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Loads of TiVo news from CES

TiVo announced a handful of long-awaited and interesting things today at CES. They are:

Remember that TiVoToGo was announced three years ago, and launched exactly two years ago. There has been talk of a Mac client for all of those two years, so it's great that the day is finally here, though it does come in the form of a $100 DVD-burning application and not a free download from TiVo. Also, remember it still will only work with Series 2 TiVos.

I'm happy to hear about Rhapsody's unlimited subscription streaming music service coming to TiVo. I always wondered why XM or Sirrius never partnered with TiVo but Rhapsody is a good fit (and no additional hardware needed). For people into music on Windows and Zunes and such, this will probably be a good option for streaming music on their home theater system, though I doubt it brings many customers to sign up with Rhapsody.

On the TiVo/Comcast front, I'm intrigued and can't wait to see what the device looks like and can do. These days, Comcast subscribers face the question of their $5/month buggy HD DVR versus an extraordinarily expensive Series 3 TiVo box. If Comcast releases some form of the TiVo OS to their DVR lineup, I can't imagine too many Series 3 TiVos will be sold. Of course, having TiVo shift to being a software company that relies on licensing deals is the way to go, especially since the many millions of Comcast customers would dwarf the current TiVo subscriber numbers. Making software for cable companies has to be a lot easier than building hardware and having to support millions of boxes in people's homes.

Overall, I'm glad to see TiVo moving forward with a lot of long-talked about stuff and still being able to surprise me as well.

by Matt Haughey January 8, 2007 in News

Comments

$100 for TiVoToGo on the Mac, when it's free on Windows? Ugh. And why would I want to buy Toast when my Mac already comes with a perfectly good DVD burner from Apple -- iDVD?

While I am happy to see this available on the Mac, I feel like the price should have been much lower, equal to Windows TiVoToGo.

Even on Windows, I always felt the DVD-burning should be part of TiVo Desktop itself, not some clunky and costly add-on. TiVo itself is so elegant, but burning a DVD using TiVo Desktop and add-on software, even on Windows, is awful. It should be as simple as "Save to VCR" is on TiVo itself -- i.e. click a show, then "Burn to DVD..."

Posted by: Andy at Jan 8, 2007 9:53:40 AM

I can't seem to find any pricing info. Anyone have a link?

If it's a choice between a $5/mo buggy DVR and a $20/mo good DVR, I don't think many people will upgrade.

Posted by: sean at Jan 8, 2007 9:54:42 AM

I would upgrade to Tivo HD software on Comcast DVR in a heartbeat. Let me have it now! =)

The Comcast software is grab and has been responsible for deleting all my saved shows and "season passes" twice in it's short 6 month lifetime. I never had this problem on Tivo software :(

Posted by: snap at Jan 8, 2007 11:11:38 AM

Will it work with DirectTivos?

Posted by: Hassan at Jan 8, 2007 11:17:22 AM

As someone who purchased a Series 3 box a few months ago, I can say I'm still "so-so" on the desire to use a Motorola box with Tivo's software. Sure, the prospect of not having to pay that $799 fee is nice, but I wonder how much of the Motorola box's problems will actually be solved by Tivo software. Certainly a lot of them, but how many will remain? The Series 3 is just such a joy to use that it's hard to imagine the Comcast version measuring up.

We'll see though...

Posted by: Mike D. at Jan 8, 2007 11:34:09 AM

Hassan, nothing ever works with DirecTivos. It's a dead box that won't be getting any features or upgrades ever again.

Posted by: Matt Haughey at Jan 8, 2007 11:36:55 AM

I would pay the extra $$ for the TiVO service in a second. No doubt.

But what will I get for it?

Any screenshots, demo video, dates of availability? Need it. want it. got to have it.

Posted by: Marty Z at Jan 8, 2007 12:00:49 PM

Has there been any further word about TiVo showing up on Cox Cable boxes?

Posted by: Eric J at Jan 8, 2007 1:22:24 PM

I already have a Rhapsody subscription because I use Sonos (which is incredible when paired with it).

Hopefully my $9.99/mo Rhapsody subscription will be usable for the TiVo integration also!

Posted by: stewie at Jan 8, 2007 2:38:27 PM

Any word on when that Comcast Tivo box is coming out?

Posted by: Mike at Jan 8, 2007 4:50:47 PM

My mom has two Comcast DVRs, and in her market they charge $12 a month for each one - not even a multi-box discount like TiVo. The only thing keeping her from switching to TiVo is the hardware costs.

Posted by: Jesse at Jan 8, 2007 5:30:21 PM

I'll try this out before deciding if to get a series 3. With Tivotogo, external hard drive port, and multi room viewing disabled on the Tivo series 3 I will gladly pay $5 more to Comcast to get an HD Tivo. The only problem is, as someone pointed out, many of the problem associated with the Moto box may not be solved with new software. Comcast brought 2 million Panasonic boxes recently and I was hoping the Tivo software would be rolled out to those. That seems unlikely now.
I also hope that this is one of two interfaces. Anyone with a DirecTivo knows what I am talking about. You can use a Tivo, DirecTV, combo interface or you can use a pure Tivo interface. I hope we get the option because so far this Comcast, Tivo combo interface looks bad.

Posted by: Wendell at Jan 9, 2007 12:44:05 PM

Rhapsody subscription service for use on the Tivo should be part of the Tivo monthly fee, not an additional cost.

Posted by: Chad at Jan 10, 2007 11:13:57 AM

I can't wait for a TiVo powered Comcast DVR to be available to me in Indianapolis. Does anyone have any details of when that would be? If the TiVo Series 3 were a little cheaper, I'd probably upgrade to that, but it's not and I'm not going to swing more than $400 for that box. I think that's why the TiVo/Comcast unit will be a huge success. It will be the new DirecTV relationship which was huge for TiVo and DirecTV. I'm with you. I hope it won't be long before TiVo starts working with more and more hardware mfgrs and just does the software application and forces some standardization in hardware specs.

Posted by: Jason at Jan 10, 2007 9:18:25 PM

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