[HiDefGator]

I "think" the continued relationship agreement was to cover the time period between now and when no DirecTivo box is still out there active. I don't believe there was any agreement to make new boxes or to continue to sell DirecTivos after the non-Tivo boxes are released.

 

[HiDefGator]

Do you think DirecTV might have been just being nice and not dissing Tivo because they need to continue working with them for the forseeable future?

I can see the head-on competition now, "Do you want the DirecTivo box that hasn't had the software updated in 2 years for $100 plus a monthly fee or would you like our box for free?"

Maybe 1 out of every hundred people might get the DirecTivo. Maybe less. Either way the revenue stream headed to Tivo from DirecTV's checkbook is going to start dropping.

 

[HiDefGator]

DirecTV won't need to offer deals to get people to switch from Tivo DVR's to their own. This path would cost more than the return. But keep in mind the normal yearly subscriber churn. Old customers never return their old units back to DTV. They go in the trash or the garage. New customers will always get non-Tivo units. Warranty replacements will all be non-Tivo.

I think your "new coke" analogy is distorted by your love of Tivo. Only people that have previously had Tivos feel this way. What will be the customers other option? Switching to another non-Tivo box from dish or cable? Comcast would be the only other Tivo option (in the future) and comcast isn't everywhere.

 

[HiDefGator]

But the SA Tivo can't do HD. And worse it costs $12.95 a month per box. I know I'm cheap but there is no way I'm paying $12.95 a month per box for DVR functionality after I have to pay for the box itself too. Especially if DTV will subsidize the cost of a similar box and offer a fee that covers all of them.

I'm not sure what the average cable\dtv monthly bill is but adding $12.95 per month per box is going to prohibitive for most people.

 

[HiDefGator]

I think it's funny how the standard seems to be, "It has to do EVERYTHING my Tivo does better and faster or I'm pissed about it."

Since when was that the standard for new products? Keep in mind that the DirecTivo is now on version 6 of the software. I'm willing to give the new one until version 2 or even 3 before I decide if it's better or not. In any case no one is going to come looking for your Tivo to take it away. If you don't like the new DVR then don't get one!

By most estimates DirecTV will be eventually saving over $100 million a year by dropping Tivo in favor of the new unit. For half that money they can hire the entire Tivo engineering staff and triple their pay.

 

[HiDefGator]

If no one is marketing DirecTivo's, then only a few are going to be sold. If not many are sold, no one will bother to manufacture them. If no one manufactures them, they won't be available for anyone even if you ask.