Premiere Q: TiVo Opens Up Two New Boxes For Cable

[Skaggs]

Cable Show 2011: TiVo Opens Up Two New Boxes For Cable
DVR Vendor Also Upgrades iPad App to Access MSO Video Services
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 6/13/2011 12:01:00 AM

TiVo -- working overtime to win business from cable operators -- will offer MSOs two new set-top options including its first quad-tuner DVR and has enhanced its iPad app to integrate with cable video services.

TiVo Premiere Q is the company's first quad-tuner gateway set-top box, a higher-end option than its flagship Premiere dual-tuner DVR. In addition, TiVo is rolling out Preview, its first non-DVR HD set-top box.

RCN will be the first U.S. cable operator to offer subscribers the Premiere Q and Preview, in addition to its current TiVo Premiere offering, later this year. Suddenlink Communications, which also has an agreement to offer Premiere DVRs to subs, expects to offer the new boxes at some point.

The TiVo Premiere Q

"TiVo's solution for cable has stood apart in delivering the only offering that fully integrates the operator's linear and VOD content with broadband content and application choices," David Sandford, vice president and general manager of TiVo's service provider business, said in a statement.

Premiere Q and Preview will provide more flexibility to offer multiroom DVR services to customers, according to TiVo.

In addition being able to handle up to four simultaneous recordings, Premiere Q supports up to three HD streams over a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) or Ethernet home network. The Preview box also includes integrated MoCA and Ethernet for home networking.

The TiVo Preview non-DVR set-top

Meanwhile, the new version of TiVo's companion iPad application automatically adds an operator's video-on-demand titles into the search and browse features within the app. It also automatically detects and integrates an operator's branding, linear programming lineup and VOD catalog when connected to a TiVo box provided by the operator.

Users can "flick" the content they find on the TiVo iPad app and it begins playing on TV.

The enhanced iPad app will "help cable operators bring TiVo's innovative user interface directly into the hands of their subscribers, thereby offering consumers the ultimate remote control and viewing-on-demand experience," Sanford said.

The TiVo App for iPad lets users search and browse TV listings and DVR recordings, schedule recordings and perform other tasks using the iPad's touchscreen. It also lets users share comments via Facebook or Twitter about shows they are currently watching.

The app connects to the TiVo DVR over Wi-Fi; users must configure the box to allow the iPad to access and activate the app using a unique "media access key" code.

In addition to RCN and Suddenlink, TiVo also has a distribution deal with Charter Communications, which plans to offer the Premiere DVR to subscribers this year. The U.K.'s Virgin Media is providing the TiVo user interface either on Cisco Systems hardware, while DirecTV has a project to port the TiVo guide to a set-top from Technicolor.

Comcast and Cox Communications, meanwhile, have abandoned efforts to bring the TiVo user interface to their set-top platforms. Instead both MSOs struck deals with TiVo to open their VOD libraries to users of Premiere DVRs bought at retail.

TiVo is flush with cash after reaching a landmark settlement last month with Dish Network and EchoStar, which are paying TiVo $500 million to resolve the companies' patent-infringement litigation dating back to 2004.

Separately, TiVo has accused Verizon Communications and AT&T of patent violations and the DVR company has pending litigation involving both telcos as well as Microsoft and Motorola Mobility.

[Skaggs]

Will these also be made available to end users like previous TiVo hardware?

[Chris Miller]

No, these were designed specifically for the cable operators. And I would assume that you would not be buying them, there would be a monthly fee similar to what you would pay for a HD DVR.

After decade a losing money for nearly every quarter and with a stagnant subscriber base, TiVo really needs this to succeed. For the smaller cable operators, this should be a good fit. They get to offer the "TiVo" brand name and an excellent user experience.

The cable operator doesn't have to commit resources to developing and testing the DVR, they can spend a portion of those resources by writing services for the TiVo to bring specialized programming in. Like what Comcast is doing with the Xfinity on Demand Library for the TiVo Premiere.

TiVo gets a larger subscription base and this should bring in a steady income stream. They really need this to survive.

I wonder how much say the cable operator gets with the TiVo feature set. The Amazon Video and Netflix apps compete with the cable company's VOD offerings. Would they be allowed to block those features? DirecTV didn't allow the full feature set with the DirecTivO box, I would expect the same thing to happen here.

[hurnik]

I doubt it will work well with the cable co (meaning getting the large Cable companies on board). I mean really. comcast was the ONLY one to supposedly offer the Tivo DVR and it rolled out what, 2 years late and half-arsed (and nobody wants/uses it).

And if it uses the same "lovely/stable" software as the Premiere does now--no WAY would I touch this thing.

Not sure how they'll handle the SDV since the box will still need cable card. Possibly some integrated method like the current STB do that doesn't suck like the Tuning Adapters of present do.

I would be highly surprised if there wasn't the ability for the cable companies to disable features as they see/saw fit.

Odds are they'll do like Comcast and charge more for the "tivo" version and 99% of the customers will take the cheaper cable company STB and Tivo will lose some more money.

[Chris Miller]

Jun 13, 2011 8:00:43 GMT -5 Skaggs said:

Will these also be made available to end users like previous TiVo hardware?

There is some news about a Premiere Elite that could come to market. TiVo has requested for an exception from the FCC to sell a DVR that doesn't have an analog tuner. The "Q" does not have an analog tuner, but is except from the FCC requirements because it is not a retail product.

According to TiVo's filing with the FCC, the analog tuner adds between $80 to $100 to the retail price of the unit. According to the source of this story, Dave Zatz, TiVo is expecting a decision from the FCC within 90 days of the filing. They filed on June 7th, which means if the FCC allows this waiver, they could bring the Elite out in time for the holiday season.

[hurnik]

Wow, that much for the analog tuner? That does sound promising (given the FCC filing that is). We shall see.