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Program Tivo over AOL

Posted by timothy on from the assimilation dept.

mynametaken writes: "Saw this article about AOL and Tivo partnering to offer services. The gist: Terms of the pact call for San Jose, Calif.-based TiVo to integrate AOL features like instant messaging (IM) and live chat into its new TiVo Series2 DVRs, which were introduced earlier this year. Also, both companies are working to provide AOL members who are also TiVo subscribers with the ability to schedule recordings on their TiVo from the AOL service. I know that being able to program a PVR remotely is a big request. It looks like we'll have to have AOL to do it, though."

5 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. Is this useful? by phoenix26x · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Disclaimer: I do not own a tivo. I have seen them in use, though.

    I fully understand how remotely updating your preferences would be useful. Say you are at work, a coworker tells you about a certain program thats on an hour before you get home. Log on to AOL (sigh) and update your prefs! In contrast, would anyone really want IM and chat capabilties in their PVR? Can anyone think of a good use?

  2. AOL in trouble? by billnapier · · Score: 2, Interesting

    At the same time, TiVo will return to AOL $48 million of a $200 million investment made in June 2000 because "the new product offering will not require the subsidy payments contemplated at the time of the original agreement," TiVo officials said in a statement. AOL in turn will return 1.6 million shares of TiVo preferred stock to the DVR concern.

    With all the talks about AOL-TimeWarner having some financial trouble (with AOL's stock dropping in the toiliet), I wonder if this has anything to do with AOL needing their money back?

  3. This is Great! by Qwerpafw · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well, maybe not great, but I think that this turn of events is properly termed a "Really Good Thing!"

    After they finish with napster (if ever) the media companies seem to have set their sights on TiVo as their next target. What with the "PVR=illegal" comment by Jamie Kellner, and the disapproval in general of being able to record and store media, its not a wonder the lawsuits haven't already begun.

    Having AOL Time Warner throw their weight behind TiVo (if only partially), will at least make most companies think twice before going after TiVo, not to mention add a veneer of legitamacy to the whole PVR movement.

    Plus, since Jamie Kellner is CEO of turner broadcasting (owned by AOL Time Warner), maybe his superiors will get him to shut up :).

  4. ReplayTV by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    ReplayTV already has the capability to program the DVR from the internet.

  5. same as that Dallas Morning News mess... by SethJohnson · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The real irony with yesterday's story about the Dallas Morning News opposing 'deep linking' the technological retards at the dallas morning news had invested heavily in a startup company whose only product "...instructs your Web browser to go directly to a page within a Web site, eliminating the need to go through several links."

    Geez. Even when every other critic in the world had pronounced the CueCat a stupid idea and a failed business effort, the Dallas Morning News kept supporting it. Now they've turned a 180 and want to force people to click through as many pages as possible. What gives?

    I can understand how a mega-goliath like AOL-TimeWarner might be at opposing ends of an issue. Sort of like how Sony makes CDRW drives and also finances the RIAA in battling piracy. But the Dallas Morning News people who are running their website (and presumeably the CueCat debachle) probably all sit in the same building.
    Seth
    --
    $5 / month hosted VPS on linux = awesome!