# Put ooma in the tivo ? Other voip solutions..



## emania (Feb 3, 2005)

Here is an interesting twist - Put ooma technology in the tivo! I doubt the lawyers will let ooma "survive" because of residential terms of use - but for just a small, additional chipset and an extra phone jack (handset), it could be inserted. Of course this may upset some of its clients..so...

Let's put a generic voip adapter in there, with options to choose a provider? They could stay provider neutral, like cisco/linksys did.

Minimally, we should get tivo->tivo calls for free 

I didn't look to see if anyone had a skype client functioning - guess there would be an audio interface problem....cordless usb-base station handsets?

Intesting combinations...
tivo/vonage
directv/vonage/power line networking co


----------



## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

It would add extra unit cost, support, and system resource issues.

If there are potential legal issues, It would be best to stay away.

Why not build standalone Ooma boxes. Not TiVo, but some manufacturing company that is willing to take the chance.


----------



## emania (Feb 3, 2005)

I wouldn't suggest something where money could not be made. I started with ooma, but that doesn't make sense - one time payment and all - say you were willing to pay $400 for the ooma functionality, and tivo received $200 - would definately pay for itself. Agree with the support issue here, why support something that isn't providing recurring revenue. I can get vonage for less than $30/mo, and i still need basic verizon with the ooma box - $21/mo - so the 4 year break even point just doesn't work for me. 

tivo is all about a recurring revenue stream - if VG, T, or CMCSA were willing to subsidize the purchase price of the tivo, more people may buy. (the way they do the router/ta - rebate on activation) Alternately, if the phone companies were willing to pay monthly fees to tivo for use of their computer footprint in someones home...sales commision?

Other alternative that i alluded to was tivo becoming a phone and entertainment company (sound familiar?) They could learn by allowing tivo->tivo calling, then branch out. Then start purchasing content providers. Only problem here is they become competition to their bread-and-butter.

just looking for synergies, small investment, possible bit hitter. 

for the record...I use att callvantage on my main phone, vonage on my second, own comcast stock, and comcast just purchased my local cable provider (patriot media) I have 3 dtivos (HDVR2(2), HR10) - and a large phone company is my client.


----------

