-Syndicated from TechLore.com

TiVo is dying.

This statement is common enough on the Internet these days, and there are constant rumors of an acquisition of TiVo.

For a true analysis of TiVo, it is important to note that there are really two separate TiVos. DirecTv TiVos and Standalone TiVos.

DirecTv TiVo

The DirecTv TiVo integrated a DirecTv tuner with the traditional TiVo software. This provides some important advantages. DirecTv TiVos do not do any signal encoding. The signal sent down from the DirecTv satellite is recorded directly to the hard drive. When you watch the show, it is decodes the same way a normal DirecTv receiver decodes it, so there is no quality loss. Additionally, there are 2 tuners in these boxes, so you can record two shows at once (and even watch a third previously recorded show).

However, all is not well with DirecTv TiVos. DirecTv is not expected to renew TiVos contract once it expires (in 2007). Because of this, the DirecTv TiVos have not received several of the recent software updates that are available to the standalone TiVos.

Standalone TiVo

Standalone TiVos record an analog input signal and encode it (at varying quality levels) before writing to the hard drive. Because of this, even the highest quality level on a standalone TiVo will not be quite equal to the original broadcast. Also, the TiVo must integrate with the external source to make sure it is tuned to the correct channel for the recording. This is usually done via an IR repeater or Serial connection. These devices also only have one tuner.

While as a pure DVR, the standalone TiVo is inferior to the DirecTv version, it provides several additional features that make it a better media device.

• Folders - Multiple ways to sort your recorded shows.


• Online Scheduling - Set up shows to record from the road.


• Home Media Option - Listen to music or view pictures using your TiVo


• TiVoToGo - Transfer shows to your computer or DVD

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