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DirecTV adds 81,000 subscribers during Q1 in the US, increases revenue by 12 percent
Unlike with Comcast, Wall Street experts weren't surprised by DirecTV's latest Q1 results -- in fact, they were quite disappointed. The satellite provider only managed to add 81,000 subscribers in the US of A during the quarter, which is more than a 50 percent decrease compared to last year's Q1 (184,000). Meanwhile, DirecTV did see a 12 percent increase in revenue, pushing the total to about $7.05 billion. That last bit thanks in large part to landing over 590,000 new customers in Latin America, though that didn't keep its current share price from dropping about 2.7 percent to $46.60. Nonetheless, DirecTV CEO, Mike White, says his company "delivered another strong quarter [..] highlighted by double-digit revenue, EPS and cash flow growth." Us? Well, we're wondering why those "roadside ditch" commercials aren't luring more Stateside folks away from cable...
DirecTiVo now available nationwide, please try to contain your excitement
A couple of months after making its long (really long) awaited appearance in "select markets" the DirecTiVo is now officially available nationwide. Die-hard fans of the combo of peanut remote and satellite TV finally have a crack at the box for the same $199 up front price tag, plus attached service fee, HD access fee and DVR fee. This also means foregoing things like 3D, multiroom support, Premiere UI and live streaming iPad apps, but that's part of the deal for the TiVo HD DVR from DirecTV. Check the press release after the break for more details on what the box can do, or just hit the source link to head directly to DirecTV's info page.
Upgraded DirecTiVos from WeaKnees are on deck
The only thing better than finally receiving the DVR you've waiting five years for is receiving one with four times the capacity as your provider wanted to give you. That is exactly what WeaKnees has done for years and exactly what it's doing now with the latest DirecTiVo, now that the first shipment has been received. For $599 you can now order the THR22 with a 2TB hard drive ($400 premium over the stock unit) which thanks to the magic of MPEG-4 -- and over-compression -- means a whole lot of recording capacity. The only rub is that technically these are "leased" boxes and would need to be returned to DirecTV if you ever canceled your service. And then there is the warranty, which has to be done via WeaKnees, else your potential replacement box won't include the premium capacity you paid for.
DirecTV's TiVo ready to return December 8th in a few markets
It's been over three years since we first heard a new TiVo was coming to DirecTV, but the satellite broadcaster has finally revealed it will be available -- in select markets -- starting December 8th, the same day its own HR34 multiroom solution becomes available. Both the HR34 and the TiVo HD DVR from DirecTV (THR22-100) got the official nod in DirecTV's installer forums, informing techs the $199 TiVo box would be available for an extra $5 / month service fee, in addition to the $10 / month HD Access and $7 / month DVR tariffs. What does that extra scratch buy you? The new box can access all of DirecTV's live, on demand and pay-per-view video, downloading updates via satellite, and supports remote DVR scheduling through the website. On the downside however, there's no mention of the new TiVo Premiere UI or internet streaming, and it does not support other add-ons like 3D, whole home DVR, apps, or DirecTV's iPad app. One way or another, starting Thursday customers will have their choice of HD DVR satellite boxes, so hit the source link for a few more details and a PDF spec sheet (also pictured in the gallery). Update: Official details from TiVo are included after the break, mentioning a nationwide rollout will occur next year. [Thanks, @TechWzrd] %Gallery-141132%
TiVo Q4 results bring first sub growth in years, DirecTiVo is imminent
While many consumers are still waiting for something new from TiVo -- finally enabling the second processor core on Premieres this weekend is a nice step, but how about more HD menus? -- said company has found growth for the first time in four years by turning to a more traditional way to sell set-top boxes in the US. Yes, the growth is mostly thanks to six months of success with Virgin Media and other provider deals like the one with RCN. TiVo netted an additional 117,000 this quarter, bringing the total to just over 2 million and even more growth is expect in the coming months -- despite the continuous drop in retail subscribers -- thanks to the expected limited release of the DirecTiVo in December, with a more widespread release next year. This helped TiVo realize a 25 percent year-over-year growth in revenues, but still wasn't enough to hold off a net loss, which came in at a cool 24.5 million for the quarter. You have to stop going down before you can go up, but more TiVos in more homes is a good thing for just about everyone involved.
TiVo talks cable, satellite deals in Q2 results; DirecTiVo exposed! (video)
TiVo's results for the second quarter are here and there were a few tidbits that let us know where its products are going in the future. Despite reporting a net loss for the quarter, its cash position was up after receiving the first $300 million payment from its settlement with Dish Network. Things appear to be going well with Virgin Media in the UK where it reported 50,000 TiVo's live by the end of July and ONO is closing in on a launch in Spain, while closer to home RCN is almost ready to officially offer a whole-home DVR setup based on the quad-tuner TiVo Premiere Q. Charter and DirecTV are mentioned as "progressing towards launch", but the company seems particularly excited to see the current state of patent warfare going on, trumpeting its 210 issued patents and 389 applications. Speaking of the DirecTivo, an apparent training video has leaked. ZatzNotFunny has more information, but it reveals the hardware and UI, which disappointingly harken back to the days of older Series3 hardware instead of the updated HD menus on the new Premiere boxes. Check out the video and Q2 press release after the break.
New DirecTiVo launch may not come until later this year
We've got bad news for anyone (still) waiting on the new DirecTiVo. The newly relaunched Gizmo Lovers blog points out a FAQ page on DirecTV.com saying the box is still waiting for production approval, although it's "optimistic" the box will see a release in the 2011 calendar year. Even that rings hollow, however, as our friend Dave Zatz mentions on Twitter that he's heard it may not arrive until November at the earliest. It's been nearly three years since the new box was first announced, anyone want to lay a wager down on whether the TiVo Premiere will get its second core enabled before we ever see a new TiVo for DirecTV released?
DirecTiVo surfaces briefly on DirecTV.com, is it almost here?
Posters on the DBSTalk.com forum are reporting they got a quick glimpse of a $99 TiVo HD-DVR from DirecTV on the satellite company's website today, as shown in the screenshot by "J Blow" above. He reports it went through, charging $105 after tax and including a $5 TiVo service fee and $6 receiver lease fee. There's also an additional picture pointing out features like "swivel search" that definitely suggest a throwback to the old TiVo HD menus and not the new Premiere UI. As ZatzNotFunny points out previous rumors and tweets have suggested a launch this summer, but after so many delays, we're not getting excited just yet.
DirecTV announces positive Q4 results; no word on new HD channels, DirecTiVo or 24/7 ESPN 3D
While its cable competition deals with fears of cord cutting and losing customers DirecTV's Q4 results reveal it's continuing to add subscribers, growing by 289,000 in the US alone and even more in Latin America. Of course, good news for investors doesn't necessarily mean anything for customers, as news on any new HD channels and the much-anticipated DirecTiVo were notable in their absence. However, our friends at ZatzNotFunny points out both a tweet by the official DirecTV account suggesting the DVR could be delayed (again & again & again) to the second half of the year, and a forum post on DBSTalk that pictures what might be the final hardware and suggests it could end up shipping with the classic TiVo interface. One more interesting note? DirecTV hasn't picked up the 24/7 feed of ESPN 3D, opting to keep it live events only for now for unknown reasons, according to Explore 3DTV.
TiVo banking on the software business, delays DirecTV HD unit to 2011
It's been five years since TiVo first promised DirecTV customers an HD DVR and two years since the company reaffirmed that claim, so if you've been waiting patiently you probably know what we're going to say -- it's been delayed yet again. TiVo marketing VP Joe Miller told PC Magazine that the fabled DirecTiVo will actually appear "early next year," which should give you plenty of time to work out your rage. Before you storm off to your standard-definition video collection, however, there's another thing you might like to know: the executive also not-so-subtly suggested that TiVo's hardware business won't be a focus for long. In a series of increasingly telling quotes, Miller called software the company's "core competence," said it was "in our blood" and "the thing we do well," and even added that "the software is what we're all about." To be completely frank, TiVo has held the gold standard for DVR software for over a decade, but that's mostly because no one successfully stepped up to the plate -- not even TiVo itself, whose Premiere interface shipped the definition of half-baked. So when the company suggests that software is one of its strengths, please pardon a few chuckles from our corner of the room.
DirecTV Q1 results are great for profits, multi-room viewing and RVU -- but not DirecTiVo
It's not difficult to guess what's on the soundtrack around DirecTV's headquarters, with revenue and earnings results that beat analysts estimates for the first quarter. That's thanks to higher prices and increased HD and DVR revenue (DirecTiVo? Yeah right, according to the conference call, it could be pushed back until "maybe the end of this year, or maybe early next year,") while it also experienced a net increase of 100,000 subscribers over the period. Of course launching DirecTV 3D is a major focus for the rest of the year, as well as increased VOD with DirecTV Cinema, multi-room viewing (officially rolling out next week) and "connected home" initiatives. All the dirty details are in the reports and transcripts linked below, dive in as deeply as you dare.
New DirecTV TiVo HD due in the Spring of 2010
In this interesting fate of TiVo piece in Multichannel news this week, littered among all the reasons TiVo may or may not make it through the next couple of years was this little gem about the new DirecTV TiVo HD. Previously promised to be released during 2009 and then delayed until sometime in 2010, Multichannel news now says it is actually anticipated in the spring of 2010. Which means that if it doesn't get delayed again, it will have taken just under two years since the announcement for it to hit the street. Does that sound ridiculous to anyone else?
Is a new TiVo imminent?
It is no secret that we have a love hate relationship with TiVo. Many of us use them everyday and could easily fill your ear with gripes. It is one of the reasons we've had TiVo on a deathwatch for almost half of the company's 10 year life. Now we do believe it is the best HD DVR set-top on the market --which isn't saying much -- and because we believe that there is something here to salvage, we try our best to offer some constructive criticism. So when our optimistic side saw news about the $50 price break on the current models, we started to think, dream, that this might be a closeout and that a new TiVo might be imminent. Here are the facts. TiVo hasn't released a new DVR since the TiVo HD in the Summer of 2007. The last major TiVo announcement was September of 2008 when a new DirecTV HD TiVo was revealed. The chip that makes the TiVo magic happen just got a big upgrade when Broadcom announced the super feature rich BCM7125. A new 802.11N WiFi adapter was submitted to the FCC, even though the current TiVos can barely utilize all of a 802.11G connection. Add all of this in with the fact that 2010 is supposed to be the big year for a real tru2way launch, and we officially have our hopes up that TiVo has a big announcement for 10th CES in January. Now before you get too excited, we should point out that TiVo hasn't made any big announcements at CES since 2005, and has even told some that TiVo won't make big announcements at the show because they tend to be overshadowed. Now we'd argue that if you have something big enough to be a highlight of the show, then there is no better time, otherwise yeah, wait for a slow news day. All that being said, the original DirecTV TiVo HD (2004) and the Series 3 (2005) were both announced at the big show. Of course we will have to wait to find out, but in the meantime click through to see our personal wish list.
TiVo projects larger than expected losses, still taking the patent fight to AT&T and Verizon
We'll let the analysts make sense of TiVo's new projection that it will lose $8 to $10 million in the third quarter, larger than Wall Street expectations while projected revenues are lower -- we're too busy adding Verizon and AT&T to the patent battlemap. Today it filed complaints against both for violating three of its DVR-related patents -- Nos. 6,233,389 B1 ("Multimedia Time Warping System"), 7,529,465 B2 ("System for Time Shifting Multimedia Content Streams"), and 7,493,015 B1 ("Automatic Playback Overshoot Correction System") if you must know -- seeking damages for past infringement and a permanent injunction. We'd assumed it would wait until settling things with DISH to push forward against other companies, but it looks like we're not the only ones getting impatient. Beyond the legal slapfight there's a few nuggets for the bleep bloop faithful, with the Comcast TiVo on-line scheduler beginning to roll out in Boston plus further expansions on the way and the due-in-2010 DirecTV HD TiVo still on track -- we'll need a few seasons of Law & Order queued up before this mess ever gets resolved.Read - TiVo Swings to Loss, Files Infringement SuitsRead - TiVo Reports Results for the Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2010 Ended July 31, 2009Read - TiVo Files Complaints for Patent Infringement Against AT&T and Verizon Communications in United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas; Seeking Damages and Injunction
DirecTV HD TiVo actually not due until 2010
We got pretty excited last week when we saw that the DirecTV Twitter feed indicated that the DirecTV HD TiVo was still on track for the second half of 2009 -- as promised. But shortly after the feed was once again updated and the gem isn't due this year after all. We're not sure what caused the mix-up, but it looks like another year of waiting for those TiVo fans who prefer satellite over cable.
New DirecTV TiVo HD still on schedule for this year
We can't believe it, but Twitter is really taking over the world. We mean, first celebrities found it and now it seems to be the source of some solid gadget news: like confirmation from DirecTV that the new DirecTV TiVo HD is on schedule to be released by the end of this year. It's been over six months since DirecTV and TiVo announced plans to once again work together, but after the announcement that DirecTV suspended its Media Center tuner project, we had fears that whatever put that project ice, affected the TiVo project as well. Don't get too excited just yet though, as there is still no word if the new DirecTiVo will be missing key features like TiVoToGo and Multi-Room Viewing, like the old one.
Hell freezes over, new DirecTV HD TiVo on the way
We had to pinch ourselves and check to see if it was April 1st, because after three years of hearing TiVo fans complain that DirecTV killed off the HD DirecTV TiVo on its move to MPEG4, the satellite company has finally listened. TiVo and DirecTV announced today that sometime during the second half of 2009, a new HD DirecTV TiVo will be available and will include "the latest TiVo and DirecTV features and services" -- there is however no word if this will include favorites such as TiVoToGo or Multi-Room veiwing. Like the previous TiVo models made specifically to work with DirecTV, it will be sold and marketed through DirecTV -- at a yet to be announced price -- and as we've seen in other recent TiVo deals, DirecTV will continue to market and support its own DVR as a "primary offering" which is just fine with us, just so long as we have a choice in the matter, we're cool.[Thanks, Brad]
DirecTV TiVo's owners finally get an update
DirecTV TiVo owners won't give up on having TiVo and DirecTV together -- no matter how many HD channels DirecTV adds -- at least they received a little consolation recently as DirecTV pushed down a long awaited update (6.4a). All the new features included in the update are an old hat to stand-alone TiVo owners, but appreciated all the same as DirecTV subscribers can finally take advantage of having a Recently Deleted folder, Overlap Protection, and DirecTV Remote Booking. As for the rest of the cool features missing like Multi-room viewing, TiVo To Go, and Internet content, we figure they have about as a good of a chance of being added as there is that DirecTV will release a new MPEG4 DirecTiVo, so don't hold your breath.[Via GizmoLovers.com]
DirecTV rolls out remote recording
We can't count the number of times we've gotten to work and remembered we forgot to schedule that night's American Idol football game to record on DirecTV, and wished we could do it using just our cell phone. Well, the satellite provider is adding the capability to do just that: with the DVR Scheduler (previously known as Remote Booking), you can log onto the mobile site at m.directv.com, and bounce a record signal from DirecTV's satellite down to your DVR in minutes. The soft launch has HR20-700 DVR models going live right about now, with more models and an official rollout scheduled for February. Even the venerable TiVo HR10-250 is scheduled to get this feature, and it's sure to be a big hit with commuters, travelers -- and the rest of us who don't properly set up our season pass recordings.
How-To: Revive your TiVo
It's no secret: we love our DirecTiVo. But last week a power outage mysteriously took out one of our poor, beloved time shifting friends. After the carnage, the poor critter powered up and displayed the Green Screen of Death. In today's How-To we'll grab some junk out of the closet and rebuild our TiVo -- maybe, just maybe this could help if you too have a dead or dying TiVo in your home.
