TiVo : Sky throws down the gauntlet

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

It would be nice if Tivo worked with your aerial input or satellite input in the UK at least you'd then have the option of decent spec'd boxes. Because Tivo has an exclusive agreement with VM your stuck with the hardware they dish out.

Although the VM Tivo uses different hardware, the software is still Tivo software and the software is what makes Tivo a Tivo.

When the VM Tivo launched, it was based on the US Tivo Premier, software wise. And I'm pretty sure, if I recall correctly, that VM's Tivo had enhancements over the Premier functionality, that was eventually added to the US Premier. The only functionality the Premier had over the VM Tivo was functionality that was blocked by UK content provider rights restrictions.

And baring rights related functionality, VM's Tivo has had all the functionality upgrades that The Premier has had up to present day. Apart from the last one earlier this year, but there is always a delay between the Premier an VM Tivo updates, I suspect for testing purposes.

Since the Premer, the US has had the Roamio and now the Bolt. It would be unfeasible for VM to change the box every time a new model is released in the US. But at some stage I suspect VM will. The bolt has 4K and other functionality, that may make it's software a good basis for a new box based on hardware of VM's choosing and the Bolt's software. The change seems significant enough from the Premier software based box to possibly warrant it.

Or VM may be planning a different route with a cloud based PVR.

Around the time of the Bolt release I read a Q & A on the US Tivo forums with a high up person from Tivo, who said that the Bolt was a general consumer product and an improved Roamio was being developed for serious Tivo users. Maybe that could be the basis for a replacement for the current Tivo if VM go the traditional PVR route?

For most people, with normal sized TVs (40"-55"), in normal sized houses, 4K is not going to make any difference to viewing quality; 60" is borderline. But I suspect that VM will be effectively forced to release a 4K box, purely because the competition has 4K boxes available. I know Apple didn't release a 4K box this time, but they know there loyal followers will stump up anther 150 quid next year!

[muppetman11]

I'm aware it's the Tivo software that VM have exclusive but surely some of the slowness is related to the hardware VM use or is this not the case ?

VM need to do something soon in my opinion.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I'm aware it's the Tivo software that VM have exclusive but surely some of the slowness is related to the hardware VM use or is this not the case ?

VM need to do something soon in my opinion.

I would be very surprised if VM put the Premier software on a box that was less well speced processing wise than the US Premier hardware, but I don't know that for sure.

I don't find the speed of Tivo an issue; it works perfectly well for me. But others do.

It's five year old hardware so it is going to seem sluggish compared to recent boxes. And, Tivo does a lot more than any other PVR.

It probably is time for a refresh though. But given that cloud based PVRs are more than likely the future, but not quite there yet (more than likely due to resistance from content providers), it must be difficult to decide whether to go for a new interim traditional PVR.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I'm aware it's the Tivo software that VM have exclusive but surely some of the slowness is related to the hardware VM use or is this not the case ?

VM need to do something soon in my opinion.

One suspects they will.

[steveh]

If you're buying hundreds of thousands of set top boxes you're going to allow only a small overhead of additional power in their specification or it's a waste of money. At the time it was designed it was certainly fine. However, VM's TiVo has gone from a PVR with some basic apps to one with extra competitive features, red button support and apps that their developers want to make able to do the same as on much newer platforms.

On top of that user expectations of what such a box should do and how it should perform have gone up hugely, especially when users have seen the kind of products that well-funded Silicon Valley companies with the cream of talent are capable of.