# Look here "Tivo is Doomed" ...



## 1999cobra (Nov 10, 2005)

http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/01/report_tivo_is.html


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## tmissey (Dec 8, 2005)

DirectV needs to buy Tivo and dump there DVR.


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## bearymore (Jan 20, 2002)

According to the business press, Tivo's been doomed since before I got my first unit 6 years ago.


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## IminMs (Sep 10, 2006)

Tivo is like a bumblebee and a C130 - They are not supposed to fly.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

The headline is misleading. What the article is actually saying is that Tivo will have to adapt to the changing environment (and they are with the cablecard S3 and Tivo on Motorola for Comcast).


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## TivoJunkie43 (Mar 9, 2006)

Tivo is in trouble, but not dead.

The above article suggests a buy-out, and I think TIVO will be bought out this year, and some TIVO management heads are going to roll (figuratively of course).

TIVO can't just keep going further and further into debt each year, and I for one am not a happy customer. I received a feedback email, and I have plenty for them.

Most of us don't want to spend $1000.00 on a new box, and if we did we expect it to work as expected...so I see them losing lots of money on that deal.

The next BIG thing is TicoCast? Is anyone excited about being able to search for music, and music videos using Tivo? That would've been cool in the 80's, but I'm not interested!

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 

Fiscal Year 
Fiscal Year Ends: 31-Jan 
Most Recent Quarter (mrq): 31-Oct-06 


Profitability 
Profit Margin (ttm): -19.36% 
Operating Margin (ttm): -21.03% 


Management Effectiveness 
Return on Assets (ttm): -13.72% 
Return on Equity (ttm): -429.69%


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

umm the S3 costs around 600 to 700 with 199$ tot ransfer lifetime (even from a direcTV account) so not sure where the 1000 comes from and TiVo seems to be selling as many of them as they can even without TTG and MRV turned on yet. Not sure how that relates to heads rolling.

and my kids are moving into the world of MP3 players so I was looking at online music stores - and thinking rhapsody. Now that I can use my playlists on the TiVo for easy as pie background music - I get some added convergence to my home theater without buying any new hardware at all. they added value to my equity at least


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## TivoJunkie43 (Mar 9, 2006)

ZeoTiVo said:


> umm the S3 costs around 600 to 700 with 199$ tot ransfer lifetime (even from a direcTV account) so not sure where the 1000 comes from and TiVo seems to be selling as many of them as they can even without TTG and MRV turned on yet. Not sure how that relates to heads rolling.
> 
> and my kids are moving into the world of MP3 players so I was looking at online music stores - and thinking rhapsody. Now that I can use my playlists on the TiVo for easy as pie background music - I get some added convergence to my home theater without buying any new hardware at all. they added value to my equity at least


I thought S3 came out with a $1000 price tag? The price has gone down of course because people won't pay $1000.

Heads rolling refers to a company that can't turn a profit, even though the have a good product.

If you want to listen to music on your Tivo fine, but I think most people want something more well, visual.


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## ChuckyBox (Oct 3, 2005)

TivoJunkie43 said:


> TIVO can't just keep going further and further into debt each year,


TiVo has no significant debt.


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## ChuckyBox (Oct 3, 2005)

TivoJunkie43 said:


> I thought S3 came out with a $1000 price tag? The price has gone down of course because people won't pay $1000.


Wrong on both counts. The box came out at $799, and TiVo is still selling it at $799.

Some retailers are selling it for somewhat less, and a few online shops are selling it for significantly less. If you are motivated, you can find one for around $600. But that's typical of online competition. TiVo hasn't lowered its prices.


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## pestilence (Jul 22, 2006)

I saw wired launched a countdown to tivos end all these articles are coming out announcing the end but it still hasnt happened yet. why? because even with all its problems its still a great service.


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## Markman07 (Jul 18, 2001)

I just checked the National Weather Service Nexrad radar and from what I can tell it does not appear that the sky is falling!


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## mtchamp (May 15, 2001)

No matter how many times you kill TiVo, it just won't die! Somebody should write that story.


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## dtremain (Jan 5, 2004)

Lately, the mainstream a/v magazines (_Sound and Vision_ and _Perfect Image_) have been forcasting the death of the DVD. The DVD is dying, they say, because everyone is getting their movies from the internet and having them loaded onto wireless servers in their homes from which they watch them. Therefore, Netflix and Blockbuster, along with all of those stores like Best Buy that sell DVD's by the millions are living in a world of fiscal self-deceit and bound to crumble to their very foundations.

You folks are all techies? Do you have a wireless media server in your home? Do you know anyone who does?

Aren't you still getting your software, at least your video software, as tangible product?

I suspect most of you are. I sure am.

The DVD and the DVR (TiVo or otherwise) are around for a good while to come. IMHO


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

It seems like almost every cable company and satellite system provides their own dual tuner DVR. The cost, both initial cost and monthly cost is a fraction of what tivo charges.

How many customers still get their programming OTA? How many customers are willing to pay extra $$$ for a tivo branded DVR? It's a shame. DTV might have been able to use tivo to attract/retain some customers. DTV is using sports, NFL and MLB, as their edge over FiOS and digital cable.

My guess is tivo will get sold. Maybe to a cable company even DTV (stranger things have happened). Alternately a company like Motorola could wind up buying them.


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## jmoak (Jun 20, 2000)

Tivo Barleycorn Must Die

There were three men came out of the west
Their fortunes for to try,
And these three men made a solemn vow
Tivo Barleycorn must die.

They've ploughed, they've sown, they've harrowed him in
Threw clods upon his head,
And these three men made a solemn vow
Tivo Barleycorn was dead.

They let him lie for a very long time
Till the rains from Heaven did fall,
And little Sir Tivo sprung up his head
And so amazed them all.

They've let him stand till Midsummer's day,
Till he looked both pale and wan.
And little Sir Tivo's grown a long, long beard
And so become a man.

They've hired men with the scythes so sharp,
To cut him off at the knee,
They've rolled him and tied him by the waist,
Serving him most barbarously.

They've hired men with the sharp pitchforks,
Who pricked him through the heart
And the loader, he has served him worse than that,
For he's bound him to the cart.

They've wheeled him around and around a field,
Till they came unto a barn,
And there they made a solemn oath
On poor Tivo Barleycorn

They've hired men with the crab-tree sticks,
To cut him skin from bone,
And the miller, he has served him worse than that,
For he's ground him between two stones.

And little Sir Tivo and the nut brown bowl
And his brandy in the glass
And little Sir Tivo and the nut brown bowl
Proved the strongest man at last

The huntsman, he can't hunt the fox
Nor so loudly to blow his horn,
And the tinker, he can't mend kettle nor pots
without a little Tivo corn


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## drew2k (Jun 10, 2003)

lew said:


> How many customers are willing to pay extra $$$ for a tivo branded DVR?


We'll find out soon enough, when Comcast offers the TiVo service to existing DVR subscribers ...


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## dtremain (Jan 5, 2004)

lew said:


> It seems like almost every cable company and satellite system provides their own dual tuner DVR. The cost, both initial cost and monthly cost is a fraction of what tivo charges.
> 
> How many customers still get their programming OTA? How many customers are willing to pay extra $$$ for a tivo branded DVR? It's a shame. DTV might have been able to use tivo to attract/retain some customers. DTV is using sports, NFL and MLB, as their edge over FiOS and digital cable.
> 
> My guess is tivo will get sold. Maybe to a cable company even DTV (stranger things have happened). Alternately a company like Motorola could wind up buying them.


But what the article is really saying is that TiVo is going to die because DVR's are going to become quickly outmoded. Look at the first sentence.

*"The stand-alone digital video recorder will cease to exist by 2010, and its dissolution will result in the end of TiVo as we know it, according to a new report."*

edit: I just realized what they are saying! "Stand-alone" DVR's will disappear. That's probably true. And, unless TiVo can develop a strong relationship with a cable company or satellite company and start making integrated receivers in very large numbers, they probably are dead.

To quote the late, beloved Gilda Radner: "Never mind...."


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## snickerrrrs (Mar 31, 2006)

Remember when Apple Computer was doomed? I hear they sell a lot of iPods, but thats just a rumor.  

What if Tivo released a dual tuner card for a PC with the first 6 months free service? Would you buy one? How about if it ran on a Tivo OS instead of Windows? Maybe dual boot?

The possibilities are endless... 

PS: How about a new thread with suggestions for Tivo improvements or new products? Not a rant but actual positive suggestions?


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## John T Smith (Jun 17, 2004)

snickerrrrs said:


> PS: How about a new thread with suggestions for Tivo improvements or new products? Not a rant but actual positive suggestions?


So... start one!


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## drew2k (Jun 10, 2003)

John T Smith said:


> snickerrrrs said:
> 
> 
> > PS: How about a new thread with suggestions for Tivo improvements or new products? Not a rant but actual positive suggestions?
> ...


 Looks like he did: Question: Would you buy a Tivo card for your PC?


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## 1999cobra (Nov 10, 2005)

The partnership with Comcast is for one reason only - So Comcast can copy the Tivo software and launch a version of it at a later date just like Dish and DTV did ...


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## Athenian (Jan 14, 2004)

Well considering what happened to DISH, I doubt that Comcast will be as bold about pirating the software. 

I like TiVo and I think they deserve financial success for having done so much to make DVRs usable. If they eventually get melded into another organization, that's okay too.


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## BruceShultes (Oct 2, 2006)

lew said:


> It seems like almost every cable company and satellite system provides their own dual tuner DVR. The cost, both initial cost and monthly cost is a fraction of what tivo charges.
> 
> How many customers still get their programming OTA? How many customers are willing to pay extra $$$ for a tivo branded DVR? It's a shame. DTV might have been able to use tivo to attract/retain some customers. DTV is using sports, NFL and MLB, as their edge over FiOS and digital cable.
> 
> My guess is tivo will get sold. Maybe to a cable company even DTV (stranger things have happened). Alternately a company like Motorola could wind up buying them.


Yes most cable companies have their own dual tuner DVR, but as far as I know, none of them are cable card boxes.

From what I have read, the only company that has come out with a cable card HD DVR that has been approved by Cable Labs is Scientific Atlanta.

All cable companies that have not received an exemption from the FCC are required to buy only cable card ready boxes for all their new equipment starting July 1st.

It seems that all those companies that do not have a head-end that is capable of working with the Scientific Atlanta boxes may be forced to buy S3's for their new equipment for a while.

Since the number of HD TVs sold doubled last year, Tivo may receive a substantial inflow of revenue in the near future.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

I'll put my money on cable companies getting an exemption over buying tivos.



BruceShultes said:


> Yes most cable companies have their own dual tuner DVR, but as far as I know, none of them are cable card boxes.
> 
> From what I have read, the only company that has come out with a cable card HD DVR that has been approved by Cable Labs is Scientific Atlanta.
> 
> ...


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## Deacon West (Apr 16, 2006)

jmoak said:


> Tivo Barleycorn Must Die
> 
> There were three men came out of the west
> Their fortunes for to try,
> ...


I love it when stuff from 1568 or thereabouts gets updated. Now was that an analogy or a metaphor?


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## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

snickerrrrs said:


> PS: How about a new thread with suggestions for Tivo improvements or new products? Not a rant but actual positive suggestions?


There's an entire forum. Have fun!
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=6


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## jmoak (Jun 20, 2000)

Deacon West said:


> ...was that an analogy or a metaphor?


t'was more of a homage.


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