Bob Pony of TiVo Product Marketing dropped by the TCF last night with news that many of us had been hoping to hear:
I wanted to let you know that development has been progressing smoothly, and all is well. You can expect TTG & MRV to be available for Series3 and TiVoHD this November. These features will provide support for video transfers between Series3 & Series2 systems and between a Series3/Series2 system and a PC. High Definition content will not be supported for transfer or playback on a Series2 system (Series2’s just can’t play HD), and copy-protected High Def or Standard Def content cannot be transferred (same as our current Series2 products).
Why pre-announce? (TiVo’s PR agency directed me to Bob’s post.) Perhaps to give folks hope and to tweak holiday sales. Perhaps to reveal the information on their own terms given past beta leaks. Regardless of the rationale, this is very good news. Hopefully they’ll release it as planned in November and transferring HD content won’t be as slow as I fear. And speaking of leaks, I suspect official eSATA support will land on the Series3/HD at the same time, if not sooner – though I haven’t been able to confirm that TiVo will be selling branded external drives.
Am I reading this correctly that this will allow un-protected HD transfers to a PC. That should open up a whole lot. Should be interesting.
Great news. Dave, can you get some clarity on whether you’ll be able to transfer from Series3 to Series3? Not a concern for me, since I’m more interested in integrating a Series3 with my exisiting Series 2 and whatever computers I have. Looks like Tivo is gearing up the Tivo HD to be a holiday must have!
It’s about time. I’ve been holding out on the TiVo S3 or most reciently the HD. But now the TiVoHD, I have no reason to wait any longer.
Thank God. Guess I can finally buy a Tivo HD.
(now if we could just get Windows Folders to show up as folders in TivoToGo, and fix those niggling back to the correct page but not the right item on the page bugs I’d be perfectly happy)
This is good news though the DISH HD line-up and capable DVR with expandable storage is making me consider giving up my Tivos and my cable company. Heresy, I know, but this SDV issue is also looming.
This is GREAT news. My Series3 gets so many more channels.
I have however noticed a lot more movies that have been flagged as copy protected and aren’t able to be viewed by other TiVo’s.
Currently, things like Secret of NIMH, Click and even Captain Ron.
You know what would be really nice. If like Steve Jobs, TiVo gave a rebate to those of us who paid over $800 when the Series 3 was first released. :)
ptivo, I’ll inquire – though the way I’m reading this it will. Wouldn’t be very useful otherwise. The other question I have is: Will TiVoBack be functional as well and will it support HD video?
Glenn, This makes me more interested in a TiVo HD for the bedroom, though I want to try and experiment with a long HDMI cable run and RF/IR repeater first.
MC, No need to apologize. The competition isn’t sitting still and there are some good reasons to look elsewhere – including price and that impending SDV disaster to which you refer.
Bill, I don’t think TiVo has the cash reserves of an Apple. ;) Though I wouldn’t mind having an extra couple hundred bucks for something else… like a TiVo eSATA drive!
If that guy just spilled it, why did I have to sign an NDA? (oh crap, did i just break the NDA?) nevermind then.
mac mac and mac.
there, I said it.