ReplayTV vs. TiVo Comparison Chart

[Table of Contents]

[Other Pages]

Since PTV units have a limited amount of space, there will be times when you'll want to archive (or "dump") your recordings to your VCR, make recordings disappear, and trim fat (i.e., commercials) from recordings to make them more space efficient. Both units allow basic dumping to tape. In order to save space, you can tell your unit to resist recording more episodes of a show that you can handle. With hard drives bigger than when PTV debuted, having too many recordings on the unit at once is becoming more common. User categories may help you get your shows organized. Neither unit supports any form of video editing.

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.