Is there any rumblings of an MPEG4 DirecTivo?

DirecTv has moved in their own direction. You'll hear a bunch of fantasy dreams that they are about to reconcile any day now. They are baseless, but even if theyr were true, it would be a long time before they could get a product to market.

For now your choices are:

DTV+TiVo+Fewer HD Channels
DTV+HR20+All Channels-TiVo
Cable/Fios+Tivo+Most or all HD Channels.

 

If I already had an HDDirecTivo, I'd likely have stayed with DirecTV and tolerated their DVR offering for the other HD channels.

But as it was I only had the SD directivos and thus went to FIOS and HDtivo.

Good luck--at least you've got some HD tivo capability. Some is better than none.

 

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Check out dbstalk.com, there are posts there about getting the upgraded equipment at very little or no cost. Good luck.

 

There is no word as of yet whether or not TiVo and D* will get back into bed. D* has made some comments recently that sound like the door is still open.

My guess is that TiVo would not develop a new unit, but instead take the same route as ComcasTiVo and port their software onto the HR-250 or whatever other hardware that D* has.

 

How long would that take BlackBetty? It's been a couple of years they've been trying to make that work with Comcast.

 

Well the work has now been done. Rogers words.

The key here is that it has been done now. Which will make it a lot easier and faster to do on other boxes.

D* is not going to allow itself to not have some kind of current TiVo offering while Comcast, the biggest cable operator, is offering TiVo.

Cable and Satelite are like giant elephants. They move slowly, but once one moves, they all tend to move in the same direction in packs.

 

That's optimistic seeing as we're about 2 years in and there are zero released to the market.

Huh? DTV has a DVR that many believe to be better than TiVo. DirecTv just had TiVo and allowed that relationship to end. Why would they not allow themselves to serve their customers better without getting into bed with a lesser company that they already moved away from.

That's a leap in logic that I'm having trouble making.

 

I think that you have one more option that is a very viable one.

I don't think that you have to decide whether to dump TiVo or dump DIRECTV. I kept my TiVo and added the new HD box. 4 tuners, twice the storage.

Here is the thread where that is being discussed:

HR10-250 and MPEG4; Upgrade Offer

- Craig

By the way, the first group of 21 new HD channels launched today.

 

Last week while talking to investment bankers the head of Tivo said he had not gotten any phone calls, flowers, or text messages from Directv recently. That was pretty conclusive proof to me that nothing is in the works today.

 

Key word "Today". What about tomorrow?

Once the sale of D* becomes final, thats when I think things might start brewing.

 

I think you might be overestimating the importance of Tivo in the world.

 

maybe so, but if D* starts losing subs to comcast, you can bet your bottom dollar that D* will have a TiVo offering.

 

I did the upgrade to the H-20 and 5lnb dish for $99 and put my old Tivo unit on the new dish.

Not a perfect solution but I can view all the new HD and still use my beloved TiVo .

Some say you can now upgrade for $20 .

 

Why would they lose subscribers when they have significantly more HD content and a DVR that works just as well (arguably better) than TiVo?

While there is definitely a sizable contingent of TiVo loyalists, I'm fairly certain that the content is what will drive most people. And, right now, D* has the upper hand.

On top of that, most people take whatever hardware they get from their provider and don't ask any questions. The people who read and contribute to these online forums tend to believe that we (myself included) represent the norm. That's just not true. Most people don't pay any attention to the hardware on which they are watching their favorite TV shows...

Just my two cents...

 

you got to take into account if D* is infriging on TiVo patents. I believe TiVo and D* extended their relationship through 2008 or 2009? which prohibits TiVo from Suing D*. But if TiVo wins the appeal against E* soon, every cable or sat provider that has a generic DVR better watch out, D* included.

 

Yep. Could get real interesting...

Taken from the earnings call in August.

 

Which means Tivo would be suing every Sat and Cable Company.....

Including the same Company that they are currently in partnership with.

Which means you turn your back on every Company you need in order to do business with.

If Tivo did sue every Sat and Cable Company, then Tivo would die! The Companies only way to survive would be to broadcast their very own Programming.

Do you really think Tivo would be that stupid? Sue everyone and kill off their own Company?

Get real now