Best Buy Ratings and Reviews

Best Buy Ratings and Reviews

Customer Reviews for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

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TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Model: TCD652160
SKU: 8386999
UPC: 851342000742
Record up to 20 hours of high-quality HD TV programming or up to 180 hours of standard-definition TV programming with this digital video recorder that lets you record up to 2 live shows while watching a previously recorded third show. Learn more about the TIVO HD DVR. (Flash demo)
Average Customer Rating:
4.139 out of 5
4.1
 out of 
5
(101 Reviews) 101
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating Snapshot 101 reviews
5 stars
58
4 stars
26
3 stars
1
2 stars
5
1 star
11
82% of customers would recommend this product to a friend 
(
83 out of 101
)
Customer Reviews for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder
Review 1 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Awesome!

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: SamKC
from Kansas City
on 02/23/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
4.0 out of 5
4.0
What's great about it: Same great quality, interface, etc.
What's not so great: Not a thing
The Tivo series three is the best so far! I love the Netflix option and the HD. Only thing that caught me off guard was the use of cable cards. Previous models used existing cable boxes. The series three uses cards provided by your cable company. This works MUCH better than the IR channel changers in past models, but delayed setup for me since I hadn't pre-ordered cards from my cable company.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 2 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Best Tivo ever

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: matt2177
from Mankato MN
on 02/17/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Easy to set up. Easy toi use. Pause live tv. Skip through comercials
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 3 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

service fee too high

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: chernone
from hlwd
on 02/16/2010
Value for Price
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Features
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Ease of Use
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Ease of Set Up
1.0 out of 5
1.0
What's great about it: looks good
What's not so great: service fee higher then cable company.
I was not aware of the monthly service fees due in order to use the Tivo box. My cable company is cheaper and you use their equipment.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
-2points
0out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 4 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

A must buy if you have cable

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: socaltechgeek
from Los Angeles
on 02/11/2010
Value for Price
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
3.0 out of 5
3.0
What's great about it: The TIVO interface blows away cable's DVR
What's not so great: CableCard setup was a pain and no PPV
Pros: The TIVO is easy to use. Everyone in the house will pick it up and have no problems using it even kids. Netflix streaming a big plus. Great picture quality. Can receive free OTA HD. With TIVO Desktop plus or pyTivo you can share files from your PC. Recording capacity is expandable. Too much to list.
Cons: Initial cost, cable companies make it challenging to setup the TIVo. Took TWC three visits to setup properly.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 5 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Great Upgrade!

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: LionMG
from Arkansas
on 02/06/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: Plug and Play set up with great instruction
What's not so great: Have to wait for a 2:00 am scheduled update after first install before you can link to Netflix account
Upgraded from standard TiVO to HD in three rooms. We have liked TiVO from the moment we first purchased them. These HD devices work great and the video on demand feature is awesome! Menu's are much better than Cox DVR
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 6 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

great for my basic needs

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: perfectpurchase
from New York, NY
on 02/04/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: basic functions
What's not so great: occasional error message when using netflix watch instantly
I am a basic TiVo user, meaning I just wanted to be able to do 2 things:
1) record a show while not home or watching a different one = so far, haven't had any problems with this. It's easy enough, I just find the show and click record.
2) be able to "watch Netflix instantly" on my tv instead of my computer = this required the wireless adapter and it's also very simple. You add the show/movie to your watch instantly queue online and then you can select it thru the TiVo menu. Every once in a while, I get an error message saying that the TiVo is having trouble communicating with Netflix, but that's rare and usually doesn't persist if I keep trying.
I know people have had some serious technical gripes about TiVo but if you're just looking for some of its very basic functions like me, it's a satisfying purchase, especially when I only paid $149 due to purchasing a TV at the same time with Best Buy.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 7 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

TIVO is Great

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: AJ28
from Beverly, MA
on 01/25/2010
Value for Price
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: Simple start up instructions, discounted price with HDTV purchase
What's not so great: Nothing
Moving to TIVO 3rd generation was seamless - network connection was easier than with prior units, It is great to have HD recording and playback. If you have another TIVO unit on your home network, it automatically finds it and shows it in the Play List. Taking the cable card - in my case the multi channel cable card is the nuts - no cable converter box required and you can access 2 channels at a time.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 8 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

I can enjoy tv programing again

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Tigo21
from TX
on 01/25/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
4.0 out of 5
4.0
What's great about it: Features, interface, dual tuners, OTA hd recording
I had a previous dvr that I use to rent from the cable company. But outrageous rental and service prices forced me to give it up. Then saw tivo at best buy. I did some research on the item and monthly subscription fees. Once every thing was factored and purchased this hd unit. I'm very tech savvy and set up was a breeze. Like others have said, if you have digital cable service you need to rent a cable card from your provider. The rental fee in my area isn't that bad. I use to pay more to rent the previous unit I had from them. The cable guy had a hard time marrying the card to the unit, hence the 4 star on set up. But once he had it, it worked flawless. This is a must if your a busy person and don't have time to sit in front of the tv at a certain time. It's also really grate when watching sports, I make my own instant replays. People also says price is a little high for the unit, but when you really look at what it really can do, its justifiable. From recording tv programs, netflix instant streaming, youtube ect....get the point? Tivo will entertain you and the family for countless hrs.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 9 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Great, simple DVR

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Rolfdenver
from Centennial, CO
on 01/20/2010
Value for Price
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Features
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: Super-simple set up and use, great HD quality
What's not so great: A little pricey, smallish capacity, must rent cards from cable company
We have been TiVo users for years, and with our purchase of an HDTV we knew we'd want to upgrade to a new HD TiVo. We like TiVo mainly for the intuitive, easy user interface. A TiVo HD is perfect for the "non-techie" person who just wants to be able to watch and record TV without having to get an advanced technical degree.
We love this new TiVo, which can of course also record non-HD content. (One plus is that the TiVo automatically provides a playlist of HD-recorded stuff, so you don't have to wonder whether that movie it "suggested" for you is in HD or not.)
If you can afford it, consider upgrading to the HD XL, which holds a LOT more recorded content. However, there is also a special hard drive available from TiVo to increase the capacity of this drive.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 10 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

I love TIVO! Love paying less to Time Warner Cable

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: kimberlylynne
from Raleigh, NC
on 01/15/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
4.0 out of 5
4.0
What's great about it: Tons of options (streaming Netflix, youtube, etc.), such a better machine than Time Warner DVR, fast
What's not so great: We are new to TIVO and it is a little annoying how it "thinks" for you and records shows it thinks you will like
I bought this for my husband because he goes to bed early and wanted to be able to record shows that came on later. We had no idea that we would like it this much. First of all, changing HD channels on the TIVO is so much better and faster than the Time Warner HD box and the DVR option is fantastic, easy and doesn't freeze. We love being able to give the HD box back to Time Warner and not pay them for it anymore (we have to pay $2.50 per month for a cable card that is installed in the TIVO). We love streaming TV shows and movies from Netflix. Keep in mind that not all movies are available in this format. A lot of them still require you to buy or rent the actual DVD, but most current TV shows are available to stream once the DVD is released. Have a little patience when you set it up and learning about it and you will be happy with it. Keep in mind that it is just like a computer and when it does have a problem, it actually restarts itself. We really love this product!
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 11 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Tivo is much better than your provider's DVR

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: AWOLGolfer
from Oakdale, MN
on 01/14/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: Ease of use, great HD and even better with extender
What's not so great: Nothing
I have been a long time Tivo subscriber. I have two at home and just purchased a third for my son. I hear from so many of my family and friends about the limitations in their cable provider's DVRs. Tivo's customer support (rarely used) is great and their continued addition of services has been fabulous. Movies, photos, music, ease of programming, so many options, what's not to love?
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 12 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

TiVo- Great, but hard to set-up

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: TCG
from GA
on 01/14/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
1.0 out of 5
1.0
What's great about it: You can watch NetFlix. You can record two shows.
What's not so great: It is very hard and time consuming to connect.
I love TiVo! I hate installing it!!! It is a wonderful tool! However, TiVo's customer care doesn't have a clue. Comcast won't help. Best Buy should offer a tutorial.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 13 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

TIVO wows me over

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: LRT
from Milwaukee Area
on 01/14/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: After reading other reviews I wasn't sure how the set up process would go, but it couldn't have been easier!
What's not so great: I still have to give Charter $3 a month for a cable card to get the HD channels.
Got the TIVO box for $149 with a flatscreen TV purchase at Best Buy just before Christmas. Really impressed with the ease of set up, just plug it in and connect to the internet (hardwire connection) and our flatscreen and follow the directions. No hiccups. Wasn't sure what I would get on cable without the cable cards, but was pleasantly surprised to see the lower 100 channels. Was a bit confused on how to connect to Netflix, but after looking on the TIVO website figured out you had to allow TIVO to be able to recommend programming and then overnight Netflix and all the other streaming options were available. Went with the three year plan to minimize the cost and also reduced our Netflix from 2 movies to 1. So by returning our Charter DVR and its fees and even though we are paying for a cablecard and TIVO service, we are still ahead about $9 a month. Also really am enjoying letting TIVO be the watchdog for shows to record and the Netflix downloads. Other than News and Weather - we don't watch anything on network TV live.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 14 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

TIVO improved and ready for the new decade!

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: DCMBELL
from Westeren MA
on 01/13/2010
Value for Price
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Ease of Set Up
3.0 out of 5
3.0
What's great about it: Two recordings at same time has netflix on demand
What's not so great: setting up and waiting for cable cards was a bit confusing and slow
I bought this about a month ago. Not only is the newer TIVO great looking but it does what it promises. It does not hurt that we have both wired and wireless network in the house so it was zero problem to run more cat-5. And the ultimate bonus is the hard drive in this tivo is so much quieter than the older series . TIVO definitely took a good thing and made it better all the way around.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 15 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Great TliVo

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: bballs
from rushville, Illinois
on 01/12/2010
Value for Price
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Ease of Set Up
4.0 out of 5
4.0
What's great about it: More useful than the old VCR's - comes with HD
What's not so great: Still have to get an HD card from the cable company. Should be complete upon purchase
Had a basic TiVo before and upgraded to this model. Good move on our part especially when it was advertised to tape in HD. It does, BUT not without the HD card that you must get from your local cable company. That is the only drawback and we haven't done it yet. Like all of the features -- dual show taping at the same time, expaned memory hold and the TiVo suggestions.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 16 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Stunning HDTV when I want it!

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: reabinc
from Pittsburgh, PA
on 01/12/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: Netflix & Youtube streaming with the TiVo interface
What's not so great: small amount of disk space
The great TiVo interface moved up to high def screens! Live streaming of YouTube videos is cool, and Netflix looks great!
Internal hard drive is a bit small, but it's easy to add more storage with a plug-and-play WD DVR expander, or replace the internal drive.
Cablecard installation from FiOS was a snap - even though it was the guy's first cc job, it went without a hitch - TiVo includes a great cc set-up guide.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 17 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Best way to watch TV!

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: PWord
from Conroe, TX
on 01/11/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: I can now record up to 2 shows at once!!
Being able to pause live television is a genius idea! Who needs cable or satellite tv when you have Tivo. It's a money saver. I love the new ability to record two shows at once now and the integrated Netflix feature.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 18 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

I Love Tivo but I am now dissapointed

Customer Rating
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Posted by: mhanson
from Tampa, FL
on 01/10/2010
Value for Price
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Ease of Set Up
2.0 out of 5
2.0
What's great about it: Tivo features are amazing - far and above other DVRs
What's not so great: Grey Screen Issues
My first DVR was a Tivo and this has been a benchmark for all DVRs since and all have fallen flat. I give the Tivo 2 stars and that is just for the features like I remembered. However - there are so many KNOWN issues with the Tivo that I would not have bought had I done my research. Intermittently I get grey screens for no reason, sometimes it will even record your favorite show and when you go back to watch it - it just recorded a grey screen. I am really dissapointed.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 19 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Not suitable for satelite setup's!

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: Amy1681
from Franklinville, NY
on 01/09/2010
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Ease of Use
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Ease of Set Up
1.0 out of 5
1.0
What's great about it: I can't rate it when we could not use it.
What's not so great: Wish there was more detail in description for what it is compatable for. Especially for the technology impaired.
I don't have a positive or negative review due to the fact I was unable to use the product. Please add description and compatability to all tv types and cable verses satilite.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 20 for TiVo® HD Digital Video Recorder

Nice to Record Shows in HD

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: Dun
from Bay Area
on 01/07/2010
Value for Price
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Features
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Set Up
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: Easy to use Tivo features - Helps eliminate renting a cable box from Comcast, but you'll need a cable card
What's not so great: Gets pricey when you add in the price of the lifetime service.. Limits you to only using Cable and No On-Demand Feature
I already had a non-hd tivo and wanted to get an HD one. I like that I can get rid of one of the cable boxes I rent from Comcast, saving me an extra $8 a month, but I'll still need to rent a cable card to get premium channels. I'm disappointed that you can't access On-Demand with the HD tivo. If I were to decide to switch from Comcast to another provider like Dish or direct tv, I don't think I'll be able to use the HD tivo as I don't see how it would be able to control the satellite box.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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