The TiVo platform has been around for quite some time -- and has undoubtedly grown quite long in the tooth -- but it's still a great HD DVR, and has attempted to keep things fresh with new features like Netflix streaming, video on-demand access and more. But now, in late 2009 with new challengers to the throne, cable and satellite operators offering their own upgraded boxes and a little thing called Windows 7 Media Center, Nick wants to know if it's still his best option:

"Moving into a new place in a couple of weeks, and while I haven't decided between cable, satellite or FiOS for my TV, I figure part of the decision is how I want to set up my DVR. I've had a regular one from Time Warner for the last few years, but I had a TiVo before that and I'm itching to go back. Media Center seems awfully complicated to set up and I'm not sure what other options there are and which one if the best value, what's your suggestion?"

It's been a while since we took on the soul-wrenching question of the TiVo, and a year later with Series4 boxes hopefully just around the corner it's time to confront the beast once again. Whether you have a TiVo or chose to go in another direction, the date has changed but the question is the same, is this still a great time to buy one?

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

The feature we all know and love as dual live buffers has finally comes to DirecTV's HR21/HR20 with the snazzy name of Doubleplay. Not a moment too soon either as there's no better time to be able to pause and rewind live TV on two different channels at once than when watching football -- never did understand why all the NFL games were on at the same time. The other sports related feature, called Live Extension, to make it out of beta this week gives users the ability to easily extend a recording. The default is an extra 30 minutes, which is usually enough to grab a game that goes a little long, but if the game goes into overtime you can extend it up to three hours.

All the Moxi owners out there should be happy to learn that Digeo intends to keep its promise by continually releasing updates to Moxi HD DVR on a regular basis. The latest Summer update should hit your Moxi in the next few days and brings some of the more anticipated features -- no still no TiVoToGo like functionality -- like the grid guide pictured above, support for the Moxi Mate and Switched Digital Video (SDV).


First up is SDV support, but while adding the ability to tune channels delivered via SDV is appreciated, it really falls under the "about time" category. Next is the new Moxi Mate, which holds more promise but just because it starts shipping tomorrow for $399, doesn't mean it will deliver. As it stands now, the Mate requires that you bring your own network connection to your second TV -- so no MoCA support like FiOS and other cable operator DVRs work -- and it doesn't completely replace the STB in your bedroom because it doesn't do Live TV and you can't schedule recordings with it. You can at least pick up where you left off watching a record without transfering it first, but the included remote can't control your TV's channel or input, so you're going to need a universal remote or you're going to make life in the bedroom as complicated as some living rooms. Our last gripe about the Mate (yes there's more) is the fact that Digeo only recommends running one Mate at a time with a hard limit of three concurrent streams. The good news though is that existing Moxi HD DVR customers can pick up a Mate for $199, and there're even package deals and payment plans to lesson the blow. The breath of fresh air coming with this update is the fact that up to 6TB of external storage is now supported and DLNA support is improved with added codec and containers like H.264 in MKV files -- although obviously MKV can support all kinds of codecs that may or may not also be supported.

Congratulations DISH Network DVR owners, you no longer have to be jealous of your DirecTV brethren, now that DISH Remote Access lets you schedule recordings from anywhere. All that's necessary is a broadband connected ViP DVR like the ViP® 722k, ViP® 722, ViP® 622 and ViP® 612. Got an attached Slingbox (or, in the future, SlingLoaded ViP 922 HD DVR?) Then you can watch recorded shows from anywhere too via the SlingGuide we peeped at CES. That's really all there is, we could whine about this upgrade taking so long but really, it seems better to just go ahead and try out the new features immediately. Now, about that Sling app for iPhones...

DirecTV HD DVR owners keeping an eye on Cutting Edge releases got a special treat this weekend with a new update that enabled multiroom viewing and dual live buffers on HR2x and R22 receivers. Allowing users to pause one tuner for up to 90 minutes while they watch the other, DBSTalk notes this test release is a "Very High Risk" so don't bother calling customer service if it doesn't work properly, and if you missed the downloading window Friday then you'll have to wait for the next test period -- or whenever DirecTV is confident it has worked out all the kinks -- to give the new (or old, if you're a DirecTivo owner) features a try.

[Thanks, Kevin]

Just in case Moxi's irrefutable mathematics weren't enough to sway you away from a TiVo, there's a new way to pick up on of its HD DVRs - via payment plan. Not to say they've gone all Rent-a-center on us, since both options for breaking down the $799 upfront cost (4 monthly payments of $199.75 or 20 monthly payments of $39.95) are both interest free, but with many buyers looking sideways at big ticket items these days, it could be enough to get customers off of the fence. Our initial impressions of he new hardware are here, and Dave Zatz mentions legal issues will restrict availability of the new pricing initially, but in lieu of actually costing less than a TiVo, is this enough to make you think again?

Reviewing a DVR isn't like reviewing a Blu-ray player or the latest HDTV -- at least not when it is something with a totally different user experience like the new Moxi DVR -- to do it right, it takes time, you have to spend some your days and nights with it watching all your favorite shows. But rather than keep our initial impressions of the new Moxi HD DVR all boxed up while we run it through the paces, we figured we'd share 'em with you to hold you over while you wait for the full details. First off we'd like to set some expectations though. If you are even thinking your provider's DVR compares to this, then think again, it just doesn't. The fact is that none of the providers care about your DVR experience and all do as little as possible -- what do you expect for basically free? The real context to read these impressions with is "how does it compare to TiVo or Windows Media Center?"

The reason Blu-ray recorders have migrated from Japan to the UK recently -- and why you'll likely never see them in the U.S. -- is all about the copyright holders. Danielle Nagler, head of BBC HD, hit the blogs to break down the wheres and hows of the DRM changes associated with bringing FreeSat disc HD DVRs like the Panasonic DMR-BS850 and Humax FOXSAT-HDR to market, basically meaning users are allowed one HD copy of a show, which can be played back on protected devices and connections only (transfer to portable players is planned to the future.) Follow the flow chart for the details, and figure out if it'd be worth it to make your own BD-R DVR backups so easily.

[Via Pocket-Lint]

At long last we have the Moxi HD DVR in our hands and its almost ready to put through the paces. The four month wait since we got to play with it at CES is over now we'll finally get to compare it to the best DVRs out there. At first glance the hardware really shines with the most notable thing being the glowing Moxi logo on the front -- although we already wonder if its brightness is adjustable. The remote has a good feel to it and is back-lit. Just about any wire you might need to set it up, including HDMI and component cables, are in the box. The wait isn't over though because the unit requires cable TV service so until the cable guy brings a CableCARD it'll be sitting in the lab looking pretty, but just as soon as that M-Card gets installed, you can expect a full on review.

Moxi's 500GB HD DVR went on sale to a limited number of individuals back in December of last year, but after pumping itself up at CES, we're finally seeing the real-deal, bona fide launch party. As of now, anyone with a CableCARD can roll over to Amazon and lay down $799.99 for the company's subscription-less MR-1500T3 HD Digital Video Recorder, which can hold over 75 hours of high-def programming or over 300 hours of SD material. So, are you taking the plunge?

Update: Moxi pinged us to say these have indeed been shipping beyond the limited first run.

[Thanks, ganjagadget]

Read - Moxi's website
Read - Amazon order page

We've never really understood the premise of at-home theater ticket buying unless you're trying to beat the crowd to a hot showing. Is it really that much more convenient to wait in line to present a Fandango confirmation compared to waiting in line to buy tickets? For DISH Network subscribers who've got it all figured out, you'll be elated to know that a new Fandango iTV application has just arrived to provide on-couch ticket ordering. Best of all, the functionality isn't set-top-box specific; anyone who tunes to channel 100 will have the option to buy, and all you have to do is show the credit card at the cinema to gain entrance. You can go ahead and color us underwhelmed and out of the loop simultaneously if you choose.

While many are still eagerly awaiting their tuning adapter for utilizing tru2way on their existing TiVo box, said company has announced two partnerships today that look to solve issues with cable carriers that don't currently have an OCAP / tru2way deployment plan. The tie-up with SeaChange will enable those lagging carriers to bring cable VOD services to the TiVo HD DVR experience, giving them the option to highlight offerings on a TiVo guide, for instance. The second partnership involves Alticast, and while details are a tad fuzzier here, we get the impression that TiVo's looking to possibly push its heralded interface out onto other devices, such as embedded within a Blu-ray deck or other set-top-box. Or as Joshua Danovitz, Vice President and GM of International at TiVo puts it: "[We need to make] the TiVo experience available on a broad range of platforms, both in the United States and around the world." Hit the read links for more on each, and don't be surprised if you dig the vibes you get.\

[Via Yahoo! / PC World]

Read - Alticast partnership
Read - SeaChange partnership

Crickey! DISH Network's hotly anticipated DTVPal DVR -- which, by the way, is the first standalone OTA HD DVR to come out in years -- seems to be causing all sorts of frustration amongst owners. So much, in fact, that DISH now has engineers trying to replicate problems and issue firmware updates; in the meanwhile, the box has suddenly "sold out" from the DTVPal website. A whole swath of users over at AVSForum have reported erratic freezing, reboots and scheduling gaffs, and DISH is candidly admitting that replacement units are apt to have the same issues. In other words, those experiencing quirks have little choice but to wait things out until a solution is found and an update is distributed. Have you run into any issues with your box? Everything humming along smoothly? Tell us, dear readers.

[Thanks, Joshua]

Those used to recording dozens of hours worth of SD video on DVRs with just a few gigs of storage often have a bit of a surprise when they move into the HD realm; a couple episodes of Pushing Daisies and Lost leave no room for any other prime-time drama. While not matching TiVo's capacious 1TB HD XL, Sony is doing its part with a larger, 320GB version of its BRAVIA BRX-series DVR, the BRX-320. It can tackle about 90 hours of HD content yet is small and light enough to be mountable directly on the back of many Sony displays. No word on what price tag will be affixed when this releases in about a month, but the 250GB model is going for about $300, so you can make your own guesses. Oh, and since that earlier version hasn't made it to US shores yet, don't hold your breath on this one.

[Via AV Watch]

It's pretty much impossible to say where Daewoo's DIS-E100 HD IPTV set-top-box (not pictured) is headed in terms of operator adoption, but one's thing is for certain: SecureMedia's Encryptonite ONE will be making sure no pirates can plunder with content running through it. In all honesty, little is actually known about the aforesaid STB given that it's SecureMedia that's doing the outing, but we wouldn't be shocked to see this filter out to the handful of IPTV providers operating in the States. Now, if only this thing had an HDD in it, we'd really be in business. Full release is after the break.