I've heard that TiVo as a separate set-top unit is effectively
obsolete because cable companies are now providing the same service in
their cable boxes. But in its DVR system, Time Warner cable in New
York does not appear to offer all the features that TiVo offers. Over
the long term, which is the better investment?

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Request for Question Clarification by mvguy-ga on 06 Feb 2004 09:19 PST

Which is the better deal depends partly on which features are
important to you. Which features of DVR are most important to you, and
are there any features that TiVo has that are especially important? 
Thanks.

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Clarification of Question by mccook-ga on 06 Feb 2004 10:56 PST

mvguy, thanks for your interest:

Ease of recording a show, either per episode or whole season's worth,
would be of primary importance. Having the machine record things by
subject that I might not otherwise know of ahead of time (programs on
space exploration or silent movies, for example) would be another.
Having the machine suggest things to record based on interests
(oceanography, British murder mysteries) would be another. On the one
hand, it looks like the DVR service Time Warner Cable provides does
very few of these things -- but on the other, I have heard from others
that TiVo's separate set-top box is going the way of the VCR, and that
the company will soon be providing its service through others. I don't
want to commit the money and space to something that's on the way out.
So, is it on the way out? Will cable companies soon do through their
cable boxes everything that TiVo now does through its own equipment?

Thanks,
mccook-ga

The way I understand it is that DirecTV is aquring TiVo and
intergreating it with its company. There making their move to counter
Cable's advance with its telecomunications divison. Now wheather you
have cable or satalite is the question now, or if your willing to wait
it out because the likeness of Time Warner countering with its own
"TiVo"ish verion is soon to appear, by markert estamates. If you need
any further info on the subject direct your attention to both AOL Time
Warner corprate site, and DirecTV's corprate site.