Xfinity TV Equipment
Xfinity’s TV equipment has some cool futuristic tricks up its sleeve. With the X1 DVR, you can use voice search, check scores and stats, and build a library of shows that you can watch on-the-go.
If you have Xfinity TV cable service, you need a $10 per month set-top box, or you can upgrade for X1 Cloud DVR, which comes with a fee of $20 per month. By going with the X1 DVR, you also get the X1 voice remote.
| Plan | TV channel count | Price | Details |
Xfinity X1 DVR
The Xfinity X1 can record up to 60 HD (high definition) hours and 300 SD (standard definition) hours, but if you link two X1 Cloud DVRs together, you can bump those numbers up to 120 HD hours and 600 SD hours.
The X1 DVR has six tuners in it (except for one model, which has five), meaning you can record up to six programs simultaneously, or twelve if you’ve got two DVRs linked up.
With the Xfinity Stream app, you can also access your cloud recordings on a mobile device.
The Cloud DVR Lite is an included DVR option for some cable plans. You’ll get 20 hours of SD or HD recording storage, which isn’t a ton, but it’s better than nothing. We’ll focus on the X1 DVR.
How does Xfinity TV equipment compare to others?
A single X1’s storage capacity (60 HD cloud + 150 HD local) is similar to the 200 HD hours you’d get from a DIRECTV Genie, but weak compared to the 2,000 HD hours you can get from a DISH Hopper. But, the biggest difference is price. One X1 DVR tacks on an extra $20 every month—ouch.
| DVR name | DVR fee | Recording capacity | Max # of recordings | Details |
| Xfinity X1 Cloud DVR | $20/mo. | 60 HD hours | 6 | Read Review |
| DIRECTV Genie | Included | 200 HD hours | 8 | Read Review |
| DISH Hopper | $15/mo. | 2,000 HD hours | 16 | Read Review |
To put it into perspective, all of Seinfeld is 66 hours, Adventure Time is 34 hours. and Game of Thrones is 70 hours. So with a 60-hour capacity, Xfinity could stand to add some time for more hardcore viewers looking to keep a library in their DVRs.
You could try switching to SD recording to get more hours, and maybe you don’t need all of that TV all at once . . . but maybe you do?
Xfinity X1 voice remote
Searching with your voice is a bit of a lifesaver for those of us who hate navigating all the virtual keyboards we encounter. (Seriously, it takes forever.)
Rather than searching for the right channel to catch an NBA game, you can hold down the button and say “Utah Jazz” and the right channel will pop up. And for sports fans, you can press the C button to see live sports scores and stats.
Xfinity TV equipment on the go
Most people bundle Xfinity TV service with internet, which also ties in your Netflix and makes Xfinity TV service available on all your smart devices. The Xfinity Stream app includes on-demand content and live TV shows (sports!) as well. Instant TV anywhere? Sounds good to us.
Your Cloud DVR works on the go too. You can catch up with Barry on the bus or watch cooking shows from your laptop or iPad.
Prime Video, Pandora, Netflix, and YouTube
TV, in general, is moving toward combining streaming services over traditional cable TV service, and we appreciate that Xfinity’s choosing to integrate these apps instead of forcing an “our service only” sort of search.
We love this feature because it reduces the amount of time we’re searching in each individual app. Plus, it displays your options side by side, so you can see the cheapest way to watch based on what subscriptions you have.
Xfinity includes Netflix on some higher-tier plans. But if you don’t have one of those, you’ll have to sign up for your own membership for the additional services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Pandora, and YouTube (if you want your videos commercial-free).
Sometimes these are the same price as a one- or two-year contract option, and sometimes it’s $10 more a month. We recommend this for renters so they can avoid early termination fees if they move out before their contract is up.
Self-install or professional installation
Depending on your plan, a self-install kit may be free. Otherwise, it’s a one-time fee of $14.99. If your house has existing connections, though, then you can easily save some extra cash when ordering Xfinity.
Just make sure to select priority shipping, which costs exactly zero dollars compared to $15 for standard shipping.
If you’re not comfortable doing an install yourself, professional installation costs $89.99. However, if you’re getting a more expensive offer, like a quad play (bundling together home security, phone, internet, and TV service), then your installation may be included. Tight.
Xfinity internet
You’ll probably want to get a TV and internet bundle to maximize your Cloud DVR’s features. You’ll be able to access your saved shows from your mobile devices, keep your software up-to-date, and access Netflix and other apps from your X1 voice remote.
Xfinity’s internet has fast speeds, decent prices, and a pretty big data limit. You might be able to get by with a standalone TV service, but we like having access to Xfinity Stream and our DVR recordings on the go.
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