Posted on March 2nd, 2009, by Michael
TiVo, Inc. issued their financial year-end results today via a press release. Beside the numbers (profit is up, but not on a large scale; subscribers are down, but not on a large scale), there is an interesting tidbit on the progress of the DirecTV HD DVR:
“Additionally, we continue to work on our new DIRECTV HD DVR. The new HD DVR will include popular TiVo broadband features, and will be immediately accessible to DIRECTV’s entire national customer base on day-one of the launch. We have had a very successful history with DIRECTV and those subscribers are some of our most loyal customers. Now, as these customers look to upgrade from standard definition programming, they will have the option to choose the TiVo experience to help them truly get the most out of their high definition viewing experience.”
That’s really the first official news update we’ve had on the
DirecTV HD TiVo DVR since the initial announcement last September. And, better yet, it specifically mentions that it will include “popular TiVo broadband features.” Of course, it doesn’t say it will include all broadband features, but if it has some, that’s better than any older TiVo for DirecTV. So we’re hopeful. Now, we could use a release date, and a price . . .
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Posted on March 2nd, 2009, by Michael
TiVo announced today that they’ll be working with a company called SeaChange to enable many cable companies to pump the cable companies’ video-on-demand content to TiVo boxes. SeaChange sounds like it’s basically a competing technology to tru2way which TiVo also hopes to adopt in the future.
VOD is a big issue, at least among our customers, and potentially one of the top reasons a customer wouldn’t choose a TiVo. But our experience is that a TiVo is actually far more broadly connected to the world of online content, and is actually a great choice for customers wanting VOD – just not necessarily VOD from the cable company. TiVo DVRs connected via broadband can get content from Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, and TiVo’s own TiVoCasts, among other sources. And more are coming. Yes, Amazon and Netflix cost money, where a lot of cable company VOD content is free, but they also have a much wider range of content. Further, Netflix content is free for those who already have Netflix plans for physical DVD mailings.
TiVo is a growing platform for online video sources. They’ve been aggressive about adding new content, and we expect that to continue. A TiVo DVR is really a combination of three types of units at this point, and it’s really poised to bring the most content to your TV. The three categories that a TiVo now covers are:
- DVR – The original ability a TiVo DVR had to record TV from cable, antenna, and satellite broadcasts. Unfortunately, many people think of this as it’s only feature, still. It’s central, and TiVo is the best DVR, but that’s just not all a TiVo does.
- Internet Video Connector – This new category is often defined by products like Microsoft Home Media PCs, AppleTVs, Roku, and Boxee. In reality, a TiVo is probably the most sophisticated device here, outside the PC, and since it has an amazing remote and on-screen interface, it really easily surpasses that unit, at a far lower price point. It’s also much, much more stable.
- Home Media Link – With the ability to stream MP3s from computers on your home network, and the ability to transfer home video to the unit, and store and play it, the TiVo can be a focal point for media on a home network, and a way to get home media to the largest screen and best-sounding audio system.
More VOD is better, and TiVo is, again, leading the way.
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