Women in Technology

Article:		Freevo: Freedom For Your TV
Subject:		On the subject of cost
Date:		2005-01-29 10:57:59
From:		drgalaxy
HW: Why should anybody bother with building a digital video recorder, when you can buy a TiVo for much less money and hassle? I think the developers responses were good for this question but they missed an important fact. TiVo's services cost (I think) $15/month per box. I have a friend who has 3 televisions and 2 activated tivo boxes. At that rate a year costs roughly $360. How many years do you want to have DVR/media center functions? $300 for a TiVo $180/yr * 3 = 540 ------- $850

Showing messages 1 through 3 of 3.

• On the subject of cost
  2005-01-29 17:24:18  joecm [View]
  
  
  Actually, Tivo service costs $12.95 per month for the first box, and $6.95 per month for each additional (assuming you don't spring for the lifetime - $300). Additionally, the boxes are as cheap as $80 after rebate.
  
  $80 for a Tivo (amazon.com)
  $300 for Lifetime service
  *or* $155/year if monthly ($85/year for each addtional box)
  -------------------------
  
  $380 for a tivo... still pricey... but not $850
  
• On the subject of cost
  2005-02-14 07:29:36  PabloX [View]
  
  
  I think the major problem with Tivo goes beyond the cost of getting up and running.
  
  If you have a problem with your Tivo, you can't replace any hardware without breaking its warranty and without spending hours on the phone with support troubleshooting, just to be told that you it has to be replaced. Once you get your replacement system, which you hope will work, pray that it doesn't brake again, or it will be more phone support and more wait to get another replacement.
  
  
  If you build your own box, you buy another part and replace it and you're good to go.

• On the subject of cost
  2005-01-30 11:56:12  ichebert [View]
  
  
  The problem is more than cost; the real issue here is control. Tivo and similar services are notorious for changing the rules in mid-stream and changing their software's functionality, often not to the customer's benefit.