Good question. I just switched to Comcast with their awesome HD DVR last month because of DirecTv's rediculous price on the HD Tivo. I called their customer support and they told me they have no control over the pricing, they do not sell them directly. The best they could do is offer me $200 to stay with them. I told them about Comcast's HD DVR only costing $10/month and the lady didn't beleive me. I told her anyone who pays $1000 for theirs is stupid, it would take 8 years to pay for it at $10/month. Anyway, by far the best option for me was switching to Comcast and I'm VERY happy about the move. I'm paying less money every month, I have an HD DVR which can also record local channels (HD Tivo cannot), and Comcast's On Demand content is pretty awesome! When I switched Comcast was giving you $20/month discount for an entire year to swtich from directv/dish. Works for me!!!
If I were to guess on price drops. I would say not until DirecTv transitions to MPEG4 compression later this year. btw...if you buy a HD Tivo now, it will be useless soon because of the MPEG4 transition!!!
We'll, in 2006 us Comcast customers will have HD Tivo's. And knowing Comcast it'll be a mothly fee probably in the $15 range, not a $1000 up front price tag like DirecTV is doing!
THANK YOU COMCAST!!!
btw...DirecTV's relationship with Tivo is pretty much over. Don't expect anything new from Tivo that integrates with DirecTV. And don't bother buying the current HD Tivo, because in a few months it won't even work because DirecTV is switching to MPEG4 compression which will make the HD Tivo useless.
If you have Comcast available to you, switch. Their current HD DVR is only $10/month and works pretty darn good. In 2006 we'll have HD Tivo!!! Oh, and I'm paying less with Comcast with the HD DVR and with HBO than I was paying with DirecTV which I had NO HD and NO HBO. Comcast is the hands down winner right now for HD and an HD DVR. Once they have Tivo, unless DirecTV does something spectacular, it won't even be any contest...Comcast is really doing great things. And, I don't see how DirecTV will challenge Comcast's On Demand content which is pretty awesome.
I am also going to switch to comcast. I have set up an appointment for installation for wednesday. I just can't see myself paying $1000 for a HD tivo, and I just got a new plasma that I must watch at HD.