Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 23 June 2008 14:29
Opinion and Analysis
Page 2 of 3
The AFR is also reporting that Harvey Norman didn’t think consumers would go for a $10-12 per month subscription fee as is charged in the US.
US customers get to buy the TiVo boxes quite cheaply, but given the small number of free-to-air channels in Australia, and the inability of the TiVo to connect to and record Foxtel pay television channels, Channel 7 had to strike a new deal with TiVo in the US.
This new deal sees much more paid for the box upfront, no monthly charges to consumers and a “royalty” paid by Channel 7 to TiVo for each box sold.
Unlike digital video recorders with DVD or Blu-ray discs, such as those sold by Panasonic, Sony and others, you can't record to DVD or Blu-ray with the TiVo.
You can, however, transfer your TiVo recordings, through your computer, to TiVoToGo compatible devices, which are supposed to include devices such as iPods and Sony PSPs among other portable video players.
The TiVo connects to your PC via an Ethernet socket, which allows it to play music, photos and videos stored on your computer’s hard drive, as well as access your Internet connection to stream radio stations and get firmware updates.
Future firmware updates will allow you to download TV shows and movies for a fee, as well as watch other Internet video programming, and because it’s software, the box can be updated when required with new software features or improvements.
Of course the big competitor, besides DVD and Blu-ray hard disk based records, Windows Media Center TVs, BeyonWiz and Topfield boxes, and even the Apple TV, is the Foxtel IQ recorder.
It has its own sophisticated electronic program guide (although missing some of TiVo’s features) and a much larger selection of channels to record from depending on how much you pay to Foxtel each month.
Will TiVo succeed in the Australian marketplace? Continued on page 3.
