46/58 messed up or is it just my new Tivo?

[borghe]

a couple of things to keep in mind:

1) DirecTV has NOT announced a new HD DVR. They have only announced a new SD DVR.
2) At this time, ONLY HD locals will be in MPEG4. HD Nationals aren't expected to be in MPEG4 until 2007.
3) Assuming that for the time being only locals will be in MPEG4, the HD Tivo will still be able to record ALL satellite SD AND HD as well as OTA HD, it will not be obsolete for some time.

So if you are truly waiting for an MPEG4 DVR from DirecTV, you will probably be waiting a heck of a lot longer than 10 months. That DVR will also probably NOT have OTA capabilities as the entire point of releasing an MPEG4 DVR would be to record LIL locals. When HD locals launch later this year DirecTV customers WILL NOT have a way of recording them. They will be for viewing only. and when the HD DVR does come out from NDS, without OTA capabilities you will again be forced into getting locals from DirecTV for $2-4/month.

If you want to DVR HD on DirecTV, the HD DirecTivo is and will be your only option for quite some time to come. If that doesn't speak to its non-obsolesence I don't know what does.

[kjnorman]

I made reference to the HMC - the Home Media Center.  This is slated to have 4 Directv tuners (HD capable) and 2 ATSC tuners, be MPG4 capable and be available towards the end of the year.  Indead this would be available prior to "just" a HD DVR.

Yes the HD tivo will still be able to record HD locals, SD directv and existing HD nationals until they convert around 2006/7, however it was my understanding that any NEW HD nationals will only be in MPEG 4.  

What do we record now that would be available in HD?  Mostly locals and HBO.  Both of which are available using the HD Tivo for the forseeable future.  It would just be a shame to lose the chance to get future national channels.  

Of course I spent $600 on my original Sony SVR2000 back in 2000, but that was BEFORE I was married....

[sp44again]

Why do you need more national HD channels?

[borghe]

well paint me embarrased... I completely missed out on that announcement from DirecTV??? WTF!?!?

Umm... well, I would still be skeptical of later this year, and still think the Tivo is and will be a great investment for some time yet.. but yeah.. avoiding $500-600 and waiting for that wouldn't be bad also..

I at this point probably won't be buying another Tivo... HOWEVER, I will still probably keep my Tivo even after I buy that (of course I am going to, you guys should know that )

The Tivo's usefullness can't be expressed enough... just having all of this season of smallville, the packer games, and Lost archived to DVR is worth every penny (until the HD-DVD sets come out).

anyway, sorry about not seeing that release.. I don't know how I missed that.. it looks pretty cool.. though I don't look forward to facing the Time Warner/SH8000HD syndrome.. I love my Tivo because of everything I Can do with it. Giving all of that up for a box that can simply record (and redistribute) kind of stinks... It's like giving up the Audi A8 for a Passat. You are still getting a great car, but it ain't an A8...