TIVO: Watching TV on YOUR Time

 James G. DeRuvo, Hardware Editor

    At first glance, one might think that TiVo wouldn't be fit in the "video" category since it doesn't use any type of tape to record with. In fact, when you get right down to it, TiVo isn't really hardware, it's a service. The hardware part comes from one of two Phillips brand digital recorders that record and store your favorite show using the TiVo software. 

    Video purists might say that this opposes the video experience, but I prefer to think that it enhances it. TiVo's digital storage will take care of the heavy "daily" recording for you - you only need to set it once and it continues to record the same show for you week in and week out until you tell it not to. This saves your tapes, and your VCR heads for "the keepers" (like the Super Bowl) which you won't accidentally record on your wedding video and earn your wife's wrath. (Anybody see that "Everyone Loves Raymond" episode?)

    What is TiVo? TiVo is the revolutionary new Personal TV Service that lets you watch what you want, when you want. TiVo enables you to pause, switch to slow motion or even instantly replay live TV. Tell TiVo once and it will automatically find and digitally record your favorite programs every time they air - so you can watch your favorite shows on your schedule, any time you want to. 

    And it's easy to use: Simply find and record what you want to watch by name, category, time or channel - for a single episode or an entire season. TiVo makes recording easy - all you need to know is a program's name to find the show you want to record. 

    And because the recording is digital, TiVo lets you instantly access all your recorded programs, rather then having to waste time fast-forwarding or rewinding to find that funny scene or that game winning touchdown.

    The TiVo Personal TV Service provides your recorder with the information and software it needs to deliver all of TiVo works with whatever type of television reception you have - cable, direct broadcast satellite, and antenna. 

Using TiVo's exclusive intelligent recording management capability you can schedule several hours of programming to be recorded as far as 13 days in advance. You can check your recording schedule through TiVo's To Do List. 

    TiVo lets you watch your favorite show, whenever you want, even if you're a few minutes late. Now you don't have to wait for your VCR to record the entire program before you can tune-in to the start of the show. 

    When you begin rating your favorite shows with "Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down" buttons, your preferences are saved locally on your recorder. The more you use it, the better TiVo gets at recognizing what you like to watch. Then, it matches these preferences with the program data  it receives from the TiVo Service to make recommendations suited uniquely for you. So, if your a 
History Channel freak, like me, TiVo will look for history-related subjects that you might find of interest and suggest them. TiVo keeps a list of these suggested programs under TiVo's Suggestions and, if space is available, automatically records suggestions so that the recorder is 
always full of shows you like. 

    Currently there are two Philips Personal TV recorders on the market that can record up to 14 and 30 hours of programming. (Click here to order one of these recorders or to get more information). You have the choice of trading video recording quality for recording capacity. Recording capacity includes time allocated for 30 minutes of live TV recording. TiVo's technology maximizes recording time and capacity because it uses an advanced, dynamic  scheduling technique. It optimizes storage by allocating space for recordings as needed - and not locking out disk space in advance. 

    With today's fast paced lifestyle, TiVo may indeed be the way to watch television ... it's unique - it learns your preferences and suggests programming, then records it on available space. It's convenient, it will remember your favorite shows and record them automatically. And it works with all kinds of broadcast signals ... from cable to satellite to antenna. Even Premium channels like Showtime, HBO, even "Pay per view!" (Wrestlemania, here I come!)

    It's on YOUR schedule, not the Networks'. So even if you're a few minutes late for the show, TiVo will start the show when YOU'RE ready, rather than force you to wait for it to record fully, like a conventional VCR does.

    Check out TiVO at www.tivo.com. For more information or to order by phone, call toll-free 1-800-729-1846.

Copyright © 2002 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
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Revised: October 15, 2002 02:42 PM Pacific Time.