WebTV's big brother offers TiVo-like functionality with support for DirecTV viewers.

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Microsoft's UltimateTV loads just about every television viewing experience available into one set-top box. About the size of a typical VCR, UltimateTV provides TiVo-like time-shift functionality, dual DirecTV tuners, and MSN TV (previously WebTV) terminal services for basic email, browsing, and interactive TV functions. (Get up close to UltimateTV with our Flash feature. Requires Flash 5 player.)

When it comes to consumer electronics, it is difficult to find fault with the concept of the time-shift device. Use it once, and you will realize what all the fuss is about. Like TiVo, Microsoft's UltimateTV service allows users to pause live television, fast-forward through commercials, and record 30 to 35 hours of content onto a local hard drive. Both companies support DirecTV satellite receivers, which allow DirecTV subscribers to retain and record high-quality digital satellite signal clarity.

The RCA UltimateTV box we reviewed included support for dual satellite signal inputs. Allowing users to view one program while they watch another or record two at the same time is a most attractive feature. UltimateTV also includes a picture-in-picture feature for simultaneous viewing of two shows. TiVo has promised that support for dual receivers in set-top boxes will be released in the summer of 2001.

Ultimate molasses

In comparing Sony's TiVo set-top box with RCA's UltimateTV unit in the TechTV Labs, we found nearly identical lag times in changing channels and recording programs. However, in longer-term testing, we found that the UltimateTV unit navigated more sluggishly in menu selections and offered a far clumsier interface than the Sony TiVo unit. With two- to four-second pauses between menu choices, we were quickly annoyed by UltimateTV's tendency to fool us into thinking that perhaps we had not actually made our selection.

Switching between UltimateTV's MSN TV-based Internet access and regular TV viewing was simply executed at the push of a button on the included remote control or wireless full-size keyboard. Although the MSN email service was definitely easy to set up, convenient, and simple to use, the inclusion of the MSN TV browsing feature seemed woefully misguided. Low resolution, odd formatting, and a nearly impossible navigation process had our team worried users might actually depend on MSN TV as a viable browsing experience.

This is an updated version of a story that previously appeared April 6, 2001.

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