So I ditched cable almost a year ago and have been dependant on my ATV and my old Series2 Tivo. I also have a netflix subscription. I'm thinking of selling my ATV and getting the new Tivo HD which includes download of Netflix. I am an avid fan of Apple Products, but no DVR capability is killing me. As far as music goes, I can do airtunes and manage the music from either my mini or my laptop. Is there any other reason why I should keep the ATV. Does anyone have any clues to its future before it goes on ebay?
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Debating turning in my ATV for Tivo HD (w/ Netflix)
- Thread starter badmac78
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Tivo is awesome. I have a series 3 in the living room and a HD in the bedroom. You can transfer recordings from one tivo to the other, and even to your computer to put on the ipod/iphone etc. You can also get programs out there that automatically download and convert specified programs into appletv format.
I use TIVO for live tv, recordings, and Appletv for the rest. Using both, I've found 100% entertainment period. Streaming netflix is nice, but having your own movies in itunes and appletv is even better.
Mo
I use TIVO for live tv, recordings, and Appletv for the rest. Using both, I've found 100% entertainment period. Streaming netflix is nice, but having your own movies in itunes and appletv is even better.
Mo
Could you add a little more detail about this part? I use HandBrake to Encode DVD's into a format that both my iPhone and AppleTV can play. You said you can transfer to the Computer to put on ipod/iphone but you need a program to convert to appletv. Or do you mean you need a program for both (not just appletv)? Also, is the format of the TIVO Recording MPEG2?
I recently starting using iTivo (http://code.google.com/p/itivo/). Does a great job of auto matically pulling content off of my Tivos and putting it into iTunes. It's free...give it a try
I looks pretty cool. I don't have a Tivo right now but was considering getting one. Do you know if there is (or planned) a Windows version of iTivo? I could not find it on the site.
I have two Series 3 (HD) TiVos + one hacked AppleTV.
I use the TiVos for DVR and the AppleTV for video acquired elsewhere. Although there are utilities you can run on a computer to allow the TiVo to stream video from your computer, it always comes up letterboxed and looking way more poopy than when I copy the video over to the AppleTV and play it directly from there.
What I don't like about the TiVo is having to pay the TiVo Service monthly fee. I understand its purpose, but I still don't like it.
Yeah, as the other poster mentioned that program does about everything. Not only that program "iTIVO".. which I have no idea if it is also for windows or not, I'm strictly a mac user.. but there is also another program called pytivox which is freaking awesome.
it allows you to put videos (even mkvs) into a directory, then you can access that on the tivo. What it does is it converts them on the fly into .tivo format. The quality of the picture is amazing! especially the 1080p movies. But that can be complicated when guests are over, so I just use converted movies on my appletv.
Tivo has a lot going for it, I'm glad I made the choice of getting it, but you do pay a "premium" price for it. The way transferring a show from tivo to tivo works, is you can see the other tivo from the now playing list. Then go into it, find the show you want to watch on the other tivo, then hit transfer... it starts to transfer the whole show.. which depending on HD vs SD quality can take some time.. but you can start watching almost immediately.
My motto is always try something out.. if you don't like it return it.
Mo
Thanks for reminding me. That was the reason I have been holding off. I have the original TIVO. I purchased the LIFETIME no monthly fee. But, when they came out with a new TIVO they said you could not transfer the LIFETIME from 1 TIVO box to another. I was pretty unhappy about that. Then my Cable Provider started to offer their DVR and I stopped using the TIVO. Too me it is hard to justify them charging for the hardware and also charging for the subscription while trying to compete with the cable companies and now the telco's.
I was thinking that there should be a high end market for the TIVO with multi-room support. Also, if they had a much better way to organize your recordings by user or room or something. But now with the phone companies coming out with multi-room devices I think TIVO is "still" a little late.
I will admit I am not a fan of ATV as I think there are better ways to handle things but - this is kind of apples and oranges.
TiVo HD - basically, great for recording TV shows. Files can be transferred and converted with TOAST (overpriced product from Roxio the greedy company). There are ways to also move files to your TiVo once converted. - The latter worth investigating.
NetFlix downloads - playable but NOT all that sharp due to compression. HD content from Itunes is much better. The NetFlix download library is not that large at this time and NetFlix is considering making that service a separate item and charging for it in addition to what you pay now. (Fairly recent mention I believe in CEA.)
TiVo does what it does fairly well. For newbies, its almost hard to justify the cost of the box plus the subscription. If it sold without the need for subscription, it would be a premiere product. - Oh well.
In your place, I would keep the ATV and get the Tivo HD. Use both for a while then you'll know if the ATV no longer really serves your needs.
- Phrehdd
ok, so I downloaded iTivo. Lovely little piece of software. recorded the presidential address and copied it over from tivo to my external harddrive. Watched the beginning of it on my ATV. Having both just might work out for me. Now if only I can find a used one for > $200.
itivo on windows reply
iTivo duplicates functionality of the ToGo feature of TivoDesktop a piece of software available on tivo.com. The windows version of TivoDesktop aloows you to transfer video from your Tivo to your windows box. The Mac version of the TivoDesktop available on tivo.com only allows the music and photo sharing features to work. In order to use ToGo you have to buy the Roxio Toast package sold on Tivo.com.
iTivo duplicates functionality of the ToGo feature of TivoDesktop a piece of software available on tivo.com. The windows version of TivoDesktop aloows you to transfer video from your Tivo to your windows box. The Mac version of the TivoDesktop available on tivo.com only allows the music and photo sharing features to work. In order to use ToGo you have to buy the Roxio Toast package sold on Tivo.com.