Rating: 
Summary: Philips is garbage!
Review: After about 5 months of use this unit failed to restart after a normal shutdown. After literally hours on the phone with Philips they conceeded it was dead - but they would gladly replace it for MORE than I originally paid! What a joke. This is my second - and last - bad experience with Philips. I will never buy a Philips again and I highly recommend you avoid them also!
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy
Review: When I bought the Tivo set I thought it was great and really enjoyed all the features. But now after just 4 month the modem in the Tivo set is broken, which means it can't dial into the program guide etc. anymore. this means Tivo is pretty much useless. I thought this should be not a big deal until I found out [what it costs to] send in the set to Philips (plus shipping). Just to repair the modem!!! I get a whole new set for that price! Besides the fact that Philips seems to have a problem with their customer service (the average hold time is 45 minutes - I tried it every day during the last 2 weeks). Tivo is great if it works but the machine itself seems to have some mechanical problems that they need to fix before I will buy a set again. If you buy it, just buy it with a warranty.
Rating:
Summary: DON'T BUY
Review: The price may be great...but after 8 months I screwed up. The hard disk in the machine totally shut down. No option but to send it back to Philips...or buy a new one. I should have known I would have probs as I probably had to reset the machine 3-5 times a month. DO NOT BUY!
Rating:
Summary: Died 2 months after using it.
Review: After only 2 months, it was fun while it lasted. Now I have to exchange it for a new one. That cost me $25 to do so (shipping). I just wish I read the online reviews before committing to this Tivo Receiver. I wouldn't be suprised if my new one does the same thing.
Rating:
Summary: DO NOT buy this product!
Review: DO NOT buy this product unless you enjoy inconsistant tuning, restarts that take forever, waiting 45 minutes for customer service to pick up your call, and customer service reps who only read from the same users manual that you have. I even gave these folks a second chance by swapping my first unit with new one. The same tuning problems are coming back. I have FOUR other DirecTV tuners in my house and they have zero problems. The same tuners work superbly in the location of the DSR6000. This product, and its support, are junk. I only hope this review spares others from this truely miserable experience and waste of my money.
Rating: 
Summary: durn easy-to-use
Review: Received the DVR in quick time; installed without consulting the manual; worked perfectly, following on-screen setup instructions; new software downloaded automatically in about 36 hours, over the phone line hookup. Was up and runnin' with two inputs!! in just a few days. Intuitive screens make use of this box pretty durn easy. Love the features, and if in doubt, you can always follow the easy-to-use manual(s). Pix quality A-1; menus for programming, exceptional! as compared to the slow, limited programming meus on my Sony DSS box, and variety of selections is overwhelming. I've set up to record the WUSA womens' soccer games for the rest of the season, all-inclusive. I can see why these DVR's have seemed to drop off the Websites (sales locations) rather precipitously lately - they are incredibly handy to have, esp. for the inveterate couch potato!! This setup does all it's promised to do, and I had no installation or programming problems. 5 Stars!!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Product for DirecTV Subscribers
Review: -----------------------------------------------------------------
This is a review of the Philips DSR6000R (DirecTV Receiver with TiVo). This is not a review of the TiVo Service. Overview
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Any new toy that saves shelf space is worth a hard look. With the DSR6000R, you get a DirecTV receiver and the TiVo technology together in one unit. DirecTV subscribers looking to add TiVo should strongly consider this package. The Unit
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Around twelve pounds, this unit feels very solid and appears built to last. Some claim reliability problems, although I cannot comment on this having used the unit for a short amount of time. I did not notice any glaring problems during the initial test phase. As with all electronic components, one should make sure that the unit receives adaquate ventillation and is not subject to extreme temperatures, dust and debris, and/or moisture. SVideo, Composite, and RF output connections are provided on the back of the unit. There is no Component Video output, however this should not be an issue since the unit does not support HD signals. Optical audio output is also provided, although it is mostly the premium channels on DirecTV that contain 5.1 tracks. You can connect a VCR to the unit to archive programs that are stored on the DVR should you start to fill up the unit's internal hard disk drive. Setup is a breeze even for the not-so tech savvy. You will need to have a strong signal from the dish and a phone connection to complete the setup. All is accomplished onscreen through a very intuitive user interface. TiVo makes a call every day to keep the program listings up to date. You have the option of using a toll-free 800 number if no local ones are available in your area. It took a couple of tries before it authorized my unit, but this may have been due to the inconsistent reception that modems sometimes provide. The Remote
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The staple of a great remote control is the ability to use it without ever having to look at it. Unfortunately, this remote doesn't quite reach that mark. In fact, you should probably do some hand exercises before grabbing this channel changer. While it is very comfortable to hold, we run into several problems with the layout of the buttons. It serves well for the TiVo-specific functions, but lets us down with its ability to dual as a normal controller. The large yellow PAUSE button in the center acts as the point of reference for the remote. It is here that all of TiVo's LiveTV manipulation features, such as FF, Rew, Play, etc. are centered around and are easily accessible. Immediately to the right is the Channel Up/Down button. Strangely enough its companion in the dish systems, the onscreen guide button, is way up at the top. So is the 'Display' button. The fact that these two commonly used controls are far apart from the channel changer is a bit annoying, and can cause some extra uncessesary thumb stretching. Ideally, the most commonly used buttons should be in the center at the natural rest position. Sometimes bad positioning can be alleviated by buttons that are distinguishable to the touch. Not so here. A lot of the pieces are exactly the same except for the ink printed on them. I found myself often hitting one of the Thumbs buttons (used to tell TiVo which programs you like/disklike) when I was trying to change the channel. These buttons should definitely be far apart. They are instead, adjacent. Even worse are the number buttons for manually entering in a channel number. Not only are they a tough stretch away at the bottom, but they are directly below the identically shaped 'replay' and 'slow motion' controls. It's entirely too easy to mix these up or hit the wrong one, such as the '5' instead of the '8'. Luckily, there is a 'Clear' button in the lower-left should you make a mistake. When you finally are able to enter the channel you want, you can hit 'Select' to go there -- 'Select' is, where else, up near the top of the remote. Those with larger amounts of patience can also wait three seconds and the channel will change automatically.
Overall, the TiVo features of this control are well-implemented, and it responds well to commands given with a firm press. Future revisions can be improved with greater differences in the size or shape of the buttons, and having the 'Guide' and 'Display' controls closer to the center where they feel more natural. Finally, the number buttons must be discernable from any other controls on the remote. The current design isn't terrible, but still a bit cumbersome. You'll probably want to keep a second remote around to change the channels, and that's taking the quantity in the wrong direction. Recording
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Compared to the large capacities of other Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) on the market, the relatively small storage amount of 35 hours may turn some would-be TiVo'ers off. As with all of the DirecTV TiVo units, this is around 35 hours of 'Best' quality programming. The traditional units get far below their advertised capacities when you turn up the video quality settings. With this unit, you can tell virtually no difference between the original broadcast and the recorded version. Depending on what you record, the total capacity of the unit can vary a bit. Programs with lots of movement require more video information, and thus more space, than others. Summary ------------
This is a great product for users looking to use TiVo along with DirecTV. Cable, Antenna, and other satellite programming users are unsupported. Easy to use and fun to play with, the Philips DSR6000R delivers great picture and sound and a new twist on your TV viewing experience. The remote leaves something to be desired, although it gets the job done. If you are in no hurry for a TiVo, you might want to wait to see what the next generation of DVRs will offer. Don't wait too long though, because with the current discounts this one is almost too good a value to pass up. -Brinkley -----------------------------------------------------------------
Rating:
Summary: DirecTiVo
Review: ...The fact that DirecTiVo's won't record non-satellite broadcasts is very clearly stated in almost every description of the unit, including the one on Amazon.com. They are still an outstanding product...if you can find one. They are not being "closed out at bargain basement prices," but are being snapped up by knowledgeable consumers, as production has ceased while the factory tools up for a new model which is rumored to have a few minor enhancements - NOT including the ability to record from cable or over-the-air broadcasts, incidentally.
Rating:
Summary: Buyer beware
Review: If you currently are running a system combining DirecTV & cable (in my case I have kept basic cable) and are considering buying a DirecTV/DVR combo unit, make certain that your franchise satellite company carries local channels. Otherwise, you WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RECORD CABLE PROGRAMMING. To me this defeats the purpose of buying the DVR in that you will be limited to recording what is available on satellite only. If your franchise satellite carrier does offer local channels then this matter is not so much of a concern. I had a Phillips DSR6000 system on order - I found out at the last minute about the cable incompatibility problem and was able to cancel just in time. This points out the overall instability of the platform now. It's such a great idea I was going to just buy it anyways, but since I can't use it to record cable programming it just doesn't make sense. I'm very disappointed in the lack of integration of these systems with cable. Too many gremlins for me, I'll wait it out until a better system is ready. From what I've heard and read, production of even these 2nd generation DVR's is on hold and the units out there are being sold at bargain basement prices. Best Buy store had none in stock and the eyes of the help there sort of glazed over when attemtping to discuss the matter of satellite-dual LNB-DVR-TIVO-cable integration and a local TV lab tech advised me against buying one right now. I still want one anyways but not until I can record local cable. Hats off to the geniuses that deny some of us satellite owners no access to local cable channnels, pinheads......
Rating:
Summary: Tivo
Review: This unit is so much better than the ultimate tv receiver I just returned. If you are in doubt about which one to get, this is the one. The interface beats ultimate tv anytime. The channel changing can be a bit slow but if you can live with it, the menus and displays are a lot friendlier.
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