Ever since the abortive first attempt was announced four years ago there have been on-again, off-again rumors of TiVo and Netflix working together again. They finally got it over with and released the tension in October by announcing a new deal. At the time they indicated the service would launch soon - and they were right, it is launching today!

But they have one more surprise up their sleeves - high-definition content! From the press release (below) it looks like they’ll be launching with some HD content available to stream to TiVo. As stated previously, the Netflix service is only available on broadband connected TiVo Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL units. The Series2 platform unfortunately is incapable of supporting the video codec Netflix uses. Only the newer units have the required hardware, sorry, that’s just how it is. It isn’t like Series2 units don’t have options - Amazon VOD, CinemaNow/Disney, and Jaman are all available.

This is likely why the HD units started getting the new software revision last week, to prep them for the launch of Netflix.

Press release below:

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Nigel Tufnel should be happy with TiVo’s latest software update for Series3 and TiVo HD models, as it is version 11. Zatz Not Funny mentioned that version 11 is hitting Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL units. Poking around the net it looks like this started trickling out back on November 20th. TiVo usually trickles out a release as the last test before launching the full download for everyone, and it looks like the floodgates opened within the past day or so. A number of people are now reporting receiving it, and my Series3 downloaded it today and I just restarted to install it.

The version number is 11.0-01-2-648 on my S3. This update includes the changes seen in the 9.3.2 update that hit Series2 systems recently. Aside from those changes I don’t see any other differences. I looked through all the menus but nothing seemed different to me. I’m sure there are under-the-covers changes to warrant a major revision number jump. I’m guessing WMV/VC-1 decoding is in there for Netflix streaming support. And maybe some other surprises.

Hmm, I wonder if I upset someone over at TiVo? I didn’t get any advance notice on this one. Well, anyway, on to the news. Correction, their PR firm did email me - a little after 20:00, less than four hours before the embargo lifted at midnight eastern. That’s a little late to be letting folks know about a major announcement, especially as I know others got the word around 15:00. Unfortunately, that was after the last time I’d checked email before midnight. I might’ve caught it, but I’m down with a bad cold and not hovering online as much as I normally do. I only caught it after seeing the news elsewhere.

Netflix streaming is coming to TiVo - very soon. It is great news, but it isn’t too surprising. TiVo and Netflix first talked about partnering over four years ago, though that initial deal seemed to fizzle when Netflix had trouble getting content rights.

In the meantime the market has completely changed. Netflix has rolled out their streaming service and TiVo has added streaming support to their platform for YouTube. And, of course, movie downloads from Amazon and Jaman, with CinemaNow/Disney expected any day now. Content providers are much more open to digital distribution than they were four years ago, and the technology has improved as well. A lot of us have been expecting TiVo and Netflix to bring streaming to TiVo. Especially after Netflix made deals with LG and Samsung to stream to some their Blu-ray players.

This now gives TiVo content from four major services - Amazon, Jaman, CinemaNow (soon), and Netflix. The only major service left that I can think of is Blockbuster/Movielink. And, honestly, they’re not exactly the market leader. I suppose TiVo could work with VUDU to build a VUDU client into TiVo, but with all the other content I don’t know that it would be worth it for TiVo. More benefit for VUDU I’d think. The only thing left to make TiVo *the* platform for movies is HD content, and I’m sure that’s coming.

As Amazon VOD also offers streaming, I expect TiVo to bring that to their platform in addition to the downloads available today. And we’re all just waiting for HD content. There have been repeated hints and mentions of work toward bringing HD content downloads from Amazon to TiVo, and more recently Jaman and Cinema now. And just today Netflix announced they’ll be streaming in HD to Xbox 360. So maybe we’ll see Netflix in HD on TiVo as well.

What’s next for TiVo and broadband content? I think we’ll see them making deals with more content portal sites and networks, like Hulu.com and CBS.com. It is just logical, and TiVo already has the infrastructure to support such streaming sites. I think TiVo is making the right moves.

The Netflix streaming, like YouTube, will be coming to the TiVo Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL. It isn’t clear if they’ll be using H.264, like YouTube, or if the streams will be using VC-1 - which Netflix uses for their PC and Mac streaming. The TiVo hardware is capable of supporting both codecs, but VC-1 hasn’t been used to date. Why no Series2 support? As with YouTube, the hardware doesn’t support the newer codecs.

Picked up from Zatz Not Funny.

The press release:
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Reader David commented on a previous post that Time Warner Cable of San Antonio, TX has a link to order a free Tuning Adapter to enable SDV on TiVo Series3, TiVo HD, or TiVo HD XL units. The order form states: “The expected availability date is later this year.” That leaves two and a half months, though I personally suspect it will be sooner rather than later, especially as Comcast is already deploying Tuning Adapters.

Is anyone else seeing Time Warner offer Tuning Adapter pre-orders in their area?

Recently ZDNet’s Ed Burnette lost a TiVo in a lightning storm. When that happened he decided to give Time Warner’s Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8340HDC DVR a try rather than having his old TiVo, which had lifetime but was not HD, repaired. Ed thought he’d try this because, as he puts it:

The Time Warner DVR box model was free, and the service cost $7.95/month. Also I was excited at the possibility of finally getting high definition content on my Sony HDTV. I asked some friends who used it and they seemed happy with it.

But the reality of the situation was not so rosy:

I can sum up my experiences with the Time Warner DVR in one word: Argh!

Ed enumerates the myriad of issues he experienced with the cable DVR in his article at ZDNet. From the terrible button-farm remote with unintuitive controls, to the lack of a priority list for the DVR’s version of Season Passes, to odd quirks during normal use (like the screen blacking when you pause playback and having trouble resuming playback), and more. And it sounds like his family agreed:

After two weeks of this I decided enough was enough. The family all agreed. We wanted TiVo!

Ed considered paying the $150 repair fee, which would really see him upgraded to a Series2DT with his lifetime transferred. But he’d had a taste of HD and native digital cable support, so he instead opted for the TiVo HD. After ordering his new TiVo HD, but before it shipped, TiVo announced the TiVo HD XL.

Knowing a good thing when he sees it, Ed canceled the TiVo HD and ordered a TiVo HD XL.

I think TiVo should send a nice thank you gift to Time Warner and Cisco/Scientific Atlanta for providing such a crappy DVR. The bad experience helped turn a potential lost customer with a dead TiVo into a high-end customer with the latest and greatest TiVo. Cisco’s bad DVR was good for TiVo.

Buy.com has the Western Digital 500GB eSATA My DVR Expander on sale again for $131.99. This is the only drive officially approved for use with the TiVo Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL. That’s a great price on that drive, so if you’ve been thinking about getting one, now is a good time.

I got this email from TiVo today. I rather like the color scheme they’re going with on their TiVo HD XL materials, it looks pretty good.

The email:
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Picked up from TiVo Blog.

The TiVo HD XL, TCD658000, is now available for purchase:
- Gizmo Lovers Store
- Direct from TiVo
- Amazon
- WeaKnees

I’m sure it will show up in more locations soon.

The TiVo HD is a fantastic HD DVR. The 160GB internal capacity and the $299.99 MSRP makes it a good fit for most users. However, with the discontinuation of the original TiVo Series3, TiVo is lacking a high end product. The Series3 not only came with 250GB of storage, but the back-lit TiVo Glo remote as well, and it had THX certification, which the TiVo HD lacks. The TiVo Series3 was aiming for a higher end market, as well as the custom installer trade.

Now, at CEDIA, TiVo is announcing their replacement for this market, the TiVo HD XL. The TiVo HD XL comes in at the $599.99 MSRP last occupied by the Series3. And like the Series3 it comes with the back-lit Glo remote and it is THX certified. While it lacks the fancy OLED front panel of the Series3 (physically it looks much like the standard TiVo HD, see photo above), it is a major step up in storage - with 1TB. Like the Series3, and unlike the TiVo HD, it also comes with an HDMI cable.

How does this extra capacity compare to the other units?

Quality	Hours
	TiVo HD	Series3	TiVo HD XL
HD	20	32	150
Best	45	52	332
High	73	76	539
Medium	96	120	713
Basic	184	300	1,350

As you can see, that a substantial increase in recording capacity. And, just like the TiVo HD, the TiVo HD XL accepts an external eSATA drive. Currently only a 500GB drive is supported, though hopefully in the future 1TB eSATA drives will be available for TiVo. Unlike the Series3, but like the TiVo HD, the TiVo HD XL is locked down to only official drives.

While pre-upgraded 1TB TiVo HD units have been available from DVRupgrade and WeaKnees these don’t include the Glo remote and lack THX certification. And, since they’ve been upgraded, the cannot plug-and-play with an eSATA drive. And while the MSRP is $599.99, it is likely to sell for noticeably less online.

Note how, despite an additional 90GB, the Series3 doesn’t have much more capacity at the higher quality analog recording levels. This seems to be due to the THX certification requiring a higher encoding bit rate.

As far as the software goes, aside from the THX certification and likely associated tweaked analog encoding bit rates, the TiVo HD XL runs the same software, and therefore has all the same features, as the current TiVo HD.

The model number of the new unit is TCD658000 and it should be carried soon my major retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Circuit City, and others. There should also be a FAQ online later today.

TiVo was kind enough to offer me a review unit, but after talking to them I declined. I reviewed, and own, a TiVo Series3, and I reviewed the TiVo HD, so I know both the hardware and software. There didn’t seem to be a point in me using one of their review units when it would be just what I’m familiar with - but with a larger hard drive. Though I was tempted just so I could open it up and see if any o the chips changed.

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EDIT: The TiVo HD XL, TCD658000, is now available for purchase:
- Gizmo Lovers Store
- Direct from TiVo
- Amazon
- WeaKnees

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The press release:
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