TiVo. HD. $299. Any Questions?

TiVo HD isn't the first high-def-capable or digital cable ready product from the world's winningest DVR brand. That would be the Series3. But the new model is the first HD-capable TiVo to sell for $299.

In addition to dual watch-and-record CableCARD slots, the product also has an ATSC tuner for over-the-air TV reception. Capacity is 160 gigabytes, a step down from the Series3's 250GB, but there's a port for the addition of an external hard drive.

The main drawback, as usual, is the $12.95/month program-guide charge. For many, that's the deal breaker. If you have to shell out every month, why not just rent your friendly neighborhood cable operator's DVR and save the up-front cost of a TiVo?

For more details see Pete Putman's review at HDTVexpert.com.

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