Why doesn't VM do a Freeview HD version of TiVo?

[The Wishlist]

Granted, there aren't that many channels on Freeview compared to VM's XL pack, but, if you took the VM TiVo box and swapped the DVB-C tuners (Cable) for DVB-T2 tuners (Freeview HD), then...then....why not?

Sure, you wouldn't have a dedicated broadband connection for the box, but, from my understanding, neither do the other TiVos out there apart from VM's TiVo.

It would be a potential YouView-killer for VM, especially outside the cable network.

[OzSat]

How much would you be willing to pay for the box and how much subscription would you be willing to pay?

[The Wishlist]

Originally Posted by ozsat

How much would you be willing to pay for the box and how much subscription would you be willing to pay?

Me? Bugger all, I live inside the cable network.

If I was outside.....£200 for the box + £3 per month. That's what VM charge new customers for TiVo. The sticky part would be rental/ownership of the box, but one could say that for £3 per month, that would include Engineer call-outs.

I'm probably talking crap (wouldn't be the first time ), its just an idea I had.

[OzSat]

I think it would not be worth VM offering it for £3pm.

It is only £3pm if you are already on their top tier VM subscription package. I reckon they would need to to charge £10pm to make it viable.

[TCM2007]

Been there, done that! Didn't work.

[The Wishlist]

Originally Posted by ozsat

I think it would not be worth VM offering it for £3pm.

It is only £3pm if you are already on their top tier VM subscription package. I reckon they would need to to charge £10pm to make it viable.

Good point.

Originally Posted by TCM2007

Been there, done that! Didn't work.

When and why didn't it work? (over Freeview that is?)

[TCM2007]

What you're describing us a regular series 1 TiVo, updated by a decade.

[OzSat]

NTL did market both TiVo and a Freeview box (not together) - but neither lasted long.

I think without a high subscription that it wouldn't be financially viable as the guide data and support does cost a lot - and with a high subscription it would not be marketable.

I think TiVo is mainly a product for people who like lots of premium tv - and Freeview does not offer that.

[FemiH]

Originally Posted by The Wishlist

It would be a potential YouView-killer for VM, especially outside the cable network.

To expand on this point a little is it not possible that with Virgin's network presence including both DSL/Cable services it means that they could eventually begin to offer services in non-cabled areas, hence allowing the approx 50% of the populace (I know this percentage is hotly disputed elsewhere in this forum) who cannot access Virgin TV to begin to access it using a set top box via enhanced DSL (yet to be exploited in the UK). Further to this the CEO has reiterated the point that Tivo will be the sole provider of middleware in the long term obviously in an attempt to beat Sky, BT et al in the delivery of pay TV services. To maximise the profitability of this effort surely they need to increase the size of their catchment beyond traditional cable areas and into areas where Sky is pre-eminent (deals with other providers in the works perhaps?).
Yeah I know its a bit "pie in the sky around the edges" (The West Wing) but those of us who'd like to see genuinue competition for Sky and Tivo dominating the PVR landscape can but dream!

[Brangdon]

Originally Posted by The Wishlist

It would be a potential YouView-killer for VM, especially outside the cable network.

The (eventual) existence of YouView as a competitor is I think a business argument against it. I expect there will be YouView boxes with similar hardware features to VM TiVo, in terms of number of tuners, disk size, HD etc. The only benefit from TiVo could be ease of use and reliability, and frankly we don't yet know how the YouView boxes will compare. They may be good enough that most people decide it isn't worth paying a premium to get TiVo. It could cannibalise sales of cable within the VM footprint, too.