TiVo Series2 Digital Video Recorder (*TiVo Service Fee Not Included)
The TIVO Real Deal
Ok here are all the things that no one is going to tell you about TIVO.  Don't get me wrong, I love my TIVO but here are some things I had problems with when I bought it:<br />1) YOU NEED A PHONE LINE TO SET TIVO UP - Ok this one may not seem like a big deal, who doesn't have a phone line in their house right?  ME!!!  There is a segment of the population that don't have land lines and I'm one of them.  I have two cell phones & WIFI but no phone.  I had to take the TIVO over to a friends house to download all the updates just to use it for the first time.  Big pain in the neck.  Also after you download everything you can't unplug TIVO for 4 to 8 hours or you will have to go though the hour set up again.<br />2) Even though the box has a big sticker on it saying \\"Broadband Ready!!\\" it's not - All the documentation on-line says you need 4.0 or higher.  Well I had 4.0.1 shipped to me, but after an hour of trying to get the WIFI adapter to connect I called tech support and they told me my software needed an update before I could connect.  So having 4.0 or above does not guarantee network connectivity.<br />3) Connect to the TIVO downloads a couple of times after you first set up TIVO- Even though it seems that you have downloaded all the updates there still might be more for you to download.  It took three attempts for TIVO to get my channels correct for my cable service.  Nothing is more frustrating than realizing you have a hour of QVC and not the new Simpsons.<br />4) For wireless connection buy the Linksys WUSB11 [ASIN: B00005AW1H] When they say this is the recommended wireless adapter they mean it.  I tried two of my other adapters just to see if they would work and I got nada.  It's worth it and it works the first time (at least it did for me).<br />That's all I can think of right now.  The TIVO is great, better than I even could hope for but it's not a totally smooth ride...yet.