PVRLib > DirecTV to launch own DVR
[Digital Tech Life] Hmmm….this isn't good news for TiVo. The NYTimes is reporting that DirecTV will be launching their own DVR just in time for the holidays, even though the company still has an agreement with TiVo that doesn't run out until 2007. The terms of their agreement with TiVo has the satellite provider paying TiVO a monthly fee of $1.13 per TiVo subscriber. Common sense says that they'll want to put all their time and effort into pushing their own soon-to-be-released DVR. You can see some of their ads running on network and cable television, in newspapers, magazines, and on the radio. Their ad campaign will cost the company a reported $30 million.
Some related posts from Technorati and Google.
[Pvrblog.com] PVRblog | TiVo, ReplayTV, and other PVR news and reviews: WITH RESPECT TO ANY NEW TIVO SERVICE SUBSCRIPTION ACTIVATED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, YOU AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TIVO SERVICE FOR NO LESS THAN 12 MONTHS (THE "SERVICE COMMITMENT"). IF YOU FAIL TO MEET THE SERVICE COMMITMENT BY CANCELLING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE (OR IF TIVO TERMINATES YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE DUE TO A BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), YOU AGREE THAT TIVO MAY CHARGE YOU A $150 EARLY TERMINATION FEE, AND YOU AGREE TO PAY ANY SUCH EARLY TERMINATION FEE.This fits with their August 2005 investor call where they announced they would be moving to a mobile phone-like retailing strategy.
[News.com.com] In a challenge to TiVo, DirecTV promotes its own box | CNET News.com: one arrow in the sky points up to the DirecTV satellite that "broadcasts the amazing hole in one" of a golf game while another arrow points down to the DirecTV DVR in the house that "lets you watch it over and over without missing the next hole." The ad also describes features including the ability to record a whole season of shows, and to pause and rewind live TV.
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