TiVo vesus Apple TV

With the recent announcement of the Google TV, people are speculating on what its effects are to the TiVo and the Apple TV. While we’re waiting for more updates on the Google TV, let us first compare the TiVo and the Apple TV.

Before proceeding, though, we need to set things straight — the TiVo and the Apple TV are two different devices. The TiVo is a digital video recorder while the Apple TV is a digital media receiver, but both devices share similar features and thus are often pitted against each other.

Apple TV versus TiVo The WiFi receiver of Apple TV is built-in while TiVo comes with a separate add-on aerial for wireless home networking. There is no clear difference on the speed, though.

Both allows users to download TV shows and movies. TiVo offers no choice of movie format, although it has a sub-DVD quality offering. Apple TV, on the other hand, offers 3 download options for A-list movies — a standard option of $6.99, an HD option of $7.99, a third option to to buy movies for around $15 to $25. Just like the other Apple products, the Apple TV is simple to operate. What users complain about, though, is that it does not tell you the file size of a movie’s HD version, an information that is especially needed when monitoring against your plan’s limit.

Apple TV offers better photo display and music playing features. It also has better user interface. Many users vouch for the TiVo’s better quality for downloaded content. In the end, several tech experts say that getting both TiVo and Apple TV is a better option than having to choose only one of the two.