My wishlist

C

CDGhunter

Guest
Hi All,
I'm new to all this PVR stuff, I've been reading lots of reviews and searching for my ideal PVR - could someone have a look through my "wish list" and suggest a suitable PVR / whatever device would best fit the job ?

Thanks ;)


Record to HDD (160 GB or bigger)

Record in DVD (disc) format and DivX and / or Xvid

Should have ethernet cable for networking (CAT5)

Should be able to stream to and from the PC

also allow streaming to / from XBMC (Xbox Media Center)

Should allow filesharing (web/ftp?) so that you can transfer a recorded show directly to the PC

hopefully stream other recordings to a PC whilst recording another program

Should be able to record "Sky TV" (UK) - any Macrovision problems ?

playing mp3's would be a bonus (standard on most DVD players these days)

stream mp3's from a PC / xbox with XBMC

On screen program guide to allow programming of recordings etc

Freeview tuner ?

allow you to edit the recording to chop off adverts etc

SCART cables or compatible with UK equipment

Also, I have an xbox with XBMC on it and I'm getting an Xbox360, so it would be nice if my PVR could be used with these too :smashin:

Edit: Forgot to mention I'm also looking for a surround sound system so it would be good if this device had a digital audio output - I guess ? :cool:
 
I think 'proper' PVR features are first priority

1) Reliability - I don't care if it has a zillion features that don't work properly or keep crashing
2) metadata that allows simple season pass/wishlist functionality and almost zero maintainence so that it records exactly what YOU want, when you want and with zero or close to zero intervention, i.e if I want it to record every show with Uma Thurman in it will do so for the next 20 years until I tell it otherwise.

3) Open source code, full networking (not just USB transfer) and very easy to add-on new functionality

Other features are nice to have:

Hi-Def recording , HDMI, ten tuners, upgradeable to 20 TB.
 
Cyril said:
I think 'proper' PVR features are first priority

if I want it to record every show with Uma Thurman in it will do so for the next 20 years until I tell it otherwise.



You'll need a big hard drive for that!
 
CDGhunter said:
errm, could someone suggest something ?
I'm starting to think that I might have to go down the PC route and use media portal ?

Or maybe one of these when they are released ?
http://www.reelbox.co.uk/

At the moment only a HTPC like a reelbox or Windows MCE comes close to what you want in a one-box solution.

I am sticking with TiVo and a normal cheapish PC (for Divx,mp3, video streaming etc..) until something better/cost-effective comes along.

HTPCs , reelbox and Windows MCE are getting close to TiVo now, so once the price drops by 50% I will retire two of my TiVos, keeping a few for backup and recording radio.
 
Is there anything that will do just the first two items ?

Record to HDD (160 GB or bigger)
Should have ethernet cable for networking (CAT5)

including:
Should be able to record "Sky TV" (UK) - any Macrovision problems ?
 
Looks interesting but only has SCART outputs and wouldn't (I don't think) decode SKY TV - even with my subscription card...

EDIT:I take it all back, in that forum they mention that it does work with SKY TV and a valid card - will look into it - cheers :D
 
Cyril -

Wheres the best place to pick up a Tivo these days?
I'm worried that if i get one from fleabay with a lifetime contract (which is what i'd want to have) then if it packs up after a couple of months i'll be stuck with a dead box and no more subscription.
 
TiVoland.com is the only non-Ebay place I know to get a UK TiVo.

There are a gazillion places to buy a USA or Japanese one, but they are not much use over here in comparison to a UK one.

Sadly (for you) prices on Ebay have actually been rising - I think a lifetime 40GB goes for £350 now, when they were going for £280 a while back.

Luckily they are very easy to fix unless you have a motherboard problem, as you can buy new, or as new parts for everything except the UK motherboard.

The lifetime sub will be able to be transferred once from a dead motherboard if you find someone at TiVo UK customer services nice enough (they are run by members of the Sky support team who are TiVo fans).

The PSU is a fiver, remote control is a fiver to tenner, the hard drives are dirt cheap nowadays -800GB is possible, maybe 1000GB when the 500GB drives come out, network cards vary from 25 to 90 quid, lids and panels £20, brackets a fiver , IR control leads a fiver etc...


Be aware that TiVo has lots of flaws -

a)Takes up a lot of space
b) Doesn't record digital subtitles very well as if you record them you can't turn them off on playback
c) Due to a flaw in some manufacturers (e.g. Sony, toshiba) implementation of Teletext you may have to make sure you have version 2.5.5a of the software as TiVo with version 2.5.5 will send teletext information faster than the TV or Plasma can handle -in worst cases this destroys the TV! But it is really a fault of the TV manufacturer IMHO
d) Only has one tuner per box, and the integrated tuner is only analogue
e) The UI is not open source so is difficult to hack
f) Makes you frustrated at how bad other so-called PVRs are in comparison
g) You can waste vasts amount of time hacking it (it is Linux) to add functionality
h) Makes you unpopular when you tell everyone how great TiVo was/is
 
Thanks for your reply
Cyril said:
Sadly (for you) prices on Ebay have actually been rising - I think a lifetime 40GB goes for £350 now, when they were going for £280 a while back.
I noticed that. Well I guess I can wait until after Christmas when all those with a shiny new PVR might be looking for a good home for their TIVO's!

Be aware that TiVo has lots of flaws -

f) Makes you frustrated at how bad other so-called PVRs are in comparison
lol!, and I guess since this is a wishlist thread then mine would be a twin freeview tuner TIVO still with the ability to record from an external source.
 
I think the price of TiVos has been rising due to the number of people who have bought other so-called PVRs, returned them , and decided to re-buy TiVo.

After more than 5 years, a number of the original machines' motherboards may have been zapped, various UK TiVos may have been destroyed by floods, house moves, fires etc...

So as the supply of about 40,000 is going down and the number of people demanding one increases, the price increases.

I am guessing prices will rise until Sky HiDef arrives as that is when a number of TiVo users will defect.

Prices will also drop when a Windows MCE or HTPC fully configured drops below £300.
 

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