That price is just speculation at this point from ZatzNotFunny, but the device itself is entirely real, wending its way down the FCC paper trail now. It’s can handle 300 hours of HD video, which is nearly two consecutive weeks of eyeball-searing content. It supports MoCa, so it’ll share nicely with other devices in your house, and the four tuners allow you the aforementioned quad-recording. It is the perfect picture of overkill.
And that’s why it may be the TiVo death knell. Instead of going cheap, cheaper, cheapest, its next hallmark product will cost hundreds and hundreds (and hundreds) of dollars. I’m not saying that (admittedly speculative) price point is a rip-off; I’m sure TiVo will charge what it’s worth. I do think, though, that there’s not a market on Earth for it. And that the losses the company takes from it may just drive them underground.
Simon Reidy
Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 12:52 PMI really hope TiVo hangs around. I wouldn’t own one myself, burin terms of recommending a STB to less tech-savvy friends and family, they are a godsend. you might pay a lot more than your average STB, but they are extemely well built boxes, with a very user friendly UI. My parents love theirs, and I really can’t see them using something like a Beyonwiz or Topfield in it’s place.
They rely heavily on features like recommendations, pre-recorded shows, the excellent internet EPG, and “season pass” and hire a lot of films through the CASPA on-demand service (which has the bonus of being un-metred with Internode).
I seem to recall that TiVo were already struggling in the Australian Market, so if they are on the way out in the US, this doesn’t bode well for their future in Australia either.
Hope they have the sense to start adapting their boxes and services for the budget market before they get eaten up by their many competitors.
Smarter Consumer
Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 6:35 PM$600 Tivo…
$200 PC with Torrents.
Decisions, decisions…
olearymo
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 9:08 AM- Turn on and watch things.
- Constantly maintain.
Decisions, decisions
(yes, I’m speaking from experience, I’ve tried both).
bri_cheese
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 10:35 AMI actually like the quad-tuner idea… what with all the good TV hitting the 7:30 to 9:30 timeslot, and between my husband and me, we actually do sometimes end up with two TiVo recordings while watching a third show live… And $600 is less than my first (well, only) TiVo box.
@Smarter Consumer, TiVo is about 1000% easier (and legaller) than torrents and a media pc. And possibly cheaper, even my shitty netbook cost $800 and it can’t do the work of a media pc.
anonymouse
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 11:28 AMAnother benefit of torrents is ad-free viewing, and not having to wait until the Australian networks decide to pick up the best shows from overseas and run them months behind.
Free to air Australian TV is horrible. I barely watch it, let alone need to record it.
Greg
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 4:13 PMThere is anything worthwhile on FTA to record?
Dirk
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 5:38 PMIsn’t that just free-to-air channels? I can think of nothing worse than recording four streams of televisual diarrhea from c7, c9 or c10. We’re living in the idiocracy if anyone buys a Tivo.
Cathy
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 9:31 AMI’d definitely spend that sort of money. Being able to record more than two items would come in really handy in a household of more than 2 adults.
Stephen
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 7:05 PMDidn’t we use to spend $1,000 on a hi fi vcr!!? Okay so times have moved on. But for functionality and ease of use, Tivo can not be matched, except for Foxtel iq. But that’s around a thousand bucks or more per year.
The problem with the current Tivo is if two shows are programed to record that run one after the other, even on the same channel, both tuners get tied up during the end/start time due to needing to allow for stations running late. A 4 tuner 2tb Tivo would be perfect and matched by nothing.
And yes, there is pleanty on fta once you pick the eyes out of it to suit yourself. Why worry about if you see your shows sooner or later as long as you have enjoyable shows to watch?