But TiVo HD also allows recording and playback of HDTV, while featuring "CableCARD" slots that can tape one show
while playing -- or capturing -- another at the same time. The cheaper version also lacks a high-end LED display on the front of the box and comes with a simpler remote control and exterior design.
"We're seeing a desire for HD everything," says James McQuivey, a vice president and analyst at Forrester Research. "And it would have been a missed opportunity for TiVo to not introduce a more affordable product." Still, if it is cheaper, a $16.95 monthly fee -- or $299 for three years -- could turn off some customers as TiVo tries to compete with cable and satellite operators that provide DVR services for less.
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