flat-screen tv recommendations

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

We haven't gotten BBCA in HD on Fios either, so don't feel bad.

[sweetcell]

i wonder if i can open up the machine and put in a larger hard drive.

No, you'd be voiding your membership agreement. I asked.

We have two of the FIOS Home-Media ones so that gives us 40 hours (that can be watched on either TV) between the two, and a modified Tivo HD for another 80.

dammit.  been reading that verizon has been promising to enable external storage on their DVRs for some time now (via a firmware update), but it's all vaporware.  tivo seems to be the only way to go beyond 20 hr/box.

television can be a very expensive pursuit (if one can call sitting on a couch a "pursuit").

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

television can be a very expensive pursuit (if one can call sitting on a couch a "pursuit").

Hey, don't give up the faith. We truly are the greatest generation.

[Herr Professor Doktor Doom]

(if one can call sitting on a couch a "pursuit").

It definitely is a pursuit... a pursuit of ill health....

[vansmack]

I opted not to use the cable co. DVR and ordered two of the new TiVo Premiere DVRs.  Recording capactiy (45 hours of HD) and ability to share programs between DVRs and computers were the motivating factors.  The web stuff is just a bonus.  They also have an eSata port for adding even more capacity (though I can't see us needing more than 90 hours).

TiVo has also enabled storing on Windows Home Servers so really have to think about how I want to do this.... 

[vansmack]

i wonder if i can open up the machine and put in a larger hard drive.

No, you'd be voiding your membership agreement. I asked.

Don't let that stop you....

What should stop you though, is that I don't think it can be done on the Motorola or the Scientific American box that Verizon supplies for FiOS.

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

I opted not to use the cable co. DVR and ordered two of the new TiVo Premiere DVRs.  Recording capactiy (45 hours of HD) and ability to share programs between DVRs and computers were the motivating factors.  The web stuff is just a bonus.  They also have an eSata port for adding even more capacity (though I can't see us needing more than 90 hours).

I was uaware of TiVo Premiere. What's that run?

[vansmack]

I was uaware of TiVo Premiere. What's that run?

$299 for the 45 Hours model, $499 for the 150 hours/THX certified model.  Existing TiVo owners can upgrade at a discount (despite the fact that I haven't used my TiVo series one in over 5 years, they upgraded that box for $200).  Ships to the general public in about two weeks.

http://www.tivo.com/what-is-premiere/premiere-is/index.html

[chaz]

I always found the comcast dvr to be pretty craptastic.  Why they can't just give that thing an overhaul is beyond me.  It hasn't changed a lick in years.  I have fios and like the dvr just fine.  More storage would be nice, but as long as I'm diligent it's usually fine.  I don't store much, and usually delete right after I watch.  And no, you can not add your own drive to it.  Won't work.

[godsshoeshine]

I opted not to use the cable co. DVR and ordered two of the new TiVo Premiere DVRs.  Recording capactiy (45 hours of HD) and ability to share programs between DVRs and computers were the motivating factors.  The web stuff is just a bonus.  They also have an eSata port for adding even more capacity (though I can't see us needing more than 90 hours).

TiVo has also enabled storing on Windows Home Servers so really have to think about how I want to do this.... 

i go back and forth on the external. on one hand i'd like to keep some things that i delete, but on another i record too many things as it is. i dont mind the directv dvr's that much, just a few menu complaints

[vansmack]

I always found the comcast dvr to be pretty craptastic.  Why they can't just give that thing an overhaul is beyond me.  It hasn't changed a lick in years.  I have fios and like the dvr just fine.  More storage would be nice, but as long as I'm diligent it's usually fine.  I don't store much, and usually delete right after I watch.  And no, you can not add your own drive to it.  Won't work.

You're right about Comcast.  It is absurd, and even though FiOS uses the same hardware as Comcast, they've at least claened up the OS.  But serisouly, the 160GB harddrive in the Motorola and SA DVRs is ridiculous.  FiOS has been talking about upgrading for years and hasn't done it.

The problem with the eSata port is that not all eSata drives work with the linux kernal that runs the DVRs.  That's why TiVo made it work with one eSata drive (Western Digital's My DVR Expander) and that was it.  DirecTV on the other hand, is trial and error and huge PITA, in my opinion.  Motorola/SA should just do what TiVo did and choose one vendor and make that an option for those that have their DVRs.

[vansmack]

i go back and forth on the external. on one hand i'd like to keep some things that i delete, but on another i record too many things as it is. i dont mind the directv dvr's that much, just a few menu complaints

I never used the external on the DirecTV DVRs because they had good sized hard drives (320GB being thier smallest).  What I loved about DirecTV's DVRs was that they were constantly improving them - every week I would have something new to try out.  Most companies don't pay that much attention to their equipment.

I need way more than 20 hours for recording though.  I probably record 20 hours of sports on any given weekend.  My plan for the TiVo now though, is to record HD movies and store them on my Home Server.  Since I'm completely skipping Blu-Ray, this will give me HD movies without having to buy/store a bunch of dics.  I can simply access them on either TiVo through the server.  Tangible media is really dead in Smackies house...

[sweetcell]

in case people were wondering what i ended up with: after much research and exchanges on forums (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/ is a pretty good one), i decided on the Samsung LN46C630 (46" LCD, matte panel, 120 Hz, 4 ms, 80,000:1, blah blah blah).  folks who aren't putting the set in an overly-lit room should consider the LNxxC650 series - it has the glass "Ultra Clear Panel" which improves contrast (and color according to some), at the expense of potentially more reflection.  then again, you should also consider plasma at that point.

samsung appears to be getting out of the LCD game: despite improved specs over last year's model (the B630), the new C models are cheaper.  i got mine for $890 ($989 with $99 cash back from bing.com). 

right then, off to find a bluray player so i can watch those gorgeous discovery channel nature specials...

[vansmack]

I was uaware of TiVo Premiere. What's that run?

Just an update - the Premiere has been a bit of a nightmare for us in the first week.  I would recoomend holding off on one.  TiVo has clearly not finished creating this UI and it's constantly causing problems.

So unless you're up for being an unpaid beta tester, the version that has made it to market is wholly unreliable.  Very disappointing from a company I once held in very high regard.

[chaz]

Anyone here using the Netflix player from Roku?