Tivo---"The Best Invention Ever!!!!" (and that includes the wheel)

I’ve often maintained that there are no better words in the English language than “bottomless keg” or “free buffet.” However, I am on the verge of adding other member to the ever-exclusive group. That word is...."Tivo." Whether you look at the device’s recording capabilities or tremendous flexibility, it truly is a revolutionary electronic recording system that is destined to change the world (or at least my television viewing habits).

Over the past several months I’ve been thinking about improving/changing my cable provider. Every week my thoughts have changed. One week it was an upgrade to digital cable, the next it was a move to satellite. Finally, I decided on neither of them and decided to purchase a Tivo. Of course, I had no idea which one to buy so I went with the slightly cheaper Tivo Series 2 DVR – 40 Hours Digital TV Recorder. Needless to say, I made a great decision.

As with any new piece of electronic equipment, you must install the Tivo Series 2 DVR – 40 Hours Digital TV Recorder. It’s a surprisingly easy process. The device comes with a handy color-coded quick installation guide that explains the most basic types of installation. If you are going to do something complex with VCRs, cable boxes, etc. you will need to use the full installation guide. Either one is easy to use and the hook up time should only take about 30 minutes or so. Most of that depends on how easy it is to access your entertainment system’s components.

Once the hardware is installed, you will need to set up the service with Tivo. There are two options to choose from. One is a $12.95 monthly fee and the other is a onetime $300 lifetime (of the Tivo itself) fee. I personally went with the lifetime option, but it’s solely up to you. A simple call to the Tivo representative will begin the process. The phone call takes about 10 minutes. Then, you will need to set up the Tivo itself with via the telephone. This process takes about 45 minutes. During this time, a local phone number is established for the daily update calls and several small downloads are installed. Once this process is completed, you are free to watch television through your Tivo box on a limited basis. You will be able to pause and rewind the television show that you are watching. However, it will still be another 8 hours before you will be able to set up to record any shows. When that 8-hour download/installation is complete, your Tivo is ready to go at full speed.

So, what does the Tivo Series 2 DVR – 40 Hours Digital TV Recorder offer? Well, the answer is---many things. The first thing to point out is the recording time. While it does advertise 40 hours of recording, that’s not exactly true (think of William Shatner in Airplane II). Sure, it records 40 hours, but that’s at the lowest quality setting. Tivo offers 4 different qualities of recording and each of them offers different lengths of recording:

Basic = 40 hours
Medium = 26 hours
High = 20 hours
Best = 13 hours

I personally have only dropped down to the “high” quality recording. I can’t tell much of a difference between “high” and best.” However, I would expect dramatic differences between “basic” and “best.” It’s something that you will have to experiment with when you purchase your Tivo.

Another tremendous trait is the ability to pause live TV. Let’s say you’re watching your favorite episode of The Simpsons (Marge vs. The Monorail) and one of those annoying telemarketers calls. All you need to do is hit the pause button, answer the call, get mad, go to the bathroom, forget what you were doing, then remember that you were watching TV. At that point, just hit the play button and the show is right where you left it. Then, once the commercials come, you can fast forward. Of course, you can only fast forward up until real time. As great as Tivo is, it hasn’t created the ability to travel forward through time. Tivo will keep up to 30 minutes of recorded material when you are watching live TV. Keep in mind that once you change the channel, the hard drive is wiped out and it begins recording again.

The actual recording features of the Tivo Series 2 DVR – 40 Hours Digital TV Recorder are also fabulous and quite extensive. The first thing you’ll want to set up is the “Season Pass” feature. What this allows you to do is select your favorite show and automatically set it up to record every time it is on, even if it changes time slots, like Scrubs, or is on several times a week, like American Idol. Also, whenever you are watching a show, you can simply hit the “select” or “record” button and the recording begins. No tape to locate or rewinding to do. Tivo also gives you the ability to set up recording when a preview for a show is played. I’ve only seen this happen once and that was during a promo for 24. Of course, I’ve already got it set up for Season Pass so I didn’t act upon the suggestion.

The suggestion feature is also quite interesting. After you record any show, it is placed in the “What’s Playing On Tivo” section. At any point, you are able to watch any of those shows, even if you are recording another show. The interesting thing is that Tivo will record additional shows based on your viewing habits. I have found some of the suggestions to my liking, while others have not been my cup of tea. Basically, it’s very hit or miss and you’ll have to judge the suggestions for yourself. The system allows you to turn off the suggestion feature if you find that it’s not productive.

So, why wouldn’t everyone own a Tivo Series 2 DVR – 40 Hours Digital TV Recorder? Well, there are a few issues that might give you a reason not to make the purchase. For one, while the recording time is advertised as 40 hours, that’s somewhat misleading. If you are a videophile and like your programs perfect, you are going to record your programs at the “best” quality and that limits you to about 13 hours of recording time. The second problem with Tivo is that you cannot record one live program and watch another live program. There are ways around this with a complex setup, but for the average person it may be an issue. The final issue is the price tag. The systems run around the $200 range. That’s fairly reasonable. But the service is also going to cost an additional $12.95 per month. You quickly will see that Tivo costs a little bit more than you probably expected. It’s something to keep in mind before you make your purchase.

Of course, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. You’ll never miss your favorite show via the “Season Pass” feature. Trips to the bathroom and phone calls will never cause you to miss anything with the ability to pause live TV. With the stroke of a button you’re able to immediately record any show without having to hunt for a blank videotape. Granted, you’ll probably watch more television, but it will be more efficient (hmmm, sounds like I’m trying to justify an addiction). If you enjoy flexibility and convenience when if comes to watching television, then the Tivo Series 2 DVR – 40 Hours Digital TV Recorder is perfect for you.