USB is easy to enable on Series 2 DirecTivo units (just need to do some reading on the right forums). And broadband means just connecting a USB to Ethernet adapter. You can also get version 4.x of the software onto them, but as far as I know, no HMO. Pulling video off can be done along with tons of other things possible on Series 1 units.

TiVo series have nothing to do with the presence of an mpeg encoder. Nor the system software on the unit. They have to do with the system architecture, which includes a different CPU (MIPS instead of PPC I believe). Also more memory if I'm not mistaken.

Direc is obviously not as "versatile" (rather portable) as StandAlone (SA) but has a picture you could never hope to achieve with an SA box. An SA box can also be hacked to use almost anywhere in the world - a DirecTivo is a boat anchor outside of the Americas.

Bruno