Philips HDR312 TiVo 30-Hour Digital Video Recorder
Can't go back to regular TV after you have enjoyed it!
I knew from the moment I heard of the concept of Tivo and Replay, I wanted one..but I had to wait until the price came down and the recording space went up. I bought a 30 hour Phillips Tivo last August and I absolutely love it. The subscription was a concern to me but if you buy the lifetime subscription, it costs no more than a Replay which has the subscription fee built in the selling price and if you decide to sell your Tivo with a lifetime subscription, you would most likely recoup a most of that subscription fee. Yes, setup takes some time but not your time. After a few minutes of making your choices during the setup, it takes awhile to download your programming and get it setup but you can go to dinner or sleep while that happens. The modem is a weak point which can be solved by unplugging the phone line during violent storms and using a phone line surge protector. The 1.3 version software was a little slow compared to the 2.01 I have now. The 2.01 version has made the unit more more responsive. It is absolutely wonderful to watch shows at your own convenience. Tivo finds shows I have enjoyed which I never would have found on my own. I love seeing what Tivo has figured out I would like to watch.I have my Tivo programmed to go through the VCR so if I do want to watch something other than what I am recording, all I have to do is turn the VCR off and watch TV regularly. (Even though it is hard to do without the ability to pause or speed through commercials).I love pausing. I love recording something while watching something else I have already recorded. I love whizzing through commercials. I love backing up Tivo to hear what someone on TV said that I didn't quite catch. I love the hard drive recording and menus ..no comparison to a VCR. I love setting up season passes with priorities set and having the TV change channels all by itself for the week. Really could make one into a real couch potato. Finally I love my Phillips remote. It is the most intuitive ergonomic remote control I have ever known. I figured out what buttons to push in the dark the first night. Just feels good in the hand. I have to have a stand alone model for I have to watch OTA channels since network channels are not available on my DirecTV receiver in southern Missouri. I am sure I will get a 60 hour SA model when the price drops some more so I can Tivo two channels at the same time. I definitely am a member of Tivolution.