TiVo Announces Results for Third Quarter (OCAP Enabled TiVo On The Way?)
Earlier today, TiVo released their results for the third quarter which ended on Oct. 31st. The results contains a lot of news that we already knew about (Comcast TiVo, TiVo Canada, SDV dongle, NBC advertising deal & Nero partnership…) as well as one piece of news which Is completely new to me. According to the results, TiVo has plans to release a TiVo which will utilize CableLabs‘ OCAP standard.
“In addition, as a result of our constructive conversations, TiVo and the cable industry have come to an agreement on a blue-print for a retail TiVo DVR using the cable industry’s OpenCable Application Platform that will have full two-way cable service functionality. While the technical specifications are still being worked out, such a set-top box will mean TiVo subscribers will be able to get full access to cable VOD and other two-way cable services. This could also mean that a standalone TiVo offering could fully substitute for a cable operator set-top box. This understanding was communicated yesterday to the FCC through an ex parte filing by TiVo. We believe that this dialogue with the cable industry has been very constructive, and demonstrates the cable industry’s genuine desire to work with TiVo, not to mention the clear recognition that TiVo is an important offering for cable subscribers.
Does this mean that we will see a Series 4 TiVo? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. In any case, this is great news for the consumer. The inability to get VOD content has always been one of the biggest limitations of the Series 3 and TiVo HD. I’d love to see TiVo overcome this will an OCAP solution….
December 8th, 2007 at 11:04 am |
I really want to see Tivo survive. The financials worry me, as does their seemingly haphazard strategy.
Rather than just complain, I have suggestions - here’s an excerpt from a rant that I posted on the Tivo help forum, after giving up on using Unbox:
Media delivery over the internet is the future. Whoever winds up owning the set-top-box connected to the internet will win. Tivo has a great opportunity in that they have the lead getting their TV and internet connected devices in a lot of homes. However, poor execution is hurting them at this point
Examples:
- instability and poorly documented setup of services like Unbox
- DRM stupidity like not being able to buy movies on 1 Tivo and watch on another on the same home network
- Not being able to work out differences with Satellite providers, thus having to abandon the satellite Tivo customers as things move to high-def. (my solution would be to give the satellite people what they want, even if it nets zero profit. That gets the internet connected HD Tivo into a lot more homes. Internet downloaded content will eventually spell the end of satellite providers anyway. The game is getting Tivos in as many homes as possible and making the money on the internet provided content..
- Not moving a lot faster in the internet service area on Tivo, similar to Galleon. It’s not hard to provide weather, traffic, news, even Google-like search, on the Tivo (The currently provided Amazon **** that required registration isn’t it….). Turn the Tivos into internet access points for some basic content.
Hey Tivo - no charge for the consulting advice. Do some of these things, or sell out to an internet player who will!