Kaylee ,'Shindig'
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ND,
but this seems to indicate that perhaps they need to package their software for sale (and not just software + hardware).
I would probably pay a subscription fee for the software alone to slap it on a compatible box to hook up to the tv - or pay for a 3-year software subscription.
It also might allow the Tivo engineers to update the software a bit more frequently.
The customer support headache they would be opening up by having the software running on all sorts of different boxes would probably cancel out any monetary benefit.
Sure, there would a be small percentage of tech savvy people that would love it, but there would also be a large number of bargain hunters who are not tech savvy and then Tivo is caught troubleshooting systems with out of spec video cards, sub specification hard drives, etc. etc.
I love my Tivo, but I really do not understand how they are still in business as a company.
I agree with you. I think the only reason they are still in business is because of a patent judgment. Flushed them with cash for awhile. They are charging fees to other companies.
What do you think they need to do in order to stay in business (I never want to let them go)?
Become a subsidiary of apple, their product only available on a subset of apple models as a subscription?
TiVo is working to get the CableCard standard replaced with something better. TiVo has to stay in business long enough for the new standard to become viable, and it has to be good enough that people won't just give up and use bittorrent.
I think the only reason they are still in business is because of a patent judgment.
Oh right, I'd forgotten that.
I think they need to rethink their pricing model and start partnering with cable companies.
good enough that people won't just give up and use bittorrent
Do you think that torrenting could eat a significant part of their profits? I mean, most people are never going to torrent ever. And one of the reasons TiVo is attractive is because it lets you do less work. And it ends up on your TV. Again, for most people, getting a file that's on their computer to display on their TV is a fuss I can't see them bothering with.
I speak as someone who doesn't see one as a replacement for the other--I do both, each for different shows for different reasons.
I just need them to not go away. But if I need to pay $400 to get a lifetime service on a new TiVo, barring a windfall I'm not getting a new one until this one breaks, no matter the bells and whistles.
I was half joking about the bittorrent. But getting CableCards installed is a hassle that the cable companies make as difficult as possible, so most people give up and use the cable company's DVR instead.