Agree in part, disagree in part. Distinction should be made b/w the DVR machine v. the DVR service. The DVR machine, which is the subject of the current DTV offering, is a DVR machine manufactured by NDS. However, @ this time, b/c the NDS-developed service is not yet ready for "prime time," as evidenced by the delay in release of the HD DVR machine that will be exclusively provisioned w/NDS's DVR service, DirecTV, presumably under its license with TiVo, is releasing the non-HD DVRs with the TiVo service, as evidenced by the TVPredictions article, but which will eventually be replaced with the NDS DVR service, when it is finally released.
This is JMO, based upon the information I've come across, either in the press, or from speaking "direct" with a DirecTV representative. I've been following this b/c I've been holding purchase of an HDTV (or 2) awaiting the release of the NDS MPEG4-compatible machine. I live in LA, so I will get local feeds in MPEG2 for awhile. But anyone who's an HDTV enthusiast, wanting as much HD programming available as possible, will want the NDS machine over the present HD DVR with TiVo.
Since I know this is a TiVo message board, I believe that if the TiVo/DTV relationship is going to survive beyond the current termination date in 2007, TiVo will need to produce an MPEG4 machine soon. Presumption is existing subs would prefer TiVo's DVR service, which is viewed as the "gold standard" among DVR services. If they do not, then they will lose a large # of their existing DirecTV customers. |
