differences between HD-Tivo and 942

[opticalcarrier]

I have to decide, so what benefits does the 942 have over the HD-tivo?

Also, if i sub to dishnetwork i can pay 250 to upgrade to the 942. Do I own that box, and could I sell it if I were to ever switch to cable? Or will they make me return it?

 

[scott78945]

The $250 on he 942 is just a lease, you do not own it. To buy the 942 I believe it will cost you around $650-$700. Otherwise, if you switch back to cable then you return the receiver.

 

[Jerry G]

From what I hear, the HD Tivo is pretty stable. With the last software release, the 942 has gone from a superb machine to a POS that has major bugs that Dish was unable to catch, but that the customers found in less than a day after the release. Beware of the 942. Beware of Dish's firmly established crappy and completely incompetent way of testing new software before releasing it.

 

[Grandpa J]

Having had 2 TiVos (series 1 and 2) and now 2 - 942s my opinion is that upto the last 942 update "L280" 942s were close to the TiVos. The L280 update has really put that in question. Jerry G's posting is very correct. L280 update should not have been released because it screwed up a good machine. Better testing should have been done.

Please note that D* is droping TiVo DVR in favor of its own DVR brand. When E* & D* go to MPEG4 (projected as starting next year) there is a question about how D* will handle TiVo which is MPEG2. Both E* & D* say there will be an upgrade path to MPEG4 for their own DVRs (cost unknown) but TiVos????

 

[navychop]

And DISH is sending out now an "emergency" fix to the last 942 update. So it may shortly return to the fine performer it has been.

 

[dssturbo1]

one big difference for now is that the hd tivo has two ota digital tuners the 942 only has one

 

[kbohip]

Hmmm, I'll just copy and paste half my post from what I said in the Directv DVR section:

If the 942 had a couple more tuners and Dish would get rid of all their stupid fees ($5 a month extra for every DVR, $5 a month if the DVR's not plugged into a phone, etc.) I *might* consider coming back to them in the future. This is only if Directv doesn't improve their sad HD package though. If Directv's HD package improves there's no contest as to who's the better provider imho. Of course there's also the fact that I paid $50 less to OWN my HD-Tivo than it would cost just for the privelage of LEASING a 942, plus when Directv rolls out the MPEG4 DVR's next year I get upgraded to one for free. E* would never do that.