Replay TV 4000

I've recently been looking at both the Tivo and the Replay TV. One interesting things that I've found is that, with both units, it is possible to upgraded the hard disk drive from the stock 20 GB or so to dual 120 GB drives. Of course, this voids one's warranty

The units appear to be the equal in most respects, but the Tivo gets the nod most times because of its lower price. However, for two reasons, I suspect that the Replay TV might be better for my purposes:

1. You can hook it up via ethernet. Modem is a pain in the arse for me and, although it is possible to hook a Tivo up to ethernet, it would require skill with a soldering iron and a heck of a lot of time.

2. It lets you share shows. Granted, this is not very feasible over the internet, but it makes perfect sense over a house network.

I envision having the 20 people (in 14 rooms) in my house be able to watch different shows at the same time that were recorded via the replayTV. However, this brings up my two questions about the unit:

1. Can I send video to PC's or does it only work to other ReplayTV's?

2. Can I pull video off the ReplayTV remotely or do I have to go to the ReplayTV to send it?

I've read through the FAQ, but, insofar as I can tell, it does not discuss these question.

-Biscuits

You can hook the Tivo up to ethernet too, you just plug in a card. No soldering required. Then you take the drive out, hook it up to a computer and run a special boot disk that sets the card up for you. Its only 10baset ethernet though.

Sean

The Replay 4000 is far more advanced than any Tivo. I have two DirecTiVo units. The integration with DirecTV is the only reason I own Tivos instead of Replays.

Being able to share shows between units in the house is a killer app. There are so many times I'm watching Tivo in bed, but the program I want to view is on the Living Room Tivo. Sharing programs between houses is also awsome, but the speed of the transfer is the killer. Although... I suppose you could send stuff over night...

As for outfitting TiVo with ethernet... it is now easier since TurboNet is now out.

How is it different/better than the tivonet card i already have? Or is this a directtivo only type thing?

Sean

It is easier to (physically) install and much smaller. It will work with SA TiVo and DirecTiVo. I have niether TivoNet or TurboNet, but I am pretty sure they function the same.

The guy making them was taking pre-orders here, but it looks like he sold out.

So can someone talk about what you can do once you have Ethernet installed in your TiVo? I'm sure you can download stuff to your pc... What else? Is there a place to read about what's possible?

- Jon

does the tivonet or turbonet allow you to do the updates through it and not have to use the modem ? sorry if this is a stupid question I don't follow the tivo bbs.
I have read about the tivonet but was never sure what the lets you do.

Yes, you would get the updates off the net. Not from tivo, but from a third party. IIRC you get them directly from the source TiVo gets them from.

Ok. Anything else that it gives you the ability to do? Can you control your TiVo recording schedule remotely somehow?

- Jon

EDIT: This post was a reply to a post that has since been edited.

No, your TiVo has to phone in once every 30 days to retain full functionality. People with TivoNet usually force a call to tivo every month to keep it working. The rest of the time they disconnect it from the phone line.

After 30 days without calling in, you will not be able to schedule recordings. About the only thing you will be able to do is play back already recorded stuff, and use "trick-play" (pause, rewind, etc. live TV). Software updates are done through the phone line, so you would lose that too.

is there more info about this someplace ? the updates would be the reason I want one now every week I have to pull the phone cord over to the tivo for the update and it is two feet from my computer so this would be easier

Here is info on TivoNet:
http://www.9thtee.com/tivonet.htm

You should also read the Underground forum on this BBS:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb

I just ordered a tivonet board, but I expect I'll keep paying Tivo my $10.

Why did I get it? There are now scripts (ExtractSteam, I think) that will let me dump Tivo MPEG to another computer so that I can edit and/or archive to VCD (rather than save from Tivo to VCR as I have done a few times already)

That's pretty cool. Hm. I read though the procedure for adding the TivoNet to the DirecTivo, which I have. Doesn't look complicated...

Hm I say.

- Jon

You can:

Get program updates direct from tivo instead of through dial up.
Can use the interface online over the internet. Pick programs to record, etc.
Transfer files to computer for burning to video cd for reading in a dvd player.

Well, I've found a program that will let me control a replaytv remotely via a PC. You can access the channel guide and schedule recordings as well as pull stuff off of it to watch on your PC. The guy writing it posted it in the avs forum. The file is called ReplayTVServer. I think there are a bunch of other programs that do the same thing though.

Is there anything like that for the Tivo?

-Biscuits

Does the Replay TV 4000 have dual tuners?

Calvin

Of course the other cool thing about ReplayTV is that we're now part of the group developing software for them (we being the former empeg team)

Rob

Rob, this is good news! I would buy two Replay 4000 boxes if you integrated a DirecTV receiver into them.

There are significant differences between the scheduling paradigm's of TiVo and Replay. I've owned a Replay and many TiVo's and I think Replay is fundamentally flawed. This comparison explains it very well.

-Dylan

I might point out that the Replay product in that review is the previous generation (and unlike Tivo, the latest RTV has a LOT of new features and enhancements).

I won't comment on the scheduling because I have neither a Tivo nor a RTV at home right now. You have to live with these things to form a meaningful opinion. I know that most Replay owners are quite passionate about the "Replay way" over the "Tivo way" and I would doubt whether either system is totally flawed or totally perfect.

The RTV roadmap over the coming months and years is extremely exciting so I'm going to poll your opinion again in a while

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Rob

Yes, Replay has added very compelling new features but my understanding is the basic PVR functionality is largely unchanged. The just-in-time scheduling, poor conflict management, and wasteful guaranteed space concept are still present.

I would like nothing better than for Replay to move to a predictive scheduler and simpler FIFO space management scheme. I love TiVo but I have no allegiance to it beyond my preference for it versus it's competitors. It would be great to have Replay's 2nd gen features combined with a more elegant PVR engine.

-Dylan