TiVo To Return To DirecTV in Mid-2009

Subscribe to our FREE weekly newsletter Print this article

tivo_logo.jpgLeading satellite provider DirecTV confirmed that rumors of the TiVo operating system making a return to their system are in fact true. TiVo, despite being the best operating system for HDTV DVRs by all critical accounts, was dropped by DirecTV like a hot potato when the satellite provider moved to a more HD-channel-rich MPEG 4 format, which forced users to DirecTV's proprietary system that was nowhere near as user-friendly as the Mac-like TiVo system.

Little is known about how TiVo will make its way back into the world of DirecTV. Will the MPG4 receivers installed in the field be able to change to the TiVo operating system? That's unlikely. However, TiVo and HDTV enthusiasts will be able to get TiVo back into their lives if they are willing to once again upgrade their HDTV receivers. It's safe to assume more and more pay-per-play content via partners like Netflix will be part of the new receiver, as will network connectivity, which is part of the digital cable TiVo boxes.

  • Comment on this article

  • By DeepPurple23

Just as a matter of point, TiVo is based on Linux not "mac like". There really is nothing about the interface that is mac-like

Mac is actually very "Linux" like. The OS for Mac OS X is called "Darwin." It is based on the Unix based operating system FreeBSD. FreeBSD and Linux are similar in many ways.

I think the point was that TiVo's interface is simple, intuitive, and visually attractive... all of which is more akin to the Mac than Windows. I use both Mac OS X and Windows all day long. There is a significant difference.

I was an early adopter of TiVo (1999, in fact), and I also have a Comcast DVR which is almost unusable by comparison. Good UI design is critically important. In fact, the lack of TiVo on DirecTV is the main reason I still have Comcast. This report is good news, at least for me.

Post a Comment

You are encouraged to post your comments using Facebook on HomeTheaterReview.com. Simply sign in to your Facebook account below and post away.

Featured Audio-Video News

24-Tech: Ideas On How To Get Your Home Theater Working Like It's Installed At CTU

24-Tech: Ideas On How To Get Your Home Theater Working Like It's Installed At CTU -

24 was a great show that had some ridiculously impressive technology. So impressive, it defied the reality of the actual technology used. However, the ideas are great. Jerry Del Colliano thinks about how those ideas could be translated to home theaters.

Latest Satellite Receiver & HD DVR News

Mohu's Leaf Antenna Helps Users to Save on HDTV -

Mohu is helping consumers cut the cord by offering the Leaf Antenna, a new antenna that allows users to get access to HDTV channels that are broadcast over the air, helping cut the cost of HDTV.

Toshiba Regza DBR-M190 Blu-ray Player Has A 5TB Hard Drive -

Toshiba has come up with a rather impressive device in the Toshiba Regza Blu-ray DBR-M190, which also serves as a media server and DVR. But there is also some bad news attached to the device.

Study Shows Your Cable Box Is The Real AC Power Pig In Your AV System -

There has been a lot of effort over the years to make televisions consume less energy, but now there is a new menace, one that comes in a smaller box but consumes a great deal more energy.

Set-Top Boxes to Disappear -

As the world of home theater evolves, so must the technology in it. According to a panel of industry professionals, the world of set-top boxes is changing. It may very well be ending altogether.

Court Orders Dish Network to Shut Down DVRs -

Dish Network is in trouble with the US Court of Appeals over its use of TiVo. TiVo is trying to get a full injunction against Dish Network while Dish is suggesting that they will appeal the ruling. Read more details here.

Rovi Extends Cable Video to Tablets and Smart Phones -

Rovi, the leader in streaming media for HDTVs, Blu-ray players and beyond, now has a solution that will allow set-top box users of HDTV to stream their media from their HDTV feed to their mobile devices like iPhones and iPads.

DISH Network Introduces TV Everywhere -

Wanna watch television on your smartphone? Dish Network now has a solution that can make this a reality for people with certain phones, tablets and other devices. TV Everywhere is what the new service is called.

DISH Network Offers Google TV Solution -

A product no one wanted gets a solution no one asked for courtesy of DISH Network, the champions of cheap HDTV service and cable packages in the US. DISH is a solid company but clearly number two among the satellite providers but don't think that's stopping them from trying their own Google TV experiment because if Avis taught us anything its that when you're second you have to try harder.

Elgato Debuts EyeTV HD DVR -

Wanna watch HDTV content on your Mac? Studios and networks might not like it but Elgato, a new high technology company, has a solution for those in the Cult of Mac that is pretty cool.

Motorola Introduces 3DTV Set-tops for Cable Providers -

Motorola, one of the longest-existing names in home electronics, is bringing out software enhancements for its DCX line of set-tops, which will include improvements in 3D video processing, the company's Mobile Devices and Home department announced last week.