Tivo Dvr Hd Digital Video Recorder Hdmi Series 3 Review
TiVo wasn't the first company to create a hard drive–based digital video recorder, just information technology garnered devoutly loyal owners by crafting set-top boxes that were reliable, like shooting fish in a barrel to utilize, and even hacker-friendly. The TiVo Series3 Hard disk drive Digital Media Recorder ($799.99 list) is the high-definition successor to the company's popular Series2 DVR, and this newest fellow member of the TiVo family unit expands upon its predecessor's offerings with more storage and more than ways of recording what you want when you want. But this premium-priced DVR isn't for everyone, and I was a little disappointed to find some features copied verbatim from the standard-definition TiVos without consideration for how they would look when viewed in Hard disk—an environment the Series3 was specifically designed to back up.
Unpacking the Series3 revealed a stylish unit with a glossy blackness-painted chassis and brushed-aluminum-alloy face plate. An amber-colored OLED display concealed behind a strip of smoked plastic shows the titles of shows currently recording likewise as video-output details and a clock. I was struck by the high resolution of this integrated display, which produced impressively legible text. A gear up of backlit command buttons arranged in a round layout adorns the right side of the DVR'southward face.
The Series3's remote command retains the distinct dog-os shape and general keypad layout of previous TiVo remotes, only it incorporates a few welcome changes. For starters, the new remote is now completely backlit, with all buttons labeled directly, different previous designs, which placed some labels on the body of the remote. I really like this change because a glowing fundamental is a lot easier to discern at a quick glance. The select button used for menu navigation has been moved to the eye of the directional pad, making it fifty-fifty easier to use. A ribbed, textured finish covering the back lower half of the remote enhances your grip and helps yous proceed the symmetrically shaped control pointed in the right direction. (Hey, you know it happens.)
I was also pleased to detect the Series3 still vulnerable to the 30-2d-skip hack for blowing through commercials. In improver, the Series3 remote adds a learning role that can be used in lieu of programming it directly. This feature relies on product remote codes provided in the setup menu. I institute the remote'due south responsiveness to be splendid from a variety of distances and angles, and its compatibility with other older TiVo DVRs leaves me little pick but to beg TiVo to offer this fine remote as a universal upgrade.
All A/V and networking connections are located on the rear panel of the Series3. Component-video and HDMI connections provide Hd video output, and corresponding video cables are thoughtfully included in the box. Two RF inputs supply ports for antenna and cable Idiot box feeds, respectively. A pair of CableCARD slots can be filled for dual-tuning standard or HD digital cablevision services. The Series3 too has ii ATSC (digital) tuners and a pair of NTSC (analog) tuners to handle circulate TV feeds. Unfortunately, it doesn't support satellite goggle box. Co-ordinate to TiVo, digital channels recorded by the Series3 are stored in a raw format for maximum quality, and a pair of Broadcom encoders utilize MPEG-2 compression for digitizing and storing analog-based signals. You tin can select one of iv video-quality settings.
Equipped with a 250GB SATA-based hard drive, the Series3 can store about 25 hours of HD programming or about 300 hours of standard-definition programming in the lowest quality setting. You'll get just over l hours of SD recording using the DVR'south best quality setting. Electric current Series ii products tin hold up to 80 or 180 hours of programming at the lowest quality recording setting, depending on the model you cull.
For networking choices, the Series3 sports an integrated Ethernet jack and USB ports that can exist used with optional wireless adapters. Yeah, the standard phone jack is still there. In improver to programming guides and software updates that are available via the Internet, a networked Series3 DVR can access picture and music files stored on a local PC running TiVo'southward Desktop software. Likewise, TiVo's Online Services, introduced with the Series2 DVRs, have migrated over to the Series3 also. Unfortunately, the
TiVo Test Bulldoze
Besides the new configuration options for all the additional tuners, the Series3 guided setup differs picayune from previous TiVo units. Mail-setup, I found myself experimenting with the Series3's robust output-resolution options, which include a native mode that preserves the content's resolution as it's delivered to the TV, as well as fixed and hybrid modes that can be used to optimize the video for a particular display's screen characteristics. Using the Series3'south dual-ATSC tuners, I was able to surf and "timeshift" local channels with relative ease. Disquisitional off-air tuning features such as a signal strength meter and a channel listing editor are provided, and my experience scheduling and recording this free source of Television was pleasantly uneventful.
After several hours of constant use, I was also impressed to annotation how tranquillity the Series3 DVR was. Only when I put my ear shut to the unit in a repose surround could I detect the faint whirr of its low-speed fan. In my subjective observations, I could see no difference betwixt digital programming viewed alive (with or without the TiVo Series3) and the aforementioned content as played back from the DVR's hard drive. Apparently, the Series3's THX certification was well earned.
I was less pleased by the quality of the Series3'due south menu fonts, icons, and other graphics; plain they were copied from a standard-definition TiVo without any regard as to how they would look on an HD display. With all display settings configured properly, carte du jour text was tainted with significant jagged-edge artifacts, and all icons. including the TiVo mascot itself, were stretched horizontally—something I dub the "Oompa-Loompa" consequence. Some other case of low-resolution-meets-an-HD-brandish occurred with digital images stored on a locally networked PC. The Series3 transformed my multimegapixel snapshots into a blocky mess that didn't fifty-fifty fill the vertical height of the screen. Considering how much time TiVo had to polish the Series3 before its release, I find these oversights nearly inexcusable. I can only hope that futurity software updates accost these admittedly cosmetic concerns.
With its $800 price tag plus monthly service fees, the TiVo Series3 Hard disk drive Digital Media Recorder is very expensive when compared with the upgrade packages offered by cable providers who as well offer dual-tuning HD DVRs. Nonetheless, in my experience, no cable DVR hardware can match the ease of employ or recording reliability of a TiVo product. That said, satellite Television subscribers take no reason to consider the Series3. Likewise, PC enthusiasts tin can build or buy a dual-tuning off-air recorder that doesn't require a paid subscription. Unfortunately PCs are limited to pulling Hi-Def content from over the air only. In addition no PC, however advanced, currently supports CableCARD technology or can access premium cable channels the way a Series3 can. For current TiVo owners with lifetime subscriptions (sadly, no longer offered), TiVo says that Series1 and Series2 customers must pay a $199 transfer accuse to transfer their account over to the new Series3 box.
The Series3 volition no doubt prove popular with current TiVo subscribers who have been looking to time-shift their HD content, but the steep price may go along new users away.
Video
Sub-ratings:
Image Quality: 
Value:
Usability:
More DVR reviews:
Source: https://uk.pcmag.com/digital-video-recorders/25172/tivo-series3-hd-digital-media-recorder
0 Response to "Tivo Dvr Hd Digital Video Recorder Hdmi Series 3 Review"
Post a Comment