Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Product - Amazing Technology!
Review: I used to programmed my VCR to record my favorite shows automatically. It was okay until the network have a big events and push my favorite shows to another time. Instead of recording the shows that I want - my VCR record whatever shows or events on that time. With Tivo, you don't have to worry about the time. You just pick the shows/programes, and it will record it no matter where it played or when it played.I found Tivo is a very excellent Product. The fact that you can pause the shows and play it again is unbelievable. Anyway - I'm very satisfied with this product!
Rating: 
Summary: Tivo Customer NO-Service!
Review: Ditto on the review concerning the remote control. But I want to take it a step further. I called TIVO to get a replacement remote control and was put on hold for 30 minutes waiting for a human to answer, then they sent me to Philips (the company that markets TIVO.) Philips then sent me back to TIVO, saying they have nothing to do with TIVO. I called TIVO back, and waited 40 minutes this time for a human to answer and they said that while they could not help me, they would expedite my request to customer service who would call me back within 24 hours. Naturally, I did not hear from the customer no-service department, and my 500 dollar purchase is now useless. I sent them an e-mail telling them my concerns last week and again, no surprise here, no one bothered to respond! I am sending my TIVO back because the customer service is SOOOOO bad! Maybe I'm crazy, but I think the people who designed this incredibly advanced and smart machine would be smart enough to know that people will lose their remotes and that replacement remotes should be very EASY to get! I am sending my TIVO back because I haven't been able to use my TIVO or TV for a week.
Rating:
Summary: I need my TiVo
Review: I've had a TiVo for about six weeks now.I'm very pleasedwith the unit.It has only afew drawbacks and alot of big-time pluses! I never miss my favorite shows anymore.There are onlyfour shows I watch.The onlyshow I've had trouble record-ing is Sixty Minutes becauseTiVo doesn't know the preceding football gamesalways run over their allotedtime.So,I have to record thenext show too.This is the network's fault for such unrealistic scheduling!But Iwish TiVo had the logic torecognize shows,not just time-slots.Maybe they'll upgrade this capability? The automatic recording ofsuggested programs and the whole thumbs up,thumbs downthing is useless.However youcan turn this feature off!Youreffort would be better spentbrowsing through the list ofmovies you can record the comming week.The menus are easy to use,very well laid out. I have a small gripe aboutthe lowest recording guality,which is designated "basic",it's useless.It should nothave been included on the unit.Stevie Wonder wouldn'tlike the picture quality!Themiddle two speeds both lookgood.I believe the top video-quality is presently of littleuse.It's too good.None of usgets a signal worthy of it'semploy.Thus,it's not worth using for now,who knows a yearor two from now though? I like the remote except forthe useless thumbs up and downbuttons.It actually will control the volume of my Marantz preamp,so I actuallyuse it some.I programed theMarantz remote to run TiVo andhave to admit I use it more.But,the remote will run thevolume of most possible setups.The list of T.V.'s andsurroundsound units it willconrtol is impressive. Without question buy one ofthese contraptions!Be warned,though that the highest quotedrecording time is not useful.I have the small unit,the so-called 14 hour unit.It's really a 6 to 8 hour unit atthe useful speeds!If you wantto record alot of movies,lengthy movies,you should beconsidering the model 312.Itwould hold 5 to 8 movies at atime using the useful speeds.I wouldn't mind trading upmyself! I love this product despiteit's relatively-small short-commings.It's easy to use.Itblends with other equipment insystems very well.It comes with a bunch of cables.It'snot very likely you'll have torun to the store for a cable.If you want to watch T.V. onyour own terms and at your owntimes,then buy this product.
Rating: 
Summary: Tivo Personal TV
Review: Tivo's system is great, as all the other reviews have pointed out, but it has one major flaw. It is absolutely USELESS if you lose the remote control. A $500.00 toy should be able to work with or without a remote control. I use it in a combination with a DSS/Satellite receiver and pick up local channels from an antenna. If the TIVO changes the channel to watch a local station, my old satellite remote locks up and will not let me change any channels. Again, this is only a problem if one misplaces the TIVO remote. Just something to think abut before you buy this product.
Rating:
Summary: How did I ever live without this thing!
Review: Tivo is unbelievable! Being able to pause live TV has changed my life. No more missing half a show because the phone rings, or someone is at the door. The record quality(although I've only tried at best quality)is excellent, and you can't tell the difference from live TV or Tivo! The on screen guides making recording as simple as can be, and finding a show has never been easier than with the search feature. The automatic recording needs work(I watch Law and Order, so it thinks that I would like a 1927 Charlie Chaplin Movie) but with the automatic software upgrades I'm sure this will become more functional. This is really an amazing product, and I haven't turned my VCR on since I bought it.
Rating:
Summary: Revolutionary !
Review: Tivo is a TV watchers dream ! Even if you are a casual TV viewer Tivo is invaluale. It is a product you will always use. TV actually gets better because you realize TV still has some good tv shows on even though Homicide was canceled. I always have a hard time explaining Tivo to people but once they see it they are amazed. Tivo is like the wife or secretary you wished you had because it actually does work for you and doesn't talk back. It really changes the way you watch TV.Tivo or another form of Tivo such as a tivo built in to a tv will be commonplace in the near future because it is so great. I have tried Tivo's rival Replay TV and Tivo outshines it in most(not all) respects. The picture quality can be really superb most of the time. Having your shows archived by name and description without using a tape is a joy. Tivo records every thing I tell it to (like That 70's Show every week)and even tapes shows it will think I like, and 80% percent of the time she's(Tivo seems human so I named mine Lola) right. I must implore that you purchase the 30 hour version if you can afford it as opposed to the standard 14 hour unit because you will need it. You'll feel extra stupid only buying the 14 hour unit once these hard disk recorders have a several hundred hour capacity although that wont be in the immediate future. The unit does have some limitations and many bugs such as it's tendency to pixalize the picture especially ehen splashing water is on screen. But what is great about Tivo is any improvements and upgrades will be made via it's modem. This thing really has a brain. Even Howard Stern ( I work on his show) likes it !
Rating:
Summary: Potato City.
Review: My roommate bought this and now our living room has turned into potato city as everyday i come home from work there is plenty of good shows on that either we've recorded or Tivo thought we might like. It's more than a toy, it's a way of life. :)
Rating: 
Summary: A great device.
Review: I've had my TIVO for about 3 weeks, and I'm very glad I bought it. It took alot to convince my girlfriend that it was a smart purchase, but when she realized how easy it was to record her favorite shows, she agreed with me. No more fumbling for video tapes or botched VCR programming. I sort of wish it had more capacity. 14 hours means that things are deleted sometimes before we have a chance to watch them. Also, the video quality does get a little funky when you save everything in basic mode (max. compression), but it's certainly not unwatchable. (I know a 30 hour unit is available, but I couldn't justify spending the extra $400 for it. I hope Phillips offers some kind of upgrade path for the system!) By far, the coolest feature of the system is the auto mode, where Tivo learns what you like and don't like based on the programs you've chosen to record or given your approval on. It's always interesting to see what it comes up with. I have a few minor complaints, mostly simple design flaws. While the idea is cool that you can get a "season pass" which means that Tivo will record every episode of a particular program, regardless of which channel it's on, it would be good if you had the opportunity to limit the scope of the season pass. Say, for example, you want to get a season pass to THE SIMPSONS, but you are more interested in the newer episodes on Fox on Sunday night, and not the older ones in syndication. The way the device works now, a season pass gets you all of them... within a few days, your Tivo will be full of all of the episodes you can stomach, leaving no room for other programs. On the other hand, if you choose a season pass to ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, you'll get the PBS and the BBC versions, so there is definitely a benefit to having it work the way it does. To the designer's credit, Tivo won't save the same episode of a tv program twice at any given time, however, this only works based on the tv guide descriptions -- if a program is entered with "No description available," Tivo will tape duplicate episodes over and over again. Another minor complaint is that trying to switch channels through the Tivo in "Watch Live TV" mode is a little clumsy. There's a noticable lag while the Tivo tells the DirectTV box to switch the channel. I also prefer DirectTV's program guide to the Tivo's. These complaints aside, I am very happy with the machine, and I'm very glad I bought it. Now, I never channel surf -- there's always something good to watch... something I want to watch. I don't know how I got along without it.
Rating:
Summary: YOU control your tv viewing schedule.
Review: I bought TIVO after seeing the infomercial on DirecTV. I had the satellite and cable subscriptions and was somewhat upset because I was always doing something when a program came on at its scheduled time. Now TIVO grabs the shows for me and I watch when it is convenient for me. This is a simple to use product. Perfect for someone who likes the VCR but hates buying and storing all those tapes. The user interface is easy to grasp. It is a little on the expensive side -- but my free time is valuable too - and this product gives me so much time back. You won't be unhappy that you bought this. Wayne Schulz
Rating:
Summary: 3rd Time's a Charm!
Review: the 1st two units I got had their problems, but the Support from Tivo / Philips was soooo great, I tried a 3rd unit. It's Awesome! I never watch Live TV, and Never go searching for something I like. Tivo knows what to record for me to view later! Keep up the Great work TIVO!
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