View Full Version : The Ultimate DVR"
Last month, TiVo announced the release of the TiVo Premiere Elite, a 4 tuner DVR for digital cable or FIOS. Today, I received an email from Weaknees announcing its availability. The new box discards analog cable capability and antenna inputs, meaning it is compatible only with FIOS or digital cable. I has a 2 TB internal hard drive and also accepts an external expansion drive. A multistream cablecard is required. More details are at http://www.tivo.com/products/tivo-premiere-elite/index.html
sigma1914
10-08-11, 01:00 PM
No more stupid tuning adapters?
No more stupid tuning adapters?
Good question, but I'd guess that they are still required for switched digital video. I didn't see anything in the unit's description that says SDV is handled by the box. :(
Since the specs state TiVo Series 4 architecture, I'd venture to say the adapter is still required
Davenlr
10-08-11, 10:03 PM
Wonder if this boxes HD menu's are finished...
it still doesn't match the capabilites of windows media center, although the tivo is less expensive to get started with.
Draconis
10-11-11, 10:01 PM
Works with cable. Does not work with satellite.
Oh well. :nono2:
With the thread's title I was thinking about Godzilla (http://blogs.snapstream.com/2006/01/18/godzilla-pvr/).
it still doesn't match the capabilites of windows media center, although the tivo is less expensive to get started with.
Each has its merits. Media Center works only with analog and unencrypted digital TV (dependent upon a tuner card), and of course, with only one channel at a time. It does offer FM radio, slide shows, and a few other things not available on TiVo. Further, TiVo does require a subscription in addition to cable service, a CableCard and SDV adapter. The Premiere series of TiVo boxes offer capacity for Hulu2, Amazon and Netflix streaming services, access to a myriad of podcasts, Rhapsody (fee), Pandora (free) YouTube and more.
I have the low end Premiere with external 1 TB drive in my bedroom and am quite happy with it. Would I like the new model? Sure, but not for $499 plus the cost of a lifetime subscription. :eek2:
Each has its merits. Media Center works only with analog and unencrypted digital TV (dependent upon a tuner card), and of course, with only one channel at a time.
Media Center can record 8 channels of each type at once (4 out of the box, 8 with a free plugin); so 8 HD encrypted channels, 8 HD clear QAM channels, 8 HD ATSC channels, 8 NTSC channels; so 32 simulataneous recordings. Although that would take an enormously powerful computer. But you could easily do 8 HD cable channels at once.
They have cards for all types of signals, including HD capture cards for use with Dish and Direct.
And storage is endless. It also holds a massive movie library and a netflix plugin.
You can also run media center within the xbox 360, so instead of buying more computers (or tivo's), use the xbox. The xbox is the best way to use it, i think. it has a better netflix plugin, plus hulu and zune.
Media Center can record 8 channels of each type at once (4 out of the box, 8 with a free plugin); so 8 HD encrypted channels, 8 HD clear QAM channels, 8 HD ATSC channels, 8 NTSC channels; so 32 simulataneous recordings. Although that would take an enormously powerful computer. But you could easily do 8 HD cable channels at once.
Granted, in theory this is possible. However, I'm not aware of any PC motherboards that would support even 4 2 channel tuner cards in addition to other PCI Express cards. Further, simultaneous recording of even four HD signals would tax the system. As to better Netflix and Hulu capacity, that ould not surprise me. For live streaming, TiVo's Netflix app is not as good as you can get with today's internet ready TV's or Blu-ray players.
schampio
10-22-11, 10:29 PM
Its great to see them getting serious about putting more than 2 tuners and a puny 1TB drive in a dvr at last. Wonder how long before you can upgrade to a 3Tb drive.
schampio
10-22-11, 10:31 PM
(filling out my required 4 posts to pm - mea culpa)
And having accessibility from the Tivo Preview is great too. But it still needs to able to remotely schedule from other connected Previews and Premieres.
Granted, in theory this is possible. However, I'm not aware of any PC motherboards that would support even 4 2 channel tuner cards in addition to other PCI Express cards..
you can now buy pci express and usb quad-tuners for digital cable from ceton. i haven't seen any quad atsc tuners yet (plenty of dual tuners available). users @ TGB forums report using two quad tuners to record 8 simultaneous digital cable streams. you can also buy network-based cable tuners; silicondust makes a dual-tuner for atsc and clear qam, and just introduced a 3-tuner model for cablecard use. i've also seen pci-express dvb-s and dvb-s2 quad tuners from tbs.
Further, simultaneous recording of even four HD signals would tax the system...
i'm recording 4 HD channels right now on a core2duo w/ 4GB of ram, and its not batting an eye. the encoders are built into the tuner cards, requiring very little CPU.
jchambers2586
03-12-12, 05:44 PM
Here is a 6 tuner PC tuner card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815345009
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