TiVo R54080 (80 GB) 80-Hours DVR

The TiVo R54080 80-hour DVR is a pretty good machine for recording digital cable. We bought one a few months ago, and it worked really well for us. We had an older model that only held 40 hours of programming, which was not enough for two busy people who can't always stay on top of what we have recorded. Other features this model had that our old TiVo didn't was the ability to record one program while watching another, and the ability to switch between a program on basic cable and one on digital cable without interrupting the continuity of the programs.

The only problem is that since we bought an HDTV a month ago, this machine became obsolete. We got a great deal on this machine, and I realize now that it was because it is not compatible with this new technology without purchasing more supporting equipment. You can still watch regular TV on your HDTV with this model, but it negates the point of having an HDTV if you can't view HD programs conveniently.

--About the TiVo service:

I didn't used to be a couch potato. Sure, I watch TV like everybody else, but I don't schedule my life around it. Other than big sporting events, there's very little televised that I will put my calendar on hold for--and even a lot of those my preference is to go out and watch them with a crowd at a friend's house, sports bar or, in the case of a big horse race like the Derby, on simulcast at the track. Otherwise, if I caught something on TV it was great; if I didn't, that was OK too.

TiVo changed all that, though, by making it so easy to record programs and watch them later that now I spend a lot of time in front of my TV. While it has been possible to record programs for decades with a VCR, Digital Video Recorders like TiVo streamlines the process considerably. Rather than having to fool with tapes, the information is stored on the hard drive of the DVR and can be kept or deleted as long as you like or until you run out of space. You don't even need to know exactly when a program will air. TiVo has detailed listings available, and you can search by time, by program title, by cast, by channel, genre or however you want and TiVo will go out and find the programs for you.

We have since replaced our TiVo box with a DVR from our cable company. The service is not quite as good as TiVo's. TiVo's program listings are much more complete; for example, you can still schedule a series to be recorded even if there is not an episode upcoming in the immediate future. With our cable DVR, if it isn't showing in the next week, it doesn't exist. Also, the machine itself is not as easy to use. One of the great features of the R45080 is the ability to watch two programs virtually at once. You can watch one program on basic cable and at a suitable juncture (read: commercial) switch very easily back to another channel, rewinding each back within a half an hour to get back to the desired point just by hitting the 'last channel' button. Our current DVR lacks this very convenient button.

TiVo is a great service, and for someone with a regular broadcast television, the R54080 is an excellent machine. The problem is, how much longer are you going to have one? If you don't have plans to buy an HDTV anytime soon and can get a good deal on one(we paid maybe $80), it's very worthwhile. It'll work well for you here and now, and you can plan to buy the supporting equipment you'll need when you do go ahead and upgrade. Otherwise, you are going to be better off getting something that's HD ready right out of the box. It's too bad, because I really liked the TiVo service.