Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : LAST MILE TECHNOLOGIES - Let's Discuss Them Here -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: lml who wrote (7757)	7/26/2000 6:35:42 PM
From: DukeCrow	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 12823

I haven't been able to quantify Vulcan Ventures investment in TiVo. The numbers don't seem to be publicly available. Here's the PR. tivo.com Vulcan's stake doesn't appear in TiVo's 10K, so it must be less than 5%. If something goes wrong, than everything becomes non-functional. That is one downside to integrating the PTV features into DBS STBs. However, I think the benefits far outweigh that negative. First, the reuse of parts (MPEG2 decoder) saves costs. Second, there is no degradation of the signal when recorded because it is already digital; you're recording the original stream coming down from the satellite. Third, the box can be subsidized when combined with a programming contract. So far it doesn't appear that the MSOs are doing much. Comcast just announced that it will offer TiVo's for lease to some of its customers. There is no real integration with their own STB, though. I think AOL/Time Warner will be doing something through AOL-TV. AOL's already announced a partnership with TiVo, and I would expect them to eventually offer any TiVO-based product to their Time Warner cable subscribers. I think the real catalyst for MSOs may be the proliferation of DOCSIS. Manufacturers will be able to produce DOCSIS-based STBs with PTV features and sell them in retail stores or directly to MSOs. Beyond that, there are many more possibilities down the pipeline, such as dual-tuner PTV receivers which allow for recording of one program while watching another. Or as harddrives grow larger and cheaper, a truly HD capable PTV. Ali