Based on a repeated report that DirecTV would stop marketing TiVo's to its customers starting this fall, TiVo shares fell 38 cents on Thursday and dropped another 8 cents today. In Friday trading, TiVo shares closed at $5.54.A DirecTV spokesman said on Thursday that he was "surprised" at Wall Street's reaction because the company had said in January that it would no longer market TiVo's. Instead, DirecTV will market PVRs made by News Corp. subsidiary NDS Group PLC.
However, DirecTV clarified that it would continue to offer TiVo to those customers who wanted it. "If someone calls up and says they want a DVR, the first one that we'll tell you about is the new DVR," the spokesman said. "But if someone says their neighbor has the DirecTV with TiVo, and can they have that one -- we'll still make it available."
So now it should be crystal clear: DirecTV will stop marketing TiVo's, but it won't stop offering them.
1. Direct TV is not Supporting TIVO any longer this statement above is wrong. I asked for a TIVO box and was told they are not supporting them any longer. I was told they are only supporting there new PVR Boxes.
If you can find a TIVO box in a store it will still work for now but you cannot get TIVO from DirecTV directly any longer. It is a shame because TIVO works so much better than the new PVR+ Box Direct TV offers now, and you have to sign up for two years as well. I think DirecTV is trying to drive its customers back to cable.
Posted at 10:39AM on Dec 28th 2005 by jim webb