Motorola combines DVR with cellphone for place-shifting service

 

Motorola appears ready to take on the Slingbox and Sony's LocationFree TV with a new service that allows customers to stream television from a DVR to a cellphone. However, there are some caveats that may make the service little more than a novelty for the time being. The biggest limitation for the moment is that the service will require both a Motorola DVR and a next-gen RAZR phone. Since Moto's DVRs are built into set-top boxes provided by cable companies, and not sold directly to consumers, this means the potential user base is defined not by customer choice, but by the vagaries of the cable market. And, of course, you need a specific phone model -- one that doesn't currently exist on the market -- to make the service work as well. However, given that the service is just in demo mode at this point, a lot can change before it goes public. And Moto may well learn from Sony's experience with LocationFree that it's better to open up, rather than trying to force customers to stick with a closed system.

[monal @ Apr 6th 2006 4:59PM]

i'll stick to orb.......

[Mike @ Apr 6th 2006 5:04PM]

Wonder how much a month service companies would charge for that kind of service. Verizon already has their V-Cast,they're not going to want to decrease their user base for that service...I wonder how much a month it would cost, the data transfer rates are pretty ridiculous as it is and there would be a lot of data floating through the air streaming video like that...

[darkmoon @ Apr 6th 2006 5:12PM]

I truly wonder if anyone besides myself and a couple other engineers at my employment actually bothers to read Engadget. If management/sales did, they would definitely learn something direct from the consumer market (or in this case, Engadget, whom reviews for the consumer market).

Of course, I've been preaching "opening it up" for the all of the years I've been here. Obviously you guys aren't seeing any changes, because I sure don't. Or perhaps peons don't get to see changes. *grin* In any case, believe me when I say... deaf ears deaf ears. You'd be more likely to get someone to listen for those that develop for Moto Asia (since the A series was linux at least).

Great idea but I have a feeling that if the stars, sun and moon aren't exactly right, this product line will probably go the same way the IMFree did (which by the way would have been a brilliant product IF it was opened up).

Time will tell.

[madisonpark @ Apr 6th 2006 5:38PM]

I agree! Orb works great and is free (for now at least). I keep thinking someone like Yahoo! will want to acquire them and integrate some advertising into the service.

[torkhum @ Apr 6th 2006 6:16PM]

What the @#$&% is a DVR? jk. Why these companies spend all the RnD money and bring stupid ideas to live? Perhaps the R division could use extra time to do their job before getting to D. D is before R in alphabet, but in business -it leads to this.

[torkhum @ Apr 6th 2006 6:22PM]

What the @#$&% is a DVR? jk. Why these companies spend all the RnD money and bring stupid ideas to live? Perhaps the R division could use extra time to do their job before getting to D. D is before R in alphabet, but in business -it leads to this.

[torkhum @ Apr 6th 2006 6:23PM]

Whats up with the "Add Your Comments" submit button? Does anyone else get the javascript errors? It has been happening for a while now!

[calc.exe @ Apr 6th 2006 6:28PM]

New features in mobile phones tend to be tied to services carriers can charge for. Since this bypasses the carrier, I can't see them wanting to sell this.

Perhaps cable operators will start subsidizing phones? Though I don't want my cable bill to go up either.

[torkhum @ Apr 6th 2006 6:35PM]

Whats up with the "Add Your Comments" submit button? Does anyone else get the javascript errors? It has been happening for a while now!

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Code: 0

[Big Ice D @ Apr 6th 2006 6:47PM]

Hmmm. Let's say for example Time Warner Cable, offers Moto set top DVR boxes. They also offer high speed data and VOIP in addition to their video services. You thinking what I'm thinking? What if TWC picked up a Wireless carrier or rolled out nationwide WiMax/Bro/whatevs that ties into the voip #, DVR set top/High speed data plan all on one bill??? What if you could lease your new Moto DVR Razr phone like we do our set top boxes. Now that's a monopoly I could get behind. Doesn't have to be TWC, it could be Cox,adelphia,charter,whoever as long as the net works.

[Unknown Tip @ Apr 6th 2006 6:48PM]

If you really want to see this in action now as opposed to later, check out this site

http://anders.com/cms/163/TiVo/Slingbox/EVDO/Mashup

Apparently this fellow Anders has connected an old TiVO with a Slingbox to transfer his shows to his new PPC-6700 phone.

Talk about next-gen! Sure Verizon's got VCast, but this is content that YOU want when you want it. So even if you're stuck in mile long traffic or at another airport waiting for your delayed (again) flight, you can hop on and watch the latest episode of Lost or whatever on your phone.

All of this (and a hefty price tag to do it) now with CURRENT technology. Now that's amazing!

[Jeff Hammer @ Apr 6th 2006 6:49PM]

It'll be years before these product vendors realize how to compete with Sling Media and the SlingBox. I'm an avis user of The SlingBox, which allows me to take my place shifting experience with me across many devices, using a non-proprietary structure. I can extend my MLB DirecTV Season Pass or anything recorded on my TiVo to my laptop or PPC-6700, as long as I have a broadband connection. I understand Motorola wanting to get their hat in the place shifting game, but like many of the other posters have stated, they should have waited until they could bring an open source product to market.

[Curt Onstott @ Apr 6th 2006 7:25PM]

If it is anything like Motorola's current DVRs, you will need to go home 3 times a day to power cycle it.

[Camperton @ Apr 6th 2006 10:47PM]

what's this useful for other than maybe continuing to watch a show (on a miniscule screen) while you go to the can.... but since you can pause a DVR anyway... I give up.

[Skrilla @ Apr 7th 2006 10:31AM]

because I want to watch TV on my cell phone... NOT!

[Tyler @ Apr 7th 2006 10:50AM]

I really like this idea, I'd love to be able to record things like sports news and business news, and then put it on my phone every morning to watch on that bus ride. I certainly wouldn't use it for a movie though. Only problem: you gotta have a Moto DVR. Anyone know a way to do this with a more generic set up? I'm Canadian so no TIVO for me.

People metion ORB, where can I find out more about that?

[Corey @ Apr 11th 2006 2:30AM]

thanks, but i'll stick with my Ipod video and my TIVO.

~P

[Anders @ Apr 18th 2006 11:19AM]

Watching shows on your cellphone is a novelty for me. Sure, I might fire it up if I have nothing else to do in an airport somewhere, but I'm not going to watch TV on this thing regularly. However, the ability to pull this thing out of my pocket on a moment's notice and schedule a recording through the familiar TiVo interface is unmatched. It pretty much means I place shift my scheduling so I can watch whatever I want when I'm at home.