Comments on: TiVo Vs. Windows MCE (Media Center Edition) For The Average Budget Minded Consumer

By: Richard Kalajian

Richard Kalajian — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 02:59:56 +0000

Just bought a DELL 8400 MCE with Dual Tuner, Remote, 3.2Ghz 640 P4, Raid SATA w/2 160GB Drives, Radeon 850 XT PE, 1GB RAM, Audigt 2 ZS, Couple DBD Drives and more. $874 including Tax and Shipping.

Important points. This will play every single game available now and for at least a year or so. Replaces XBOX 360. Also, try and search for things that you want to record with TIVO, like actors, themes. Typing with a remote is idiotic (sorry). Typing should be done with a keyboard.

By: chris

chris — Tue, 22 Nov 2005 12:02:47 +0000

MCE: Has High Def recording (antenna) and will have soon. That is a pretty good selling point.

Plus MCE could be a computer upstairs and then would stream the TV to your Xbox360. . .a cool feature.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:55:08 +0000

I am an avid MCE user myself and did find this comparison to be very fair. I am a technophile and therefore building a MCE machine was a lot of fun. I went with the MCE route because I also needed a good gaming system as well as record TV. So in my case, MCE made much more sense. Also, I like the using my big screen tv to display photos and use it as a music hub as well.

However, if I just wanted to record and watch TV and didnt’ need a computer or had a good gaming pc already, Tivo would have been the way to go as the article points out, a $500 dvr is much more appealing than a $1200 device.

On the ease of use end, I dont’ think MCE is any harder to use than a Tivo. Buying it preconfigured, basically all the user has to do is turn the machine on and use the remote control for all the different activities such as watching TV, ect.

By: Mike Garcen (ShadyMG - MCE MVP)

Mike Garcen (ShadyMG - MCE MVP) — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:52:23 +0000

I don’t think there’s anyone, myself included, that wouldn’t recommend a TIVO if the ONLY thing a user wanted was a DVR. I still think the TIVO interface is cleaner & definitely more basic for beginner users.

However, if anyone wants Video, photos, music, and the list goes on & on, that’s where it puts MCE in a whole other division that should not be compared, at least to a tivo.

Nice article though

By: J Web

J Web — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 16:59:14 +0000

What your comparison fails to account for is that with PC based PVRs, I can infinitely add tuners and HD space and then stream the content throughout the home. With TiVo, you need multiple TiVos who don’t communicate with one another as effectively as PC based PVRs. When you start adding up the cost of accessing PVR content throughout the home, PC based is much cheaper and easier to use.

Appreciate the blog effort though, now we have an open forum to challenge TiVo on their marketing strategies.

By: Robert Aitchison

Robert Aitchison — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 15:57:19 +0000

Comparing TiVo and things like MCE doesn’t make lots of sense when you think about it, comparing MCE and products like MythTV is a little bit more appropriate.

I will say one thing though, my boss has a MCE PC, and he liked it well enough, but when he got an unbelievable deal on a TiVo (effectively free thanks to an ad misprint) he picked one up and likes it much better, his wife, which never went near the MCE PC took to the TiVo easily.

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 15:27:16 +0000

Yardman,
If you read my entire post you would have noticed that I didn’t say MCE was horrible. The only point I was trying to make was that for $1200 the average consumer is better off purchasing a TiVo or even 3 TiVos. MCE seems to be a great product. As a matter of fact, when I purchase my next computer I will probably buy it for myself…

By: yardman

yardman — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 15:14:53 +0000

lol what a funny guy….Of course you or gonna say everything you can against MCE what’s the name of your BLOG “tivoblog”.

You can’t be trusted to give a unbiased opinion.

The MCE learning curve is not too different from tivo’s curve…my 4 year old cousin is able to use my MCE box.
My MCE setup press power button on remote MCE come’s on, press live tv…what you know tv comes on.

Anyone who can’t do must be an idot.

By: atmaspheric | endeavors » Blog Archive » MCE vs. TiVo??

atmaspheric | endeavors » Blog Archive » MCE vs. TiVo?? — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 13:06:13 +0000

[...] Thomas Hawk pointed me to an interesting piece written by Alex Raiano at the official TiVo Blog comparing MCE to TiVo. [...]

By: Thomas Hawk

Thomas Hawk — Sat, 29 Oct 2005 17:33:51 +0000

Hi Alex, thanks for the post. I did a reply here:

http://thomashawk.com/2005/10/tivoblogs-alex-raiano-on-tivo-vs-mce.html

Best,

Tom

By: The Pandemic Soul » Blog Archive » Tivo vs. Windows MCE

The Pandemic Soul » Blog Archive » Tivo vs. Windows MCE — Sat, 29 Oct 2005 04:46:14 +0000

[...] Just a quick post on some pros and cons of Tivo vs. Windows Media Center Edition. Good article here. [...]