Comments on: TiVo Series3 latecomer thoughts http://ryanblock.com/2007/05/tivo-series3-latecomer-thoughts/ Editor and technology critic in the midst of founding a new web startup: gdgt. Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:16:49 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jeremy http://ryanblock.com/2007/05/tivo-series3-latecomer-thoughts/#comment-112967 Jeremy Sat, 07 May 2011 22:40:44 +0000 http://www.ryanblock.com/archive/2007/05/tivo-series3-latecomer-thoughts/#comment-112967 I've found the Series 3 units to be very unreliable. I have had 6 (six!) of them fail on me in under 5 years, and never had one last 3 years. Making it worse is having to pay not only an out-of-warranty exchange fee around $165 but also a $200 fee to transfer my "lifetime" service to the replacement. Fail! I’ve found the Series 3 units to be very unreliable. I have had 6 (six!) of them fail on me in under 5 years, and never had one last 3 years. Making it worse is having to pay not only an out-of-warranty exchange fee around $165 but also a $200 fee to transfer my “lifetime” service to the replacement.

Fail!

]]> By: Kato http://ryanblock.com/2007/05/tivo-series3-latecomer-thoughts/#comment-35691 Kato Sun, 13 May 2007 18:33:09 +0000 http://www.ryanblock.com/archive/2007/05/tivo-series3-latecomer-thoughts/#comment-35691 I'm really liking my Series 3 so far. I don't think the guided setup sucks, I think it works pretty well. I thought it was easier than the Series 2 setup. I was up and running in just a couple of minutes. Perhaps mileage varies. Not having to activate over the phone/network (by buying your service ahead of time) is definitely a plus. And as for the menus, I think they look pretty good. They look way better than the Series 2 UI when shown on an HD set. The text and buttons are much brighter and crisper (particularly the progress bar and guide while watching a program). I don't think the text is particularly jaggy (other than some of the network logos) and the text doesn't look stretched to me (though the circles next to recorded programs are clearly ovals when viewed on a widescreen set). All in all, I think the UI looks pretty decent, particularly compared to the last generation. HD looks great coming through it, as does standard def on highest quality (previously I was recording at a lower quality with a Series 2 which on a 60" set reveals all the compression artifacts). I’m really liking my Series 3 so far. I don’t think the guided setup sucks, I think it works pretty well. I thought it was easier than the Series 2 setup. I was up and running in just a couple of minutes. Perhaps mileage varies. Not having to activate over the phone/network (by buying your service ahead of time) is definitely a plus.

And as for the menus, I think they look pretty good. They look way better than the Series 2 UI when shown on an HD set. The text and buttons are much brighter and crisper (particularly the progress bar and guide while watching a program). I don’t think the text is particularly jaggy (other than some of the network logos) and the text doesn’t look stretched to me (though the circles next to recorded programs are clearly ovals when viewed on a widescreen set).

All in all, I think the UI looks pretty decent, particularly compared to the last generation.

HD looks great coming through it, as does standard def on highest quality (previously I was recording at a lower quality with a Series 2 which on a 60″ set reveals all the compression artifacts).

]]> By: John B. http://ryanblock.com/2007/05/tivo-series3-latecomer-thoughts/#comment-35644 John B. Sun, 13 May 2007 06:01:22 +0000 http://www.ryanblock.com/archive/2007/05/tivo-series3-latecomer-thoughts/#comment-35644 TiVoToGo was the feature that made me really want a TiVo. Now I'm just not so sure. TiVoToGo was the feature that made me really want a TiVo. Now I’m just not so sure.

]]> By: Dave Zatz http://ryanblock.com/2007/05/tivo-series3-latecomer-thoughts/#comment-35633 Dave Zatz Sat, 12 May 2007 23:36:35 +0000 http://www.ryanblock.com/archive/2007/05/tivo-series3-latecomer-thoughts/#comment-35633 As soon as they activate Multi-room Viewing, I'll be in for a second. As soon as they activate Multi-room Viewing, I’ll be in for a second.

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