TiVo’s been talking up their DVR extender about a year, since it was first introduced last February as the IP-STB. And while we didn’t get the 2012 retail launch we were hoping for, TiVo tells me we’re on track for a spring launch. The Mini I groped at CES doesn’t look all that different from the product we perused last May at The Cable Show, but it presumably offers a much more polished experience streaming live television and recordings from a 4-tuner TiVo Premiere DVR. In fact, TiVo cable partner Suddenlink has already begun to deploy the Mini to customers.
TiVo tells me they’re still working through the pricing permutations. And I suspect building the TiVo Mini was the easy part, whereas effectively communicating its benefit and pricing it within their lineup will be the larger challenge. They intend to make the Mini a relatively affordable offering but, based on the soundbite Engadget captured from a TiVo rep, they’re clearly leaning towards a service fee – which would come in at rates lower than a Premiere subscription ($15/month or $500).
[…] a great cost savings compared to the DVRs […] a less expensive initial hardware cost and then the monthly fee will also be less. You can also choose to do a lifetime service for the TiVo mini.
As a customer, of course, I’d prefer lower cost hardware and no fees. However, if TiVo’s not making money off the Mini, why even bring it to retail… knowing many, such as myself, would cancel an existing Premiere sub in lieu of a Mini and Roku-esque devices are pretty low margin, anyway. So I’ve been resigned to a monthly fee. And, if the experience is good enough, I’ll pay it.
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