Philips HDR612 TiVo 60 Hour Digital Video Recorder

Unlike analog VCRs, Philips's HDR612 personal TV recorder uses TiVo technology to store compressed audio-video data to a computer hard disk. When you're ready to watch a preselected program, the HDR612 retrieves it upon command from a list of shows you've recorded. Among the most revolutionary aspects of the Philips/TiVo server is the ability to pause live broadcasts and either resume a program where you left off or return to real time. For example, while watching live sporting events, you can replay the last eight seconds of the action. You can then return to the live broadcast at any time. Using the palm-size remote, you can rewind and fast-forward pretaped programs and skip through recorded commercials if you choose.

Philips supplies all the necessary cables for setting up the HDR612, including a 50-foot phone line and splitter. You don't need a separate phone line; simply connect the splitter to the wall, connect your phone and receiver cable to the splitter, and you're in business. The phone line is vital for downloading TV listings, recording shows, and receiving TiVo's Suggestions feature and TiVolution Magazine, which offer guidance and recommendations on the best programs to watch. After the initial download, the receiver spends about five minutes updating your programming data each night.

The HDR612 has lots of great features that make it easier for this personal TV server to record programs as it learns your preferences. For example, the Suggestions feature actually offers input on shows you might enjoy based on your previous selections.

TiVo's onscreen setup guide includes easy step-by-step instructions. TiVo charges $12.95 a month for weekly listings, TiVolution Magazine, and the Suggestions feature, or you can pay a one-time service charge of $299.

Once you've selected a program to record, you have four choices of picture quality: basic, medium, high, or best. The higher settings take up more storage space, which translates into fewer hours of available record time.

Setup may be a bit complex, but once it's in place, it is simple to operate. My mother in law can figure it out when she comes to town. She can't figure out our X-10 remote control lights, or her own e-mail, but she can set TiVo to record her programs and figure out what she wants to watch. If she can do it, anyone can.

We use our TiVo so much we are planning on getting one for the little TV in our bedroom.


WE LOVE TIVO!   November 12, 2002
J. Torcicollo (Sarasota, FL USA)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

We never even heard of TIVO until our children gave us one last Christmas. The TIVO came with a lifetime subscription which made it even better. We are retired and not exactly "Hi Tech" people, so we paid someone recommended by our excellent store, Sound Advice" to hook it up and educate us in the use, etc. This service was great, as we also had to hook up a DVD player to the TV (a gift from another of our kids). There is nothing easier to program for recording. No tapes, no fuss . As sports fans we particularly like the ability to do our own instant replay. I no longer dread the telephone or doorbell interupting "Jeopardy", as I can pause the program and pick it up later. I recommend this product to everyone that loves TV.
J. T. Sarasota, Florida.


Life Changing   September 28, 2002
Mike Lenner (New York, NY)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I bought the HDR112 but is the exact same product as the 612. It was the greatest decision I have ever made. There's no buyer's remorse with TiVo. I've had it for 5 months now and I don't know how I ever lived without it.


Great when it works, but I've had issues   January 8, 2002
J. Stockman (Austin, Texas USA)
27 out of 27 found this review helpful

This device has completely changed the way I watch television. Now, whenever I feel like watching TV, I have dozens of my favorite shows ready and waiting, plus occasional new shows TiVo has recommended to me. I never watch live TV anymore unless I want to check the weather or news. No more channel surfing.

That being said, I have been given 3 defective units. The first unit shipped to me would not boot up. I returned this to Amazon (very nice returns process, btw) for a new unit. After 2 months, the tuner on the new unit failed. This one was returned to TiVo, who shipped me a new unit. This third unit had the incorrect software installed on it (the 30-hour-unit software). TiVo tech support helped me correct this issue by having the unit dial in and download the correct software version. So far, there haven't been any problems since then.

On the plus side of all the problems I've had, I can say that TiVo's customer support is excellent, and a pleasure to deal with. I just wish their Quality Assurance was as good.

Even with all the problems, I have still recommended TiVo to my friends and co-workers, and I will continue to do so.


Tivo is expensive, but it works   December 10, 2001
Dennis (San Francisco, California USA)
20 out of 35 found this review helpful

A Replay 60 hr unit was replaced with Tivo 60 hr unit. Both units are noisy -- during quiet moments in tv passage, you can hear the hard disk spin. So you have to turn up the volume accordingly.

An earlier version of Replay the hard disk runs when recording. For Tivo the hard disk is always spinning. In this day and age there is no reason why Tivo, Phillips couldn't command the hard disk go to sleep mode when not recording. That's why I opted for a 5 year warranty. Hard disks die eventually, and so it's a question of when.

The man-machine interface for Replay is superior to the Tivo -- it's more intuitive and easier to master. I decided to not subscribe to Tivo since at the time I got the unit there was a price change (...) for lifetime membership. As a consequence I manually setup to record programs of interest by entering channel, times, and frequency. It's a hassle, but I refuse to pay Tivo anymore money.

Whoever designed the Tivo man-machine interface oughta be hung by his/her toe nails. Tivo should take a lesson from Replay. On Tivo, if you pick the wrong recording to replay it's very difficult to stop it. And you can't label a recording so there is just generic info -- being able to label program name would be great. With Replay there is no additional cost for service so you do not have this problem.

I would have kept the replay, but after having to turn in the unit 3 times for repair (hard disk noise) I got a Tivo (noisy). However, I didn't know that Tivo had the same problem. It should be a no brainer to use quieter hard drives or to sound isolate the hard drive -- it's not rocket science. The problem is that with Replay you get a refurbished unit not a new one. So you know that Replay unit had problems. Perhaps Tivo has the same policy -- you get refurbished unit. Maybe I should go back to VCRs and have DSS programmed to record on VCR?