ZatzNotFunny reported that Dish Network has now enabled the USB 2.0 port their ViP622 DVR. The Ethernet port is also being enabled as part of the software update. Users can now connect USB 2.0 external hard drives to their DVRs to expand the storage capacity, and use the Ethernet port for the calls home instead of the modem. However, there is a catch – there is a $39.99 activation fee to enable the USB ports.
I stumbled onto this press release today with some interesting TiVo-related survey info:
August 16, 2007 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
25% of TiVo™ or DVR Users Actually Rewind and Watch Commercials They Missed Says Greenfield Online Survey74% of TiVo or DVR Owners Say it has “Changed the Way They View Television”
WILTON, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–According to a recent Greenfield Online, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRVY) Fact of the Week survey of approximately 1,000 Internet respondents, 25% of total respondents indicated that they rewind their TiVo™ or a DVR to view the television commercials they have missed.
The percentages of respondents rewinding and watching commercials by age group are:
* 7% were 24 years old and under
* 31% were between the ages of 25 and 34
* 33% were between the ages of 35 and 44
* 14% were between ages of 45 and 54, and
* 15% were 55 and olderAmong the total respondent group, 30% currently own a TiVo or a DVR. 74% of respondents who own the device believe it has changed the way they view television. More than half of the respondents, or 54%, said they watch “somewhat more†television now than before they owned a digital video recorder.
As for the respondents who haven’t yet joined the TiVo™ revolution? Among those who don’t currently own a TiVo or a DVR, 51% simply felt they had “no need for one”. 24% said they “haven’t had the chance to buy one” yet. Another 22% cited the fact that they were “too expense” as the reason for not owning one.
Sure, it is a bit of fluff, but interesting enough to share.
Andy Ihnatko of The Chicago Sun-Times filed an article extremely favorable toward TiVo, and not so favorable towards the Verizon Motorola DVR. I think this captures the gist well:
Before my adventures with the Verizon DVR, I worried about TiVo’s future. Every cable provider rents DVRs now, and the rental cost is usually less than TiVo’s monthly service fee plus the few bucks a month the cable company charges for that special card the TiVo needs to record the full channel lineup. They don’t charge $299 for the box, either.
But nobody who’s ever used both a generic cable-company DVR and an actual TiVo would ever conclude that the two devices are remotely the same. Seven years after its introduction, TiVo remains a unique beast. Any other DVR is just an old-fashioned VCR enhanced with a modern PC’s power to move you to acts of violence.
He does a good job at highlighting the key features of TiVo, a good article to show non-TiVo owners wondering why they should consider TiVo.
As previously posted, Seven network is bringing TiVo to Australia in early 2008. Well, it looks like the move is already going over well with advertisers – according to The Sydney Morning Herald:
At least 20 big companies have rapidly signed up with cheques of more than $1 million to become “foundation partners” with Seven in the TiVo service.
Those fat cheques give the companies early and usually exclusive access to, and participation in, Australian TiVo trials to figure out how consumers are going to behave with a powerful little box which lets them watch what they want, when they want. And possibly, but increasingly unlikely, zap ads.
The ‘unlikely’ comment about ad-zapping is interesting, because the article goes on to say that Seven is “options to slow the ad-zapping possibilities” of the offering. It isn’t clear if that is some technical effort – say to block FF over ads, or maybe limit it to slower speeds, etc, or if it is more an effort to discourage it through better content or even alternative techniques – such as the ‘billboard’ pop-ups TiVo has used in the states during FF over ads.
Certainly something to keep an eye on ad the plans for the deployment firm up.
I guess this blog attracted some attention – Jennifer Elena of Crosby-Volmer International Communications (a PR Firm) dropped this in my inbox today:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 2007
CONTACT
Shermaze Ingram
(202) 429-5477NAB Statement on NTIA Announcement about Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Contractor
Washington, DC – Today the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) issued the following statement on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) announcement of the digital-to-analog converter box coupon program contractor:
“This is an important step in a process that will bring digital television (DTV) to all Americans,” said Jonathan Collegio, Vice President of the NAB’s digital television transition unit. “The success of the converter box coupon program is critical to upgrading America to digital television. NAB looks forward to working with NTIA and IBM to ensure all Americans continue to have access to free, over-the-air television.”
I thought I’d pass it on. The converter box program is an important part of the digital television cut-over coming in 2009. I’m hoping that TiVo adds support for some converted boxes to the units that can use serial or IR, so people who use S1 and S2 boxes with antenna can continue to use those boxes with one of the converters.
