Who makes the best HD DVR?
- Thread starter jerryez
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Voted, but these are silly polls, since how am I to know if Dish's DVR is better than Direc's, without having both. 
And even though I voted for Dish, I am dealing with a dead HDMI port right now.
And even though I voted for Dish, I am dealing with a dead HDMI port right now.
Voted, but these are silly polls, since how am I to know if Dish's DVR is better than Direc's, without having both.
And even though I voted for Dish, I am dealing with a dead HDMI port right now.
The fact that Motorola has votes only proves your point even more.
173 views and only about 10 people voted. Come on, lets not let TiVo beat us out. Please go vote.
I voted...but for Tivo.
I love my VIP722 with Dish HD, but I still think Tivo is a "better" DVR.
But I also think OS X is a "better" operating system than XP.
I love my VIP722 with Dish HD, but I still think Tivo is a "better" DVR.
But I also think OS X is a "better" operating system than XP.
"best" is so subjective...and we all know how rabid TVIO users are...and for good reason...TIVO invented the DVR after all. 
I have had all three including 8 years with TiVo. The HR20/21 is crap. Cnet asked 315 end users what they thought and it rec'd 4.4 out of 10. TiVo and 722 are both great machines. TiVo has a better GUI that displays more information and is easier to navigate. TiVo does not do Satellite HD anymore. The 722 is HD and fairly easy to navigate. Its Auto record function has the ability to record All Programs so you can Auto record every episode from the middle of a season. It has great conflict resolution that records future showings of conflicting programs automatically.
The 722 is the best DVR.
The 722 is the best DVR.
Having used SageTV on my HTPC, there's really nothing better. The options I have with it are just too nice to not give it a best vote. I like the Dish DVR 622, but there are some gaping holes in it that I just cannot forgive. The biggest of these is its inability to handle when a program ends at something other than a fixed hour or half-hour.
For example, right now, on Wednesdays on Fox, The Moment of Truth runs from 7pm to 7:58pm and American Idol runs their results show from 7:58pm to 9pm. The Dish DVR records TMOT from 7pm to 8pm and AI from 8pm to 9pm. This means that I have to fast forward through TMOT (possibly spoiling something from the show as it whizzes by) to catch the start of AI, then switch over to the other recording (missing several seconds of video) when it ends.
Sage would handle this just fine, stopping the recording of TMOT at 7:58pm and starting AI on time.
And it's not a problem with guide data. Tribune Media Services, which is what Dish uses, shows AI starting at 7:58pm. Dish chooses to ignore this.
Until Dish fixes this issue (and the couple of other ones I have), I'll never consider them the best. Especially when other DVR solutions handle the issue just fine.
For example, right now, on Wednesdays on Fox, The Moment of Truth runs from 7pm to 7:58pm and American Idol runs their results show from 7:58pm to 9pm. The Dish DVR records TMOT from 7pm to 8pm and AI from 8pm to 9pm. This means that I have to fast forward through TMOT (possibly spoiling something from the show as it whizzes by) to catch the start of AI, then switch over to the other recording (missing several seconds of video) when it ends.
Sage would handle this just fine, stopping the recording of TMOT at 7:58pm and starting AI on time.
And it's not a problem with guide data. Tribune Media Services, which is what Dish uses, shows AI starting at 7:58pm. Dish chooses to ignore this.
Until Dish fixes this issue (and the couple of other ones I have), I'll never consider them the best. Especially when other DVR solutions handle the issue just fine.
Tivo sucks ass. It's slow, clunky, and has an illogically laid out interface. I had one, used it for about 2 weeks, then shut it off and went back to my ReplayTV. Too bad Dish doesn't have ReplayTV software on their DVRs, that would make them unstoppable. Too bad that's not going to happen now that Replay has been bought by DirecTV. But we might see Replay-enabled DirecTV DVRs at some point.
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"best" is so subjective...and we all know how rabid TVIO users are...and for good reason...TIVO invented the DVR after all.
Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but Replay invented the DVR.
I was curious about this and this is what I found:
So, it would seem that all of them started at roughly the same time. And it would appear that TiVo was the first to ship out units. Is that not right?
"Best" is indeed subjective. I owned a Tivo HD DVR when I was with D*, and now have the 622 with E*. I have also had some experience playing around with my friends' new D* HD DVR as well as the one used by TWC. I know nothing about the rest. My unofficial opinion is:
Tivo - Pros - has the best graphics, most intuitive interface, and some of the best features (like "wish lists" and "season pass" capability). Their remote is also well designed. Cons - no TV2 output, extremely slow to change channels or page up and down (I heard this was a D* software limitation, not Tivo), and expensive if you have to pay an extra monthly fee for having a guide (which is crazy!)
622 - Pros - love the TV2 output with complete DVR functionality and the remote is very ergonomic (I prefer it to my Harmony which I paid $200 for). Cons - lacks some of the cool features on the Tivo, and the graphics are very elementary (compared to Tivo's, its like the difference between looking at 1970s PacMan vs today's Call of Duty). I would think this is purely software, and could be fixed easily if E* made it a priority. It's obviously not.
I know far less about the new D* HD DVR. It has better graphics that 622, but not as good as Tivo. I wasn't impressed with the remote...seemed cheap. Also, at the time I tried it out, it lacked many of the basic features we have even on a 622...but I have read that many of these have been added in recent software updates.
The TWC box - just a piece of crap. Horrible interface, clumsy design, just awful...I threw the remote at my brother-in-law and said "If I had TWC, I would have them out here today, ripping this piece of crap out of here!".
Tivo - Pros - has the best graphics, most intuitive interface, and some of the best features (like "wish lists" and "season pass" capability). Their remote is also well designed. Cons - no TV2 output, extremely slow to change channels or page up and down (I heard this was a D* software limitation, not Tivo), and expensive if you have to pay an extra monthly fee for having a guide (which is crazy!)
622 - Pros - love the TV2 output with complete DVR functionality and the remote is very ergonomic (I prefer it to my Harmony which I paid $200 for). Cons - lacks some of the cool features on the Tivo, and the graphics are very elementary (compared to Tivo's, its like the difference between looking at 1970s PacMan vs today's Call of Duty). I would think this is purely software, and could be fixed easily if E* made it a priority. It's obviously not.
I know far less about the new D* HD DVR. It has better graphics that 622, but not as good as Tivo. I wasn't impressed with the remote...seemed cheap. Also, at the time I tried it out, it lacked many of the basic features we have even on a 622...but I have read that many of these have been added in recent software updates.
The TWC box - just a piece of crap. Horrible interface, clumsy design, just awful...I threw the remote at my brother-in-law and said "If I had TWC, I would have them out here today, ripping this piece of crap out of here!".
I hear you. I have sent a suggestion in to dish to fix this problem and have not heard back from them
I have had experience with VIP722, cable company Motorola DVRs (several models), MOXI, and very little experience with Direct TV TIVO and HR20. To me, the best reliable DVR is the 722. The best graphics and user friendly menu is the MOXI.
