The DVR Dilemma from Hell
Today I went to go swap out our cable box from downstairs for an HD one, and decided to pick up one with DVR functionality at the same time. Our Tivo had to be pushed to a different room (my parents’ bedroom, actually) because it can’t handle an HD signal, and I still wanted to be able to record and watch certain shows in our den. Well, I forgot that the only interface Motorola sucks at more than cell phones is DVR (which is one of the reasons why we even got a Tivo in the first place). There is the intriguing solution of the line integration finally happening next week, so then the Tivo wouldn’t need to be connected to a cable box and could act like a typical DVR (access to all the analog stuff). The option then returns to that of a Media Center PC and a digital tuner and/or Cablecard solution. If it’s all about balancing the positives and negatives; the current setup is very, very low on the list, but there’s not a clear winner among the alternatives.
If all else fails, I can always go back to the VCR setup that I used at our old house. That system worked fine for my needs, but it just feels like a step backwards to have to go to it. Everything going digital should make this type of stuff easier, but in reality it just adds more layers of protections and incompatibilities that drive people crazy. If a company can make something that is easy to use and meets all of my needs for a reasonable price (I’m looking at you, Tivo Series 3), they’re very likely to get my (or rather, my parents’) money. Until then, I’ll just suffer through what’s available.