DVRs - Digital Video Recorders Reviews

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DVRs - Digital Video Recorders Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	DVRs - Digital Video Recorders Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. CNet.com	Editors' top DVRs Editors of CNet.com Sept. 26, 2007		CNet.com does a good job evaluating standalone and satellite-TV DVRs, but even this recent update is already a little behind on the latest news. The just-replaced Dish Network ViP622 holds the top spot and the highest rating. The competing DirecTv HR20 is easy to use, but buggy. The TiVo HD is not compatible with cable-company interactive services, such as video on demand, and has a few other shortcomings, but it is called a cut above the "generic" DVRs offered by most cable companies. The TiVo Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder is rated equally, but is very expensive.
2. PC Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Digital Video Recorders Editors of PC Magazine As of Oct. 2007		PC Magazine reviews digital video recorders on occasion, and this landing page includes links to reviews of the TiVoHD, TiVo Series3 and DirecTV HR20-700. Of the three, the TiVo HD gets the best rating and is an Editors' Choice winner. Reviewer Joel Santo Domingo says that it’s the best HD-capable TiVo ever. He notes that a few features found in the much more expensive TiVo Series3 are missing, but adds, "most users won't miss them." The DirecTV HR20-700 is a solid product, but missed recordings and some other issues detract from its charm.

DVRs - Digital Video Recorders Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	DVRs - Digital Video Recorders Ratings Comments on Reviews

3. Consumer Guide.com	Digital Video Recorders Reviews and Prices Editors of ConsumerGuide.com As of Oct. 2007		Consumer Guide's coverage of DVRs includes three current models: The TiVo Series 2 SD DVR, the TiVo Series3 and DirecTV’s HR20 HD DVR. The reviews are not overly long, but they do provide objective ratings that can be used to compare DVRs. They also do a fairly good job in correctly pointing out strengths as well as key weaknesses. One problem is that most of the DVRs listed here are discontinued.
4. The Wall Street Journal >> Details/Subscribe	The HDTV Dilemma: Pay for TiVo’s Recorder Or Settle for Cable’s? Walter S. Mossberg Dec. 28, 2006		In this article, Walter S. Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal compares the TiVo Series3 to a Motorola HD DVR supplied by his cable-TV provider (Comcast). Like many, he sees the Motorola DVR as a flawed product, but views the higher quality TiVo Series3 as overpriced. He adds that a solution might be on the horizon, as an option for using TiVo software on Comcast DVRs is expected by the end of 2007.
5. The Internet Marketing Driver	Comcast HD DVR vs TIVO Glenn Gabe May 17, 2007		Though this blog is primarily dedicated to the topic of Internet marketing, site owner Glenn Gabe takes some time out to compare the Comcast HD DVR to the TiVo Series3. Gabe says that he is a TiVo fan, having owned and used an SD version of the DVR for three years. However, given the pricing of the HD TiVo Series3, he felt compelled to take the free HD DVR offered by Comcast for a test drive. He says that TiVo software is better and that the Comcast DVR has several other shortcomings. However, those are more than offset by seamless integration with his cable service and lower cost. In the end, he says his experience with the Comcast HD DVR has been "pretty darn good."
6. PC World >> Details/Subscribe	TiVo HD Allan Stafford July 24, 2007		PC World's Allan Stafford notes several significant differences between the still current TiVo Series3 and the new TiVo HD. However, he concludes that the tradeoffs -- most notably a smaller hard drive for less capacity -- are worthwhile considering the steep drop in price. He also notes that the operation was a touch more lethargic than the older TiVo. He concedes that TiVo is more expensive to get and use than DVRs from cable companies, but adds, "If you're hooked on TiVo, the new box is still a bargain."
7. PC World >> Details/Subscribe	First Look: TiVo Series3 Sees the World In HD Allan Stafford Sept. 11, 2006		PC World's Allan Stafford echoes other reviews claiming that the TiVo Series3 is way too expensive. It's a good DVR with great simplicity and ease of use, but its functionality doesn't justify its high cost compared to a rented DVR from the cable company.
8. The New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	Costly, Sure, but It's Nirvana for TiVo Fans David Pogue Sept. 21, 2006		David Pogue has been a TiVo fan for years. In this article, he covers the TiVo Series3, which finally catches up to the competition in recording high-definition TV. Pogue says this model probably doesn't aim to convert anyone; rather, it's intended to be the cream of the crop for TiVo devotees.
9. TiVoLovers.com	TiVo Lovers "MegaZone" As of Oct. 2007		TivoLovers.com is a popular TiVo-centric blog site. The site owner, who goes by the name of "MegaZone," supplies news and opinions about everything TiVo. Offerings include highly detailed reviews of the TiVo Series3 and the TiVo HD. Each review does a great job of discussing the ins-and-outs of the TiVos -- right down to the circuitry that powers them. Positives and negatives are clearly spelled out, and MegaZone pulls no punches.
10. DBSTalk.com	ViP622/ViP722 DVR Support Forum Contributors to DBSTalk.com As of Oct. 2007		This enthusiast site includes lots of user-supplied information on the Dish Network ViP622 and ViP722, including an exhaustive -- and exhausting -- 44-page review of the ViP622. Opinions are rendered on the various features, and the DVR is compared to other, earlier DVRs, but not to DVRs from other vendors. There's also a briefer 12-page report on the ViP722 that compares it to the ViP622. The authors' conclusion is that it is essentially a ViP622, but in black (the ViP622 comes in silver) and "on steroids," since the hard-drive capacity has been expanded to 55 hours of HD recording. A separate forum is also available here with information about and reviews of DirecTV's DVRs, including the HR20.
11. SatelliteGuys.us	Forums Contributors to SatelliteGuys.us As of Oct. 2007		This is another satellite TV discussion site. Though more active than DBSTalk.com, there seem to be fewer reviews of DVRs. That said, there's lots of information in the various discussions about DirecTV and Dish Network, including questions and answers about the DVRs for those services.

DVRs - Digital Video Recorders Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	DVRs - Digital Video Recorders Ratings Comments on Reviews

12. PC Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Cable DVR: A Challenge to TiVo? Jim Louderback Nov. 30, 2005		Jim Louderback writes that his cable-company-supplied Motorola DCT6412 DVR doesn't hold a candle to his TiVo. His TiVo is more user-friendly and accurate. Still, it's a lot more expensive than a DVR from the cable company. For those who merely want to record shows for later viewing, along with pause/replay of live TV, then something like the Motorola does a passable job for less.
13. AVSForum.com	Digital Recorders (PVRs) General Contributors to AVSForum.com As of Oct. 2007		This sub-forum at AVSForum.com isn't as busy as some others, but you'll find plenty of user-to-user information about DVRs from satellite-TV and cable companies, as well as some standalone boxes (TiVo users are directed to the very popular TiVoCommunity.com site, see below). Navigation can be tricky, and things can get heated, but most users here are helpful, and if you can't find information about a DVR, questions are always welcome.
14. TiVoCommunity.com	TiVo Community Forums Contributors to TiVoCommunity.com As of Oct. 2007		This is an active user discussion site that has lots of information for current or prospective TiVo owners. You will find sub-forums dedicated to present and past TiVo DVRs, as well as information about programming, upgrading and more.
15. The New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	TiVo Plays a Trump Card: Web Smarts David Pogue Apr. 5, 2007		New York Times Technology columnist David Pogue says that even though TiVo's software is more polished and reliable, for many that's trumped by the rented DVR that's offered by cable companies. To better compete, he notes that TiVo has been adding features, such as the ability to download movies and other content from the Internet. This article reviews some of the more interesting extras and rates them. Pogue adds that while not all of extras will appeal to everyone, they do offer "a lot of icing on an already delicious cake." (Note that ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com/The New York Times).
16. About.com	Top 10 Digital Video Recorders (DVR) Sal Prince As of Oct. 2007		Calling this a review is a stretch, but this list of top 10 DVRs by About.com guide Sal Prince is a great resource for seeing just about all of the DVR options available. The listing includes standalone DVRs, cable and satellite-TV DVRs, as well as DVD recorders with built-in hard disk drives that offer some DVR functionality. What makes this listing noteworthy is that it is very up-to-date, including the just-released Dish Network ViP722. Unfortunately, descriptions are brief -- just a paragraph for each -- and it’s pretty clear that few if any of these have actually been tested by the author. (Note that ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com/The New York Times).
17. About.com	Review of the Motorola DCT6208/6412 Digital Video Recorders (DVR). Sal Prince Not Dated		In this review, About.com digital-video-recording guide Sal Prince looks at the dual-tuner Motorola DCT6412 and single-tuner DCT6208, which are only available through cable-TV providers. Unfortunately, the review is both non-comparative and non-critical. Instead, it focuses almost exclusively on features. Considering the greatly reduced functionality of a single-tuner DVR, we also find it troubling that Prince only sees a half-star difference between the two. Elsewhere on the site, Prince provides a couple of tips for DCT6214 users, as well as a list of the cable companies that offer these DVRs.
18. PC World >> Details/Subscribe	New Choices Coming for Cable TV Users Dan Tynan May 23, 2007		In this article, Dan Tynan says third party DVRs like the TiVo HD are "more user friendly and feature rich" than their cable-company-supplied counterparts, but they do lack some important features such as access to video on demand and the cable company's interactive programming guide. In addition, new security technology, such as Downloadable Conditional Access Security, could make current third-party DVRs obsolete in a few years. Tynan concludes by saying "if you don't care about interactivity or cost, you can buy a better box than the cable company offers. But the safe bet is to wait -- and watch."
19. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Digital Recorders Editors of Consumer Reports Nov. 2006		This somewhat dated write-up provides a broad overview of video-recording devices, only skimming the surface of DVR offerings. Editors recommend waiting to buy a DVD recorder that burns shows to a disc, mainly because newer models will include a digital tuner (the first such recorders are just reaching the market now). Editors recommend renting a DVR from your cable company as opposed to buying a DVD recorder.

DVRs - Digital Video Recorders Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	DVRs - Digital Video Recorders Ratings Comments on Reviews

20. Amazon.com	Digital Video Recorders Contributors to Amazon.com As of Oct. 2007		This large Internet retailer allows customers to post user reviews of equipment they own. Like all consumer-written reviews, the quality varies greatly, but the more popular DVRs get enough feedback that trends and trouble spots are easy to identify.
21. Epinions	DVRs Contributors to Epinions As of Oct. 2007		Owners can also post their opinions about DVRs here, and TiVo, Dish Network and DirecTV models all get some feedback. Unfortunately, most DVRs receive only a few comments on Epinions, compared to the feedback found at Amazon com. One exception is the DirecTV HR20-700, which gets a fair number of reviews -- and most are not pretty. The site also lists a number of long-discontinued DVRs.