
Hi-def and DVRs go together like peanut butter and jelly, but even with all the great DVRs available today, none are perfect. TiVo offers the best overall user experience and features, but lacks a few fundamental features that most cable STBs have -- like VOD, for starters. Although this isn't TiVo's fault, when it comes down to figuring out what's right for your family, it really doesn't matter. During Tivo's earnings call yesterday, it was
reaffirmed that TiVo is working one step closer to making the ultimate cable DVR by including two-way functionality using the
latest CableLabs standard tru2way. For those who haven't been keeping track at home,
tru2way has undergone an
identity crisis, and if you go back long enough, you'll find that it was called CableCARD 2.0 --
by someone. The way this would work is that you'd have a way on a TiVo to access the cable company's UI, so good or bad, when you're accessing VOD content, you'd see the same thing as if you were using a Moto or
SA Cisco box. What isn't known is if current
HD TiVo owners, with the help of
a tuning resolver and some software, would have access to the same features. We don't see why not, but this stuff is already way more complicated than it should be, and at this point we wouldn't put anything by
CableLabs.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
pete @ Mar 6th 2008 2:27PM
I hope they focus a little more on VOD over the internet. With comcast the prices are high for VOD and in the future the HD selection may not be as good as what Apple or Amazon might bring to the table.
Larry @ Mar 6th 2008 4:42PM
Is VOD the most wanted feature of the Tivo community? I have it with my cable box, and I can't say that it went away tomorrow I would notice that much. I
Ben @ Mar 6th 2008 4:54PM
Not necessarily, but TiVo fans don't want to feel like they have to give anything up to choose TiVo.
Also, TiVo wants to be able to try and sell its boxes to big cable and compete with SA and Moto.
riverside_guy @ Mar 6th 2008 5:37PM
Personally, VOD just isn't all that important (besides, we probably won't get HD VOD for 3-7 years). BUT SDV sure as hell is. SDV is a MAJOR sticking point in contemplating TiVo.
Is a part of this "Tru2Way" that it supports SDV? My understanding is that it does NOT, they are 2 separate technologies. Yes, there HAS been talk of some hundred buck gizmo you'd have to buy to get SDV channels on a TiVo, but no announcement (that I've heard) about even an anticipated date of shipment.
Ben @ Mar 6th 2008 5:40PM
Although a tru2way device can access SDV channels you won't need a new TiVo to get SDV channels. You just need a tuning resolver which is officially on track for the 2nd quarter of '08 and will be provided by the cable co' like a STB, no one knows for how much.
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/08/switched-digital-support-for-cablecard-still-on-track-for-second/
ztiger93 @ Mar 8th 2008 9:32AM
drop a blu-ray recorder in that bad boy and i'm there...