Given it has the financial backing of the Seven Network and a brand name known around the world, you’d expect TiVo to be a huge hit here in Australia. But a report in The Register by Natalie Apostolou indicates that the TiVo’s licensee here in Australia, Hybrid TV, has cut back the local office to just five staff and the company’s in advanced talks to offload the product to IPTV rival FetchTV.
The Reg reports that about 40 local staff were cut with a company restructure in December following some less than impressive results. Support has been reduced to email responses. Whether or not this will effect current TiVo users is yet to be seen.
TiVo launched to a media frenzy here in Australia a couple of years ago, but hasn’t really followed through with a lot of the promises they made, like ad supported (free) VOD, and online shopping through the TiVo box.
But despite its failings, the TiVo is still a solid DVR, and we hope this restructure isn’t a sign that the company is going down the tubes.
UPDATE: TiVo claims it’s business as usual on their Facebook page. Seems kind of strange that they wouldn’t send out an announcement to the media to clarify the issue though…
Iain Graham
February 8, 2011 at 11:31 AM
It may be a solid DVR, but in the age of the internet, and with Beyonwiz, etc offering much cheaper DVRs, it was bound to die a slow death.
The units are horribly expensive.
My parents wanted one. I taught them how to torrent and use a media gateway instead. Problem solved at 1/5th of the cost.
Report PermalinkJack Dalrymple
February 8, 2011 at 11:36 AM
that is because, despite the advertising, nobody knows what the hell tivo is.
Report Permalinkand everybody outside the city (for me, melbourne) does not want to pay for TV in any way, shape or form (you should have seen the resistance to even buying a set top box!)
Evan
February 8, 2011 at 11:38 AM
I hope it doesn’t! Despite being non-plussed when a support enquiry about replacing a lost remote control was eventually replied to with a clippy like, “You appear to be talking about remote controls. Have you tried changing the batteries?…” they have a stellar product. Can’t understand why they cannot turn a profit…
Report PermalinkStu
February 8, 2011 at 12:10 PM
Tivo is far too expensive for what it is. DVRs with the same functionality are a truckload cheaper.
Report PermalinkCameron
February 8, 2011 at 12:24 PM
Well what did they expect when they charge that much for what is basically a set top box with a hard disk?
Here’s a bit of free business advice, cut your f’ing price!
Report PermalinkNodeity
February 8, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Might also have something to do with “Freeview” which is a cornerstone of these type of boxes. From what I can tell you can only FF etc you can’t click forward as with Beyonwiz etc, add that to the fact that with “Freeview” you still can’t start and stop a recording at the promised time and is a pile of S#*T. :{
Report PermalinkAnthonyP
February 8, 2011 at 12:50 PM
Still the biggest issue with PVRs and “FreeView”, which BTW I want to complain to the advertising Council for misleading information (state that if the program is running late it will allow it to extend the recording time, but in the fine print “late changes excluded”), is the EPG does not match the programs that are running. By publishing one thing and running another, running late etc all make PVRs not work.
Report PermalinkRichard Morgan
February 8, 2011 at 1:05 PM
#1 – Australians aren’t really in to paying for TV as much as Americans.
#2 – Tivo cost many times more than competing FTA/OTA DVR boxes.
#3 – The advantages of Tivo haven’t been publicized enough.
I’ve used a Tivo box before with my DirecTV service. It was a great box, but it didn’t cost me much up front (subsidized through DirecTV).
You’re asking for too much of an investment for too little return.
I will snap up one of these boxes once the company goes belly up and the boxes start getting clearanced :-) …but for now my $60 HD box with USB recording will do just fine..
Report PermalinkTrent
February 8, 2011 at 1:36 PM
Tivo is expensive? Last time I checked the RRP was 499.
Find me a product that is as easy to use for that price, and if you quote me a $60 USB recording box I’ll let you be in charge of customer service for anyone over 30
Report PermalinkGrant
February 8, 2011 at 2:10 PM
I love my Tivo and would hate to see the franchise die in Australia. It’s simple to use and the cost has come down heaps. There is enough free TV to to record and keep me entertained every night and I usually offset my viewing habits to skip through the ads. Keep up the good work TIVO…
Report PermalinkDarren King
February 8, 2011 at 3:16 PM
As a long time user of TiVo in Australia and repairing both the Series 1 units that enthusiasts imported into the country to play with and also repairing the Series 3 commercially sold product I can’t say I am surprised.
TiVo has failed with after sales support in Australia. And I am not talking in a small way. I am talking in a BIG way. Put it this way: If I had ONE DOLLAR for the amount of emails I have received that start up with the line “I’ve waited and waited and waited for TiVo to answer my question” and then either that they just get the run around or no response, then I would be… well… I would have a LOT of pocket money.
Even if the person has had a response from TiVo they are usually referred to AWA, who has the contract to repair TiVo’s in Australia. The usual response from AWA ranges from the receptionist not knowing what a “TiVo” is, showing lack of interest, or charging prices that more often than not border on the same price as buying another TiVo.
And don’t think this lack of support has been only recent. It has been pretty much from DAY ONE of them going on sale in Australia.
The above is not all just hearsay. Although I have had more than enough similar stories to convince me that there is something seriously wrong, I actually did try it myself just to see how far I would get. Sorry to say, but it was the same as outlined above.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. For a long time I have wanted to go public but did not want to be the one TiVo points the finger at for poor sales and bad reputation. Now that Hybrid have admitted to scaling back I see no point being silent anymore. I can only see their downsizing causing more problems for anyone having service difficulty, not the other way around.
Good luck everyone. Let’s just hope that if TiVo gets pulled totally then Hybrid/Seven/TiVo do the right thing and let the guys over at OzTiVo take over supplying guide data for what units are out there.
Darren King
Report PermalinkRepair Technician and OzTiVo member.
Clarence
February 8, 2011 at 4:22 PM
This was just published on the official TiVo Facebook page…
“You can listen to rumours or get the facts directly from us. TiVo customers can be assured that it is business as usual and there is no threat to their EPG, CASPA Service or Warranty. All Media reports that state otherwise are incorrect.”
http://www.facebook.com/TiVoAustralia
Report PermalinkDan
February 9, 2011 at 6:56 PM
Being a Tivo user I am very unhappy with how this whole issue has been handled. The support thing has been going on for months now and alot of us over at whirlpool have been speculating on whats going on, and now it seems clear that are speculation was spot on. I put it all down to the fact that Tivo and it’s other products where way over priced when it first started. The 1TB expander drive is still at a stupid high price.
Report PermalinkRohan
February 10, 2011 at 8:51 AM
I’m not worried about the price, I think the Tivo unit is worth the money….. however.
I have been a user of Tivo Series 1 for many years and when it was announced the series 3 was coming to Australia I couldn’t wait.
But while my series 1 is still running flawlessly thanks to the OzTivo folks, I have had many problems with the series 3.
But, the real problem is trying to get support. They are the worst (by an enormous amount) company I have ever dealt with. Most of the time you simply cant get a response. You cant ring them anymore (not that that got you any usefull information) and emails just get ignored. Even things as basic as ordering the add on networking is a problem, I have been waiting 6 months for it to be activated (after I paid for it) and still my emails go unanswered.
Tivo Australia you are a discrace!
Rohan Hamer
Report PermalinkTivo Fan (but don’t buy one in Australia)
Unhappy
February 16, 2011 at 4:31 PM
Service seems to be a common theme. I was happily using my Tivo service until something (probably power supply) broke down and the unit won’t work. I can not get a response from anyone at Tivo, have had to find their service company myself, contacted them but as my unit is out of warranty they are not interested. So far it seems it will cost me upwards of $300 to look at with no guarantee of repair. A local service company told me Tivo have a closed service network, only one company in Australia can get their hands on spare components. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
Report PermalinkMandy
April 21, 2011 at 1:21 PM
I have just purchased a TiVo and wanted some advice on networking. I sent an email and received a reply, I replied to that with questions and got the same reply, replied again telling them they have given me the same answer twice and not answered my Q and guess what; I got the same reply. Obviously there isn’t anyone reading these emails?
Report PermalinkSean
May 30, 2011 at 9:32 PM
I have a tivo it’s very good but it takes forever to setup and my tivo took nearly three days until i could use it and you could use it but i wouldn’t buy another one but they have a mpeg 4 tuner in it and you need the internet and to anyone who doesn’t have cable adsl or optic broardband and if you only have a 3g modem you could get a way with it using a usb router. But you are better off buying a bluray recorder with 320 gb or larger a hard drive in it that has a mpeg 4 compatable tuner in it at least you can copy the tv show to dvd or blu-ray using a rewightable or wright once disc.
Report PermalinkRon
August 24, 2011 at 4:13 PM
I had a Tivo for 16 months when it broke down.It origonally cost $650. the Tivo service agent quoted $452 to repair after it already cost $131.15 for them to access what was wrong this included postage to AWA in Sydney.Overall if I went ahead my total cost would have been $484.15. A new unit is cheaper than that.No way will I spend another dollar on this Tivo junk.
Report PermalinkNot happy with Tivo
October 26, 2011 at 5:03 PM
My Tivo broke down a month ago and Tivo support is basically non existant. No number, Hybrid TV no help, and email does not fix any problems. Repairs centre only in Sydney is not good enough for Tivo users Australia wide. Agree with Ron, after cost of postage and handling to send to Sydney and labour charges of $110 per hour and plus parts… not worth it. Not buying Tivo again. What a disappointment!
Report PermalinkSimon
February 2, 2012 at 8:54 PM
Well I love my tivo so much I have just bought another one on eBay for the Bedroom. I am very concerned that the service will be shut down but I am willing to take that chance as I like the fact it records programs and not time slots. To me this means coming home and with delight seeing that a new series of “So you think you can dance” has started and been recorded that I did not even know was on.
Yes they were grossly over priced but aqs long as they work there is nothing in my book that can match them (and I have owned a Topfield as well).
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