Comments on: TiVo, “good enough,” DV and HDV http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/01/is-tivo-the-betamax-of-pvrs/ Philip Hodgetts' random thoughts and items of interest on where the industry is at, and where it might be going today and into the future. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:02:00 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Philip Hodgetts http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/01/is-tivo-the-betamax-of-pvrs/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Philip Hodgetts Fri, 18 Feb 2005 06:43:27 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=3#comment-31 "faster, cheaper and almost as good" So, so very true. I shall probably steal this at some time Herb. Philip “faster, cheaper and almost as good”

So, so very true. I shall probably steal this at some time Herb.

Philip

]]> By: Herb Sevush http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/01/is-tivo-the-betamax-of-pvrs/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Herb Sevush Fri, 18 Feb 2005 00:27:32 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=3#comment-30 The entire history of the evolution of media technology is "faster, cheaper and almost as good." Starting with glass and platinum plates for still photography thru 3 strip technicolor for motion picture work thru 1/4" 2 track reel to reel, every new evolution of existing technology is driven by the marketplace to sacrifice quality for "faster, cheaper and almost as good." The entire history of the evolution of media technology is “faster, cheaper and almost as good.”

Starting with glass and platinum plates for still photography thru 3 strip technicolor for motion picture work thru 1/4″ 2 track reel to reel, every new evolution of existing technology is driven by the marketplace to sacrifice quality for “faster, cheaper and almost as good.”

]]> By: Philip Hodgetts http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/01/is-tivo-the-betamax-of-pvrs/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Philip Hodgetts Thu, 17 Feb 2005 04:20:41 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=3#comment-29 There is definitely going to be an open source video-delivery network. The question is what content is going to be delivered? Getting the popular content into the network is a political issue, not a technical one. I prefer technical issues - they follow logical rules :) Philip There is definitely going to be an open source video-delivery network. The question is what content is going to be delivered? Getting the popular content into the network is a political issue, not a technical one.

I prefer technical issues – they follow logical rules :)

Philip

]]> By: S.Shaw http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/01/is-tivo-the-betamax-of-pvrs/comment-page-1/#comment-28 S.Shaw Thu, 17 Feb 2005 03:57:01 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=3#comment-28 Watch out for Freevo http://freevo.sourceforge.net/about.html Tivo had better get that Netflix deal worked out quick! All that market needs is a few of us nerdy types together and start building our own Freevos which have an "upgradeable" software os so that if you are a "blinker" as opposed to a Tivoer you can choose the level you want. .. hey wait a minute...I gotta go build something real fast! Watch out for Freevo http://freevo.sourceforge.net/about.html Tivo had better get that Netflix deal worked out quick! All that market needs is a few of us nerdy types together and start building our own Freevos which have an “upgradeable” software os so that if you are a “blinker” as opposed to a Tivoer you can choose the level you want. .. hey wait a minute…I gotta go build something real fast!

]]> By: Mark P. http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/01/is-tivo-the-betamax-of-pvrs/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Mark P. Tue, 15 Feb 2005 12:32:03 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=3#comment-18 I too have a Tivo and love it. Three in my shop have Tivos at home. Chief Eng, Nitrus DS editor, and the audio engineer. I can bet you that our VCR don't blink 12:00! I think that TIvo scares most people. "Oh no..something else to figure out!" Their VCR's blink. The three of us love to figure things out and use them. Too bad because its a pretty cool machine. It certainly changed the way I watch TV. Mark P. I too have a Tivo and love it. Three in my shop have Tivos at home. Chief Eng, Nitrus DS editor, and the audio engineer. I can bet you that our VCR don’t blink 12:00!
I think that TIvo scares most people. “Oh no..something else to figure out!” Their VCR’s blink. The three of us love to figure things out and use them.
Too bad because its a pretty cool machine. It certainly changed the way I watch TV.

Mark P.

]]> By: David Kuther http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/01/is-tivo-the-betamax-of-pvrs/comment-page-1/#comment-17 David Kuther Tue, 15 Feb 2005 09:40:19 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=3#comment-17 From my experience, the problem is that the people saying they can't do without TiVo already have one and (and probably bought the lifetime contract) and thus aren't providing any additional revenue to the company. To the people who don't have one, we TiVo addicts seem like cult members that they don't quite understand ("Join us and you'll see it's better over here.") And now that many cable companies are offering PVR services at a much-lower upfront cost (and they come and install it for you) and companies like HP and Microsoft are aiming at the "Media Center PC" that looks kind of like a TiVO , connects to your tv, and is operated via a remote control from your couch, the competition is only going to get worse. Add to this the fact that Apple's Mac Mini is obviously meant to sit near your tv and stream downloaded content as well and even as a TiVO cult member I have to say that I don't know quite how rosy their prospects are. From my experience, the problem is that the people saying they can’t do without TiVo already have one and (and probably bought the lifetime contract) and thus aren’t providing any additional revenue to the company. To the people who don’t have one, we TiVo addicts seem like cult members that they don’t quite understand (“Join us and you’ll see it’s better over here.”) And now that many cable companies are offering PVR services at a much-lower upfront cost (and they come and install it for you) and companies like HP and Microsoft are aiming at the “Media Center PC” that looks kind of like a TiVO , connects to your tv, and is operated via a remote control from your couch, the competition is only going to get worse. Add to this the fact that Apple’s Mac Mini is obviously meant to sit near your tv and stream downloaded content as well and even as a TiVO cult member I have to say that I don’t know quite how rosy their prospects are.

]]> By: Scott Carmichael http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2005/02/01/is-tivo-the-betamax-of-pvrs/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Scott Carmichael Tue, 15 Feb 2005 03:26:36 +0000 http://intelligentassistance.com/blog/?p=3#comment-14 What intrigues me is that every one I ever met that has TIVO says it is the one piece of technology the they couldn't do without. And I mean everyone!! So, if a device has that kind of effect on people, why doesn't it have total market saturation by now? Doiesn't make sense to me either. Maybe it is a device that can't be easily sold in a Best Buy or such. Maybe they should concentrate on friends and family type marketing scheme...... What intrigues me is that every one I ever met that has TIVO says it is the one piece of technology the they couldn’t do without. And I mean everyone!! So, if a device has that kind of effect on people, why doesn’t it have total market saturation by now? Doiesn’t make sense to me either. Maybe it is a device that can’t be easily sold in a Best Buy or such. Maybe they should concentrate on friends and family type marketing scheme……

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