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TiVo Basic

Posted by timothy on from the overdue dept.

Keith Russell writes "TiVo has announced a new TiVo Basic service. ( Press release here, CNet story here) The Basic service only offers a 3-day program grid, and doesn't include title searches, season passes, or wish lists. There's no subscription fees for Basic, however, and it can be upgraded to a full-on Series 2 unit by the usual payment options ($12.95/mo. or $299 lifetime). The first product to include it is a Toshiba DVD player with an 80 GB hard drive and progressive-scan output of both DVD and Tivo content."

6 of 288 comments (clear)

  1. Marketing mantra by djupedal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...first one's free.

  2. will have to be carful by pres · · Score: 4, Insightful


    Tivo will have to be careful that this doesn't hurt them. By removing a lot of the power of Tivo people might try it out, hate it, and leave.
    They will have to make it clear what the added features will give you. (Perhaps a 30 day free trial of the upgraded service?) I know that once I saw the good stuff I would not willingly switch back.

    1. Re:will have to be carful by ryanvm · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Good point. I think they should make an extra effort to make sure that people understand the usefullness of "season passes".

      Perhaps Tivo Basic should allow up to 3 season passes. Otherwise many people are likely to just think, "whoopee - it's a two-week version of TV Guide."

  3. This is to compete with self made PVRs? by mao+che+minh · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Is this a subtle move to compete with self made PVRs? Let me spin a theory: In addition to exposing potential customers to the benefit of a TiVo, TiVo will also offer "techies" TiVo features embedded in other devices (or a soon to be released cheap and limited TiVo's) in order to dissude them from avoiding the TiVo exposure all together by building their own PVRs.

    In any case, this is a good idea, and great for the consumer. I already anticipate answering my fiance's mother's 5,000 questions about TiVo once she buys a DVD player with limited TiVo features in it. I also begrudingly look forward to configuring it for her - every other day - for a year.

  4. Re:The Toshiba Box: RD-X2 by mgs1000 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Actually, with TyTool and now the very niceTyStudio, resourceful TiVo hackers have been extracting video and burning it on a DVDs for a while now. (DirecTivo users can even get DD 5.1 sound)

  5. Re:Tivo sucks by kongjie · · Score: 4, Insightful
    It's not only a little silly to offer a comment on something you have no interest in, it's also a waste of space.

    And in the end you're not against Tivo; you're against television. As the preceding reply to your comment noted, Tivo has the opportunity to free up more "fresh air" time if your program viewing doesn't broaden after getting it.

    And unless you're typing your comments on a laptop with wireless access, maybe you should get outside more often.