TiVo and Comcast officially tie the knot

So that didn't take long. After our initial announcement of the TiVo-Comcast talks comes the official confirmation that the deal is done. TiVo's stock prices soared as the announcement came through — up 50 percent to $5.75 in this morning's trading. No financial terms disclosed, but TiVo's service is going to be made widely available to Comcast subscribers in most of its U.S. markets. The pair also plan to develop a version of TiVo for Comcast's existing set-tops, to be marketed with the TiVo brand and expected to roll out in mid-to-late 2006. Start TiVo lifewatch!

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

It was the only way they could stay in the game. Better to be swallowed then to rot. Good luck, guys!

[Ian @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Looks like the stupid grin on the TV's face will be there for a lot longer

[zachary @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Not comcast, anyone but comcast!!!

[Stew @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Good for TiVo. With the loss of DirecTV, they really needed something to keep them (and my lifetime service) going!

[B @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

If it has dual tuners and can work without a phone line, I'm sold. Also, if Comcast was available in my area.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Sounds like TiVo got pretty much what they wanted all along. Sure, they need to adapt their software to work on Comcast boxes, but they'll still be sold as TiVo boxes (they'll be TiVo branded) and will presumably include the TiVo interface and feature set. They won't make as much money per box, but I'm sure their costs will be a lot lower too (no doubt Comcast actually subsidizes the boxes).

My guess is these will be like the DirecTiVos... basically a TiVo but with advantages and disadvantages. Of course, the big advantage will be dual tuner support and better picture quality (no re-compression). If the DirecTiVo boxes are a guide, the disadvantages will be some missing features and a lack of hackability.

[Chris Simmons @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

i'm rich bitch...my TIVO stock finally paid off....ohhh shit I never owned TIVO...or AAPL or SIRI

[Chris Simmons @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

i'm rich bitch...my TIVO stock finally paid off....ohhh shit I never owned TIVO...or AAPL or SIRI

[warrenpeace @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Thank the maker! Phew! That was close. Hopefully this returns them to healthier operations and things start happening. If only they could strike a similar deal in Canada. 'Dear TiVo, I live in Canada and want to give you my money. Are you listening?'

[WheelSee @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I have a whole year to put up with the crappy comcast DVR software...please comcast give us TiVo sooner...

[Pancake @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Like #4 said.

If they dont give us dual tuner/hdtv recording/ and working without a phoneline, I actually might have to stick with my current box. Dual tuners and HDTV recording is just too good.

[Ed @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Now all Comcast has to do is buy Adelphia and I'll be happy...

[tile @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Folks need to calm down on this saving TiVo from its ultimate demise. Financial terms were NOT disclosed but one this is certain, Comcast was in the strength position in terms of deal negotiation so you know they dictated their terms and price. Its not exclusive, they are only using TiVo software, they still will have alternatives, they still are ordering $1B in STBs from Motorola, and they likely won't help in the development costs of the Comcast branded TiVo software...and TiVo could (probably) only say, "Yes, whatever you want Mr. Comcast..."

Snippit from other news outlets:

Comcast said that a TiVo product for its customers would not be available until mid- to late 2006. Comcast also said it would just be using TiVo software, but not a TiVo box.

"Comcast is not using all of TiVo's technology," said April Horace, an analyst with Janco Partners, who questions how much the deal will add to TiVo earnings.

TiVo currently receives about a $1 per month in ongoing fees from DirecTV subscribers who signed up for a TiVo package. But both Horace and Sanderson said they doubted that Comcast agreed to pay anything higher than that.

"People will start dreaming big with Comcast," said Sanderson. "But I'm not sure the economics of this deal will be favorable to TiVo."

Horace added that since TiVo is developing new software for Comcast, she'd want to know how much, if it all, Comcast will be reimbursing TiVo for research and development costs.

The Comcast partnership is also not an exclusive one, so it's not as if TiVo has necessarily scored a big victory over its rivals. In fact, Comcast announced last week that it would be buying $1 billion worth of cable set-top boxes from Motorola

[Homer J @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Thank God. We just bought our NON TECH SAVVY inlaws a TIVO for X-Mas, and I was dreading the compaints about life-time subscription costs if TIVO went under.

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

this actually sucks!
this just means mandatory comercials and crap like that

[David Deane @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Hah!

Shortest "Death Watch" ever!!!

This deal comes awfully close on the heals of TiVo's recent patent activity. I smell a "cause and effect" relationship here somewhere.

Schweet.

[Randolph Lee @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I have had the High Def DirecTive in my Media room on the Pioneer Plama 52"since last october and Adeipha last week replaced the Bedroom Cable box with this Motorola DCT6400 series DVR for the same price to run the Toshiba 32 HLV 84 16X9 DVD combo set... Any While I have a strong cable signal I still see some problems on the high def stations... I have it realy for 3 stations I can not get On Direct Tivo High Def Maine PBS High Def and The INHD stations... so I can not realy comment on the standard analog cable stations... If I had never had a DVR I guess I would Love it But I was one of the first 100 folks east of the Mississippi to get the first direcTivo about a decade ago now and giving up things like slow motion and most especially the 30 sec skip ahead (select play select 30 select bing bing bing) I find very hard... the whole process of finding and setting up the recordings I want is a mess compared to TiVo the guide does not go out anything like the 13 days of DirecTiVo the search and suggestion functions of TiVo... it goes on and on It is very easy to see why Comcast has Signed up with TiVo