Moxi HD DVR (two-tuner)

Pros: Records 2 HD cable streams simultaneously; fresh, visually stunning interface; familiar, intuitive features and functionality; flickr and home photo/music integration; real-time online programming; outstanding telephone support.

Cons: No ability to share video to or from the device; has required a few reboots since installation; no remote button to go directly to the full channel guide; still only available through Amazon.

Summary: I've been waiting for this device to come out for years now, and ultimately, it doesn't disappoint (too much). The first issue most people have is the price, so let's tackle that first. If you consider total cost of ownership over four years for comparable DVRs, outfitted with a total of 1TB storage, the Moxi comes in lower than TiVo, lower than Media Center. Why? Mainly because there are no service fees for Moxi. With TiVo, you pay about $400 for 4 years' service alone. Add that to the cost of the device and the monthly cost of CableCARD rental, and it levels the playing field. The bottom line is that CableCARD off-the-shelf DVRs are still expensive.

Out of the box, this thing works just like you'd expect. The remote buttons do what you'd expect if you've ever used a DVR before. Moxi also adds some features like a ticker that delivers traffic/weather/news and a mini guide in the lower third that lets you surf without disturbing the show in progress. The Moxi Menu takes some getting used to, but it's beautiful, readable, and fairly intuitive. Plus, you can watch the show in progress while you browse what's on the other channels.

My biggest complaint with the Moxi so far is that you can't share video on this device. So you can't get your own video content onto it, and you can't get recorded video off. Considering that TiVo already supports this and that Windows Media Connect--which Moxi uses for media sharing--enables this, I have to assume it's a licensing/certification thing Digeo's still working out with the industry sticklers.

I wrote a complete, first-hand review when the device initially came out, viewable at http://*******.com/ivegotmoxi. But the bottom line for me is that I've replaced my old TiVo with Moxi as my primary home DVR, and we've adjusted quickly and favorably to the new device. Frankly, I'm glad to finally see some competition for TiVo. Now if only they could get this device onto some local retailers' shelves.