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In Reply to: I'm Confused about Direct TV and Tivo... posted by budrew on January 05, 2004 at 16:16:25:

Disclaimer: I do not have satellite service. I do have a couple of TiVos.
In the US there are two major satellite service providers, Direct TV and Dish Network (there are some smaller providers but these are the main ones). My understanding is that DirectTV is better for people who are interested in Sports and Dish is more movie oriented (and slightly less expensive).
On to TiVo...
TiVo is the most popular Digital Video Recorder on the market. It's success is (in my opinion) due to a excellent, simple user interface. TiVo has generated a large following and there is a growing aftermarket / modifying business as well as several books on hacking the TiVo.
The TiVo (original primary) functionality is the ability to store TV shows on it's internal Hard Disk and play them back at a later date (similar to a VCR). This allows one to fast forward through commercials at a high rate of speed.
TiVo's scheduling program is light years ahead of a VCR. Because TiVo has a fourteen day advanced schedule (updated via phone every day) allows TiVo to perform some very sophisticated ways to find and record shows (for example Record all John Wayne movies *or* record every episode of West Wing, etc.). TiVo can either receive over the air programs or controls the set top box (like a cable or satellite box).
(The above is a very abbreviated version of TiVo's capabilities.)
The best of TiVo comes in a TiVo that has the satellite receiver (actually two receivers) built into it. This type of TiVo can record two different programs simultaneously, while allowing you to watch a previously recorded program from the hard disk.
If you want a TiVo and you want DirectTV, you should probably buy them both at the same time. You save in two ways; when starting up a DirectTV service, the vendor will subsidize part of the cost of the TiVos (if you buy them at start up) and because each TiVo will also serve as the satellite receiver (eliminating a satellite receiver box that would be necessary if you were using a stand alone TiVo). In addition, this simplifies your set-up and eliminates some complexity.
Go to TiVo.com for more basic info or the Tivo community forum for more info.
Good Luck... Paul

http://www.tivocommunity.com/ (Open in New Window)

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Well... DirectTV is a satellite service provider...