I answered this question several months ago, here are my responses (
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37693&highlight=tivo):
#1
I LOVED my Tivo when I had it. I mean absolutely loved. Of all the equipment that I've bought over the years and have yet to buy, my first Tivo will always be my favorite. I switched to cable provided DVR for two reasons- 1) The ability to record HD as well as 2 channels at once, and 2) Major IR connectivity problems with the ancient non-HD boxes my Chicago cable carrier was providing (for the room without HD).
The only thing that I would watch out for is whether the "lifetime service" is good for future upgrades or for new boxes. I remember back when Tivo first started that anytime a new box was bought you had to start a new service plan, even if you had originally bought lifetime service. If you ever want to buy another box with more recording time or upgrade to the next set of HD technology, then you may have to repay the lifetime service fee (or in your case may not even have the access to do so and have to switch to monthly).
That's where cable has the advantage- if new technology comes out, it automatically filters down to you and they just bring you a new box. My Tivo box became out of date within 2 years with the popularity of HDTV.
#2
Look- it really comes down to how much you're going to use Tivo for its advanced features. When Tivo first started all of its features had never been seen before, but now every DVR now has season passes and the ability to record stuff that you manually set. Tivo has 3 advanced features that won me over:
1) The Up/Down buttons and the ability to self-record programs based on your preference. Keep in mind, these are screwy at first and you need to be careful what you record and mark as thumbs up (e.g. I once recorded the Princess Bride- an alltime classic in my opinion- and for a month the Tivo recorded EVERY romantic comedy on the tube), but once working right it will find you cool new stuff to watch. This is especially true when it comes to the History/Discovery/National Geographic channels... I used to learn so much more while watching TV than I do now.
2) The ability to record anything that includes your favorite actors/directors/sports teams. Specify an actor, it will record everything they're in. This is great for those movies that might only play once or twice a year (e.g. White Christmas, Anything with Jimmy Stewart) but you might not want to miss. I also used to use it to record SNL reruns from the "good" periods on E!. Also great for baseball- I would just set it to record every Mets game but have it only save 1 episode at a time. Then I could watch the game in fast forward later.
3) Online scheduling. Not sure if Tivo still offers this, but I remember often being at a friends house or even at work and hearing about a new show and not wanting to forget to record it. Instead of having to remember until I got home, it was easy just to go online and set it up.
If these aren't for you, then I say stick with DVR and put the onus on your cable company to provide service. But if you're really going to use your tivo to its maximum potential, then it will blow non-Tivo DVRs out of the water every time.
