TiVo Series3 price confirmed: $800

Looks like Popular Mechanics either jumped the gun or got the scoop, but either way it's displayed plain as day in their October issue that the price on the Series3 is, in fact, going to be $800. Um, that's it. Didn't sound like there was a launch date issued in this month's book, but big ups to reader Matt for sending it in!

[MegaZone @ Sep 6th 2006 1:32AM]

Which wait was that? ;-) (Either way.)

It must be soon, lots of things are popping.

[Xophonic @ Sep 6th 2006 2:06AM]

Hopefully some competition in the HD DVR market will make Time Warner rethink their current POS offering (in the LA area) in favor of a bigger hard drive and more stable/robust software. Here's to hoping Tivo makes some money for a change or at least breaks even so they don't have to sue anyone to try and turn a profit.

[kevin @ Sep 6th 2006 2:30AM]

There are very few companies that have built such a brand trust with me that I'll just swallow my pride and buy their products. Apple has done this to me with their iPod/iTunes perfect combo. TiVo is right up there too.

Do I believe this is overpriced? Yup. Do I believe it will most likely be the best DVR on the market? Yup.

Call me a fool... but also call me a buyer.

-Kevin

[Ken Fowler @ Sep 6th 2006 3:04AM]

Keep in mind the $800 is MSRP. When is the last time an Engadget reader paid MSRP for anything?

Best Buy's cost is $500, which means the unit should sell at Buy.com and Amazon.com for $600-$650. Tivo also has a $150 rebate on their DVRs. Figure in online discounting and the mail-in rebate and you're looking at under $500.

Compare that to DirecTV's H20 DVR -- which has far less functionality -- which costs $350 if you want to LEASE IT or $820 if you want to own it.

[Evan @ Sep 6th 2006 4:40AM]

Having gone through 2 Series 1 Philips TiVos, I'm a bit skeptical of plunking down so much money for a TiVo again. I've had a hard drive die in one and the S-Video input die in another.

I'm less than thrilled with TiVo's policy of your subscription being tied to a CPU. I paid my $300 twice, thank you. If I buy a Series 3, I have to pay even more for a lifetime pass. What a rip-off...

[Scott @ Sep 6th 2006 5:27AM]

The only way I'd pay even $400 for this thing is if it *fully* supports CableCard 2, allowing me to shed the TWC HD-DVR. Without CableCard 2 support (full support, that is), I'd still need crappy Time Warner's crappy STB to watch PPV, Howard TV, etc.

The only way I'd pay $800 for this thing is if it gave me oral every night.

[Scott @ Sep 6th 2006 6:21AM]

For $800 you can keep your Series 2 unit that will be obsolete by the time it hits shelves. $800 today can be spent on more important things than a DVR with 2 tuners....

Use the money for gas, food, bills or other things. Do not put it into the pockets of the TIVO company cause you can bet your a$$, in less than 6 months another version will come out and you will be kicking yourself in the a$$ for buying this waste of money too soon!

[TivoSeries3 @ Sep 6th 2006 7:45AM]

Programmable from a cell phone?? That's news to me.

[Jeremy @ Sep 6th 2006 8:49AM]

Evan, gmoney, etc:
Tivo doesn't do Lifetime Subscriptions anymore. Now it's $369 for a 3 year subscription. After three years, you're billed monthly at the reduced rate.

Also, a busted hard drive in Tivo can easily be fixed with a visit to ebay. No need in losing that lifetime subscription you already own.

[fareal @ Sep 6th 2006 11:03AM]

Definitely won't be buying it at $800. If it had an Xbox 360 built into it and an HD-DVD player, I'd reconsider.

[Kyle @ Sep 6th 2006 11:09AM]

I've been able to program mine from my Treo Cell phone for a while now.

[rgkgraphix @ Sep 6th 2006 2:41PM]

$800...Wow!!! I hate the HD DVR that my cable company gave me (Scientific Atlanta) I would rather have a TiVo, but for $800 I think I'll put up with the old a bit longer (unless a Blu-Ray recorder comes with) :-)

[notRich @ Sep 6th 2006 4:46PM]

As my Direct HDTivo will continue to be functional for the foreseeable near future (until all HD programming is transferred to MPEG4), I will wait a year or so. By then there should be a nice price drop, along with early release bugs worked out.

[Rufus @ Sep 6th 2006 4:56PM]

You gotta be high to buy this thing. $800 w/o lifetime subscription? No DVR is worth anything like that.

Anybody know whether this is a public company I can sell short on? Most businesses don't do well when targeting the "fool and his money" demographic exclusively.

You gotta hand it to them one way: it does go perfectly with that 42inch, $5000 720p plasma from a year ago.

[Colin @ Sep 6th 2006 6:40PM]

WTF?! I just got my September issue of PM today and people are already getting the October issue?

[I,Robot @ Sep 6th 2006 11:21PM]

for $800 shouldn't have to pay a monthly payment for the life of the machine. Then I'd pay $800 bucks... maybe.

[decadeofevil @ Sep 6th 2006 11:24PM]

umm couldnt you just build a nice htpc for around the same price???

[shlerp shlerp @ Sep 8th 2006 5:42PM]

wow. thats something

[Derek @ Sep 12th 2006 11:02PM]

Ok, here is the skinny, I just got a VIP pre buy option on the series 3. They are $799 and have an option to transfer lifetime from another box for $199. That is right $998 if you want a series 3 with lifetime. And then only if you have another box with lifetime. Seems VERY steep.

[gmoney @ Oct 6th 2006 7:53AM]

At 800 I won't be buying one now. Can someone say PS3. Bad move Tivo. I'd consider it if it came with a lifetime subscription. But $800 and $12/mo no way. I'll keep my kick butt Mac Mini with miglia HDTV recorder. It offers way more that tivo for less.