Wow, looks like Diego is shifting gears… They produce the highly regarded Moxi DVR software, yet have found limited distribution via cable deals. Unlike TiVo which started out retail then moved to sat and cable deals, Moxi has announced plans to finally enter the retail market next fall with a $1,000 dual-tuning multistream CableCARD HD DVR. With the death of ReplayTV’s set-top box, and the stagnation of Sony’s and LG’s MS DVR product lines I’m looking forward to a little competition in the marketplace. Given Diego’s executive staff pedigrees, I wouldn’t be surprised if we ultimately end up seeing a “Sony DVR with Moxi.”
TWICE writes: Former Sony A/V marketing executives Mike Fidler, now Digeo’s CEO, and Greg Gudorf, now Digeo’s COO, said they will showcase at International CES in January a multi-tuner HD cable box with built-in DVR to be priced at around $1,000. Plans are to begin selling the product through consumer electronics retail partners by fall 2007, they said. Still an �open issue� is whether the box would be sold under the Moxi brand or under the brand of another CE trademark. Gudorf said the Moxi retail set-top will incorporate a multi-stream CableCARD slot enabling purchasers to access most cable TV services including video-on-demand and other interactive services using a CableCARD supplied by the local system operator. The multi-steam card would allow using a single card for multi-tuner viewing and recording, unlike the recently announced TiVo Series3 devices which include dual uni-directional CableCARD slots to access two channels at one time.
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Unfortunately, it is even more expensive than TiVo Series 3, which is still difficult to justify versus cable company DVRs.
I'd like to see TiVo get some competition too, but unless Moxi figures out a way to lower the price I'm not sure this is all that interesting.
Before they'll be able to offer OnDemand, etc, the CableCard 2.0 standards will need to be finalized - and that may not happen by the end of 2007. Once they're finalized, then the cable MSOs will need to implement them.
Competition is good - but at $1000, this would be competition only at the (very) high end. By the end of 2007 I wouldn't be surprised if the Series3 is under $500 - perhaps well under. The Moxi box sounds like it will have some neat features - like their multi-room streaming, etc. But they're going to have to deal with CableLabs, just like TiVo. CableLabs has yet to approve TiVo's MRV, TTG, etc. We'll see how well Digeo fairs with Moxi.
Interesting,
I see this as the death knell of Moxi. Chase the upmarket, with an overpriced, latecomer. And how do you get "highly regarded". You're being too kind. Have you read 241 pages of the AVS forum? I'll save you the trouble. Mostly bugs, delayed software fixes/upgrades, and finally the departure of the Moxi staff that worked the boards.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=412846&page=242&pp=30