Last updated on December 2, 2003


 

Includes ReplayTV 5500 series (5.1) and TiVo Series2 (4.01)

 

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Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo
Personal Television unit	5000/5500 series: 4000/4500 series: Replay-branded: Panasonic (Showstopper):	TiVo-branded Series2: AT&T Broadband: Philips: Sony (SVR-2000): Sony (SVR-3000): Thomson (U.K.):
Remote control	The 4000 and 4500 series come with the backlit 46-button remote control shown on the left. It includes a Bypass button to see the raw input signal unbuffered. The quick skip button is awkwardly located near the bottom. The 5000 and 5500 series include the redesigned 40-button remote control shown on the right. It is not backlit, and resembles the Sony TiVo remote. This remote comes with the 2001, 2003, and 2004: 48 buttons, many of them tiny; QuickSkip button; universal remote can control up to 6 devices; traditional remote shape. The left remote comes only with the 2020, 3020, and 3030: Slims down to 45 buttons, controls up to 4 devices, redesigned look and shape. The right remote comes with the Panasonic models and is functionally identical.	The TiVo Series2 remote has 34 buttons; separate Live TV and Guide buttons; additional Standby, TV Input, and PIP buttons (the latter currently does nothing); additional DVR switch for controlling multiple units; otherwise it is the same as the Philips remotes. The AT&T Broadband remote (not shown) is functionally identical. The Philips remote is on the left, and the Thomson on the right. They each have 30 buttons, many of them do double-duty; volume/mute can control either TV or stereo; power can control either one, or both simultaneously; contoured remote.   This heavy-bottomed, 37-button remote is bundled with Sony units. It comes with an additional button that brings you directly to the list of recorded programs. It also has a PTV power button. Like the other models, you can control the TV and volume through the remote, except this one can also learn the codes directly from the TV remote.
Accessories	Documentation 1 RCA audio/video cable 1 S-Video cable++ 1 Phone "Y" splitter* 1 Dual IR blaster cable 1 A/C power cord 1 25' Telephone cord 2 AA batteries 1 RJ-11 to 9 pin adapter 1 Pass-through serial cable 1 9 to 15 pin adapter 1 Coaxial cable+ 1 Ethernet cable++ + Only with 4000 series and newer ++ Only with 4000s/4500s * Only with older pre-4000 models	Documentation 2 RCA audio/video cables** 1 S-Video cable++ 1 Phone "Y" splitter 1 Dual IR blaster cable 1 A/C power cord 1 50' Telephone cable* 2 AA batteries 1 RG-6 coaxial cable 1 DB-9 serial cable 1 DB-9 to DB-15 converter+ + Not with Series2/AT&T/SVR-3000 ++ Not with Series2/AT&T * 25 feet with Series2/AT&T/SVR-3000 ** Only 1 with Series2/AT&T/SVR-3000
Optional accessories	Wireless phone jack ($49.95) Replacement IR blaster cable ($6.95) Extra remote ($29.99)	Wireless phone jack ($69.99) Extra remote ($29.99 and up) Surge protector ($39.99) USB Network Adapter ($43.99) Wireless USB Network Adapter ($64.99)
Initialization time	About twenty minutes	Takes two hours to fully initialize but it is usable after 30 minutes

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo
Dimensions (Width by Depth by Height)	5000 series and newer 16.9" x 14" x 3" Older SonicBlue 16.9" x 13.9" x 3.5" Older Replay-branded 17" x 11" x 3" Panasonic 7" x 11.5" x 3"	TiVo Series2/AT&T 15" x 12" x 3" Philips 17.1" x 12.6" x 4.1" Sony (SVR-2000) 17.25" x 13.1" x 3.9" Sony (SVR-3000) 16.9" x 12.3" x 3" Thomson 435mm x 335mm x 100mm
Weight (pounds)	Panasonic 13 Others ?	TiVo Series2/AT&T 11.4 Philips and Sony SVR-2000 9 Sony SVR-3000 10
Hard drive/Size (gigabytes)	All 40-hour models: 40 All 80-hour models: 80 All 160-hour models: 160 SonicBlue (320-hour): 320 PV-HS1000 (20hr): 20 PV-HS2000 (30hr): 30 PV-HS3000 (60hr): 60 2001 (10hr): 10.2 2003 (14hr): 13.6 2004 (28hr): 2x13.6 2020 (20hr): 20 3020 (20hr): 20 3030 (30hr): 30 3060 (60hr): 60	Series2 (60-hour): 60 Series2 (80-hour): 80 AT&T (40-hour): 40 AT&T (60-hour): 60 AT&T (80-hour): 80 HDR112 (14hr): 13.6 HDR212 (20hr): 20 HDR312 (30hr): 2x13.6 HDR612 (60hr): 2x30 SVR-2000 (30hr): 30 SVR-3000 (80hr): 80 Thomson (40hr): 40
Front panel indicators	5000/5500 series Power Recording Older SonicBlue models Power New Content Play Recording Message TV/DVR All others Power on/Standby Recording New content	Power on Recording/On phone
Front panel buttons	All models Power (puts unit on standby; when not recording, this will spin-down the hard drive) SonicBlue 4000s/4500s only Pause Record Menu Exit Arrow Pad Select	Early AT&T models only Live TV/Guide Display Menu Arrow Pad Select Standby Others None
Inputs	1 S-Video 2 composite video RCA 2 pair audio RCA 1 RF/antenna coaxial	1 S-Video 1 composite video RCA 1 pair audio RCA 1 RF/antenna coaxial
Outputs	All models 1 S-Video 2 composite video RCA 2 pair audio RCA Also on series 4000 and newer 1 optical (digital audio) 1 RF/coaxial (Channel 3/4 software selectable) Also on 4000s/4500 series 1 VGA DB15 (progressive) Also on 5000/5500 series 1 component (progressive/YPrPb)	1 S-Video 2 composite video RCA 2 pair audio RCA 1 RF/coaxial (Channel 3/4 switch on back)
Ethernet RJ-45	4000 series and newer 1 Older models 0	0
Phone jack	1	1
IEEE-1394 (FireWire)	2001/2003/2004 2 Other models 0	0
USB ports	5000/5500 series 1 Older models 0	Series2-compatible units 2 All others 0
Internal fan	Only on models 4000 and newer	Yes
UL Listed	Yes	Yes
Under the hood	Proprietary architecture 56k* modem *33.6k on pre-4000 models	PowerPC architecture Linux OS Relational database 56k* modem Inside view *33.6k on Philips/Thomson/SVR-2000

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo
Unit price (MSRP)	5504 (40-hr) $499.99 5508 (80-hr) $599.99 5516 (160-hr) $849.99	TiVo Series2 (40-hr): $249.99 TiVo Series2 (80-hr): $349.99
Amazon.com Price Prices last updated Aug 17, 2009 3:00PM EST Also try GoodGuys Leo Laportes Guide To Tivo ()
Manufacturer rebates	None currently.	These rebates expire December 31, 2003: TiVo Series2 $50
Fees	4000s, 4500s, and most 5000s $12.95/month or $299/lifetime 5500 series and some 5000s* Service free for 3 years Then $11.88/year Older models Service included in price *From Radio Shack	Service fees $12.95/month or $299/lifetime Home Media Option $99 to enable first unit $49 for subsequent units This feature is optional. Gift subscriptions $155.40/year $77.70/6-month $38.35/3-month
Availability	Amazon Circuit City The Wiz Tweeter Direct from DNNA	In U.S. Amazon Best Buy ABT Electronics American Satellite Direct from TiVo
Discontinued models	5000 series 4500 series 4000 series ReplayTV 2000 series ReplayTV 3000 series Panasonic models	Philips HDR series TiVo Series2 60-hour Thomson (UK) Sony SVR series AT&T 40-hour
Guarantee/warranty	30-days, money back One-year parts One-year labor	30-days, money back One-year parts 90-days labor
Date of release	April 26, 1999	March 31, 1999

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo	VCR
Buffering limit (minutes)	All models, at least 20, up to maximum recording length. Limited by unused HD space.	30, all models.	N/A
Convert buffer to recording	No.	Yes, up to 30 minutes, but only if you record the rest of the show at "best" quality.	N/A
Resume live signal	Fast-Forward or Return to Live button; flashes "LIVE" on screen when you catch up to live; warns you when channel-changing if not caught up to live.	Fast-Forward or Jump button.	N/A
Save or clear buffer when changing channels	Clear.	Clear.	Save.

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo
Browse by time/channel grid	Yes, electronic program guide (EPG) is a traditional time/channel grid; familiar feel. Opaque layout, but underlying channel visible at borders.	Units with 4.0 software or earlier have a unique two-panel EPG. Left panel lists channels/shows for one timeslot, right panel lists (usually upcoming) show airings for selected channel. Units running 4.01 have the option to use a more traditional time/channel grid. Transparent layout, underlying channel visible through EPG.
Browse all channels by time	Only by scrolling around the EPG (see Browse by time/channel grid).	Yes, with "Browse by Time." List may be filtered by your "favorite channels." Also may scroll left/right in the left panel of the EPG.
Browse one channel by time	Only by scrolling left/right in the EPG (see Browse by time/channel grid).	Yes, with "Browse by Channel." List may be filtered by a particular genre or your "favorite channels." Also, may scroll up/down in the right panel of the EPG.
Browse all shows	No, but you can get a chronological listing of the airings of all shows that belong in a particular zone or match your search criteria.	Yes, alphabetically, by searching for "0" (see Search).
Browse shows in one genre	Replay Zones will list all upcoming airings matching the zone (genre/category). Can set up repeat recordings that monitor new shows for a zone (see Recording and scheduling).	A genre-filtered "Search by title" for "0" returns an alphabetic list of genre shows. A genre-filtered "Browse by time" returns a chronological list of genre shows, by airing.
Genre filtering	Yes, when listing the contents of Replay Zones, or in a zone-based Replay Channel.	Yes, when searching, browsing by time, or viewing the EPG.
Browse suggested content	"Replay Zones" provides many categories to examine. Categories contain an exhaustive list of shows which may be used to create a zone-based Replay Channel (see Recording and scheduling) or find an individual show to record.	"TiVo's Suggestions" provides a list of suggested shows based on your show thumbs-up/thumbs-down preferences. These shows may also be recorded automatically (see Recording and scheduling). "TiVolution Magazine" provides several categories of a handful of staff-picked shows to peruse. "Network Showcases" provides lists of show offerings (usually in subcategories) for a limited set of networks.
Search interactively	Search actor, title, director, and/or description keywords with "Find Shows." Returns list of all shows that match your criteria. List is ordered chronologically, by the airing time of each show. Shows with multiple airings appear multiple times. The search criteria may be saved as a theme-based Replay Channel (see Recording and scheduling) which will continually record anything that matches the criteria.	Look at a list of all show titles, in alphabetical order, with "Search by title." May be filtered by a genre. As you enter more of the show title, the list centers on the first show that matches your criteria. Entering "0" brings you to the top of the list. Shows appearing on multiple channels are listed multiple times. Search by actor, director, title, category (genre), or description keywords with "Create Wishlist." May be filtered by a genre. May use wildcards (asterisk *) in keywords. Returns list of all shows that match your criteria in chronological order, by the airing time of each show. Wishlists are saved automatically and may be deleted or set to "auto-record," which will continually record anything that matches the criteria. (See Recording and scheduling.)
Find show airings	Yes. Replay Zones and "Find shows" both return airings of shows that match your critera. See Search.	Yes, with "View upcoming episodes," everwhere but in "Now Playing" (which lists all saved recordings).
Listing coverage (days)	11-13 (4000 series and newer) 7+ (Others)	12-14
Past listings (days)	1	3, although the left panel of the EPG cannot access them.
Channel order	Ascending only, from top down; EPG wraps around	Ascending only, from top down; EPG wraps around
Ability to "hide" channels	Yes, new channels are visible by default.	Yes, new channels are hidden by default.
Menu layout	Many are partial screen; underlying show is audible at most menus.	All are full-screen; underlying show is muted (if live) or paused (if recorded).

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo	VCR
Record a single specific show (see Television listings for ways to pick shows)	Yes. In software prior to 5.x, shows may be marked as guaranteed. Guaranteed recordings will never be automatically deleted (you must delete them manually). See scheduling conflicts.	Yes. Individual recordings will be saved for two days, but their expiration may be extended at scheduling time. A "manual recording" may also be used to record a single show (see Manual recordings).	Yes, but you must specify time/channel/duration; may require separate programming of cable box, etc.
Repeatedly record a show appearing on a specific channel at a specific timeslot	Yes, a "show-based Replay Channel"; will still record the show if the timeslot changes (assuming no conflicts); can specify which days of the week to record on (see Repeat types); can specify the number of shows to keep in the Channel at any time. In software prior to 5.x, shows may be marked as guaranteed. See Scheduling conflicts.	Yes, a "manual recording" may be repeated daily or weekly. If the timeslot changes it will record the wrong show.	Yes, operation varies but most support daily and weekly recordings and will allow you to record any time period even if it spans multiple shows; may require separate programming of cable box, etc.
Repeatedly record a show appearing on a specific channel at any timeslot	No, but show-based Replay Channels are a little flexible with the timeslots (see previous feature)	Yes, a "Season Pass."	No.
Repeatedly record a show appearing on any channel at any timeslot	No, but theme-based Replay Channels may achieve the same effect, however it could record different shows than you intended (e.g., "Star Trek" will record any show with Star Trek in the title, even if you only want the original series).	No, but you could create multiple Season Passes, one for each channel that carries the show. Also a wishlist may achieve the same effect, but this technique has the same caveats as with theme-based Replay Channels (see left).	No
Repeatedly record any show that matches user search criteria	Yes. A "theme-based Replay Channel" will continually record any show that matches your search keywords. Criteria may be by title, actor, director, or description. A "zone-based Replay channel" will repeatedly record any show it finds that matches the zone (genre or category) you specify. These Replay Channels specify the maximum amount of time they may take up, in half-hour increments. In software prior to 5.x, shows may be marked as guaranteed (see Scheduling conflicts).	Yes, a "WishList" will record any show that matches any specified actor, director, title, category (genre), or description keywords. May be filtered by a genre. Wishlists may specify the maximum number of recordings they may take up, but these recordings may be of any duration each. Wishlists act as a Season Pass and may be prioritized in the Season Pass manager.	No.
Repeatedly record any show that matches viewer ratings	No.	With "TiVo's Suggestions" enabled, TiVo will record shows from its suggestion list and fill available space with them. These recordings will never overwrite other events. Suggestions are based on your show thumbs-up/thumbs-down preferences; each show you watch you may mark as one-to-three thumbs up, no rating, or one-to-three thumbs down.	No.
Manual recordings	Can create time/channel/duration events including repeating events which can record on any combination of days (see Repeat types). Can specify down to minute increments, and record any time period	Can create time/channel/duration events including repeating daily/weekly events; start and end times restricted to five-minute increments.	Yes, this and Instant recording are the only options on a VCR.
Raw recordings	Yes, by specifying the input source in manual or instant recordings.	No, not with service. You can fake it, but it's not pretty. Without service, yes, in manual or instant recordings, but that's not how most people will use the unit.	Yes, it's all raw to a VCR.
Instant recordings	Can record live TV by pressing Record; in raw recordings, you may also specify duration. Can explicitly stop a recording, see Stopping recordings.	Can record live TV by pressing Record, but cannot specify duration -- records until the end of the show. Can explicitly stop a recording, see Stopping recordings.	Yes, wholeheartedly, all hail the VCR. Some VCRs let you specify duration.
Stopping recordings	Regular recordings stop automatically when the show ends. Manual recordings stop at the end of the recording period. All recordings may be stopped by hitting the Stop button.	Regular recordings stop automaticaly when the show ends. Manual recordings stop at the end of the recording period. All recordings may be stopped by selecting Stop recording under the recording's Now Playing entry or changing the channel and responding appropriately the alert that comes up.	Varies. Most let you hit the Stop button, all stop automatically if a duration or end time was specified.
Repetition by date	All repeating events can specify daily, once-a-week, or exactly which days to record on (e.g., "Every Tues and Thurs"). All events default to a daily recording; changing to a once-a-week recording requires unchecking six other days.	All repeating events can specify daily or once-a-week.	Most can do it in one form or another.
Event management	Replay Guide lists all Replay Channels in alphabetical order, grouping Channels that have recordings in them at the top of the list. You can change the recording options of any Replay Channel, or delete a Replay Channel (which removes all recordings under it).	"To-Do List" shows all future recordings in chronological order, including individal Season Pass episodes. You can cancel any future recording or Season Pass episode (without affecting the Season Pass), cancel a Season Pass, or edit any of the Season Pass recording options. Season Passes with no activity are grouped at the bottom of the To-Do list. You can see why certain shows were not or will not be recorded via "View Recording History," and attempt to reschedule them.	Usually can delete/edit all the events
Event start/end-time tweaking	When it can, starts recordings a few seconds early. All recordings can be padded up to four hours earlier and up to four hours later.	All recordings can be padded up to ten minutes earlier and up to three hours later.	Since you generally set the recording times manually, you can pad the recordings as much as you want.
Scheduling conflicts	Alerts you if scheduling a show causes a timeslot conflict. Units with 5.x software give you the choice to record only the non-conflicting episodes, cancel the conflicting episodes, schedule the recording on another networked ReplayTV (if available), or cancel the event. Units with older software give you the choice to record the resolved schedule shown or cancel the event. If a show changes timeslots, guaranteed events supercede non-guaranteed (pre-5.x software only), show-based events supercede theme-based, and other conflicts settled by the order they appear in the Replay Guide (pre-5.x) or by the internal priority established through conflict resolutions (5.x).	Alerts you if scheduling a show causes a timeslot conflict and gives you the choice to record only the non-conflicting episodes, cancel the conflicting shows, or cancel the event. Also alerts you if there's a disk space conflict, and offers to let you shorten the expiration of the some shows or cancel the event. If an alert is not possible (e.g., when a show changes timeslots), events created earlier supercede newer events. User may prioritize Season Passes and WishLists using "Season Pass Manager."	Usually warns/stops you
Duplicate episode handling	Will not record two copies of the same episode of a show in a Replay Channel, if the show has unique episode descriptions and hasn't yet been deleted from the hard disk. Units with software 5.x can optionally skip shows conservatively flagged as "reruns."	Will not record two copies of the same episode of a shown in a Season Pass, if show has unique episode descriptions and the airtimes are within 28 days of one another; can turn off this feature by setting a Season Pass to "all (with duplicates)." Can optionally skip shows with an original air date older than a week ("repeats").	No
Impromptu scheduling	No.	Some shows may be selected for recording by pressing Select when a special icon appears, usually during a commercial about the show. It's called a "iPreview", but it's not available on most channels.	No.

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo	VCR
User categories	Yes, with "Show Organizer" you may create your own categories and organize your recordings into them.	All recordings appear on the Now Playing screen in recorded order. Units with 4.0 software can also sort by date or name, and can store related recordings into folders.	Different colored stickem labels perhaps?
User limits on repeat recordings	You must set the maximum number of episodes (1-99) that a show-based channel can take up, and the maximum number of hours a theme-base channel can take up. For users of pre-5.0 software these settings literally reserve space on the hard drive. 5.x software does not reserve space, which is actually more flexible.	You can set the maximum number of episodes (1-5, 10*, or no limit) to store in any Season Pass. *4.x software only.	No, without your constant tending it will rage out of control.
Manual deletion of recordings	Yes, from "Replay Guide." Gives "Are you sure?" confirmation. Deleting a Replay Channel removes all recordings belonging to that Channel.	Yes, from "Now Playing." Gives "Are you sure?" confirmation. Deleting a Season Pass does not affect the recordings created by that Season Pass.	May overwrite whole tape or any portion.
Automatic deletion of recordings	Repeating, non-guaranteed recordings deleted oldest-first. New episodes overwrite old ones, keeping up to seven shows at once (for a show-based Replay Channels) or within a maximum space alotment (for zone and theme-based Replay Channels). Guaranteed recordings will never be auto-deleted. With units using software version 5.x, recordings may instead be deleted (earliest recordings first) to make space as needed. This is an option available when the show is scheduled.	TiVo Suggestions deleted as needed to make room for other recordings. Scheduled recordings are saved for at least as long as their expiration (default is two days), and deleted in order of their expiration dates when room is needed for other scheduled recordings. All individual shows and Season Passes may have their expiration extended. Shows may also have their expiration shortened, at your option, when there is a scheduling conflict (see Recording and scheduling).	If you leave a rewound tape in, new recordings will overwrite old ones.
Save a recording permanently	Yes, any show may be saved permanently after it has been recorded or when scheduling it.	Yes, any show may be saved permanently after it has been recorded or when scheduling it.	Yes, take out the tape and hide it in your sock drawer.
Video editing	No, get over it.	No, don't even think it.	May overwrite portions of recordings; some allow audio dubbing; programs may be duped (and in some cases edited) in two-machine setups.
Delete portions of recordings	No.	No.	No, short of cutting the tape with scissors.
Dump to videotape	Displays an episode slate" with show name and details while displaying a countdown timer from 10.	Philips boxes display a countdown timer from 10 (but no episode slate). Sony and Series2 units display an episode slate with show name and details while pausing ten seconds (but no countdown shown). SVR-2000/3000 have VCR control for Sony VCRs only.	It's already on tape, silly.

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo	VCR
Change recording quality	Globally or per-recording	Globally or per-recording	Usually both globally and per-recording
Recording rates (Mb/sec, low-to-high quality)	Audio/Video: 2 (Standard) 4 (Medium) 6 (High)	Video (Estimated): 1.9 (Basic) 3.2 (Medium) 4.1 (High) 6.2 (Best) Audio: Always at highest quality	LP, EP, SP (most are analog)
Recording lengths (hours, low-to-high quality)	40-hour model: 40/20/10 80-hour model: 80/40/20 160-hour model: 160/80/40 320-hour model: 320/160/80	30-hour models: 30/18.3/14/9.3 40-hour models: 40/24.4/18.6/12.4 60-hour models: 60/36.6/28/18.6 80-hour models: 80/48.8/37.2/24.8	6, 4, 2 for standard tape; 10-hour tapes not unheard of

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo	VCR
Device control	IR for all, unidirectional serial data interface for some satellite receivers.	IR for all, bidirectional serial data interface for most DSS receivers (can ensure box is on, verify channel changed sucessfully, etc.)	No.
Max number of input sources	3	2	Varies.
"Raw" input supported	Yes.	No, you can fake it, sorta	Yes.
Guide integration	Seamlessly integrated into lineup.	Seamlessly integrated into lineup.	No.
Special channel handling	Issues with Pay-Per-View.	Issues with Pay-Per-View, unless you're using a combo unit like DirecTiVo.	Cannot tune pay stations; must set VCR to 3/4 and feed through converter/receiver

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo	VCR
Fast forward/rewind	5X, 10X, 20X, 50X, 60X	3X, 20X, 60X	Varies; 2X and up
Overshoot correction	No	Yes, on the two fastest speeds.	Some Sony models have "Smart Cue," which is user-adjustable
Frame forward/back	Frame forward only	Frame forward; key frame backward	Most allow forward
Skip backward	7 seconds (Instant Replay button)	8 seconds (Instant Replay button); 15 minutes (Advance button while fast-rewinding)	No
Skip forward	30 seconds (QuickSkip button)	15 minutes (Advance button while fast-forwarding)	Some, varies
Slow-motion	Three-speeds.	1/4X	Usually, several speeds offered
Stop/Pause	Both. Stop button blanks image.	Pause only.	Both.
Skip over commercials	5000 and 5500 series units can manually skip commercials with Show|Nav. Automatic skipping is described in Miscellaneous features.	No	Dah, no
Playback/Bookmarks	When you select a show, unit asks if you want to play from the beginning or from where you left off.	On recorded shows, playback continues where you left off. Playback position may be reset to the beginning or end. On live TV, pressing pause before leaving live mode holds your position for when you return, otherwise play resumes live.	Play recordings from where you left off. Some also allow setting of bookmarks to fast-forward/rewind to.
Jump to position entered numerically	Yes	No	No
Favorite channel lists	No	You can show what's on just your favorite channels when browsing by time or channel.	Varies
Return to last channel	Yes, Jump button can also toggle between a live channel and a recording	Yes, Enter button	Usually

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo	VCR
Dolby Digital 5.1	Newer models (4000 and up) have digital audio output, but no Dolby.	No.	Perhaps on digital VCRs.
Automatic clock set	Yes.	Yes.	Some models.
Closed captioning (CC)	Yes, pass-thru from input source.	Yes, pass-thru from input source.	Usually, pass-thru.
Commercial removal/automatic bypass	Series 4000, 4500, and 5000 support Commercial Advance to automatically bypass the majority of commercials. The current 5500 series and older legacy units do not support this, however the 5500s (and 5000s) can manually skip commercials with Show|Nav.	No, but see Navigation/Overshoot correction.	Some models offer automatic fast-forwarding past commercials.
HDTV support	Newer models (4000 and up) have 480P progressive output, but no HDTV.	No.	Only on expensive models.
Parental control	Set lock-outs by channel, TV rating (e.g, TV-14, TV-MA), movie rating (e.g., PG, R), or content rating (e.g., sexual content, violence). Four digit password for overriding a show lockout or changing parental control settings.	Set lock-outs by channel, TV rating (e.g, TV-14, TV-MA), movie rating (e.g., PG, R), or content rating (e.g., sexual content, violence). Four digit password for overriding a show lockout or changing parental control settings. Lockouts may be turned off temporarily, and will relock automatically four hours after last remote control use.	Hide the tapes in optional combination safe
Second audio program (SAP)	No	Yes, global setting	Pass-thru audio from input source
Macrovision	Passes-thru Macrovision, except on newer models (4000 and up) when using the progressive video format.	Passes-thru Macrovision	Most are unable to record Macrovision successfully
International support	US only	US only. Thomson models were previously available in the United Kingdom, but no longer. Apparently existing units are still being supported.	World-wide
Broadband support	4000 series and newer only Ethernet connection may be used to hook up units to the internet, which obviates the need for a dial-up phone connection.	Yes, on Series2 units with a USB to Ethernet adaptor. This allows you to hook up your unit to the internet, which obviates the need for a dial-up phone connection. It's possible to add a TurboNet card to older models, which is not officially supported by TiVo. This will void your warranty.	No
Multiple unit support	With newer models (4000 and up), you can record programs on one unit and watch them "streaming" on a compatible networked unit. All 5000s and 5500s are compatible with each other. As are 4000 and 4500s. You can additionally copy recordings from one networked unit to one other instead of streaming, but this is not supported by 5500 series units.	1. You may copy recordings from one networked Series2 unit with Home Media Option (HMO) to another HMO Series2 unit. You can start watching before the show has finished copying. 2. On any TiVo, remotes may be configured to address a specific unit, however Series2 and AT&T Broadband remotes have a DVR switch right on the remote for this.	Different model remotes will usually work without conflicts. Tapes are exchangable among all VCRs.
Web access	MyReplayTV provides web interface to all units that use the ReplayTV service. You can search television listings, manipulate your replay channels and recordings, and schedule new recordings over the internet. It's pretty full-functional, and any changes you make will be synchronized with your unit within 24 hours.	Networked Series2 units with Home Media Option enabled can instruct their TiVo to record shows over a web interface. It's not as functionally useful as the ReplayTV counterpart, but any changes you make will be synchronized with your unit within 2 hours.	Not that I know of
Direct access to files on the unit	No, but you can send (photo) images to newer models (4000 and up) and create a picture slideshow on your television.	No, but with Home Media Option enabled on a Series2 unit you can remotely play MP3s and display photographs stored on a networked PC or Mac.	Well sorta, it's a video tape.
Screen saver	Yes.	No.	Some.

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo
Phone call	Every night or when user forces connection (unofficially, using 243-Replay Zone); phone number may not be local; stutter dial tones (i.e., voicemail alert) will cause problems. Ethernet-supporting models may use broadband internet connection instead.	Every twenty-four hours or so (not necessarily at night) or when user forces connection; phone number may not be local; disconnects if on pick up or call waiting; call waiting disabling; message beep ignore; prefix dial
New software releases	Downloaded and installed automatically; note that discontinued models will probably not receive any new features in software, only bug fixes (if any)	Downloaded and installed automatically; note that discontinued models will probably not receive any new features in software, only bug fixes (if any)
Messages/Alerts	Central messages screen lists connection status, recording conflicts, changes in channel line up, etc.	Separate screens for phone call status, changes in channel line up, unit information, messages/announcements, and others. Recording conflicts presented in popup dialogs.
Privacy	Usage preferences and viewing habits collected anonymously; See Privacy Policy.	Usage preferences and viewing habits collected anonymously; you may request a "block" on this collection. See Privacy Policy.
Automatic lineup changes	Yes. New channels are visible by default.	Yes. Changes are noted in the messages mailbox. New channels are hidden by default.

Feature	ReplayTV	TiVo	VCR
Hard drive upgradability and other hacking issues	None. It was thought firewire upgrades would be supported, but that never happened. Some users have performed their own warranty-voiding upgrades. Information about this may be found in the hacker section of the ReplayTV Advanced FAQ. Those interested might also find the reading at the AVS ReplayTV Forums helpful.	None since Philips quietly discontinued their upgrade program. However, user updates have become exceedingly popular over the years. You will void your warranty if you try it. For more information, visit Hacking The Tivo FAQ, Unofficial TiVo Hackers Site, the TiVo Update Center at AVS, and the Hinsdale How-To.	N/A, but new videotapes are cheap
Usability without service	Useless out-of-box; requires service to configure or change lineups. All functions will disable themselves without service. Lifetime subscribers can still do live TV buffering, manual recordings, and instant recordings. (see Recording and scheduling for details).	Useless out-of-box; requires service to configure or change lineups. All functions will disable themselves without service. Lifetime subscribers can still do live TV buffering, manual recordings, and instant recordings. (see Recording and scheduling for details).	Hey, it's still a VCR
Staying power	In the market since early 1999. ReplayTV had the headstart in media attention, but gradually lost their lead and settled in as the runner-up in the marketplace. In late 2000 they shut down their manufacturing division in an attempt to refocus. In mid-2001 SonicBlue, electronics manufacturer, acquired ReplayTV. They came out with a new line of ReplayTV units and packed in quite a number of great features, but some of them (internet show sharing and commercial advance) were the target of lawsuits. SonicBlue applied for bankruptcy protection in early 2003, and they were bought by Denon and Marantz Holdings, Digital Networks North American group shortly thereafter. To avoid future lawsuits, new ReplayTV releases from DNNA do not have the controversial features. Let's hope ReplayTV has finally found their footing.	In the market since early 1999. TiVo got their units out the door first. It didn't take long for them to overcome ReplayTV's strong pre-release PR and take the lead position in the marketplace. Since then they've been going strong, entering the hardware manufacturing business for the first time, in 2002. TiVo nomenclature has entered popular culture, and it's getting rare for people to ask, "What's a TiVo?" I don't see them going away any time soon.	Everyone has one

December 2, 2003

• Noted that some ReplayTV 5000 series units are actually being sold under the 5500 "free service for three years" model. Specifically, those sold at Radio Shack. See What it costs.
• Clarified that the channel/timeslot grid EPG available in TiVo software 4.01 is optional. You can still use the older left/right EPG. See Television listings
• Corrected my inaccurate description of duplicate episode handling. See Recording and scheduling.
• Clarified user limits on repeat recordings. ReplayTV 5.0 software no longer literally reserves space on the hard drive to satisfy Replay Channel limits. See Space management.
• Space management. Noted in Dump to Videotape that Series2 units display an episode slate and pause ten seconds (but do not display a countdown).
• Added "Skip over commercials" to Navigation. Automatic commercial skipping is covered in Miscellaneous features.
• Corrected some errors, and it was thrilling.

• Long time no update! It's time to get off my behind after a long respite.
• The biggest news is SonicBlue's bankruptcy. They sold off their ReplayTV division to D&M Holdings (makers of Dennon & Marantz stereo equipment). ReplayTV is now being sold by their Digital Networks North America group (DNNA).
• DNNA released model ReplayTV 5500. All other models are discontinued. Internet show sharing and commercial advance were eliminated from the feature list to avoid further litigation. Replay has gone back to the service-is-included sales model, so all 5500 series units do not have extra usage fees.
• All AT&T Broadband models, all Sony models, Thomson Scenium, and the TiVo Series2 60-hour have all been discontinued. UK TiVo service is apparently still available for existing customers, but TiVo units are no longer for sale in the UK.
• Service fees have gone up, TiVo and ReplayTV service (for models 4000-5000) are now $299/lifetime, and $12.95/monthly.
• Optional "Home Media Option" for TiVo costs $99 and adds sharing recordings between networked TiVos, internet web access, viewing photos from networked PCs, and playing MP3s from networked PCs and Macs.
• Adjusted chart to accomodate Replay 5.1 and TiVo 4.01 software.
• Many dinky little miscellaneous updates. Excuse me while I pass out.

• Updated the rebates in What it costs. TiVo replaced theirs with a new expiration, and one of Replay's two rebates expired.

• Added an additional $50 Rebate on ReplayTV 5040 models (40-hour). This is in addition to the prior $50 rebate, meaning you can get $100 off this model through the end of December. See What it costs.

• Added the SonicBlue ReplayTV 5000 series, which replaces the 4500s.
• Added more information on Sony's Series2-compatible SVR-3000 model.
• Updated Hey, this is a lot of money to better explain how usable these units are without service.
• Other tweaks here and there.
• Happy Holidays!

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