DirecTV Prepares TiVo Killer

[James Fee]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20041129/1019244_F.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20041129/1019244_F.shtml</a><br /><br /></div><i>"he death of TiVo has been reported many times over, but the news today clearly is extremely bad news for TiVo. Despite efforts to expand TiVo distribution with other partners, the majority of TiVo subscribers are DirecTV customers. TiVo and DirecTV have worked together for quite some time, and, in the last quarter, nearly 75% of new TiVo subscribers came via DirecTV. That's an awfully important distribution channel, and it looks like it may go away. DirecTV should be ready to launch their own branded PVR device sometime early next year, which they claim will have all the features of TiVo plus more."</i><br /><br />I have a DirecTV TiVo or DirecTiVo as we like to call it, but I personally don't care who makes my PVR as long as I can start recording HD on it. At about $1,000 the current HD TiVo from DirecTV is just WAY too much money and maybe NDS can have a cheaper solution.<br /><br />TiVo has milked the DirecTV market for years and now they are going to lose much of it. Hopefully someone will buy the company and not let the great GUI be lost.

[gibb193a]

Until about a month ago, I had a standalone TiVo which I loved. Since I almost never, ever watched live TV anymore, I felt that I would have wasted the money spent on my new HD TV since my TiVo recorded in SD. I didn't see any standalone HD TiVo any time soon and hearing that the HD DirectTiVo would cost close to $1000, I knew it would be very expensive (adding the subscription fees) once there is an upgrade from TiVo.

Then I heard that Time-Warner released an HD-DVR in NYC for just an additional $9 (equipment and guide) a month, so I tried it. Now, I'm able to enjoy HD and still have DVR features. Like most TiVo fans, I still think TiVo's interface is so much better and I was very sad when I finally sold my old TiVo last week.

With this kind of competition from cable/satellite providers, TiVo needs to step it up really quickly and at a reasonable cost. It would be such a waste for that interface if they went away...

[Neil Enns]

I'm very interested in seeing what DirecTV does here. I have a DirecTivo and while I love the TiVo features it is, to be blunt, pig butt slow. I'd love a faster box that has season pass and 30-second skip.

Neil

[James Fee]

I'd love a faster box that has season pass and 30-second skip.That is the problem. I have yet to see another unit that has the season pass like TiVo does.

I just need a HD DVR though...