** ReplayTV versus TiVo (2003) **  

Note: this is clearly an incomplete evaluation, but more an insight into my comparison shopping and decision making logic :)

I'd like to preface this thread by stating that I don't believe I have an inherent bias towards ReplayTV, but simply that it's been (in my opinion) the better choice for me. The brief history of my DVR useage: In the year 2000, I purchased both a TiVo and ReplayTV (standalone only, I don't have satellite so I've never experienced a combined receiver / DVR unit). At that time (2000 series ReplayTV vs. version 1.0 TiVo software) I absolutely preferred ReplayTV's menu system, straightforward navigation, and more professional appearance versus TiVo's childish OS. Fast forward about 30 months, and I'm currently in possession of three ReplayTV units and looking to upgrade two of my 3000-series units to newer stock. So, I've investigated the competition and come up with my new opinion. This post references Tivo Series 2 versus ReplayTV 5000 series.

1) Picture Quality / Sound Quality
On my 50" almost HDTV high-end display, both look terrific. Both sound terrific. For television, I generally use Low-Medium quality recordings, for which I expect less-than-stellar quality. I have no complaints with either unit. Both are more than adequate for television viewing.
1 point ReplayTV, 1 point TiVo

2) Price
For TiVo, the absolute best price right now is about $450. (That breaks down to $200 after rebate for the unit, plus $250 for lifetime service). The best price on ReplayTV fluctuates, currently deals as low as approx $400 including service have been seen. List price is the same as TiVo ($300 - $100 in rebates + $250 for service) but the $50 difference right now gives ReplayTV the easy advantage.
1 point ReplayTV

3) Broadband
This one is pretty straightforward. ReplayTV gives you this option from the factory, and it's instantly plug-n-play and took all of 10 seconds to setup. TiVo doesn't offer this, but there are hacks requiring the purchase of additional hardware.
1 point ReplayTV, 1/2 point TiVo

4) PC Connectivity
Another easy one. ReplayTV doesn't support this, but there is incredibly simple software out there that, in a matter of 5-10 minutes, has you downloading MPEGs to your PC from your ReplayTV. With TiVo, you can't discuss it, the hack is "pretty difficult" and it's been recommended to just add a capture card to your PC if you want to download videos from the TiVo!
1 point ReplayTV

5) Show Sharing
Well, TiVo doesn't offer it in any way, and ReplayTV supports it but it's slllooowww (caused by the size of files) and unreliable in my experience.
1/2 point ReplayTV

6) Recording Style
This is the hotly contested issue, and given that I'm so used to ReplayTV's logic, I prefer it. But I can see why people like TiVo, so I'll happily give them the point here. In a purely objective review, neither is ideal, I prefer ReplayTV but TiVo is slightly more accurate. The To-Do list is convenient in letting you easily remove one specific recording from the queue to make room for a special recording, where in ReplayTV you'd have to change the original show to Not Guaranteed.
1 point TiVo

7) Photos
Now that TiVo has announced this feature (though at extra cost), both would be on an equal playing field. Both units will let you upload files to the unit and play them slide-show style. But ReplayTV's is free and easy because you're already networked with your PC... so....
1 point ReplayTV, 1/2 point TiVo

8) MP3 Playback
ReplayTV doesn't offer it and no hack for it. TiVo has announced it (see above), but it remains to be seen how easy this is, and it clearly would require networking and it'll likely be at additional cost to the user.
1/2 point TiVo

Current tally is 5 points ReplayTV, 3 1/2 points TiVo. That's a big enough margin to me, and I think I'll stick with ReplayTV. There are features that TiVo will / does offer, but often with a nasty hack involved.

Someone spoiling for a fight?

Maybe I should have stayed out of this forum for longer than a month.

Well, 5 to 3... it's a landslide! I don't see why people even bother with Tivos... ;)

One quibble... the "fairly complex hacks" to be able to download guide data and software updates via broadband involve buying a USB-Ethernet adapter (which apparently can be bought for $10-15), plugging it into one of the Tivo's USB ports (the new ones have USB 2.0 by the way), and putting in ,#401 into the phone connection string. Also, Tivo appears to have figured out how to enable broadband connectivity without the bugs that SonicBlue did. That's worth at least 1 point, right? :)

Subtract one point from ReplayTV for the scheduled reboots and it's a tie! Woo Hoo!

Thanks - I've updated my review in light of that. BTW very few people ever experience problems based on the reboots, but I'd like not to turn this thread into a discussion of that when there are plenty of other good threads on the subject!

Can this be made a "Sticky" at the beginning of the forum so we don't
get the ReplayTV vs TiVo question every three days.