CNET’s Molly Wood sat down with TiVo CEO Tom Rogers earlier this week and hit him with a variety of reader-submitted questions. I can’t say there were any shocking revelations. Then again, I have a short attention span and skipped around the video (above). The only item new to me was the revelation that the next generation DirecTV TiVo, originally scheduled for a 2009 launch, has been further delayed. Last I heard, we were on track for early 2010, followed by spring 2010. It turns out we’re now looking at “the latter part of this year.” However, this is probably old news to investors and impatient DirecTV subscribers.
11 thoughts on “CNET Interviews TiVo CEO (No Surprises)”
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The minute I heard that DirecTV Tivo DVR was delayed till end of year. I called up DirecTV and got there DVR instead. I could not wait anymore. I am shocked at how many delays Tivo has with roll outs Comcast, Cox and now DirecTV. TiVo is becoming known for vaporware now. Has anyone even really seen the Boston rollout of Comcast Tivo boxes. You would of thought more gadget people would be talking about it. Seems like Comcast Tivo is dead in the water. Must be some issues for it not to be rolled out to everyone.
The Comcast Tivo was announced in 2006. Now 4 years later there’s still no deployment.
I knew a guy that worked for Comcast in my region. They ordered the servers for the Tivo rollout and everything – back in 07′. And now nothing. I wonder what they re-purposed those servers for, or if their just sitting in storage getting obsolete.
Seems like there’s way too much work trying to shoehorn Tivo into a Motorola or Cisco Box. Comcast should just go the easy route with Tivo. Issue REAL Tivo Premire units, with the correct cable card pre-installed. Basically do the exact same thing as RCN is doing. Tie in VOD by using the IP connectivity with the Tivo, and a special customized VOD software plugin pre-installed into the Tivo.
If the RCN deployment proves to be a success, why waste additional resources and money to port Tivo to both Motorola and Cisco set tops, which all could show different bugs and performance differences (ie, a DCT-6412 vs a DCX3400, or an SA8300 vs SA8640).
It would have been more eventful if the new HDUI froze during the interview. :-)
Zing!
SD DirecTV TiVo for the win!
Step 1. Get one off eBay
Step 2. ‘jailbreak’ it with the Zipper hack.
Step 3. Start living the high life.
I find it’s better then the HD DirecTV DVR aside from that small issue of a lack of HD. ;)
I hate these kinds of interviews. Basically the guy spent 20+ mins saying nothing.
The only thing he said that was of any substance was: Our product brings together the content so you don’t care where it’s coming from.
Everything else from the Comcast TiVo, to the DirecTiVo, to the ‘Why not just sell your TiVos to cable companies as a replacement box?” were all just carefully side-stepping what is the truth which is:
– if cable companies wanted TiVos as their cable boxes they’d be doing it but they already have contracts with Cisco and Motorola plus the revenue stream so it goes against their bottom line to do it.
Then the glossing over the TiVo Premier deal with ‘we’ve had a lot of good reviews’ – everything I’ve read (and from what I’ve seen) basically shows: Yeah, they came up short on that one. It’s basically just a newer version of TiVoHD, nothing particularly special.
I have a TiVo and I like it but, if it were to die, there’s really no compelling reason to go with it again. When they first came out they had things other boxes didn’t have:
– DVR
– nice interface
Now other companies have:
– DVR
– nice or at least ‘nice enough’ interface
and TiVo really hasn’t brought much else to the table besides the empty promise of re-skinning the Comcast box and the DirecTiVo coming back always ‘just a year out’.
It’s kind of silly.
I see them going the way of Palm soon. A lot of good idea with a lot of folks who, at one time, really enjoyed and used their product but the customers are moving on.
Really…I mean, REALLY!!! This is becoming more than ridiculous. I truly do love my TiVo. I have both an older DirecTV TiVo and a DirecTV HD DVR at my house and I really do prefer the older TiVo to the newer HD DVR. There absolutely IS a difference. But, I also have a NEW 55″ HD TV that I want the DirecTV TiVo for and I am truly getting impatient! Now, do I give up DirecTV so I can get the new TiVo (bleckh to cable) or do I go with the DirecTV HD DVR (bleckh to that) until the DirecTV TiVo one comes out (if ever)? Which is the lesser of the two evils here? And why do I have to choose from them? UGH!
I have an old Samsung SD DirecTivo sitting around. Anyone want it?
I like the DirecTV DVRs, I used to be a subscriber B.F. (before FiOS), but I’d definitely wait to get the HR24 which comes out sometime soon. The included MOCA technology for Multi-Room Video and the MUCH faster processor are worth the wait. It’ll be a big leap from the current HR23.
And back to the original post, I be more shocked if a Tivo product was coming out on time. I really liked Tivo, but when it became a PITA to be their customer, they lost me.
Two minutes into the interview I realized it was time to cancel my Directv. I’m exhausted waiting for Directv to make any progress on the TIVO front and Directv can say goodbye to a 16 year subscriber.
Agreed about the lack of news, but I think that is to be expected. What, you thought he was going to make some embarrassing slip or admit the Premiere is not doing that well? That’s not what he’s paid for.
That said, Tivo is depressing me. The new feature-free Premiere, the lack of traction on VOD or SDV, the slow progress on feature development, etc etc They seem distracted with pointless projects like the Comcast Tivo which were NEVER going to work. He says in the interview that the cable co’s are paying them to develop this thing, but regardless it means there are good programmers at Tivo who are wasting their time while the real platforms languish.
Where is my iPhone application for scheduling? Where is multi-room streaming? They need to start moving soon, the DVRs from the cable companies are beating them at their own game.
I canceled my DirecTv Service about 2 months ago. I went to DishNetwork. Let me tell you, the new 922K from Dish is freakin’ sweet. I have been a DTV subscriber for almost 10 years now, and after waiting for the tivo, having to put up with their crappy HR21 DVR, I decided to switch. The dish receiver is FAST. Really Fast! When I press the button on the RF remote (yes, RF remotes are STANDARD) it actually responds immediately. No more 3-6 second delayed response to contend with. The standard Dish receivers are still fast, however, the gui is kinda ugly. But then again, the DTV’s gui is ugly too. I would highly recommend switching to dish. If not just for the receivers, for the better adult programming subscription options. :)