TiVo TCD658000 HD XL Digital Video Recorder

by TiVo

Product Features

• More recording space, up to 150 hours of HD shows
• THX Certified for exceptional sound and video quality
• Pause live TV, plus rewind, slo-mo, and instant replay any channel, any time
• 1 Box. All Entertainment.
• Dowload your favorite movies and TV shows from the web, stream music, watch YouTube on TiVo, and more!

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Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Introducing the new TiVo XL HD DVR. At approximately 7 times the size of the TiVo HD DVR, the TiVo XL HD can hold up to 150 hours of HD programming or 1,350 hours of standard-definition programming. In addition to its expanded capacity, the TiVo XL is THX certified for the best possible sound and video quality.

Key Features

• Save up to 150 hours of HD programming or 1,350 hours of standard-definition programming at a time
• The largest capacity DVR available in the country
• THX-certified for premium audio and video quality
• Record two shows at once
• Includes the premium programmable backlit remote control
• Works with cable and antenna; does NOT support satellite
• Use CableCARD decoders from your cable company to replace your cable box
• Supports high definition TV
• What's in the box: TiVo HD XL DVR, TiVo backlit, programmable remote control, Quick Start guide, Manual, HDMI cable, composite cable, component cable, phone cord, power cord, 4 AAA batteries
  
  
  

Learn More

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With a TiVo DVR connected to an existing phone line or home network you can

Record Every Episode of Your Favorite Shows The TiVo service keeps track of the latest TV schedule, and automatically records every episode of your favorite shows, even if the day or time they air changes. All you do is find the show you want by searching or browsing the TV listings, and then specify whether you want to record all episodes or just the new ones.

Record Two Shows at Once TiVo DVRs have two tuners, so they can record two different TV shows at the same time. You can even play back a third show that you’ve already saved while two new shows are recording. TiVo HD DVR and TiVo Series3 HD DVRs work with the following configurations: Digital cable only (record 2 shows at once, requires up to two CableCARD decoders from your cable company; supports HD channels) Antenna only (record 2 shows at once; supports HD channels) Digital cable + antenna (record 2 shows at once; supports HD channels) Basic cable (record 2 shows at once; does not support HD or premium channels) Basic cable + antenna (record 2 shows at once; supports HD channels on antenna only) Does NOT support: Satellite Cable box (replace your digital cable box with a CableCARD decoder)

Control live or recorded shows TiVo DVRs can: Pause live or recorded shows (live TV can stay paused for 30 minutes), Rewind (3 different speeds), fast-forward (3 different speeds), instant replay, slow motion, frame forward, frame reverse, skip-to-tick (jump ahead or back in 15 minute increments in recorded shows), jump to the beginning of a show, the end of a show, or the point being broadcast live at that moment. Search for shows You can search for shows with a specific word in the title or episode description, like "House". You can search for shows in a particular category, like “Cooking” shows about "Chocolate", or "Football" programs with "Giants". You can even find every movie with Johnny Depp, or every movie directed by Steven Spielberg. If it is available on your television lineup, the TiVo service can find it and record it for you.

Record by actor, director, or keyword Use a TiVo WishList search to find every show with your favorite actor, director, keyword, or sports team. Your TiVo DVR will save your search, and if you like, automatically record every new show that matches it.

TiVo Suggestions TiVo Suggestions are personalized shows selected to match your preferences. Any time you watch a live TV or recorded show, or see something you like or don’t like in the Guide, you can rate that show by using the THUMBS UP or the THUMBS DOWN buttons on your remote control. When the TiVo DVR has empty space, it will automatically record shows that are liked by other people who like the same shows you do. This is an excellent way to discover new shows that may interest you. TiVo Suggestions never replace any shows you request, or prevent them from being recorded. Suggestions are always the first programs to be deleted when it’s time for one of your shows to record.

Pre-approve kids TV
When you enable KidZone on your TiVo DVR, you can select the programs and channels that your children can watch. You can also block specific shows on channels that you have approved, to keep your kids from watching those shows you just can’t stand. When you let your children watch TV you’ll be comfortable knowing they can only get to shows you’ve approved.

Schedule shows online
You can search for TV shows by title, category, keyword, or person in the Find TV shows section of tivo.com. When you’ve found the show you want to record, simply log in to your tivo.com account, select the DVR you want to set to record, and decide whether you want to record just that episode or every episode of the series. You have access to the same settings as you do when you set up a recording on the DVR itself. You will receive one email confirmation when your request is received and a second one when the DVR has reported back whether your show will record.

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When the TiVo DVR is connected to a home network that includes a PC or Mac you can

Take your shows with you
Once you’ve recorded your favorite shows on your TiVo DVR, you can transfer them to your computer, iPod, PSP, or other compatible portable player  as long as your DVR is connected to your home network. For PC, you will need TiVo Desktop for PC (transfer to computer only) or TiVo Desktop Plus for PC (t ransfer to portable player). For Macintosh computer, you will need Roxio Toast Titanium

Save shows to a DVD You can save your favorite TV shows and movies to a DVD using your network-connected TiVo DVR and your computer capable of creating DVDs. To save your TiVo shows to DVD using your PC, you will need Roxio Creator . To save your TiVo shows to DVD using your Macintosh, you will need Roxio Toast Titanium software.

Transfer shows between two TiVo DVRs If you have more than one TiVo DVR with TiVo service on your home network , you can transfer shows between the two DVRs. That way you can start watching a show in the living room and finish it in the bedroom. High-definition shows can only transfer between two HD-compatible TiVo DVRs. Standard definition shows can transfer between all Series2, HD, and Series3 DVRs. Video downloads and any shows that have been protected by the copyright holder can not be transferred. If you don’t have a home network, you can directly connect two DVRs together by creating a peer-to-peer network.

Your own music library If you have MP3 music files on your PC or Mac, you can stream them to your network-connected TiVo DVR for playback through your TV or home entertainment system. To stream music from your PC, you will need TiVo Desktop software for PC . To stream music from your Macintosh, you will need TiVo Desktop software for Mac.

Your photo library If you have photos on your PC or Mac, you can use your network-connected TiVo DVR to view them on your TV. To view photos from your PC, you will need TiVo Desktop software for PC . To view photos from your Macintosh, you will need TiVo Desktop software for Mac .

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When your home network is connected to your high-speed internet connection you can

Amazon Instant Video Using your broadband-connected  TiVo DVR watch new release movies and your favorite TV shows in HD. Movies are typically available the same day they are released on DVD. TV shows are typically available within days of the original broadcast. Movie rentals are usually $2.99 or $3.99 (with HD titles only a dollar extra specials as low as 99 cents). Buy movies for $9.99 to $14.99 (with some titles as low as $5.49). TV show episodes may be purchased for as little as $1.89 each, with HD shows starting at $2.99 each. There are even shows and bonus footage you can download for free. Rentals must be viewed within 24 hours of starting playback. Rentals not started after 30 days will be deleted, and must be re-rented to view. Purchases may be kept on your TiVo DVR as long as you like. If you delete a purchase you can typically re-download it at no additional charge from your Amazon Media Library.

Music videos You can download thousands of FREE music videos from Music Choice directly to your broadband-connected TiVo DVR. Rhapsody music service With Rhapsody on TiVo you cah choose from millions of songs, search for your favorite artists, tune into continuous music on Rhapsody Channels, and build your own music library–straight from your TV using your TiVo remote control. Whether you’re in the mood for classical, hip-hop, or anything in between, it’s all just a few clicks away. And with a Rhapsody membership you can listen all you want without the need to buy individual songs.  You can try the Rhapsody music service on your TiVo DVR free for 30 days. To continue using the service after the free trial, visit www.rhapsody.com/tivo/signup to join.

Internet radio & podcasts You can play your favorite audio podcasts on your broadband-connected TiVo DVR using our Podcaster feature, or listen to the world’s largest Internet radio network with Live365.com. Take advantage of the great sound system on your TV or home entertainment system and relax and enjoy your favorite audio entertainment.

View family and friends' photos from Photobucket or Picasa Web Albums on your TV You can make your personal photos available to your family and friends to view directly on their TV using their TiVo DVR. All you need to do is create an account with www.photobucket.com or www.picasa.google.com and upload your photos. Then let your family and friends know your user name, and they can search for and view your public photos on their broadband-connected TiVo DVRs

Home videos You can make your personal home movies available to your family and friends to watch directly on their TV using their TiVo DVR. All you need to do is create an account with www.onetruemedia.com and upload your photos and video footage, edit and customize your movie, and receive your private channel code. Then share that code with family and friends, and they can have your new videos automatically downloaded to their broadband-connected TiVo DVRs.

Internet feeds
Some videos on the Internet are available as part of regularly updated feeds (such as RSS or video podcasts). Using TiVo Desktop Plus software on your PC, the TiVo DVR can monitor your favorite feeds for updates. When a new video is available, it will be automatically downloaded and made available on your network-connected TiVo DVR, so you can watch it on your TV instead of on a computer monitor. Get free video downloads — things not available on TV — from dozens of leading providers.

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Connections

• Phone line: Connects to an existing home phone line, unless you connect an Ethernet cable to (G) or the TiVo wireless adapter to (H).
• Digital audio: Connects to your home theater system for digital sound using an optical digital audio cable. (Sold separately)
• S-Video out: Connects to a TV for a high-quality standard definition picture. It does not support high definition. Requires connecting a separate cable for audio.
• Component video out: Connects to a TV for a high definition picture. Requires connecting a separate cable for audio.
• Composite video and stereo out: Connects to a TV for a standard definition picture. Use only the white and red cables if all you need is audio for a different video source, like S-Video or Component video.
• HDMI out: Connects to a TV, A/V receiver, or home theater system for a pure digital connection that provides HD video and digital audio all in one cable.
• Ethernet: Connects to an Ethernet cable to allow your DVR to access your home network and your broadband Internet connection.
• 2 USB ports: Connects to the TiVo wireless adapter if you want to wirelessly connect to your home network and broadband internet connection.
• E-SATA: Connects to the My DVR Expander to increase recording capacity.
• Cable In: Connects to the coaxial cable in your wall that provides your cable TV programming. Satellite is not supported.
• Antenna in: Connects to the coaxial cable from a TV antenna in order to receive analog and digital broadcasts (including HD programming) over the air.

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Product Description

TiVo HD XL - You're ultimate HD cable experience. Discover a whole new universe of entertainment - in crystal-clear THX sound and picture-optimized for digital cable. It's all the digital entertainment you want, whenever you want it! With the Emmy Award-Winning TiVo service, plus movies, music, and videos from the internet, TiVo HD XL makes the most of broadcast and broadband.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

179 of 185 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars All the Gotchas October 7, 2008

By Mike

If you're too lazy to do more research aside from looking at this page, then you may be a bit surprised when you open the box. Here's what you need to know:

1) This TiVo requires a CableCard. It does NOT work with your cable box. It in fact replaces your cable box, so things like On Demand won't work anymore. Cable TV companies are required by the FCC to give you a CableCard on request, but they will likely charge fees for installation and for using the CableCard. It also (at least for me) can be a giant pain to get to a representative who can actually help you. I wasted hours trying to deal with my cable company. Also, try to get them to let you install it yourself, as it's really, really easy and shouldn't cost you twenty bucks to have someone else slide a card into a slot. Seriously, your blind, senile great-grandmother could do this.
2) The TiVo DOES have an Ethernet jack on the back along with the telephone jack. If you can use a wired network connection, then you don't need to shell out extra for the wireless adapter. I'm now returning mine to Amazon for a refund.
3) Lifetime service (totally worth it in my opinion) now costs $399 up from $299, but you can get it for only $299 with a multi-service discount if you already have another TiVo. Even better, you can resell your TiVo in the future with the lifetime service and transfer the service to the new owner. You can't do that with a monthly or yearly plan!
4) The remote is awful compared to the old remotes. Plus, they switched around the buttons! It also now uses 4 AAAs rather than 2 AAs. However, old remotes should work with this TiVo, too. (I haven't bothered trying.)

Nonetheless, don't let this scare you off. The TiVo HD XL is a really solid product, and TiVo is definitely still the king of DVRs. The XL is a bit pricey, but if you do the math, you'll realize this is actually the best way to go. You really won't save money or time by rolling your own or by buying the cheaper one and attaching an external hard drive.

153 of 163 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Watch TV on your own terms with the Tivo HD XL September 23, 2008

By DaJoos

Amazon Verified Purchase

By now the benefits of a DVR are well known, and most people reading this review know about the award-winning Tivo experience - I'll not spend time describing how it all works (but trust me, it's great! - you'll come to hate it when forced to watch 'live' TV without Tivo). If my guess about your knowledge is wrong I'd advise going to the Tivo website and reading all about it.

Instead I'll mention why I paid the extra for the XL Tivo when there are other, cheaper options.

First off this is the fourth DVR I've used (fifth if you count the Tivo Series 2 I bought my parents years ago). My first was a 160-hour ReplayTV (no longer available), and I loved it. As you'd guess when you have 160 hours to play with you have a lot of options. I was first afraid I'd become a TV addict, recording and watching far more TV than I ever did before - and in the first month or so that was basically true. Over time, however, you find your habits change - I eventually grew tired of recording every show ever broadcast, and instead used the capacity to only record my favorite shows, but with multiple episodes. That is, if you have a ton of room you don't have to watch 'ER' every Thursday at 10 - you can read a book instead until you're tired, then just hit the sack. Only when you're in the mood will you fire the DVR up, and you'll find multiple episodes of your favorite shows to watch. I actually found I was watching less TV, or at least TV on fewer evenings, with the large capacity DVR - I'd broken the habit of sitting down in front of the boob tube at 8 to be fed by the networks (and waiting through their commercials).

Well when the HDTV switch came around and I started using the DVR from my cable company and it's 15 hours of High Def capacity, I went from DVR bliss to recording-management he$$. I could not record much at all, and so instead I seemed to spend all my time massaging my recordings (recording repeats at a later time to free up space now) or, what was worse, finding myself trapped between watching a show when I wasn't in the mood or finding it gone the next day. Also, obviously, I couldn't record near as much a variety as before.

Now comes the Tivo HD XL, which gets us back in the 150 hour territory. Yes you can get a cheaper Tivo and then purchase an add-on 500GB 'DVR Expander'(rumors of larger coming soon), or perhaps void your warranty, open the box, toss the old HD out and replace it with a third-party one - but after doing a number of hours/dollar calculations I found this XL was cheaper than a lot of solutions, didn't void my warranty, and didn't rely on hooking up yet another piece of equipment and cabling just to get me what comes out of the box with the Tivo HD XL.

My only cons, and these apply to all versions of the cable Tivo: 1) Requires a cable card (or two) and the inherent hassles that come with a cable 'technician' visit (mine went well, but many apparently don't) and 2) Tivo has ads that don't get in the way of the functionality (you don't have to watch them) but which still annoys me. The first con is not Tivo's 'fault' - the second is, and is why I don't give the product a 5-star.

98 of 110 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The DVR King of all DVRs September 27, 2008

By Elisha T. Summers Boozer

First, a little background. I started with a TiVo series 2 a couple years ago, but recently I've upgraded to an HD system/surround sound, so I figured it was time to upgrade my cable service so I can receive HD programming. Little did I know at the time how difficult it was for cable companies to "allow TiVo to be compatible with their system/network." They kept trying to get me to use their "better than TiVo" DVRs, and insisted that TiVo was wholly incompatible with their system. So I gave em a shot and switched to AT&T's Uverse digital HD package. I had no problem with the HD service, my only complaint was their pathetic attempt at a DVR (maybe I'm spoiled). I called tech support several times getting different people asking if there was any way I could use my own DVR instead of theirs, to no avail. Eventually I got fed up with it and decided to switch to Ynition networks who also promised HD programming. They offered dish network's DVR (with of course those wonderful service and privilege fees) and I've seen adverts for it claiming to be "better than TiVo" so I figured I'd give it a shot. After a month of tech support trying to get the channels I actually subscribed for, they replaced it once and had the tech out a total of 4 times. Eventually I decided to scrap the HD service for cable and go back to what I had, but I had already given my TiVo series to Dad as a father's day present. So I used this opportunity to upgrade and spend the extra money on the TiVo HD XL.

I will start by telling you that this was the best purchase for my HD/surround sound system I've made. I cannot imagine watching TV without a TiVo again. Even though TiVo is orders of magnitude better than any other DVR on the market (in my opinion) the series 2 had its faults. However, the TiVo HD XL resolved each and every one of those faults, most of which I wasn't even aware of until I noticed the subtle change.

Let me start with the remote:
The original TiVo remote was awesome, this one is perfect, TiVo now has the perfect remote.
1. They kept the same layout and design as the original, simple, elegant, functional, and practical.
2. Made the remote programmable to work with your TV and receiver separately
3. Made each button individually programmable. If you have the original remote you can program any of those buttons to any of the TiVo remote buttons.
4. It glows and is a nice shiny black!
5. The original TiVo remote was a bit too symmetric and I've found that in the dark I often started using the remote backwards (facing me instead of the TV). TiVo resolved this by putting some slick ridging on the underside of one side of the remote so you can feel if you are pointing it in the right direction naturally and intuitively.

Back to the DVR:
1. Tons of memory. Since I'm only recording SD programming (for now) just to give you an idea, I can record 500+ hours of high quality SD video as compared with the series 2 that held about 20.
2. HD 1080i/surround sound capability. The feature is there when I need it, I can hook it up to over the air antenna for local HD broadcasting if I so desired (just got it so I haven't set that up yet)
3. Dual channel recording. This was the major limiting feature of the series 2, only one channel before and it was whichever channel the TiVo was set to at the time. Now you have two, and if you hook it up right you can watch 3 programs simultaneously (2 on TiVo, one 'live' through TV)
4. The cable card feature that allows your TiVo to act as a cable box for your cable company (provided you actually have a cable company who has the cable cards). I talked with the people at TiVo and they said EVERY cable company is bound by an agreement to support TiVo, however I couldn't get either of my cable companies to admit that or even acknowledge whether they had cable cards I could use.
5. Everything else that makes TiVo wonderful is also here.

To me this was worth every penny. If you have a cable provider who's not willing to jack you around and actually let you use the cable card feature for your HD programming, don't let anyone talk you into those "better than TiVo" DVRs. You'll miss out on the, "I wonder what my TiVo recorded for me today..." and the "bloop bloop" ...commercial skipping.. "bloop" with the perfect auto-backup that takes human reaction time into account.