# Tivo HDTV PVR - Cable?



## Bleeding Edge (Mar 2, 2004)

While I've been patiently waiting for a price break on the DirecTV TIVO PVR, my cable company is now offering HDTV.

I believe the $999 current price for the DirecTV unit is gouging and price fixing. It was really poor form when DirecTV nixed the $899 pre-release discounted price offered by some retailers.

If the cable version is due to be released pretty soon, I may just wait. 

So, the question is --- when will a Tivo PVR for cable be available? It really doesn't matter to me whether the HDTV Tivo PVR is satellite or cable. Does anyone have any information on the cable HDTV PVR from TIVO or anyone else? TIA.


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## mini1 (Jan 25, 2004)

only problem here, the cable version of the HD Tivo has no release date, and I have never seen any official plan's from Tivo for one to be made any time soon. The $1k price tag the HD DirecTivo carries is fully worth it. read an itemized list of the components that go into the unit and you will see how little money DirecTV actully makes off the unit. a cable DVR is nothing compared to a Tivo. plain and simple. it can't touch a Tivo in terms of everything. No cable company has the rights to Tivo or any of the specific features Tivo uses. it does however compare to a digital VCR or a Dish DVR. I also would bet that DirecTV will surpass your cable companies offering of HD channels by year end with 15-20 offcial channels, including INHD 1 & 2.


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## Capmeister (Sep 16, 2003)

Bleeding Edge said:


> I believe the $999 current price for the DirecTV unit is gouging and price fixing.


Um... how so?


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## Bleeding Edge (Mar 2, 2004)

Capmeister said:


> Um... how so?


See here:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=26411&highlight=discount+tivo

Page down to dswallow's April 16th, 2004, 10:34 AM posting.

He states as follows:

"DirecTV on 4/4/2004 told its dealers it's enforcing a $999 minimum advertised price and anyone violating it would be penalized in some manner in their relationship."

This sounds like price fixing to me.



mini1 said:


> The $1k price tag the HD DirecTivo carries is fully worth it.


No real argument here. But if $899 includes an adequate markup, then $999 is at least pushing it.


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## paulh (Mar 17, 2003)

Sony enforces a minimum advertised price. I think many other electronics companies do, also. 
Ever noticed ads with a certin price plus an additional instant savings (Wouldn't a store get more sales if they advertied a lower price), or online having to place an item in your "shopping cart" before the lower price shows up?


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

"Price fixing" is when multiple suppliers conspire to fix prices of a common commodity or product.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

I remember paying $800 for my Sony A1 and a dual LNB 18 inch dish when D* first came out. How about $600 for the Mits HR400 HD STB when they first came out. I also had a couple of VCR's that cost over $1,000. Do I wish the HD DirecTivo was cheaper, yes but for dual D*, dual ATSC and a 250GB HDD I think the price is reasonable.


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## mini1 (Jan 25, 2004)

you just going to have to face that ALL new big time highly advanced electronics are VERY expensive when they come out. some stay that way for a longer time than others. Just sit back and think how much $'s DirecTV and Tivo invested in this unit to make it from scratch. its not like they could just buy a non-working 921 and copy it. the price is right in line with what this unit should cost for the first year and maybe even 2 years on the market.


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## Bleeding Edge (Mar 2, 2004)

I guess you are right. I can remember paying over $1,300 for the first wireless remote VCR by Mitsubishi back around 1980. That would probably be triple that in today's dollars. I eventually sold the unit to my gardener for $10. 

It just bugs me that DirecTV coerced the dealers to toe the line at $999, rather than let them sell at whatever price they saw fit.


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## mini1 (Jan 25, 2004)

most companies do that-you just don't hear about it.


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