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PVR: TiVo with rebate or "iBox"?

S

scibry

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 5, 2004
37
0
Who here enjoys their TiVo but sees a way for Apple to improve it? Anyone out there wondering whether Apple will release a TiVo/set-top device with its special touch?

I am in the market for a PVR and am curious if it's worth waiting more than a month to see if Apple is creating one, like the iBox rumors in Jan.

Right now, TiVo has a $50 rebate that will be good till Tuesday. I am sold on Apple's design and quality, and would love one of their products, but I'm keeping an open mind and not waiting forever. Advice is much appreciated.
 
I love my TiVo. Easy to use, connects to iPhoto and iTunes for viewing pictures and listening to music, etc.

The monthly fee is a little steep for what you get, I think ($12.95 for the guide features), but overall we use it all the time. Just being able to pause live TV (especially with young kids interupting, etc.) is fantastic.

I don't know anything about the iBox that's been rumored, but I can't imagine it would be that much easier.

There are alternatives that leverage your existing Mac investment - EyeTV - but I don't have any experience with those.
 
emw said:
I love my TiVo. Easy to use, connects to iPhoto and iTunes for viewing pictures and listening to music, etc.

The monthly fee is a little steep for what you get, I think ($12.95 for the guide features), but overall we use it all the time. Just being able to pause live TV (especially with young kids interupting, etc.) is fantastic.

I don't know anything about the iBox that's been rumored, but I can't imagine it would be that much easier.

There are alternatives that leverage your existing Mac investment - EyeTV - but I don't have any experience with those.
Click to expand...

Imagine, spotlight technology with tv :D
You could find a show by the words said in it, like in the script of the show or something ;)
 
If your window is just a month, then get the Tivo. I strongly doubt Apple is coming out with such a thing anytime soon--if ever. Even if they came out with something this week you know it won't compare in price to a Tivo with a rebate.

Tivo is great. You'll never regret buying it. Buy the lifetime subscription and then put the cost out of your mind. It is a bit expensive, but so are all good addictive things. I've got the Home Media option on mine so I can stream my music from iTunes (wirelessly) to the Tivo and control it from the Tivo remote. I don't even have a CD player in my living room anymore. Come to think about it, I don't have a normal CD player anywhere anymore--except in a box in the garage.
 
scibry said:
Who here enjoys their TiVo but sees a way for Apple to improve it? Anyone out there wondering whether Apple will release a TiVo/set-top device with its special touch?

I am in the market for a PVR and am curious if it's worth waiting more than a month to see if Apple is creating one, like the iBox rumors in Jan.

Right now, TiVo has a $50 rebate that will be good till Tuesday. I am sold on Apple's design and quality, and would love one of their products, but I'm keeping an open mind and not waiting forever. Advice is much appreciated.
Click to expand...

I have been a tivo modder/hacker for about 3 years, and i would have to say tivo design quality is pretty good. i am speaking from strictly hardware and software point off view, not to aesthetics. I will say there is a varitey of different tivo body design, and hardware for that matter. I think you will be happy with Tivo.
 
Koree said:
Imagine, spotlight technology with tv :D
You could find a show by the words said in it, like in the script of the show or something ;)
Click to expand...

That would be cool, but you'd need someone to load up the scripts. The monthly fee is high enough as it is. ;)

Oh, and speaking of TiVo, Circuit City is running an extra $50 rebate on top of TiVo's, so the box is only $100. Not bad.
 
Koree said:
Imagine, spotlight technology with tv :D
You could find a show by the words said in it, like in the script of the show or something ;)
Click to expand...
s...e...x! i love spotlight :p

iJon
 
Horrortaxi said:
Oh man! I don't want to tell you what I paid for mine.
Click to expand...

Ain't it the truth. Who else bought the Home Media Option a couple of months before they decided to make it a @!#@% free option?
 
emw said:
Ain't it the truth. Who else bought the Home Media Option a couple of months before they decided to make it a @!#@% free option?
Click to expand...

I almost did. I love my Tivo, but mine is like the only model w/out the 30 second commercial skip hack. Still, best thing I spent money on in years.
Also, I had Eye Tv USB. It was ok, but changing channels took forever. If you like burning DVDs of your shows, then it is cool, but other than that it is just a novelty I think.
The new Eye TV set-top box seems pretty nice. It's undoubtedly faster than the USB version for changing channels, syncs via Airport, can play iTunes, Photos, Movies, and even surf web pages on your tv, and it has a decent TV interface as opposed to the older models, that where literally just programs in OS X. When I hook up my 23" Cinema display, I want to lie on the couch and watch and use a tv, not a program I need to squint to change channels in. The new eyetv (i forget the model number) seems a good bet....

That is if it wasn't for the $500 price tag.

Come on El Gato, lower your prices, or deal with el perro.
 
Horrortaxi said:
IT'S FREE NOW? I think I'm angry.
Click to expand...

Yup: http://www.tivo.com/1.2.asp

It ticked me off since it was only a couple of months since I paid the $99 for it. I could've purchased a new system for that!

Of course, what I'd really like to see from TiVo is:

1) A means to view movies from my iMac - that is, like photos or music, share my digital movies onto my TV. Great new way to bore guests with home movies!

2) A way to pull content off of TiVo over the network onto my PowerBook. I'd like to be able to watch the shows while on the road, but don't have a DVD burner to attach to TiVo. Edit: Another thing I could've purchased with my $99 from the Home Media Option.
 
emw said:
I think it was about 2 months ago - sometime in June.
Click to expand...
At least I didn't do it right before. I bought Home Media in June 03.

I always thought that should have been free. At least they figured it out.
 
Check with your cable service first....

My cable service where I'm at actually offers a built-in TiVo in the cable box, which is working really great for me. I was considering getting a TiVo, but when I saw this, I couldn't pass up. It was one less gadget on top of my TV, since it was built into the cable box. It's like an extra $10 a month and does everything TiVo can. I really like it and it works pefectly! So...before going out and checking out TiVo or waiting on a rumored iBox....check with your cable provider, too, and see if they have that. I've appreciated it 100%!
 
emw said:
That would be cool, but you'd need someone to load up the scripts. The monthly fee is high enough as it is. ;)

Oh, and speaking of TiVo, Circuit City is running an extra $50 rebate on top of TiVo's, so the box is only $100. Not bad.
Click to expand...
Edit: woops, someone else was faster and even had the link.

Yeah, read something today about TIVO upping their rebate and marketing over the next year+ to more than double (they hope) their market share.

Those scripts are already in electronic form, just need a program that would receive them in electronic form and process them for Spotlight. Great idea. Direct TV has search not through the guide and it is slow and very innaccurate and only goes out up to three days. Love direct TV, hate that search function.
 
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