Read More »

We knew it was happening, but Channel 7 today officially launched the Australian version of TiVo. We weren't there, but we've grabbed a copy of the press release and had a read of Asher Moses' piece on SMH, and have to say that we're not inspired.

For a start, the press release is full of smacktalk. Now, I know Channel 7 enjoys the smacktalk, but in a press release? Have a read for your self:

"The TiVo HD DVR brings you all the features, and more, that until now were only available to pay television customers. Why pay monthly fees for pay television when 56% of pay television viewing is on the free channels anyway?"

Read More »

If reports from the Financial Review are correct, we'll soon be able to play with our very own peanut controller when TiVo launches in Australia in mid-July.

Aside from the obvious dilemma of where to spend your money (there's some new phone launching on July 11, remember?), the mid-July timeframe does work with the previous announcements that Channel 7 made about it launching before the Olympics.

The box itself is likely to cost somewhere around the $700 mark, which isn't exactly cheap for a DVR. Seven are likely to promote the box's superior EPG functionality in order to justify that price, although we'll wait to see how it's implemented ourselves before we recommend on whether you should spend the money.

The other interesting point made in the Fin's article is that Harvey Norman are likely to have an exclusive distribution arrangement for 3 months, before it will be available in JB Hi-Fi and Dick Smith's shops.

I'm sure there are important factors influencing that decision, like scratching the backs of old mates and heavy advertisers, but I think Channel 7 may be overestimating TiVo's appeal in Australia. Personally - I'm very intrigued, but I would need to see some obvious advantages in TiVo's local implementation before I dropped 700 big ones. Especially now that Foxtel's iQ2 is on the market.

UPDATE: Pete Blasina over at GadgetGuy.com.au is reporting that the launch date is officially July 15. Considering his relationship with Channel 7, I reckon this is pretty much guaranteed.

[MIS Australia and GadgetGuy]

Read More »

TBS has opted to not only advertise during television shows through those pesky lower third banners, but to go so far as to pause the show you are watching to do it. A particularly offensive case of interstitial marketing, needless to say, it's not going to do wonders for the network's ratings. Oh, and for the TBS marketing gurus high-fiving right now and claiming that any press is good press, we have two words for you: Michael. Jackson. [kottke via bbGadgets]

Read More »

Read More »

We all know that TiVo is coming soon, but if the rumblings coming out of the SMH are true, then we'll be getting it without the usual subscription fee that TiVo charges.

I don't know about you, but the whole Australian launch of TiVo just got mighty exciting.

The last we heard, they were planning on cutting the subscription fee right down. But by making it a premium box without ongoing fees, the TiVo will stand out against PVRs from other manufacturers thanks to its proven EPG data and internet capabilities.

Apparently we're looking at a July launch for teh TiVo box, which looks like a month later than Foxtel's new iQ2. The SMH reckons that the move to a subscription-free TiVo will push Foxtel into dropping their price, but I'll believe that when I see it.

On a side note, both Channels 9 and 10 have confirmed that they will share their EPG data on the TiVo, which is a nice touch from Channel 9 considering their ongoing litigation against IceTV.

The other interesting thing is that all the extra features that TiVo offers - like online entertainment, for example, won't be available at launch. Instead they're focusing on the EPG and getting it launched for the Olympics.

In any case, this is awesome news for PVR enthusiasts in Australia. I'm actually excited by this now. How about you guys?

[SMH]

Last week, courtesy of NBC, people with a Windows Media Centre DVR setup got a rude reminder that broadcasters can flip a switch (called a broadcast flag) to tell DVRs not to record a show. Here's the thing: Honouring the flag is actually optional for software and hardware makers, after courts smacked down the FCC proposal to make them mandatory. But Microsoft has confirmed that they do whatever the broadcaster tells them, again, even though they don't have to. NBC hasn't confirmed yet whether or not the American Gladiatorsflag was intentional, but their history doesn't give me a fuzzy feeling.

Read More »

Seagate is taking their first crack at external DVR storage with the Showcase line of HDDs. The Showcase drives range in size from 250GB to 1TB, work with both eSATA and USB connections, and can record a whopping 12 HD streams simultaneously. For now, Motorola cable boxes are the only ones compatible with the Showcase, so TiVo owners and others should hold off until we hear more. They'll be on sale this fall, full release after the jump. [Seagate]

Read More »