Tivo or DVS?

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Dom007

53 posts

Master Geek

#86179 2-Jul-2011 09:38

Hi,
I currently have a Vantage Freeview receiver but am thinking of upgrading to either Tivo or DV-S for more variety and channels and better EPG. What are the general recommendations on Tivo vs DV-S ? I read you can get more channels using DVS - is it worth the jump to that just for those or are the channels junk ? I like the idea of Tivo and the functions it offesr sounds great and I am already a Telecom customer too. I also have issues with my current player freezing sometimes which I do not want or expect from a piece of hardware - so I am looking for something that does not do that (without having to go back to Sky for $50 per month)

Thanks for any recommendations.

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#488566 2-Jul-2011 12:25

Dom007: Hi,
I currently have a Vantage Freeview receiver but am thinking of upgrading to either Tivo or DV-S for more variety and channels and better EPG.

Not sure what you mean by DV-S.
Do you mean DVB-S (Satellite)?
DVB-T (which you currently have) and TIVO are HD, DVB-S is not (OnlySD).
You may gain more channels but won't have HD if you go to DVB-S (ecept maybe SBS if you can get it).
Also TIVO looks like it may be on it's way down the gurgler with deteriorating support service and I don't think would give you any more channels.

nickb800

2719 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#488567 2-Jul-2011 12:31

I cant say ive come across the Tivo vs Domestic ventilation system tradeoff before :p

robbyp

1199 posts

Uber Geek

#488569 2-Jul-2011 12:39

B1GGLZ:
Dom007: Hi,
I currently have a Vantage Freeview receiver but am thinking of upgrading to either Tivo or DV-S for more variety and channels and better EPG.

Not sure what you mean by DV-S.
Do you mean DVB-S (Satellite)?
DVB-T (which you currently have) and TIVO are HD, DVB-S is not (OnlySD).
You may gain more channels but won't have HD if you go to DVB-S (ecept maybe SBS if you can get it).
Also TIVO looks like it may be on it's way down the gurgler with deteriorating support service and I don't think would give you any more channels.

That is purely speculation about tivo. If it does close you , I am sure they would have to refund any associated tivo costs anyway. Tivo in my opinion is great, but it doesn't have an EPG for all channels. Prime an maori epg aren't on it. If you can get the telecom $380 deal it is a good buy.

mxpress

376 posts

Ultimate Geek

#488579 2-Jul-2011 13:08

Dom007

53 posts

Master Geek

#488731 3-Jul-2011 08:12

Hmm... seems like its Sky or stay with DVB-T then. Thanks for your help

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#488743 3-Jul-2011 09:36

robbyp:
B1GGLZ:
Dom007: Hi,
I currently have a Vantage Freeview receiver but am thinking of upgrading to either Tivo or DV-S for more variety and channels and better EPG.

Not sure what you mean by DV-S.
Do you mean DVB-S (Satellite)?
DVB-T (which you currently have) and TIVO are HD, DVB-S is not (OnlySD).
You may gain more channels but won't have HD if you go to DVB-S (ecept maybe SBS if you can get it).
Also TIVO looks like it may be on it's way down the gurgler with deteriorating support service and I don't think would give you any more channels.

That is purely speculation about tivo. If it does close you , I am sure they would have to refund any associated tivo costs anyway. Tivo in my opinion is great, but it doesn't have an EPG for all channels. Prime an maori epg aren't on it. If you can get the telecom $380 deal it is a good buy.

+1

If you just want Freeview (terrestrial) then its hard to go past the TiVo purely as a reliable dual-tuner HDD recorder, and it's as cheap-as-chips if you are a Telecom customer.

Sky at $100+ a month is not really comparing apples with apples.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

gregmcc

2147 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#488774 3-Jul-2011 11:57

Tivo is great (excluding no epg for prime and maori) If you do get tivo, buy the home networking package, easily transfer recordings to your pc/ipod etc, and back to the tivo.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#488794 3-Jul-2011 13:43

do any other (decent) Freeview recorders allow transfer of files to a PC or external hard drive for watching on other devices?

Not too keen to get a TiVo because of the lack of Prime EPG, but the file transfer feature is pretty sweet.

Klipspringer

2385 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#489038 4-Jul-2011 09:16

NonprayingMantis: do any other (decent) Freeview recorders allow transfer of files to a PC or external hard drive for watching on other devices?

Not too keen to get a TiVo because of the lack of Prime EPG, but the file transfer feature is pretty sweet.

Yes this one does. Actually tested it over the weeked, it creates mpeg files which I was able to open and play in VLC Player.

http://www.dishtv.co.nz/Freeview|HD-aerialBox/1-DishTV-Freeview|HD-1080p-Receiver.htm

But you can make up your mind if its decent enough.. Already created a thread which lists my current gripes with the device.

See here:

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=86223

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#489099 4-Jul-2011 11:54

http://www.dishtv.co.nz/Freeview|HD-aerialBox/1-DishTV-Freeview|HD-1080p-Receiver.htm

Looks good but does it record in HD or SD?
I suspect only SD.
No mention in the advertising or the manual of recording quality.

The Panasonic BW880 records HD and lets you burn HD to BluRay.
And now only around $660 at JB. Was originally $2000 a year or so ago.

Klipspringer

2385 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#489100 4-Jul-2011 11:57

B1GGLZ:

http://www.dishtv.co.nz/Freeview|HD-aerialBox/1-DishTV-Freeview|HD-1080p-Receiver.htm

Looks good but does it record in HD or SD?
I suspect only SD.
No mention in the advertising or the manual of recording quality.

The Panasonic BW880 records HD and lets you burn HD to BluRay.
And now only around $660 at JB. Was originally $2000 a year or so ago.

Records in HD...

xtrabyte

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#489137 4-Jul-2011 13:01

robbyp:
B1GGLZ:
Dom007: Hi,
I currently have a Vantage Freeview receiver but am thinking of upgrading to either Tivo or DV-S for more variety and channels and better EPG.

Not sure what you mean by DV-S.
Do you mean DVB-S (Satellite)?
DVB-T (which you currently have) and TIVO are HD, DVB-S is not (OnlySD).
You may gain more channels but won't have HD if you go to DVB-S (ecept maybe SBS if you can get it).
Also TIVO looks like it may be on it's way down the gurgler with deteriorating support service and I don't think would give you any more channels.

That is purely speculation about tivo. If it does close you , I am sure they would have to refund any associated tivo costs anyway. Tivo in my opinion is great, but it doesn't have an EPG for all channels. Prime an maori epg aren't on it. If you can get the telecom $380 deal it is a good buy.

Looking at the Telecom website it says the price for a Tivo is $499, how would I get the $380 deal?
I am a Telecom customer.

Dom007

53 posts

Master Geek

#489147 4-Jul-2011 13:12

You can't AFAIK. Although they *might* start selling them cheaper than 499 as apparently they've just done a deal with Sky.

old3eyes

9120 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#489308 4-Jul-2011 18:49

xtrabyte:
robbyp:
B1GGLZ:
Dom007: Hi,
I currently have a Vantage Freeview receiver but am thinking of upgrading to either Tivo or DV-S for more variety and channels and better EPG.

Not sure what you mean by DV-S.
Do you mean DVB-S (Satellite)?
DVB-T (which you currently have) and TIVO are HD, DVB-S is not (OnlySD).
You may gain more channels but won't have HD if you go to DVB-S (ecept maybe SBS if you can get it).
Also TIVO looks like it may be on it's way down the gurgler with deteriorating support service and I don't think would give you any more channels.

That is purely speculation about tivo. If it does close you , I am sure they would have to refund any associated tivo costs anyway. Tivo in my opinion is great, but it doesn't have an EPG for all channels. Prime an maori epg aren't on it. If you can get the telecom $380 deal it is a good buy.

Looking at the Telecom website it says the price for a Tivo is $499, how would I get the $380 deal?
I am a Telecom customer.

Take your last account into a real Telecom store (not an agency) and ask them. That's what i did last year..

Regards,

Old3eyes

benneg

47 posts

Geek

#489424 4-Jul-2011 22:44

Dom007: Hi,
I currently have a Vantage Freeview receiver but am thinking of upgrading to either Tivo or DV-S for more variety and channels and better EPG. What are the general recommendations on Tivo vs DV-S ? I read you can get more channels using DVS - is it worth the jump to that just for those or are the channels junk ? I like the idea of Tivo and the functions it offesr sounds great and I am already a Telecom customer too. I also have issues with my current player freezing sometimes which I do not want or expect from a piece of hardware - so I am looking for something that does not do that (without having to go back to Sky for $50 per month)

Thanks for any recommendations.

I initially went down the DVB-T path and was disappointed at what extra I was getting from it; I then bought a Hyundai terrestrial/satellite receiver and found myself going more towards the satellite directions for the extra variety of programming. I am now full Satellite with a Ultraplus 9000HD twin tuner; I have 2 90cm dishes and get the following channels over the standard freeveiw selection:

Channel 9

Gem (HD)

SBS 1 (HD)

SBS 2

Russia Today

BBC World

Australia Network

NHK World

Press TV

Plus heaps of foreign language and religious channels if you so wish

As you can see 2 of these channels are HD which is only 1 less than you will get if you go for DVB-T (which only has 1,2 and 3 in HD) so it is a fallacy that this is a substantial advantage.

The one thing to caution you on though is it is a reasonable investment to get all this (but still less than a years worth of Sky) and the signals can change at anytime; so no guarantee that they will all stay. There are however going to be more satellites available in the future, so that hopefully will only add to what is available?