# Tivo HD



## Trini1 (Jan 22, 2006)

Hi i just noticed in the tivo store they have Tivo 3 that is HD ready, i know that this is for the US only. Is there going to be anything brought out for the UK ? we always get the bum deals in the uk  i love tivo and want to get the best model possible


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## Maclynn (Oct 6, 2000)

Trini1 said:


> Hi i just noticed in the tivo store they have Tivo 3 that is HD ready, i know that this is for the US only. Is there going to be anything brought out for the UK ? we always get the bum deals in the uk  i love tivo and want to get the best model possible


Only in our dreams.


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## TheBear (Feb 21, 2001)

Problem is, I think the UK market is somewhat different to the US.

In the US people are used to paying for everything so the TiVo business model works well.

In the UK people expect everything for "free", hence Freeview, Freesat, Freeserve, free healthcare, free schools etc..etc. With other PVRs offering a free EPG it's difficult to justify why people should pay good money for the TiVo one. With the record levels of debt in the UK and impending downturn it just makes the reluctance worse.

If TiVo came up with a business model that didn't involve a subscription it could well work in the UK.


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## blindlemon (May 12, 2002)

Presumably that's why Sky is doing so 'badly' 

The problem is that people will only pay for non-essentials if they think they're getting something tangible for their money - with Sky it's "channels", but with the old TiVo subscription model it was just "data", which is a lot less easy to justify. 

However, the new TiVo subscription model includes a "free" TiVo box (like the "free" sky digibox) so if they were to pitch it at the right price here (eg. around £130 for a basic box and one year's service) then it should be easier to sell. And, of course, once people have had TiVo for a year, then as we all know, it becomes a necessity rather than a luxury, so the issue of ongoing cost hardly enters into the equation


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## aerialplug (Oct 20, 2000)

blindlemon said:


> but with the old TiVo subscription model it was just "data", which is a lot less easy to justify.


I can see what you mean and this may be how some people percieve what they get for the subscription - but it's not strictly true either.

For your subs, you not only get the schedule data but you also get the TiVo service - its ability to do what it does. The TiVo is little more than a big door stopper without the data - about the only thing it can do is schedule recordings by time (and even this was disabled in some US versions without a subs).

So, for your £10 a month, you not only get the schedule, you get to use the bit of the software as part of the subscription that would be completely worthless without the schedule data.

But, at the end of the day, the UK consumer will look at what they quids are buying and come to the (wrong) conclusion that all they're paying for is a call to get the schedules each day and that they're paying for something that's available on other platforms for nothing.

Bear in mind that currently the Freeview EPG data doesn't uniquely identify programmes, series etc or in any way provide enhanced information about the programme so that it can be electronically targetted by a true PVR - you just get a title, synopsis. There are moves to change this in the mid-term, providing a much richer data source over air - but with the pace this was going last time I checked, I wouldn't count on it arriving any time soon.


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## blindlemon (May 12, 2002)

aerialplug said:


> the UK consumer will look at what they quids are buying and come to the (wrong) conclusion that all they're paying for is a call to get the schedules each day and that they're paying for something that's available on other platforms for nothing.


Which is why giving away a year's free service with a new box (or a free box with a year's service if you prefer), is the way to go about it.

Nobody in their right mind would give up TiVo after a year's 'trial'  :up:


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## ndunlavey (Jun 4, 2002)

When I worked for GTE in the US 10 years ago, that's how we sold ADSL. We gave people a free upgrade for three months


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

ndunlavey said:


> When I worked for GTE in the US 10 years ago, that's how we sold ADSL. We gave people a free upgrade for three months


Now the big firms give people free connection, free wireless router etc and lock them in for a year. Things haven't changed much.


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## ndunlavey (Jun 4, 2002)

Apart from having to pay for the service, of course.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

ndunlavey said:


> Apart from having to pay for the service, of course.


Namesco were doing a deal in August. £60 for 12 months 512k service. Free connection. Nothing else to pay. Free router.

That was definitely a mega deal so long as 512k was a fast enough speed for you.


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## ndunlavey (Jun 4, 2002)

I'm baffled.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

ndunlavey said:


> I'm baffled.


Are you looking for us to provide counselling then?


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## ndunlavey (Jun 4, 2002)

I don't think it's me that needs it


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## manolan (Feb 13, 2001)

blindlemon said:


> ... snip ...
> 
> Nobody in their right mind would give up TiVo after a year's 'trial' :up:


Nobody in their right mind would give up TiVo after a 3 month trial, either!


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

manolan said:


> Nobody in their right mind would give up TiVo after a 3 month trial, either!


And surely nobody in their right mind would agree to pay Sky almost £600 a year in program subscriptions every year plus a one off £299 to get Sky HD and give up on Tivo but its surprising just how many crazy people do that judging from all the Tivos of Sky HD users now up for sale on EBay .


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## katman (Jun 4, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> And surely nobody in their right mind would agree to pay Sky almost £600 a year in program subscriptions every year plus a one off £299 to get Sky HD and give up on Tivo but its surprising just how many crazy people do that judging from all the Tivos of Sky HD users now up for sale on EBay .


It just shows the power of advertising. IF TiVo got their act together they should be able to sell Series 2 or 3 units here no problem.


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## Dazbear (Aug 24, 2001)

katman said:


> It just shows the power of advertising. IF TiVo got their act together they should be able to sell Series 2 or 3 units here no problem.


I totally agree - I think the time is rip for TiVo here in the UK.

Personally I think they came into the UK market too soon. Also, people are reluctant to pay for equipment AND a sub. - take mobile phones for example.

Now that TiVo have announced a sub only service in the US (ie free box in with the sub) this makes the business ideal for the UK market.


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## DeadKenny (Nov 9, 2002)

Problem is Sky have a monopoly now as far as the Sky PVR market is concerned, and TiVo would have a hell of a time getting a foot in the door.

Also for an HD version they need access to Sky proprietary hardware, or otherwise we all have to buy Sky+HD boxes on top of our TiVos and hope that Sky doesn't remove the component HD sockets and leave us with encrypted HDMI.

The only chance really is if some competition watchdog authority, the EU, etc, tells Sky that they must allow competition.


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