TiVo’s Had That for Years

One of the things that makes me smile the most is when tech companies start touting a feature they’ve added to their product that another has had for years. Recently DirecTV has been running a marketing blitz letting the world know you can program your DirecTV DVR from the Internet.

No kidding? Really? Interesting. See – I’ve been able to do that with my TiVo for years.

Quick show of hands – who knew you could program a TiVo from the Internet? For the two of you who raised your hands, put your hands down if you heard it from me.

That’s what I thought.

This leads us to the greatest problem with TiVo – their marketing department (assuming they have one), well, sucks.

I’m often asked why I don’t use <fill in satellite or cable provider’s DVR solution here>. The simple answer – it’s not TiVo. TiVo offers me features that I can’t get from any other provider, including:

• The ability to schedule from the Internet. Just head on over to TiVo’s site and you can program anything you like. Or you can do it from Yahoo. Or if you download i.TV you can schedule it from your iPhone (thanks to Jarod for that tip).
• Access to many streaming media options, including Amazon, Netflix, YouTube and, soon, Blockbuster.
• The ability to transfer most recordings off the TiVo onto a computer (which makes for great plane viewing) or a shared server in the house.
• The ability to transfer programs from one TiVo to another. (I thoroughly enjoyed watching AT&T U-verse get all excited about this feature that TiVo’s had for years.)

The simple fact of the matter is that there is not a device that offers me what TiVo does. Unfortunately, as TiVo slowly dies on the vine, few people know what TiVo actually brings to the table. Hopefully TiVo will start putting together a good marketing campaign.

Hopefully.