If so Why do people pay an additional fee for Tivo????????? Just to say they have it? or does it do more than i understand?
Well... though I can't speak for all TiVo owners, I bought a TiVo because there was no other DVR available for Voom (ReplayTV was a big headache to try to set up). My local cable provider (Charter) didn't provide a DVR in my area either. The box was only $99 after rebate.
IMO it is worth paying money for a device that is so easy to use, and beats the heck out of dealing with video-cassettes. I tried that with Voom for a few weeks and it was a disaster. The Voom Program guide failed to fire several times, not to mention all the typical reasons people get a DVR (integrating a program-guide with recording, watching/recording at the same time, time-shifting, season-pass recording, skipping commercials, etc.).
TiVo does other neat things too, acting as a connection between my computer (not in the same room as the TV) and my audio/video system for streaming mp3s. In the future they apparently intend to provide programming streamed over the Internet.
However... aside from the existing and future features I mentioned in my post above (the ability to upload TiVo-recorded programs to a notebook computer will be great! - can ComCast do that?), the best thing on TiVo right now in my opinion is the "wish list" function. (See below)
A lot of people says TIVO picks shows that it thinks you might like based on your recording history, network stuff , other things I care nothing about, if there is a show coming up I know I want to watch I'll set the da*n thing to record, easy.
The large number of channels coming through Voom and local TV x 24/7 means a vast amount of programming that I can't possibly keep track of. But when I sit down at the TV I want to have something to watch, and I want it to start when I want it to start.
TiVo's wish list feature allows TiVo to automatically search all the listings in the 10-day+ program guide for any actor, director, title, or keyword. This means for example, if I want to find movies with Kevin Spacey (or Audrey Tautou, or anyone else...) I can have TiVo record it automatically. Or, one can do what I do: set up a bunch of "wish list" names and have TiVo itemize the upcoming programs. I can then go through them once a week and select which ones I want to record.
Even the Comcast HD-DVR ( which I will have next Wednesday-Woo Hoo) only charges the STB rental fee.
I don't like the monthly price either, but it saves the hassle of dealing with a VCR and Voom's flakey program-planner. I wouldn't be surprised to see the price drop. It is hard to imagine $13/month staying around in the face of the lower costs of Cable STBs, but in my opinion TiVo provides significant added value in a bug-free package.
What I see a lot of on this board (and others) is people comparing one company's *current* existing product with some other company's vapor-ware product and then declaring the existing product doesn't measure up. TiVo works well now and is developing products for the future.
Important note: obviously, Tivo is still SD for me, but that is better than no DVR.
CDH.