ReplayTV RTV5508 80-Hour Digital Video Recorder
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend The ReplayTV 5508 has everything that makes DVRs great and advance features that make it the best DVR available today.PRODUCT FEATURES:Easy tape-free recording;Pause and instant replay live TV;Progressive Scan for digital TVs;Digital Audio out for Home Theaters. Product details and pricing info |
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145 Customer Reviews Posted
- Terrible Service Ruins Everything
- When my ReplayTV worked, it was great. (Though now having tried others, it was worse--except for those few features, like commercial skip, that they took out anyway.) But every single time I had to get support from them, it was an awful experience.
Most recently, I just called for my third time (at least a 20 minute wait each time) to try and cancel my service. You can't cancel on-line--it's the only thing you can't cancel on line. Somehow, that charge never stopped coming. 4 months and counting. This time around, assuming they do actually cancel the service, they refused to even consider refunding the other three months.
Whenever there were problems with the unit, their technical support was incompetent. The only advantage they has was they knew the service codes for the remote, but once I found them on-line, their support was useless. I'm a competent computer person, not a geek, but I was better than they were.
On two occasions, my service stopped, with them claiming that they couldn't charge my card. (It was a "glitch" in their system each time) I went a week without being able to use it, and they didn't credit my account. Then, when I got my new ATM card, I changed it with them. On-line, the change was reflected, but they kept charging the old. Eventually the old one expired, and they didn't even have the patience to let me explain what was wrong; they kept insisting they had made the change. That was two weeks without the use of my unit, no refund for time lost.
I'm using Comcast's DVR now, and it's almost as good, and--I can't believe I'm saying this--their customer service is far superior. Last time I called for help, the woman asked if she could find some specials for me, and 5 minutes later, she had lowered my cable/Internet bill by $40. And later this year, Comcast is switching to TiVo software.
In Sum: even if you think the ReplayTV is a bit better (debatable), you better pray you never have to call them, because then it just won't be worth it. - 2007-03-06, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- ReplayTV is THE Best!
- One of my ReplayTV boxes is a 4500 model purchased in 2002. It has NEVER needed repair. On the RARE occasion (less than a Windows-based computer) it hangs, just reboot it by pushing and holding the power button until it reboots itself - instructions are easily found in the manual). In the beginning when I had questions and hadn't read the manual, I found their Tech Support people to be fast, exceptionally helpful, knowledgable, and friendly. The machine is either recording or being watched or both nearly 24/7 and is still going strong after all this time. Love, love, love it! How Tivo users live without commerical advance, commercial skip, or 30-second skip is unfathomable!
- 2006-12-04, 2 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS
- im not going to write a long review on this. i've had mine for about 6 month now and it has broken down 3 times!! everything was coverd under warrenty but each time i have to ship it back,it takes about a month to get back. imagin having to re-enter your shows...three times..not having a dvr for a month 3 times. i had a tivo before...now i kick my self for not buying another one when they still had the life time subscriptions.
- 2006-04-19, 1 of 3 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Both units working great for over 2 years.
- Believe what you want. Both of mine have been working for over 2 years and both were refurbs. I really love commercial skip. Best feature they ever added. I have had 1 unit hang twice you simple unplug it and it solves the problem. Also have a tivo and can say there is no comparison. Replay wins hands down.
- 2006-03-11, 2 of 3 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Can I give it less than one star? ReplayTV is an awful, awful company!
- I had a Panasonic ShowStopper 2000 (made by ReplayTV). I got it in 2000 or 2001. Worked great. Loved the features. Couldn't live without it. Well I decided to upgrade to get some of the newer features, plus my remote was broken and I couldn't find any universal remote I liked, and the thing was just plain sluggish. What a mistake. I should have just stuck with it.
First thing was ReplayTV wouldn't allow me to transfer my lifetime membership from one box to the other. They only give you a discount if you pay by the month. Great another monthly bill. $7 a month for a channel guide they just get from zip2it.com. What a rip off. And this is over my broadband connection. It doesn't cost them anything.
Second, the hardware and software are just flaky. The power button caved into the box. It stutters during playback. Sometimes the audio lags behind the video. It crashes on some of my uploaded JPG files. The picture upload software crashes my PC. Sometimes the ReplayTV itself crashes and even holding the power button down wont reboot it.
Third, the warranty materials and customer support are terrible. The warranty is really only 90 days long. After that you can send it in to be fixed under warranty at a "fixed price". (...)The tech said it was my hard drive. Why is a hard drive dying after 120 days of service?
I love DVR's but the current ReplayTV's are terrible. I'm probably going to lease one from my cable company until someone can make a decent one. Something you can buy for a resonable price ((...)) and no monthly fees. That sounds like my old ShowStopper. - 2006-02-23, 0 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
