After you actually have one, you won't know how you did without it.
I've got one. Paid a grand, and it's worth every penny to me. And no, I ain't rich, I'm in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Whatever floats your boat, I guess.
The picture on my Samsung DLP TV without the HD Tivo just wasn't good at all, but it's spectacular with the HDTV Tivo.