TiVo - TiV'NO

Features:

• Two High Definition Tuners - able to record two shows at the same time and play back a third simultaneously. It lets you do everything previous TiVo's could do plus it can record wide screen high definition shows
• It can hold 32 hours of High-Def shows or 200 hours of standard definition shows
• It has no video inputs (???)
• Remote programming that allows you to program it from the web.
• A wish list that programs the TiVo to record any shows that have a certain actor, director or by using a keyword.
• Programmed skipping that allows you to program the TiVo to skip 30 seconds, used to skip commercials

Price: $800 for the console plus $13 per moth service fees.

I love this machine but it's basically a PS3 as far as I'm concerned; I'll never own one. Is what your getting worth the money? I don't think so. Unless you are a wealthy person looking for ways to spend their fortune, $800 is a price that is way too high. Besides, 10 years and it will be like a VHS player, outdated and cheap.

And what's with having no video inputs? Without them you can't connect your cable box or satellite dish or anything else. That only leaves you with 3 options:

• Connect an antenna (yeah, right)
• Connect the cable without a box (so much for Tivo'ing HBO (or most likely late night Cinemax for most of you people)
• Rent a CableCard... or two if you want to record two things at once, which is what the TiVo is for in the first place. That's right, spend even more money.

As if the $800 and the $13 a month wasn't enough, we have to rent cable cards as well. I don't have any info on the cost of cable cards but if you do, pass it on. Most cable companies will rent you a DVR which is like a Dodge Neon compared to the TiVo's Mercedes SL500, however, it will only cost for the most part between $5-$10. About once every 6 months or so I have to turn my DVR in for a new one because they break down a lot too. Still, that's no comparison to the TiVo's extravagant price tag.