TiVo Versus Cablevision DVR

Moms and dads on the run know just how annoying it is to look forward to a show only to be so caught up in changing diapers, burping babies and more that we forget all about what we wanted to see. Enter the tape-less recorder. Some know it as TIVO and others know it as their local cable provider's DVR. Both recorders perform the same basic concept: program and record your favorite shows and/or rewind, fast-forward, and pause live television. However, these two systems offer some major difference that should be considered before deciding which to purchase.

When I purchased the TIVO system last spring I was almost 9-months pregnant and I knew that with a newborn on the way, our favorite shows would take a backseat. I purchased the 80-hour box and signed a yearlong contract for &16.99/month. It was easy to set up, but with VoIP phone services, there can be some difficulties with updating the show guide. To combat this, we also bought the TIVO wireless network router. Once that was set up, every thing else fell into place.

We bought the DVR in July of last year. Cablevision offered it for an additional fee of $12.99/month, no contract. The pluses here were that Cablevision installs it and it receives its information right from the cable service. We did not have to worry about our phone service or messages letting us know that we needed to update. Everything happens automatically.

Despite the ease of installing the Cablevision DVR, programming it has not been very easy. You have to navigate through the cumbersome guide and you have to know what time the show begins. If a show is delayed due to a game or something, the Cablevision DVR still records during that time slot. With TIVO, programming and recording shows is so easy. Simply scrolling through one or two menus was all it took. You search for the show by name not by time slot. In fact, TIVO, based on previous selections, also suggested other shows that may have been of interest. I think what I love most about TIVO is that if for some reason one of your programmed shows is moved due to a important interruption, TIVO will automatically find your show.

Other pluses for the TIVO are the extras it offers. You can play games; watch TV show and movie reviews; save and share digital photos; and even watch recorded shows on your computer. TIVO really strives to make television interactive. The Cablevision DVR serves only one purpose: recording and controlling TV.

Moms and dads on the run know just how annoying it is to look forward to a show only to be so caught up in changing diapers, burping babies and more that we forget all about what we wanted to see. Enter the tape-less recorder. Some know it as TiVo and others know it as their local cable provider's Cablevision DVR. Both recorders perform the same basic concept: program and record your favorite shows and/or rewind, fast-forward, and pause live television. However, these two systems offer some major difference that should be considered before deciding which to purchase.

When I purchased the TiVo system last spring I was almost 9-months pregnant and I knew that with a newborn on the way, our favorite shows would take a backseat. I purchased the 80-hour box and signed a yearlong contract for &16.99/month. It was easy to set up, but with VoIP phone services, there can be some difficulties with updating the show guide. To combat this, we also bought the TiVo wireless network router. Once that was set up, every thing else fell into place.

We bought the Cablevision DVR in July of last year. Cablevision offered it for an additional fee of $12.99/month, no contract. The pluses here were that Cablevision installs it and it receives its information right from the cable service. We did not have to worry about our phone service or messages letting us know that we needed to update. Everything happens automatically.

Despite the ease of installing the Cablevision DVR, programming it has not been very easy. You have to navigate through the cumbersome guide and you have to know what time the show begins. If a show is delayed due to a game or something, the Cablevision DVR still records during that time slot. With TiVo, programming and recording shows is so easy. Simply scrolling through one or two menus was all it took. You search for the show by name not by time slot. In fact, TiVo, based on previous selections, also suggested other shows that may have been of interest. I think what I love most about TiVo is that if for some reason one of your programmed shows is moved due to a important interruption, TiVo will automatically find your show.

Other pluses for the TiVo are the extras it offers. You can play games; watch TV show and movie reviews; save and share digital photos; and even watch recorded shows on your computer. TiVo really strives to make television interactive. The Cablevision DVR serves only one purpose: recording and controlling TV.

However, as much as I love TiVo, there are a few problems. The box that I bought did not have the ability to record two shows at once although, according to their site, the newer boxes can. My biggest complaint is the remote. A sensor is supposed to go on the TV allowing the remote to control the TV, TiVo, and the cable box. Unfortunately, there is a problem with the sensor actually reading the remote, therefore causing a delay. It is rather annoying and interferes with rewinding and fast-forwarding live TV. The Cablevision DVR uses the cable remote, which makes life easier, despite my husband's complaints that the buttons are not spaced well.

The last problem that I have with TiVo is the contract. Contracts are a bad deal because you never know what is going to happen down the road. My husband and I hit a financial hiccup because I was on bed rest for five-months during my pregnancy. We could have cut the TiVo to save some extra bucks but decided against it for fear of outlandish early termination fees.

So, which one do you buy? That's an easy decision. If you like easy-to-use products with all the extras and a little bit more, go with TiVo. It is the TV lover's best friend and can help make an insomnia-induced Saturday morning bearable. If you want just a basic Cablevision DVR with the payments taken care of on the same bill as your cable bill, then the Cablevision DVR is the way to go. Just remember, recording your shows can be addicting, and if you are anything like me, you will never know what day of the week it is.