Slashdot Mirror
The Rocky TiVo-DirecTV Relationship
Thomas Hawk writes "Phillip Swann's TV Predictions is out this morning alleging that before dumping their TiVo stock last year, Rupert Murdoch's DirecTV had made a pass at buying a controlling stake in TiVo. According to Swann, 'TiVo's top management did not like Murdoch's offer,' and Swann alleges that this is why you had a fallout between the two companies. As an interesting aside, Rob Pegoraro over at the Washington Post was out yesterday warning people to not buy an HDTV TiVo, as DirecTV will be changing their high-def signal later this year and that if you bought the HDTV TiVo that you might not be able to watch network TV in high def. As an owner of one of those expensive high-def DirecTV TiVos, I sure hope this isn't the case."
Pardon my lack of sympathy for HDTV TiVo/DirecTV customers. But as a cable customer stuck for years with a SD Tivo while DirecTV customers have enjoyed their HDTV version, I am only too happy to offer a smug seat on the SDTV couch as we all wait for the day, someday, that the media companies get their act together enough that we can all enjoy more than 5 channels of decent HD content (maybe even time-shift it, too!).
I only fear TiVo might end up as an unfortunate casualty of this extended growing period.