0ur opinion:

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This television receiver has only an analog broadcast tuner and will require a converter box after February 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the nation's transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to work as before with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products. For more information, call the Federal Communications Commission at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) or visit the Commission's digital television Web site at: www.dtv.gov.

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TiVo's Series2 DVR delivers plenty of recording capacity in addition to offering entertainment services like digital music, digital photos, remote scheduling, and hassle-free favorites recording. All this and the famed luxury of being able to pause and view instant replays of live television, too.
TiVo DVRs record television programming directly to an onboard digital ATA/lDE hard drive, eliminating the hassles of videotape (imprecise tape searching, head cleaning, steadily degrading picture, fuzzy sound, etc.). This Series2 TiVo, model TDC540080, offers 80 GB storage for up to 80 hours of recording time in TiVo's best-looking chassis yet.

The Series2 has 2 USB ports, offering people with home networks the ability to stream photos and music to their TiVo, or send programs from one TiVo to another. This connectivity also lets TiVo subscribers access exciting entertainment services through the TiVo Home Media Features, which consists of the TiVo Digital Music Player, TiVo Digital Photo Viewer, and Multi-Room Viewing. The TiVo Digital Music Player lets you enjoy your computer's MP3 collection through your home entertainment sound system. Access and control your entire digital music collection via your TV; shuffle your music library by artist, album, or type of music; and create a custom playlist on your computer or use third-party software to develop playlists for every mood. The TiVo Digital Photo Viewer accesses digital photos stored on your computer and showcases them on your TV. View photo albums and slideshows on your TV screen, easily navigate, search, and view your computer's entire digital photo library, play and control slideshows of photo albums, and use the remote control to select and view individual photos.

TiVo's Series2 DVR allows users to view photos and listen to music stored on their computer or other peripheral device.

With the Multi-Room Viewing feature, users can pause live TV and resume viewing in another room.

Multi-Room Viewing is designed for households with two Series2 DVRs and allows you to record a show on one DVR and send it to another if your kids are watching in the living room, say, and you're watching in the bedroom. You can also start a program on one DVR and pick up where you left off on your other DVR, as well as access the Now Playing list of a connected Series2 DVR at any time. You can also find and schedule recordings even when you're away from home. With 0nline Scheduling, you'll have the freedom to schedule programs from anywhere you have a computer with an lnternet connection. Just sign in to TiVo Central 0nline to access the same recording options you have at home. The Series2 DVR is compatible with virtually every television available. lt also works with VCRs, TV antennas, cable systems, and satellite systems. A patented universal remote control simplifies program recording and controls multiple TiVos within the home (2 devices can share your existing phone line). Connections include: 3 video inputs and outputs (S-video, composite-video, and RF coaxial), 1 set of stereo RCA analog audio inputs, and 2 sets of stereo audio outputs.

TiVo service requires a subscription fee; currently $12.95 per month. 0ther benefits of TiVo service include but are by no means limited to: Season Pass (TiVo automatically finds and records every episode of a series all season long, even if the network schedule changes), WishList (TiVo finds and records programs that feature your favorite actor, director, team, or even topic), Smart Recording (TiVo detects line-up changes for you and suggests programs to match your interests, if desired), and Showcases (exclusive entertainment plus recording shortcuts from some of the most popular networks on TV). You can even train TiVo to autorecord more shows you'll love when you use the Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down buttons on the supplied remote. Parental controls let you lock channels or set ratings limits based on content.



What's in the Box
TiVo DVR, user's manual, 1 stereo analog audio/video interconnect, 1 RJ-11 phone 'Y' splitter, 1 dual lR blaster cable, 1 AC power cord, one 25-foot RJ-11 telephone cable, 2 AA batteries, 1 RG-6 coaxial cable, 1 DB-9 serial cable, a user's manual, and warranty information.

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Buyer's feedback: - * DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ...
Go through your cable company instead if you want a dvr. Tivo has the worst customer service and I don't know about anyone else, but my Tivo was more trouble than it was worth to hook up. I got our new computer up and running 2x's faster than tivo. If you don't have a phone jack close buy you better have a wireless internet router for your home( the network adapter isn't included at $30-$50 a piece) or it won't work, then you better hope there are no problems connecting to it, after 8 hours of phone calls and dirrent hookup configuratons I cancelled my subsription and took this piece of krap back to the store.

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Buyer's feedback: - Tivo is great
This is my 2nd Tivo I Brought it works so well I'm am sure I will buy a 3rd one.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Love TiVO ...
I love TiVo. this is great to watch our shows when we want to watch them. Setting it up is easy. Best part is with a press of a button we can record an upcoming show to watch later if we are on vacation, or like most times, forget that it is on.

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Buyer's feedback: - I love TIVO, BUT...
I love TIVO...I don't know what I did without it before. I got the 40-hr one first (like 6 or 7 years ago), which is still working fine. I then bought the 140 hr model in 2005 (when it came out...so, I paid over $400). Just a little over a year, it broke down...Had to replace it for $50 and got a refurbished machine (same model)...it lasted for 2 years and same thing again...just hangs...Meanwhile, I bought the 80 hr Dual tuner, which I love also...but I am frusttrated about this 140-hr machine as it's the biggest I had and yet, keeps failing. I am in the process of getting a new one, but will make sure to get some sort of extended warranty thru a store or something as I just do not want to have one fail again.

However, TIVO itself was the best invention ever....

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Buyer's feedback: - * All or Nothing ...
I bought this machine to replace a VCR that died. I thought this would be easier than using tapes, but I have to say I'm gravely disappointed. Pausing live TV is really cool, and skipping commercials is great! But the unit itself does not seem to be very stable. I've had it for only 24 hours now, and have already had to unplug it twice to reset due to it either locking up, or a loss of some basic functionality that was only restored with a restart. Maybe this was just a fluke - time will tell.

But here's the real kicker; you can't use this thing like a VCR unless you sign up for the TiVo service. I'm really not interested in downloading program guides, advanced searching, season pass recording and all that. I just want to be able to record shows, and watch them later. But the record function is completely disabled unless you sign up for the whole service. So on top of the price of the unit, I have to pay $16 a month just to be able to push the record button! That's ridiculous! Who would do that? The TiVo service is not needed in any way for me to simply record the show I'm currently watching. That would be like buying a DVD player, and being required to pay a monthly fee just to be able to push play. I can understand if your life revolves around television and you want all the bells and whistles the TiVo service offers. But if you just want to record shows once in a while, you're much better off with a $30 VCR. I had no idea this is how these things worked. Guess I should have done some research first.