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TiVo switches off UK sales

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the boop-boop-ding dept.

SmackCrackAndPot writes "On the TiVo Community forum, there is an announcement that TiVo will be switching off UK sales. This was previously reported in November at BizTech Library. It's probably not too surprising, after the BBC spammed TiVo owners with a new comedy show."

4 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. They did NOT spam by sakusha · · Score: 5, Informative

    What a bunch of crap. TiVo units have a certain amount of memory set aside for "enhanced content" (that means infomercials). If you don't look in the menus, you'd never know it was there, unless you happened to be watching at 4AM when it was captured. In NO way can TiVo be said to be spamming. Someone bought a paid placement. Hey, I hated it when TiVo recorded a bunch of crappy Eminem interviews, but I just didn't watch it, and I certainly didn't whine about it.

    Remember TiVo makes ZERO dollars from hardware sales, they are solely supported by subscription revenues, ad placements, and selling marketing data.

    1. Re:They did NOT spam by nrc · · Score: 5, Informative


      Whether people want to consider what TiVo did SPAM or not doesn't make much difference. It had absolutely nothing to do with TiVo's decision. Suggesting that it did makes the original poster, and slashdot look like idiots to any informed observer - which is to say, pretty much "status quo."

      TiVo simply hasn't found a manufacturer who wants to build and sell TiVo equipment for the U.K. without a subsidy. Given TiVo's need to pare expenses to reach break even before they run out of cash, there really is no other option than to pull the plug.

      As for the "SPAM" issue. I enjoy about 75% of the promotional content that TiVo records automatically. Some folks complain about the extra menu item that becomes available when you've got SPAM, but it doesn't bother me in the least. I can just ignore it. It doesn't use my space and it will go away on it's own after a while.

      Yes, you are welcome to consider it SPAM and decline to buy a TiVo because of it.

  2. The Other Tivo by frankthechicken · · Score: 5, Informative

    In the UK, there is a huge push from sky to sell its Sky + service, which is the main competetion for Tivo here. Haven't actually tried the Tivo, but Sky + is an extremely competent package.

  3. Tivo not necessarily pulling out of UK by Edball · · Score: 5, Informative
    According to this article:

    http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID= 13703

    Thompson, Tivo's manufacturer is the one that pulled out - Tivo is still looking for new manufacturers.