I want to commemorate high - def cable’s length television , at full firmness . So there are only a few choice : TiVo Series 3 , a Vista Media Center PC with CableCARDs , or a rental box from the cable company . I realize that this list has a cost spread of a few bucks a calendar month to rent the cable company DVR to several thousand clam to get the PC , but let ’s push aside that for a irregular .
I compared the TiVo and Vista simple machine with CableCARDs this hebdomad . And I suppose you ’ll be surprised to fuck that the Media Center PC has a better user user interface when it comes to transcription shows , TV channel surfing , and find out TV . And playback of euphony , video , and photograph . The TiVo ’s OS just feels get on compared with the slick Vista Media Center port . Did that surprise you ?
I just compose that Microsoft ’s interface is near than the TiVo ’s . Madness , I know .
The Media Center is better by almost all measurement . But for reasons I do n’t fully comprehend , I used the TiVo more . It ’s occult , but perhaps I can shed some spark on why :
For one thing , TiVo did n’t clangor . But it ’s more than the take of stability that pushed me to TiVo ( it ’s a gravid issue for TV recording , I know ) . Despite the OS being aged , it made me enjoy follow telecasting . I like that it would recommend shows based on my consider habits , and I liked that it did n’t finger like I had too many other thing to run with while I had it on . ( A benefit to the TiVo sucking at most other things ? ) The principal thing on the TiVo is that all my sweat were funnel towards couch potato non - action . The Media Center made me want to initiate using the keyboard , playing with the photos slideshow , and constantly switch between everything . The TiVo was n’t faster than the Media Center , and it was n’t slicker , but it was casual . I do n’t bed why .
Here ’s the breakdown on both :
The Guide and Flipping channel
Media Center wins . The Media Center ’s guide is the fast thing ever . Like TiVo , you could flip through by duct or by page . But scanning is ultra tight , without any refresh show .
Pressing up and down on the d - pad shows a mini onscreen templet , which testify guide detail of current shows , one communication channel at a time , without changing the canal until you select it . Massively utile .
Although the TiVo ’s UI has age , it ’s still brilliant . The guide ’s listing is laggy , but it has the neat listing of a particular duct ’s shows on the correct - hired hand side , show by show , instead of in half - 60 minutes increment . That way , it fits more on screen at once . If they situate that speed issue on the guide , the superstar of channel flipping would be a lot good .
Both show the current channel through the guide ’s transparent backdrop .
Quick Recording
The Media marrow is faster . The Media Center can record with one suction stop , and record a series of shows with a 2d click .
TiVo wins for being overbold . There ’s some interim here , when show are set to commemorate , but that ’s not a big deal , merely an vexation . TiVo ’s season pass just pick up the show I want , knowing which are dupes , etc . MCE , I have n’t formulate that reliance that it ’ll pluck up the proper shows .
Searching for show
Media Center advance … if you have a keyboard , or not . search for show is faster .
The TiVo ’s lag hits every clock time you chatter on a young letter , fundamentally so that the TiVo can poll for matching show as you typewrite .
picture and Music
Media center DESTROYS TiVo . TiVo desktop take into account a PC or Mac to stream photos and music to the TiVo , but it ’s UI ca n’t match the Media Center ’s handling of each . you’re able to sort and create playlist and slideshows , and even edit photos . It ’s all thumbnailed and extremely cunning . Using it makes me think about divorcing myself from iTunes , iPhoto , and make a Vista life - room microcomputer my medium waiter . ( See the gallery for more reason of why I love this system . ) There ’s also a hookup for your on-line Yahoo ’s photos ( not Flickr ) , but MCE has this too ( not in the main photo carte du jour , but under online ) .
Media Center can basically be loaded up with any codec … and double as a inundation machine .
Remote Scheduling
TiVo wins for informality of manipulation . TiVo has their website , and MCE has an underdocumented MSN hack - in that earmark it via the Web . TiVo has a Verizon App . But opportunity are a phone with a decent Web web browser app can sludge through the MSN site and removed schedule .
Recommendations , Movie Listings , Sports Features and More
TiVo ’s recommendation system is awful . You give shows you ’re watching or have recorded between one to three thumbs - up or quarter round - down foretoken . And TiVo uses your free space to get shows it think you might like . astonishing to discover Modern show this way , even if some people have vocalize privacy concerns .
Media Center has a neat feature that grabs art and metadata for all the movies playing now or soon , and tiles them on a movies page . It ’s an easy way to find motion-picture show .
TiVo has a motion picture rental hook in with Amazon ’s Unbox . Last prison term I checked , Unbox has ~5,000 picture . I ’d like to see HD movies here . picture show run out 24 hours after you hit frolic . MCE has all kind of lure - ins for movie rental from services like Movielink . It ’s a personal computer , after all .
TiVo has conditions and dealings maps via Yahoo , as well as a ticket - buying lineament via Fandango . I wish both .
Expandability
TiVo continue to release new features , like their Swivel hunt last hebdomad , which let ’s you search through a show ’s metadata to find standardised content . But the Media Center ’s plug - in community is pretty blanket . There ’s tons of stuff for iTunes , Netflix , YouTube , weather , and more . opportunity are , there are n’t many partner features TiVo has that MCE ca n’t somehow replicate , via nag - ins or via Windows itself .
Stability and Messes of Cables
It had to be suppose , but it ’s obvious . The Vista Machine is a Windows personal computer . It crashes , and sometimes the external USB wireless want to be restarted . The Dell I ’m essay fall behind connection with its ATI external radio receiver several times , needing to be rebooted , and crash a few times over the workweek , too . Fantastic motorcar or not , a DVR has to be alive to record show . And to oppose the twin HD tuner of the TiVo , you involve 2 outside ATI tuners , each using a USB port , office stopple , and a cable television coax . Very vexatious . ( Velocity Micro is ship internal radio receiver in their box now . )
Mobile Devices
Media center can synchronize to Plays for certain devices . TiVo can apply TiVo to Go . I ’m sure there are differences here , but it ’s pretty much a wash drawing .
damage
A new , Cable Labs certified PC costs several thousand clam , a TiVo Series 3 costs $ 600 plus ~$15 a month , and a crappy DVR from your cable goes for about $ 15 / month , too . The TiVo and PC in these position are lavishness for the people mad enough to drop a draw of money on gadgets . The TiVo win , but you already knew that .
I wish the estimate of the CableCARD microcomputer a lot . So if the toll were closer together , I ’d urge it over the TiVo . But render the undeniable fact that I used TiVo 85 % of the time ( and I ’m not a TiVo fanboy ) , and that its punk , I ’d commend that for couch spud , and the PC for ultimate media oddball . I just care its fan would blockade whirring . I sense like this thing employ a lot of succus to track down 24/7 .
CableCardTiVo
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