OTHER TECH

An exciting new feature that just received approval from the Federal Communications Commission (and will likely be available by the time you read this) is TiVoToGo, which will allow you to transfer programs from TiVo's hard drive to a PC, including a laptop, so you can take your favorite TV shows on the road. You'll even be able to make DVD copies if your computer has a DVD burner. TiVo-ToGo requires a Content Security Key that will be available "this fall" via download to TiVo subscribers at no extra cost.

My main audio/video system includes a Scientific-Atlanta Explorer 8000HD cable box/hard-disk recorder that can save not just one but two HDTV channels simultaneously. Both it and the Humax/TiVo T2500 offer HDR functions - pausing and "rewinding" live TV and so forth - as well as electronic program guides (TiVo's guide covers the next 14 days, the cable box's only a week), but the cable box isn't set up for networking. What's more, its interface and recording options aren't nearly as sophisticated as TiVo's.

When I instructed both units to record every episode of HBO's Da Ali G Show, the cable box recorded several weekly repeats while TiVo was smart enough to skip them. Also, while the cable box looks for shows only on the channel you specify, TiVo is a bloodhound, searching out the programs you want wherever they may be.

Another example of TiVo's superiority is its ability to search for a movie by title - no such feature on the cable box. And then there's the giant hard drive, which allowed me to keep recordings longer without having to delete stuff to free up space for new recordings. The cable box's 80-GB drive filled up quickly, especially when I was recording shows in high-def. Finally, the cable box has only one recording mode. Although its picture quality matched TiVo's Best mode, I missed the flexibility of trading picture quality for storage space.

Ultimately, though, the allure of being able to record high-def programming with digital surround sound tilted the scales in favor of the Scientific-Atlanta cable box. Still, TiVo is the clear-cut winner when it comes to overall user friendliness, recording flexibility, and the ability to integrate its operations with your home network.

BOTTOM LINE TiVo's intuitive recording features are perfect if you're not a big fan of VHS tape or tend to shy away from time-shift recording because of your VCR's cumbersome setup and hit-and-miss programming procedures. If HDTV recording isn't important to you, the Humax T2500 TiVo provides a no-fuss, no-muss way to record your favorite TV shows.