How to Choose Number of Recording Hours for TiVo

With so many TiVo models around, choosing the model with the right number of recording hours can get a little tricky. Here are a few steps that will help you in selecting the model for you.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Ask yourself: What is the purpose of investing in a TiVo? Is it to record daytime soaps when you are at work, or Monday night football games that can be watched during the weekends? Usage is a crucial factor in determining the number of hours you want to purchase with TiVo.

2. Pre-determine the number of hours you would need for recording shows during an average week, making rough estimates for each day of the week. Take into consideration weekends where you would actually have free time to watch these recorded shows. It would be wise not to grossly overestimate your recording hours, as there are only 48 hours in a normal weekend.

3. Take into consideration the number of people who will be using all the benefits of TiVo. Do you have a large family where everyone has their own favorite shows? Are you a workaholic bachelor mainly interested in recording sporting events? Are you purchasing a TiVo for yourself, your wife and kids, and are planning on recording everything from sports to cooking shows and cartoons? Assessing all these factors will help in selecting the number of recording and viewing hours you need.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep in mind that some shows have repeat telecasts at other time slots. It is likely that you may be able to watch them at these times. This way, you can avoid recording them and save TiVo time.
• The 80-hour TiVo Series2 DT DVR and 180-hour TiVo Series2 DT DVR come with a feature that enables them to record two programs, one from basic cable and one from digital cable, simultaneously. They also let you record two shows at once even if they are both aired on basic cable.
• 180-hour TiVo Series2 DT DVR cannot record two shows from digital cable or satellite channels simultaneously. One of them has to be basic cable.