Would you purchase a playback-only Tivo?

[classicX]

A post in another thread got me thinking. If Tivo were to release a standalone unit similar to Apple's iTV coming in January, whose sole purpose is to playback recorded content from other Tivos on the network (with no scheduling or tuning in the unit itself), perhaps with a good size hard drive for copying and storing recordings, would you go for it?

Since there wouldn't be any "service" (since there's no scheduling), let's assume that there is no monthly service fee - you buy it, it's yours.

Please vote in the poll, and suggest any features that you'd like to see in such a box.

Remember, this is a "no service" box - it wouldn't have any inputs for recording shows, just a network port / usb port, and outputs for the connected TV.

I've made the poll multiple choice because there are way too many options to make a different answer for every combination of personal requirements.

The first option (simply "Yes") assumes that you would buy it with none of the below caveats. [I cannot change it now, perhaps a moderator can change it for me.]

[classicX]

If this thread takes off, I'll go through and add feature ideas from all posters to this post.

The features I'd like to see:


Ability to transfer HD recordings from an S3
Built-in WiFi (no USB adapter needed)
Ability to access the Season Pass manager of any connected Tivo
Ability to transfer while still recording

[ZeoTiVo]

If this thread takes off, I'll go through and add feature ideas from all posters to this post.

The features I'd like to see:


Ability to transfer HD recordings from an S3
Built-in WiFi (no USB adapter needed)
Ability to access the Season Pass manager of any connected Tivo
Ability to transfer while still recording


with all these ideas the onetime box fee would climb past 400-500$.
Plus people would still want a buffer fro Live Tv on such a box - I know I would.

[Stormspace]

One thing I'd like to see added. This thing would have to be cheap. Less than a hundred dollars. More on par with an inexpensive DVD player I would think. And no tuner. Add a tuner and you might as well have a full blown TiVo.

[mattack]

While not exactly the same thing, I think conceptually it's similar to what I wish there was -- a Tivo "media server", or whatever you want to call it. Some big RAID with a zillion hard drives in it, that your local Tivos move files to (and from).

So you'd use normal Tivos (or maybe this playback-only theoretical kind) to play stuff from the server.

[pdhenry]

Isn't this called a "Pee Cee"?

[btwyx]

If I had a second TV, I'd think about it.

[HiDefGator]

While not exactly the same thing, I think conceptually it's similar to what I wish there was -- a Tivo "media server", or whatever you want to call it. Some big RAID with a zillion hard drives in it, that your local Tivos move files to (and from).

So you'd use normal Tivos (or maybe this playback-only theoretical kind) to play stuff from the server.

Why should I have to copy files from Tivo to Tivo? I should be able to control the main Tivo from several locations using thin client boxes. One of the things I hate about tivo is having to manage the same thirty+ season passes on 4 Tivos because I never know which TV I'm going to get to watch.

[Shawn95GT]

While not exactly the same thing, I think conceptually it's similar to what I wish there was -- a Tivo "media server", or whatever you want to call it. Some big RAID with a zillion hard drives in it, that your local Tivos move files to (and from).

So you'd use normal Tivos (or maybe this playback-only theoretical kind) to play stuff from the server.
That's pretty much what I do now! 1.2 TB of storage and Tivo Desktop.

I would LOVE a Tivo Media Extender. All the features of Tivo less the Live TV or ability to record.

I thought of this a little while back and realized that the cost to manufacture this box is likely the same as a full featured Tivo and we know Tivo doesn't make their $$ on the boxes. I wouldn't pay a monthly fee for a box that's limited to just accessing my Tivo's recordings.

This type of functionality may be doable today with a little creativity and maybe a Linkplayer (http://www.iodata.com/usa/products/products.php?cat=HNP&sc=AVEL&pId=AVLP2%2FDVDLA)or Buffalo (http://www.buffalotech.com/products/product-detail.php?productid=96&categoryid=18#) LinkTheater may already fit the bill.

[classicsat]

I see it as an expandable product.

In its stock state, it has/does:

Flash based system drive
RAM based media drive (possibly expandable with readily avalable computer RAM)
MRV/HMO/HME only.
eSATA add-a-drive (to make work more like a tranditional Tivo)
Ethernet/USB networking (as latest TiVos have).
MPEG4 based video, AAC audio.


By adding an eSATA drive;

it could act as a TiVo media server
music and photos storage
audio (and video) podcast subscription storage/management.
TiVocast/IPTV client .


Most of its features could be used for no additional cost when added to a valid TiVo account, or the box subbed on its own for online features.

[Shawn95GT]

Hehe - I was just thinking....

Since our boxes are now junk at the end of pur contract terms, maybe Tivo could offer a one-time fee deal to make your Tivo MRV only, but still tied to your account for DRM / MAK reasons.

I'd do it.

[HDTiVo]

No. There is a plethora of things that would have to happen at TiVo before I would consider any further purchases from them.

Future investment looks like it will be in Vista PCs and media extenders.