TiVo vs Comcast DVR
I recently got a new TV, and finally entered the HD world.
Problem is, my trusty old series two TiVo can only do standard definition.
Comcast charges $10/month for an HD cable box, and only $5/month more for their HD DVR. So my options were to throw down $300+ to get an HD TiVo, and pay $13/month for TiVo service, or pay $5/month for Comcast’s Motorola DVR.
Because of the enormous difference in cost, I elected to go with Comcast’s offering, as it would actually save me $8/month, and have no upfront cost.
I’ve been using it for about a month now. While I appreciate the technological edge it has on my ancient TiVo (besides being able to record in HD, being dual tuner is nice), there are plenty of things I miss about my trusty TiVo.
I think the menu system (which has largely been borrowed by competing DVR manufacturers) on the TiVo is much more intuitively laid out and easier to use. I like that I can go online and schedule DVR recordings, and trust that the TiVo is going to sync up relatively quickly and get my recordings. I also like that I can install TiVo desktop and grab recordings off my DVR to store on my personal computer. To my knowledge, I haven’t found a way to do either either with the Motorola.
For the time being, I’m going to continue to primarily use the Motorola because of its capability of recording in HD and the fact that it’s dual tuner. That being said, I find the TiVo much easier and more intuitive to use, and find that I’m missing many options I had come to expect from the TiVo. From a usability standpoint, the two just don’t compare. Some day, I’d like to replace this DVR with a Dual Tuner HD TiVo.
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It’s almost as if the programmers who wrote and designed the interface on the Comcast have never once used the system. There was a software update a few months ago that slightly improved things, but overall it’s one of the worst designed UIs I’ve ever experienced.
But, as you said, the Motorola hardware is far superior. I made the same switch (from the standard-def TiVo to Comcast) a few years ago. Desperately hoping for Comcast to finally unveil the Tivo interface in the Philly area.
I had just switched from the Comcast DVR to a TiVo HD DVR and will NEVER go back to using a Comcast DVR. It’s much more easier to use. Comcast in my area were charging me $15 to rent the DVR box from them, and $15 for their DVR service. I went with TiVo mainly because I heard it was much easier on my pockets. I paid the $400 lifetime membership and now am only paying Comcast $2 a month for the CableCard rental.
A BIG FU to Comcast for trying to overcharge me for their crappy service!!