DirecTV To Drop TiVo

[Suhit Gupta]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pvrblog.com/pvr/2004/08/directv_makes_m.html' target='_blank'>http://www.pvrblog.com/pvr/2004/08/directv_makes_m.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Crap! This is the worst PVR-related news I've heard in a while. When News Corp gained ownership of DirecTV, many speculated that Rupert Murdoch's other satellite company (with a DVR), NDS, might be used instead of the combination DirecTiVo boxes DirecTV customers now have. Well, the sad truth is that indeed NDS boxes will be released early next year, alongside DirecTiVo boxes. The Tivo-DirecTV relationship ends in 2007, so hopefully they'll continue to support TiVo boxes after the NDS rollout next year."</i><br /><br />This is very interesting. The news had a profound effect on the TiVo stock since almost half of TiVo's million users are DirecTV customers running the combo TiVo unit. You don't need to panic yet as the contract does not expire until 2007 and presumably TiVo will come up with some sort of new deal, but this is still some unfortunate news.

[Perry Reed]

As an owner of two DirecTiVo boxes, I consider this very bad news. Not only do I love the TiVo interface and will hate to see it go, but it probably means we'll never see the "advanced" features, like sharing music and pictures from PCs or recorded video across two boxes, that every other TiVo user can get. :(

[Suhit Gupta]

As an owner of two DirecTiVo boxes, I consider this very bad news. Not only do I love the TiVo interface and will hate to see it go, but it probably means we'll never see the "advanced" features, like sharing music and pictures from PCs or recorded video across two boxes, that every other TiVo user can get. :(
Really? You think it will be that bad? I mean I think TiVo may just run an independent service, much like ReplayTV used to run.

Suhit

[Perry Reed]

Really? You think it will be that bad? I mean I think TiVo may just run an independent service, much like ReplayTV used to run.

The difference is, with the DirecTiVo combo, the service is really integrated. For example, instead of digitizing the video to record it, it grabs the actual digital signal coming in off the satellite. That way, when you play it back, it's EXACTLY as it was live, down to the last bit.

Also, when using the DirecTV on-screen guide, simply selecting a program in the future brings up the TiVo record option. Very slick!

As an independent service, you won't get any of that.

I would, I suppose be less upset about losing TiVo if DirecTV would come out with a Media Center PC-compatible PCI card. That way you could use the MPC in much the same way as the TiVo box, recording the direct digital signal. But so far they've not seem at all willing to go that route, no doubt concerned about possible piracy.

[Suhit Gupta]

Well, then presumably TiVo would have its own proprietary on screen guide, but you are probably right about the signal itself.

NDS is the company that will supposedly be making the new DirecTV DVR boxes.

And from your post, it seems as though you don't care as much about the TiVo, instead you would like ti just have some DVR system with DirecTV?

Suhit

[Perry Reed]

Well, then presumably TiVo would have its own proprietary on screen guide, but you are probably right about the signal itself.

NDS is the company that will supposedly be making the new DirecTV DVR boxes.

And from your post, it seems as though you don't care as much about the TiVo, instead you would like ti just have some DVR system with DirecTV?

Suhit

TiVo does have it's own guide, and you can use it on the DirecTiVo boxes (at least you could on the older Series 1, I'm not sure about the Series 2). But it's not as good as the DirecTV guide.

I suppose you are right, to a point, that I really want a DVR system with my DirecTV, but there are some TiVo-specific things I'd miss. For example, the wishlist functionality, where you can specify genres or actors or directors and it'll find them and record them. I use that, for example, for San Jose Sharks hockey games, which may be on a number of different channels; this way I know it will always record them no matter when they appear.

I also enjoy using the "thumbs up/thumbs down" function to rate programs. The the TiVo will record other programs it thinks I'll like, based on my ratings. It's usually pretty good at guessing, too.

And despite my preference for the DirecTV on-screen guide, the rest of the UI is pure-TiVo, and I like it. I'm sure I could get used to a different one, but I would miss this one.

But yes, my primary concern is that whatever DVR it is, that it is integrated tightly with the DirecTV service.

[Felix Torres]

But yes, my primary concern is that whatever DVR it is, that it is integrated tightly with the DirecTV service.

And *that* is what is eating TiVO's business away.

I just got a notice from my cable operator ofering *their* integrated PVR solution for $5 a month, zero upfront cost.

So my choices, if I wanted a PVR solution, are $100 up-front and $12 a month for TiVO, or zero upfront and $5 a month for Adelphia.

I'm guessing TiVO is *not* paying DirectTV $5 a month per customer so DirectTV, like the cable operators, would rather roll out their own PVR feature...