV anywhere.
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BlakePaulson @ 26th Oct 02:29AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Well any other box than a comcast box isn't going to get you VOD...

TiVo is expensive when you have to buy out the box outright and spend $399 on lifetime or $12.95 a month for DVR fees.

I'm guessing you don't want to go to a DirecTV or dish setup but with DirecTV you get a HD DVR that's got a 500GB hard drive and has integrated VOD (granted it goes over the internet but you've got comcast internet... I'm sure it'd be speedy enough)... it's a much better DVR than the SA or Moto DVR's (trust me... I know.)
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AquaSport @ 26th Oct 04:29AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Tivo, Moxi (interface is SWEET - moxi.com - $20/month until it's paid off - no interest), boxxee (I think that's what it's called)... build your own (with windows media center?).... yep.

btw, I've done research on Moxi, i'm not lobbying for it, just saying waht i've discovered about it.

NOTE: NO ON DEMAND with any box other than comcast's equipment. - until Tru2Way gets going... it'll be awhile before that's rolling down the hill.
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Joe12345678 @ 26th Oct 08:49AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by AquaSport :

Tivo, Moxi (interface is SWEET - moxi.com - $20/month until it's paid off - no interest), boxxee (I think that's what it's called)... build your own (with windows media center?).... yep.

still need to rent the cable card + maybe pay a outlet fee and some systems also hit you with a HD cable card fee as well.
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Daemon @ 27th Oct 01:51AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by BlakePaulson :

TiVo is expensive when you have to buy out the box outright and spend $399 on lifetime or $12.95 a month for DVR fees.

It's expensive up front - I paid $199 for my Tivo HD. But, I pay only $2 for the cable card, and pay $10.75 a month for service ($129 yearly), so it's only $12.75 a month instead of $16. But, like I said, I had to pay $199 upfront.
--
-Ryan
sig for sale! Only one previous owner, lovingly cared for
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darcilicious @ 27th Oct 02:27PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by AquaSport :

boxxee (I think that's what it's called)

If you're talking about Boxee (»www.boxee.tv), it's not a DVR / TV tuner, just a (very nice, sociable) interface to online content and media files on your PC.
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real_goose @ 27th Oct 05:55PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

I am considering a Tivo because it can integrate cable TV and antenna signals. (Comcast only carries 1 Canadian station in Detroit and we like several they do not carry.) And when we rent in Florida for the winter I can take the Tivo. It was really frustrating to be away from our DVR and not able to time shift.

I called this morning and was told a cable card for my Tivo would be $6.95. If it really is $6.95, I will pass on the cable card and stick to limited basic.
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anon @ 27th Oct 06:28PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

If you live in SA area I don't recommend the SA DVR. The guide with it Sucks!!! and playback is choppy.
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AquaSport @ 28th Oct 05:17AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Yep, that was it. Whoops! - I heard from my friend that he got TV shows on it or something... yeah. Ah well.
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darcilicious @ 28th Oct 11:42AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by AquaSport :

Yep, that was it. Whoops! - I heard from my friend that he got TV shows on it or something... yeah. Ah well.

Yeah it does try to snarf up and display Hulu content and the like but no DVR/tuning functionality and I doubt they will ever go that direction with it.
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spocko @ 28th Oct 04:33PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by Joe12345678 :

still need to rent the cable card + maybe pay a outlet fee and some systems also hit you with a HD cable card fee as well.

Incorrect. Additional outlet fee applies to any digital cable box beyond the first, doesn't matter if it's a Tivo or a Comcast box. Comcast usually provides one cablecard per outlet at no additional charge. There is no such thing as a "HD cable card fee".

Comcast typically charges about $17/month for rental of a HD DVR. With Tivo, you do have to pay money up front to buy the box, but the recurring fees are lower. Over the long term, most people can save money by using a Tivo instead of renting a HD DVR from Comcast. Here's a summary of the tradeoffs.

The downsides to Tivo:
- You can't use VOD or PPV from the cable company
- You have to pay money up front to buy the box
- You assume some risk, since if the box dies after warranty, then you are responsible for repair/replacement.
- Cablecard installation is sometimes a hassle, since many techs are not trained well.

The upsides to Tivo:
- Save money long term (assuming box doesn't die)
- Basic DVR functions are better and more reliable
- Features like Wishlists and Suggestions to help you find programming
- Photo and music playback
- Youtube
- Netflix streaming
- PPV video rentals from Amazon, Blockbuster, etc.
- Upgradable storage capacity
- Ability to xfer videos between Tivo and PC. For example, you can xfer Tivo recordings to a laptop to watch when you are away from home. Or you can xfer home videos to the Tivo for playback to your TV.
- Tivo give you choices about how you pay. If you don't want recurring fees, you can by "lifetime" service for your box so everything is paid up front.

If you want a DVR to record encrypted cable programming, there is no inexpensive solution. For me, the added features and the long term cost savings of Tivo swung me in that direction.
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Daemon @ 28th Oct 09:47PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

You are right in that you don't have to pay the additional outlet fee, but comcast will hit you with a $7 fee for HD access. Though, they hit you with that whether or not you use their cable boxes, so it's a wash in the TCO calculation.

Edit: installation via tech is a b***h if they have to roll one out. In my area, you can pick up cable cards at the local comcast store, which makes it a heck of a lot easier.

--
-Ryan
sig for sale! Only one previous owner, lovingly cared for
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KenAF @ 29th Oct 01:29AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

For those interested, Best Buy now has the TivoHD for $239.99 and the TivoHD XL for $479.99.

For FAQs, including screenshots, video demos, and drive upgrade / expansion instructions, see the AVS TivoHD FAQ.
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spocko @ 29th Oct 01:56PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by Daemon :

comcast will hit you with a $7 fee for HD access.

This may vary by region, but it's not true in my area. In my area, there is a $8/mo "HDTV" fee that you have to pay if you want an HD-capable STB or DVR from Comcast. It accounts for the fact that the HD boxes are more expensive than the SD boxes. If you don't have a box from Comcast, then you don't pay this fee. I do not pay this fee for my Tivo, and didn't pay it when I was using a cablecard installed directly in my TV.

Some areas allow you to self-install cablecards, others areas require a technician visit. There is a one-time fee for the tech visit, usually in the $15-$35 range, and it varies by region.

To illustrate my point about the basic DVR functions being superior in Tivo, I saw the following quote in another forum today. You'll never see this sort of complaint about Tivo:

quote:
"My current Comcast DVR can't even tell the difference between a new show, and a repeater, and just records everything. Forget the fact that it is capable of MOCA. All it does is record everything I dont wan't it to."

GTFan @ 30th Oct 07:02AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

spocko, does the $8/mo. HDTV fee apply per-box or is it a single fee for however many HD STBs you get?
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Joe12345678 @ 30th Oct 08:57AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by GTFan :

spocko, does the $8/mo. HDTV fee apply per-box or is it a single fee for however many HD STBs you get?

I think it is build in to the box rent. But in some systems it shows up per cable card.
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spocko @ 30th Oct 11:58AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

I suppose this could vary by region, but in my area the HDTV fee is per box for boxes that support HD. It's reflects the difference in cost between a SD box and a HD box. So it is a box fee, not a service fee. I don't think you should be charged that fee if you are using cablecard, since you are supplying your own alternative to the Comcast box.
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KenAF @ 30th Oct 12:07PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

The fee for HD access is not supposed to vary by region. Per Comcast corporate, that's supposed to be a HD STB fee.

There are reported instances of Comcast not removing that fee upon return of the Comcast DVR until such is requested by the customer. In some cases, reps may be misinformed and claim that you need it to receive HD channels. If they do that, ask them to remove it anyway; it won't make a difference to a CableCard DVR.
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GTFan @ 31st Oct 10:44AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Wow, so what you're saying is that if I have 4 HDTV's, I have to pay 4 x $8 (HD STBs) plus 3 x $6 (addt'l outlets) = $50 a month just in box fees???

That's fracking ridiculous.
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bicker @ 31st Oct 10:50AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Indeed: The more value you demand from your service providers, the more you pay.

The key to getting the best value proposition, as with anything, is to purchase the smallest amount of service that serves your needs -- do not add any services that you won't derive full value from. So for example, don't add televisions that you really don't watch very much... but if you watch an additional television quite a lot, then you're essentially getting a lot of extra value from being able to receive services on that television, and the added fees are indeed worth it.
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GTFan @ 1st Nov 11:05AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Your opinion. I'm just wanting to watch the channels that I pay for on the sets in my house. I don't have a big problem with the addt'l outlet fee, but the HD charge per box (if true) is way out of line compared to the competition.
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KenAF @ 1st Nov 11:12AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

quote:
Your opinion. I'm just wanting to watch the channels that I pay for on the sets in my house. I don't have a big problem with the addt'l outlet fee, but the HD charge per box (if true) is way out of line compared to the competition.

You expect Comcast to simply give you a $200 HD STB for every outlet? Or you expect the outlet fee to cover that?
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Joe12345678 @ 1st Nov 01:20PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by GTFan :

Wow, so what you're saying is that if I have 4 HDTV's, I have to pay 4 x $8 (HD STBs) plus 3 x $6 (addt'l outlets) = $50 a month just in box fees???

That's fracking ridiculous.

direct tv will let have 4 HD DVR and you only pay $15/m on top of your base rate for all of them.
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bicker @ 2nd Nov 04:55AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

If what you're saying was true, it would work itself out in short order as folks dump Comcast because they feel its pricing is "out of line".
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mscottc @ 2nd Nov 06:45AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Here in Jersey City, and I'm sure in other areas of the country, Comcast gives a credit to your initial service if you use a TiVo INSTEAD of their Set Top Box or DVR. I pay a package price for one outlet, but then I get a $3.65/month "Cablecard Credit" (broken down as $3.40 for the digital converter and $.25 for the remote). I'm sure if you wanted to ADD the TiVo to your existing Comcast provided STB/DVR, they are talking about an additional outlet. I would press them on letting you know what the charges would be using the TIVO instead of their boxes, insisting you won't have their gear at all.
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spocko @ 2nd Nov 12:55PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by mscottc :

... insisting you won't have their gear at all.

If you are using a Tivo HD with digital cable, then you are still using a cablecard that belongs to Comcast.

That is pretty generous of them to give you a credit in lieu of an STB. In my area (Arizona) they include either one SD STB or one cablecard with each digital outlet, and there is no "credit" if I opt for the cablecard instead of the box.
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mscottc @ 2nd Nov 06:01PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by spocko :

said by mscottc :

... insisting you won't have their gear at all.

mscottc @ 2nd Nov 06:05PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

said by spocko :

said by mscottc :

... insisting you won't have their gear at all.

I don't believe it's generous of them at all... They got into the game of "renting" their customers the gear needed to view their digital signals, which I personally don't object to. I'm not renting that gear from them, but that gear rental is advertised as being included in the package deal they are putting out there. In effect, I'm also saving them the cost of buying and maintaining a box that is a lot more expensive than just a cablecard or two. I believe I'm being the one who's being generous by saving them hardware purchase and maintenance costs. In many ways its a win win situation.
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spocko @ 2nd Nov 08:52PM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Generous is a relative term in this context. I only meant that it seems generous for Comcast. :) This is the first time I've heard of them giving a discount for not using their equipment. I wish they'd do that in more areas. I'm sure Tivo really wishes that too, since I think more people would choose Tivo if they could get such a discount from their cable provider.
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mscottc @ 3rd Nov 06:36AM:
Re: [DVR] Suggestions for a HD DVR instead of a Comcast box?

Again, I don't think of it as a discount, but a CREDIT for equipment that I'm not using. I'm not getting a special price for their programming, I'm just being credited for a box I'm not renting from them.
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