Comments on: The TiVo Quarterly Call (No Tru2Way This Year)

By: Dave Zatz

Dave Zatz — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:29:07 +0000

Glenn, I doubt it can be simply done. There may be a hardware issue, but it’s probably more logistical in terms of provisioning. And the MSOs have no motivation to work on an interim solution since they’d argue tru2way is designed to handle this and the interim solution exists as a stand-alone tuning adapter. Which may or may not be available to cable customers this year.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:47:48 +0000

Is an integrated tuning resolver possible? I’m assuming the Motorola product must be used in markets with Motorola head-ends and the Cisco product must be used in markets with Scientific Atlanta head-ends, and the two aren’t compatible with each other. Is this not correct? Obviously a box with an integrated tuning resolver would be better than one with a little external STB hanging off the Tivo, even if purely from an asthetic point of view…

I’ll be shocked if we actually see a tuning resolver deployed ANYWHERE this year, let alone freaking tru2way… And honestly I think tru2way applications are going to s-u-c-k. Its not like that blue blobs TV Guide crappy interface to VOD that is barely responsive to the remote, horribly slow, not remotely intuitive etc is going to suddenly get better when its running under OCAP on a Tivo…

Personally I could care less about VOD. With access to Amazon Unbox via Tivo, and my Apple TV I’m dropping cable channels like HBO and don’t need VOD either. The interface is just so awful, I can’t be bothered to use it. Even ignoring how little is available in HD.

However, based on the success of VOD and Cablevision’s patent success, I think Tivo is burying its head in the sand a little about the competition. Obviously a DVR service your cable co can turn on without visiting your house, and that might even be cheaper than their current DVR box rentals will hurt Tivo somewhat… Course that may depend on how much people are willing to pay to fast-forward thru commercials…

By: Dave Zatz

Dave Zatz — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:12:27 +0000

Robert, I don’t particularly care for my cable company either. (And will dump them as soon as Verizon lights up my neighborhood with FiOS.)

The TiVo HD works perfectly fine with an antenna. I’ve used mine that way before, pulling in HD ATSC. Is this what you’re referring to?

Or are you talking satellite? If satellite, some of the newer chips out there are affordable for mainstream CE devices and can record off component. The quality will most likely be reduced from the source, but it should be sufficient for most. So, theoretically, TiVo could build a box that uses IR to control and HD satellite STB and archive that HD content. Though maybe they’re just holding out to renew with DirecTV or pressure Dish into an agreement.

By: Robert Aitchison

Robert Aitchison — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:40:33 +0000

I could care less about tru2way and SDV, I want an HD TiVo I can use without selling my soul to Time Warner (I’d go without TV altogether before I’d become a subscriber of theirs).

There may not be many people like me who avoid cable because they hate their cable company, but there are a lot of people who don’t have access to cable (between 1/4 and 1/3 of all pay TV subscribers, depending on the statistic you use) for whom TiVo has no HD product even in development (as far as we know).

I LOVE my two TiVos but it’s getting more difficult to ignore the lack of HD.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:12:08 +0000

I own both a Tivo S3, and stock in the company. Owning both, I think Tivo producing a tru2way device would definitely benefit me (and many others) in both cases! I currently rent a cable box to allow access to VOD. An integrated tuning resolver would only help in a limited capacity, depending upon how MSOs deploy SDV. It’s possible that Tivo is losing customer base BECAUSE consumers like myself are currently required to have an additional box to utilize the VOD services. If a box from the cable provider is required to get VOD, why not get a DVR from them as well? I personally will never do that, and have considered completely dropping cable service, and relying on internet content (downloaded to my Tivo) for my entertainment. My monthly fee to cable would purchase a LOT of content from Amazon Unbox, or *free* content from the internet using Tivo Desktop for my computer. I do agree with Todd’s assessment that a tiered subscription plan would allow users to pick and pay for those features that they want.

By: Charles

Charles — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:07:40 +0000

Comcast TiVo coming to Denver. Hooray. However it’s too little too late we already switched to DirecTV a few months ago. Almost a year of the terrible Comcast DVR was all we could take. It’s no TiVo. Even the Comcast TiVo doesn’t sound like it’s really a TiVo.

By: Ben Drawbaugh

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:37:07 +0000

I would’ve been surprised if tru2way was supported any earlier. In fact the current size of the tru2way is already going to be very small when Panasonic releases tru2way TVs later this year, and even some have doubts we’ll see them this year.

I expect TiVo to have an announcement at CES, as just about every major manufacturer who recently signed on to the tru2way agreement is expected to announce TVs at the same time.

By: Todd

Todd — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:26:28 +0000

“…stand-alone TiVo unit subscriptions were also in decline.”

Maybe if they opened up a little, not be so closed, they could get more users. Allow a new lower level of service at the edges? I used to have a TiVo box and really liked it, but so expensive!

Example: Sell a $99 box that just records shows, that’s it, pipe in advertising and throw out the monthly subscription. Then let me buy my way out of the advertising if I want.