 |
This is the last Tivo unit that supports cable with out cable cards. It's too bad that Tivo decided to not support this anymore. These units have been deemed obsolete by Tivo, so the only way you can use them is if it already has an active subscription which can not be transferred, or if the unit has lifetime service, which can be transferred. Good unit the previous series three units seem to have better power supplies. I love the display on the unit. It shows the title of the shows that are currently recording. There are also buttons to control the unit on the front. It's really too bad the units are no longer supported by Tivo.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This DVR is in my opinion the finest one ever from TiVo. It was the first model that is THX certified. What makes this model stand out is its front panel display. The OLED readout displays the names of the programs being recorded. I cannot understand why TiVo has not provided this extremely valuable feature on its newer models. All other TiVo models have just a simple red led indicating that a recording is in progress. This is my third Series 3 TiVo DVR and all have lifetime service. The internal hard drive is easily replaceable and can be upgraded to a higher capacity drive. There is an ESATA port on the rear panel which permits a high capacity external hard drive to be installed. Two of my units have such drives. The oldest of the units is 6 years old. These units are in constant use and have operated flawlessly. My only disappointment is that you cannot tell how much capacity remains on the hard drives. This is only a minor issue.Read full review
This is the best TiVo available. The HD capability allows you to get the most out of a High Def television, it's storage capacity far surpasses Series 2, and dual tuners allow you to record two shows at once, or record and watch another station simultaneously. My wife loves the built in Pandora application that has been a godsend for distracting our baby while she is teething. Responses to the remote has little or no lag--unlike reports for the new TiVo S4 Premiere. VOD capabilities are enhanced (NetFlix) and steamline, and built in YouTube interfaces give you more and easier access to online content. There is a built-in clock (although small and somewhat dim) on the front bezel, and it displays what is being recorded.
The TIVO brand DVR is a solid choice. They've been around the longest and have advanced the unit over the years. I especially love the ease of connecting an external drive. As a DVR user for the last 10+ years, I see a few things I'd like them to do that would make the unit even better, and a fourth that I wish they could do, but understand if they do not. 1. Allow a mode for the unit to store all programming on a live channel as long as the user remains on that channel, up to a preset limit. For example, you tune into the big game, but there's an emergency that takes you away for an hour or two. When you return, even though you didn't get to hit record to record the game, you can just rewind back through the hour or two or three and watch as if you had been there. 2. Similar to above, extend the pause time to a variety of set times (1hr, 2hrs, 3hrs, to Limit of Record Time on Drive) 3. Skip back to the beginning. You're watching a good movie. Someone comes to join you and would like to watch from the beginning. Instead of rewinding and potentially revealing the plot, just skip to the beginning. 4. It would be great, though I understand the issues preventing it, if users could skip forward in 30 second jumps. That's it!Read full review
Just like the ad said. If the receiver has the lifetime service purchased by the original owner, TiVo will transfer service to you at no charge. They do it cheerfully, too. I use Comcast and had to get 2 cable cards from Comcast (this TiVo has 2 slots). The cards were free. I had an old series 2 TiVo which took analog input only and the Comcast digital adapter severely limited the TiVo. The Series 3 HD is the oldest digital TiVo that takes digital input but needs 2 cable cards that I heard are getting harder to come by. Newer units use S-Cards or one M-Card.
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in DVRs, Hard Drive Recorders
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on DVRs, Hard Drive Recorders
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
