TiVo HD XL: TiVo HD with supersized 1TB hard drive

TiVo HD XL: 7.5 times the recording capacity of the previous TiVo HD

(Credit: TiVo)

When TiVo discontinued its high-end cable-ready high-def DVR, the TiVo Series3, it was really just making room for a new product in the line: the TiVo HD XL. The new TiVo is a near twin of the existing TiVo HD, but for three changes: it's got a much larger 1 terabyte hard drive (enough capacity for 150 hours of HD programming); it's THX-certified; and it includes the premium TiVo backlit remote. The package costs $600--about the price that the TiVo Series3 was going for, and twice that of the "standard" TiVo HD. As with any TiVo, of course, you'll also need to budget money for a subscription fee: $13 a month, $129 a year, or $399 for the lifetime of the box. True, you can do a DIY upgrade on the standard TiVo HD by adding the improved remote ($50) and a 500GB expansion hard drive ($150), but that will cost nearly as much and still leave you with less recording capacity--and a lot of extra wires. That said, the original TiVo HD is still going to be the better buy for most viewers, while the XL model is more appropriate for die-hard TiVo fans or those who like to load up their box with lots of HD TV shows, movies, and digital downloads.

The bigger question is whether you want a TiVo at all, when you can get a "free" high-def DVR from your cable company. And the answer comes down to whether you find TiVo's superior design and laundry list of extras worth the additional cash--and whether you can live with some of the compromises. Among the TiVo features that go beyond recording TV shows: YouTube videos, renting and buying Amazon Unbox videos, Rhapsody music, online scheduling, copying recorded programs to PCs or portable devices (TiVo To Go), access to video and audio podcasts...the list goes on and on. Whether or not those features--and the TiVo's corresponding dearth of access to your cable system's video-on-demand functions--are worth the price of TiVo's hardware and subscription is a question that only you can answer. If you're reasonably happy with your existing HD DVR and don't have a burning desire for more Internet-delivered content on your TV, you can safely skip either TiVo HD model. But, if you're frustrated by the uninspired design and confusing navigation of your cable company's DVR and you appreciate the additional entertainment alternatives offered by online media options, the TiVo HD XL is worth your consideration.

Read: TiVo HD XL review

[MadLyb]

I have HD cable in one residence and HD Satellite in another and I am tired of the anemic storage capacities especially for HD content. Nothing like recording a single HD movie and watching your storage availability percentage drop in double digits. So, the 1 TB storage is a refreshing addition.

[ddanckaert]

I bought two Tivo HDs recently from Provantage, model TCD652160, for $260 which has a 160GB SATA drive. At the same time, I ordered a Weaknees (pre-prepped-for-TivoHD) 750GB DVR drive for $300, for a total of $560. Granted, I was able to put the (swapped out) 160GB drive in a PC so I preserved the value. Still, with the TIVOHD-XL, Tivo has pretty much killed the upgrade business by satisfying the high-end crowd. I also put lifetime on the two tivos, but since I was a prior customer, it only cost $299 for each DVR, not $399. If this package had been out three months ago, I would have bought two of them. Curse you Tivo for not getting with the program sooner!! ;-)