Philips DSR6000 (DirecTV and TiVo)

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Standalone TiVo recorders have a built-in MPEG II encoding device, which converts regular analog TV into compressed digital video. But because DirecTV uses the same MPEG II compression for its digital video satellite transmission, Philips (and Sony) left out the internal MPEG II encoder. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage.

On the plus side, the digital DirecTV bit stream gets recorded directly off the satellite instead of being first converted to analog, then recompressed into digital form. As result, you get the full 35 hours' worth of recording time with the picture and sound coming out just as good as it does on a live broadcast. This machine even records the 5.1-channel Dolby Digital surround sound found on many pay-per-view channels and one of the Starz premium movie channels. We found the picture and sound quality, whether live or recorded, to be on a par with the standard-definition picture from our high-end reference DirecTV receiver, an RCA DTC-100. Because the DSR6000 supports Dolby Digital surround sound while the standalone TiVo does not, we rate the picture and sound to be as good or better than the best-quality recording level of a TiVo box on its own.

On the downside, with no built-in MPEG II encoder, you can't record programs off cable or antenna with the DSR6000, though you can still view them. Since DirecTV offers local stations in many cities, which in most cases consist of the local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliates, plus the national PBS feed, this may not be an issue for you. But if, for example, you just gotta have your regular Star Trek fix and DirecTV doesn't offer the local UPN affiliate, you might be better off using a standalone TiVo recorder instead of the integrated version. Hide Review