TiVo Raises Price for 'Lifetime' Membership

***John*** · 02-01-2003, 07:48 AM

Doesn't really belong anywhere, but I thought I'd share.

Quote:

TiVo Raises Price for 'Lifetime' Membership
Fri Jan 31, 4:06 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - TiVo Inc. (NasdaqNM:TIVO) in March will increase the price for a long term membership to its television recording service by $50 to $299, the company said on its Web site on Friday.

The new price, which is effective on March 3, covers the "Product Lifetime" of the TiVo machine, a digital video recorder (DVR) that allows users to save programs on a set-top box with a hard drive.

Alviso, California-based TiVo derives most of its revenue from fees for its service, which can automatically record programs based upon a user's personal viewing choices, or save an entire season of a particular show.

The increase come roughly one year after TiVo raised the "lifetime" price to $249 from $199.

A TiVo representative declined to comment on the price change, but said the company will continue to also offer the service for about $13 a month.

TiVo is the leading developer of TV recording systems, competing with companies such as SONICblue Inc. (NasdaqNM:SBLU), Echostar, and Thomson's (TMS.PA) RCA brand, which each offer rival machines.

However, TiVo has struggled to convince a larger mass of consumers to first spend hundreds of dollars on a television recording device, then pay a fee for TiVo's service. TiVo's has more than 500,000 subscribers and in 2004 expects that figure to double, topping 1 million.

Shares of TiVo's rose 5 percent to $5.26 in late afternoon trade on the Nasdaq.

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nofx242 · 02-04-2003, 01:09 PM

Tivo will be gone in a few years, so I wouldn't join up.
Time warner cable has already started with DVR where the new cable box will be a free upgrade and will cost $10 a month.

Microsoft has already released windows xp media center where it downloads the program guide for free from the internet and there is no mounthy fee. If you havent seen a new media system yet check it out here

http://www.alienware.com/main/media_center.asp

sher · 02-04-2003, 01:11 PM

good to know! now i don't have to be jealous of those with tivo as i don't have it.

BravoFan · 02-05-2003, 07:58 PM

Bite your tongue Nofx!

Tivo is here to stay! There's no other UI that can compete.

Of course, MSFT is really good at stealing other companies ideas and then using their monopoly to force them down our throats, so you never know.

Ilikai · 02-06-2003, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BravoFan
Bite your tongue Nofx!

Tivo is here to stay! There's no other UI that can compete.

BF what have I told you about drinking so much coffee?!?!?!

nofx242 · 02-06-2003, 06:30 AM

One reason I never got Tivo is that the cable and satalitte providers said they would have it soon. They have already started it. The speks for the the Time Warner system blow Tivo away. The player is also free as long as you already have digital cable. Plus its only $10 a month cant beat that.

Its just like most things there will always be that first one great new ideal nut it will soon fade once a large company comes out with there piece of the pie and they will make it beeter and cheaper

***John*** · 02-06-2003, 07:52 AM

Well, Tivo is owned by a "large company", and they've been keeping up with the competition. The new Series2 PVR's kick butt over the originals. For those of us who don't have Time Warner cable, it's still the best choice out there.

TiVo is owned by Gemstar, which owns Hughes, DirecTV, and TV Guide magazine, among other things.

nofx242 · 02-06-2003, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by John
Well, Tivo is owned by a "large company", and they've been keeping up with the competition. The new Series2 PVR's kick butt over the originals. For those of us who don't have Time Warner cable, it's still the best choice out there.

TiVo is owned by Gemstar, which owns Hughes, DirecTV, and TV Guide magazine, among other things.

I didnt know who owned them. I still think it will fall not fast but in a few years it will fade away.

BravoFan · 02-07-2003, 05:08 PM

Ili, it's the tea baby!

Also, Tivo has signed (from what I gather an exclusive) relationship with DirecTV. And I can't remember the numbers, but when I read how many households had DirecTV I remember being surprised and impressed. But anyway, they now call the service DirecTV DVR powered by Tivo (or something like that).

So if Tivo has locked in a partnership like that with DirecTV they aren't going anywhere! (fingers crossed since I plopped down $200 on their stock several months ago

)

***John*** · 02-07-2003, 06:21 PM

BF, TiVo is owned by the same company that makes DirecTV. So, integration is the thing.

It's a shame that the systems for DirecTV and the stand-alone systems are completely different.

DirecTV DVR: $4.95 per month, record 2 programs while watching a third, and built-in DirecTV tuner.

TiVo Stand-alone: $12.95 per month, record 1 program while watching a second, and may or may not be compatible with your cable box if you have one.

Really, a shame, because it's pretty hard to plunk down $350 for a TiVo box, and still have to pay either $300 for the lifetime fee, or $12.95 per month additionally. And not even get any more functionality recording-wise than my VCR. If I could record 2 programs while watching a third, it might be worth it.

02-05-2003, 07:58 PM	#4
BravoFan COMBAT MISSIONS junkie! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: At the FORT Posts: 12,971	Bite your tongue Nofx! Tivo is here to stay! There's no other UI that can compete. Of course, MSFT is really good at stealing other companies ideas and then using their monopoly to force them down our throats, so you never know. __________________ "They can only edit what you give them. They cannot manufacture a fictional character out of thin air." (Bill Rancic - 4/04) Regarding editing reality TV: "You can't edit IN a bad personality." ("Cali"-11/02) BB8 - A "conveyor belt of human garbage." ("Pono" - 9/07)

02-07-2003, 05:08 PM	#9
BravoFan COMBAT MISSIONS junkie! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: At the FORT Posts: 12,971	Ili, it's the tea baby! Also, Tivo has signed (from what I gather an exclusive) relationship with DirecTV. And I can't remember the numbers, but when I read how many households had DirecTV I remember being surprised and impressed. But anyway, they now call the service DirecTV DVR powered by Tivo (or something like that). So if Tivo has locked in a partnership like that with DirecTV they aren't going anywhere! (fingers crossed since I plopped down $200 on their stock several months ago ) __________________ "They can only edit what you give them. They cannot manufacture a fictional character out of thin air." (Bill Rancic - 4/04) Regarding editing reality TV: "You can't edit IN a bad personality." ("Cali"-11/02) BB8 - A "conveyor belt of human garbage." ("Pono" - 9/07)

02-04-2003, 01:09 PM	#2
nofx242 Insert Funny "Quote" Here Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ohio Age: 37 Posts: 345	Tivo will be gone in a few years, so I wouldn't join up. Time warner cable has already started with DVR where the new cable box will be a free upgrade and will cost $10 a month. Microsoft has already released windows xp media center where it downloads the program guide for free from the internet and there is no mounthy fee. If you havent seen a new media system yet check it out here http://www.alienware.com/main/media_center.asp

02-04-2003, 01:11 PM	#3
sher hellooooooo Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: dallas, fer sure Age: 39 Posts: 8,551	good to know! now i don't have to be jealous of those with tivo as i don't have it.

02-06-2003, 06:30 AM	#6
nofx242 Insert Funny "Quote" Here Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ohio Age: 37 Posts: 345	One reason I never got Tivo is that the cable and satalitte providers said they would have it soon. They have already started it. The speks for the the Time Warner system blow Tivo away. The player is also free as long as you already have digital cable. Plus its only $10 a month cant beat that. Its just like most things there will always be that first one great new ideal nut it will soon fade once a large company comes out with there piece of the pie and they will make it beeter and cheaper

02-06-2003, 07:52 AM	#7
*John* The race is back! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: On the mat Age: 39 Posts: 40,434	Well, Tivo is owned by a "large company", and they've been keeping up with the competition. The new Series2 PVR's kick butt over the originals. For those of us who don't have Time Warner cable, it's still the best choice out there. TiVo is owned by Gemstar, which owns Hughes, DirecTV, and TV Guide magazine, among other things.

02-07-2003, 06:21 PM	#10
*John* The race is back! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: On the mat Age: 39 Posts: 40,434	BF, TiVo is owned by the same company that makes DirecTV. So, integration is the thing. It's a shame that the systems for DirecTV and the stand-alone systems are completely different. DirecTV DVR: $4.95 per month, record 2 programs while watching a third, and built-in DirecTV tuner. TiVo Stand-alone: $12.95 per month, record 1 program while watching a second, and may or may not be compatible with your cable box if you have one. Really, a shame, because it's pretty hard to plunk down $350 for a TiVo box, and still have to pay either $300 for the lifetime fee, or $12.95 per month additionally. And not even get any more functionality recording-wise than my VCR. If I could record 2 programs while watching a third, it might be worth it.