Philips HDR612 TiVo 60 Hour Digital Video Recorder Review
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This device has completely changed the way I watch television. Now, whenever I feel like watching TV, I have dozens of my favorite shows ready and waiting, plus occasional new shows TiVo has recommended to me. I never watch live TV anymore unless I want to check the weather or news. No more channel surfing.
That being said, I have been given 3 defective units. The first unit shipped to me would not boot up. I returned this to Amazon (very nice returns process, btw) for a new unit. After 2 months, the tuner on the new unit failed. This one was returned to TiVo, who shipped me a new unit. This third unit had the incorrect software installed on it (the 30-hour-unit software). TiVo tech support helped me correct this issue by having the unit dial in and download the correct software version. So far, there haven't been any problems since then.
On the plus side of all the problems I've had, I can say that TiVo's customer support is excellent, and a pleasure to deal with. I just wish their Quality Assurance was as good.
Even with all the problems, I have still recommended TiVo to my friends and co-workers, and I will continue to do so.
Philips HDR612 TiVo 60 Hour Digital Video Recorder Feature
- Up to 60 hours of storage capacity
- 8-second instant-replay feature
- Pause, fast-forward, and rewind
- Jump-to-live button on remote
- 4 picture-quality settings
Philips HDR612 TiVo 60 Hour Digital Video Recorder Overview
The Philips HDR612 makes it easy for you to control (pause, rewind, slow motion) and record (up to 60 hours) your favorite shows at the touch of a button, without the hassles of videotapes! There is a unique 2-week interactive program guide that is updated nightly, over your phone line. You can even teach TiVo to remember and record the shows you like. Watching and recording television has never been easier!
Philips HDR612 TiVo 60 Hour Digital Video Recorder Specifications
With up to 60 hours of program recording capacity, the Philips HDR612 offers the most hard disk space currently available in a personal video recorder.
Unlike analog VCRs, Philips's HDR612 personal TV recorder uses TiVo technology to store compressed audio-video data to a computer hard disk. When you're ready to watch a preselected program, the HDR612 retrieves it upon command from a list of shows you've recorded. Among the most revolutionary aspects of the Philips/TiVo server is the ability to pause live broadcasts and either resume a program where you left off or return to real time. For example, while watching live sporting events, you can replay the last eight seconds of the action. You can then return to the live broadcast at any time. Using the palm-size remote, you can rewind and fast-forward pretaped programs and skip through recorded commercials if you choose.
Philips supplies all the necessary cables for setting up the HDR612, including a 50-foot phone line and splitter. You don't need a separate phone line; simply connect the splitter to the wall, connect your phone and receiver cable to the splitter, and you're in business. The phone line is vital for downloading TV listings, recording shows, and receiving TiVo's Suggestions feature and TiVolution Magazine, which offer guidance and recommendations on the best programs to watch. After the initial download, the receiver spends about five minutes updating your programming data each night.
The HDR612 has lots of great features that make it easier for this personal TV server to record programs as it learns your preferences. For example, the Suggestions feature actually offers input on shows you might enjoy based on your previous selections.
TiVo's onscreen setup guide includes easy step-by-step instructions. TiVo charges .95 a month for weekly listings, TiVolution Magazine, and the Suggestions feature, or you can pay a one-time service charge of 9.
Once you've selected a program to record, you have four choices of picture quality: basic, medium, high, or best. The higher settings take up more storage space, which translates into fewer hours of available record time.
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 23, 2010 03:40:59
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