The TiVo Premiere DVR Review

The TiVo Premiere features the first refresh of the TiVo interface in quite some time. While not everyone is a fan, most say that it is stunning and easy to use even as they note that it lacks some functionality -- something that will be handled in firmware updates that are expected to be released in the coming months. Most note that performance is on the pokey side, but that, too, should be fixed in forthcoming updates.

Everything else has critics mostly pleased. The TiVo's Discovery Bar makes it easy to explore offerings both from your cable provider and from online sources, including Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, Blockbuster on Demand and many more. The storage capacity is relatively spacious at 45 hours for HD content, and you can add an external hard drive for even more room for your programs. You can also stream content from the TiVo Premiere for either viewing or storage, as well as burn copies to DVD with the help of software from Roxio (*Est. $70). If you want a TiVo Premiere with even more storage, the TiVo Premiere XL (*Est. $500 plus TiVo service) ups things to 150 hours of HD content and adds a few goodies, such as THX certification.

Like all TiVos (and any DVR that doesn't come directly from your cable company), you will need to get a CableCard from your cable provider (*Est. $4 per month) in most cases, and that technology deactivates some cable company extras such as video on demand. That leads some to say that cable company DVRs (price varies by provider) are both less expensive and more convenient than the TiVo Premiere, though many TiVo enthusiasts would beg to disagree. The TiVo Premiere works with all digital cable systems and Verizon Fios, but not AT&T U-verse or any satellite TV provider. One cable provider, RCN, is offering a CableCard-free version of the TiVo Premiere as an option.

The TiVo Premiere has been widely reviewed. The best review is the detailed report at PCMag.com. Other reviews worth reading can be found at Gizmodo.com, Engadget.com, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Check out TiVoCommunity.com for the most helpful user feedback.


Our Sources

1. PCMag.comDetails/Subscribe

This balanced and testing-based report examines the new TiVo Premiere hardware and user interface in detail. Positives and negatives are clearly spelled out, and the question of whether or not it makes sense to opt for a TiVo Premiere over a cable company DVR is squarely addressed. In the end, Joel Santo Domingo says that while the TiVo Premiere offers "the richest TiVo experience yet," many will find a cable company-provided DVR to be "a more-convenient and less-expensive choice."

Review: TiVo Premiere, Joel Santo Domingo, March 24, 2010
2. Gizmodo.com
In this long and detailed review, Gizmodo.com's Mark Wilson spends lots of time detailing some of the shortcomings of the TiVo Premiere. He bemoans the lack of "eye candy," complains that "corners were cut" in the hardware, and finds some rough edges in the user interface. However, he also says that if you can look beyond the omissions -- some of which will be addressed in coming updates -- "the TiVo Premiere becomes a brilliant machine," adding that it is "the best turnkey set top DVR I've ever used."

Review: TiVo Premiere Review: Where's the Razzle Dazzle?, Mark Wilson, March 24, 2010
3. Engadget.com
Engadget.com's Nilay Patel is clearly excited about the TiVo Premiere's potential, but just as clearly disappointed in the DVR as it currently stands. He recommends waiting to buy the Premiere until the anticipated updates are released, which will clean up some of the user interface's rough spots and rev up hardware performance. He also says TiVo's slow pace in previously updating its DVRs has allowed cable company DVRs to catch up.

Review: TiVo Premiere Review, Nilay Patel, March 24, 2010

4. USA Today Magazine
Edward C. Baig notes some "snags" with the TiVo Premiere, but says there are still lots of positives. Those include the new interface, which makes it easier than ever to find programming both from your provider and from online sources. In the end, Baig says the Premiere is an improved DVR compared with TiVo's previous and well regarded efforts, but he's just not sure it's a "game-changer."
Review: New High-def TiVo Premiere Combines Host of Features, Edward C. Baig, March 25, 2010
5. The Wall Street Journal
Walt Mossberg says the Premiere works as advertised despite some flaws, but could go further in delivering Internet content. Like others, he says the interface is slow and looks incomplete at spots. While most praise the Discovery Bar function for finding new content a plus, Mossberg calls it a distraction.
Review: New TiVo Mixes TV and Internet, but Falls Short, Walter S. Mossberg, March 24, 2010
6. TiVoCommunity.com
This is a treasure trove of information for owners and prospective owners of the TiVo Premiere. There are lots of discussions of positives and negatives of the DVR, owner reviews, problem fixes and more. A regularly updated and very lengthy FAQ details the current state of the hardware and firmware, along with known issues and solutions. Testing comparing the TiVo Premiere's performance to previous TiVo DVRs is provided.
Review: TiVo Community Forums, Contributors to TiVoCommunity.com