Tivo in merger talks with Rovi!

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IownFIVEechos

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Tivo in merger talks with Rovi!

#1

Post by IownFIVEechos » Thu Mar 24, 2016 3:18 pm

At least we know Tivo will keep getting guide data!

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/busin ... -rovi.html

Space

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#2

Post by Space » Thu Mar 24, 2016 3:37 pm

Would Rovi bring crappy guide data to TiVo, or would the much larger TiVo community be able to make Rovi get their act together to fix their guide data problems?

I don't see it hurting WMC users, and it has the potential to help.
Last edited by Space on Thu Mar 24, 2016 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

IownFIVEechos

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#3

Post by IownFIVEechos » Thu Mar 24, 2016 3:39 pm

Space wrote:Would Rovi bring crappy guide data to TiVo, or would the much larger TiVo community be able to make Rovi get their act together to fix there guide data problems?

I don't see it hurting WMC users, and it has the potential to help.
Me too. I think it helps us. It probably can not hurt as my guide data is the pits! I record things over and over and over because the guide doesn't know its not new. And I get horrible descriptions for mainly kids shows. But how about those who jumped ship to Tivo, they may end up with Rovi anyhows. At least WMC can use alternatives. Not so with Tivo right? What is Tivo currently using for guide data?

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#4

Post by Space » Thu Mar 24, 2016 3:56 pm

TiVo uses Gracenote (TMS), like WMC used to use (and epg123/Schedules Direct users are now using with WMC).

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#5

Post by Scallica » Thu Mar 24, 2016 7:33 pm

Space wrote:Would Rovi bring crappy guide data to TiVo
This.
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#6

Post by RyC » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:01 pm

It's all about the patents (and then all that sweet lawsuit money) :D

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#7

Post by mcewinter » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:03 pm

Scallica wrote:
Space wrote:Would Rovi bring crappy guide data to TiVo
This.
...at the same great price!

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#8

Post by adam1991 » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:21 pm

Scallica wrote:
Space wrote:Would Rovi bring crappy guide data to TiVo
This.
Exactly.

100% this.

Welcome to reality.

Makes me glad now that I did NOT participate in the clearance sale a few months ago.

Let me go check Tablo TV inventory now...

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#9

Post by STC » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:27 pm

I very much doubt TiVo or its users would allow crappy data to continue filtering through. They have something we don't and that is active product support. The other factor to consider is the guide link between Rovi and MS. Data gets munged up during this process. TiVo will have their act together.
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#10

Post by kd6icz » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:41 pm

STC wrote:I very much doubt TiVo or its users would allow crappy data to continue filtering through. They have something we don't and that is active product support. The other factor to consider is the guide link between Rovi and MS. Data gets munged up during this process. TiVo will have their act together.
I agree... TiVo service is expensive for a reason. To have the most powerful guide on earth. It should be good news for WMC/Xbox One users. Rovi isn't going to run to separate guide databases.

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#11

Post by mdavej » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:54 pm

Problem is Rovi will be in charge at that point, not Tivo, and will likely dismantle everything. They won't care about the database or the Tivo product at all. They are probably only after the patents. I expect this to be the death of Tivo.

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#12

Post by STC » Thu Mar 24, 2016 9:07 pm

The play is to combine patents. This is a nice little earner: http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/st ... financials
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#13

Post by adam1991 » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:05 pm

STC wrote:I very much doubt TiVo or its users would allow crappy data to continue filtering through. They have something we don't and that is active product support. The other factor to consider is the guide link between Rovi and MS. Data gets munged up during this process. TiVo will have their act together.
So best case, they fix the Rovi handoff to Tivo, while actively ignoring any Rovi handoff to Tivo competitors like WMC.

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#14

Post by adam1991 » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:08 pm

mdavej wrote:Problem is Rovi will be in charge at that point, not Tivo, and will likely dismantle everything. They won't care about the database or the Tivo product at all. They are probably only after the patents. I expect this to be the death of Tivo.
Exactly. Rovi has an activist investor who forced them to pursue the purchase of Tivo.

And activist investors don't do that to "make Tivo better" or to "help Tivo's customers". They do it to MAKE MONEY--and they make money by doing things like dismantling entire companies and selling off the pieces, while holding the patents.

Hello, Tablo TV.

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#15

Post by STC » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:08 pm

Rovi already supply the data. WMC is no longer the opposition.
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#16

Post by adam1991 » Thu Mar 24, 2016 11:42 pm

STC wrote:Rovi already supply the data. WMC is no longer the opposition.
Nononono, Rovi supplies the data to a WMC box that is not a Tivo box.

Rovi owns Tivo, then what? "Hey, screw that whole WMC thing--let 'em buy Tivo!"

Or would that be Rivo? Get it? Rivo?

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#17

Post by Ed  » Thu Mar 24, 2016 11:52 pm

adam1991 wrote:
STC wrote:Rovi already supply the data. WMC is no longer the opposition.
Nononono, Rovi supplies the data to a WMC box that is not a Tivo box.

Rovi owns Tivo, then what? "Hey, screw that whole WMC thing--let 'em buy Tivo!"

Or would that be Rivo? Get it? Rivo?
They also supply guide data to the XBOX One for TV (and upcoming announced DVR duties) - so no - they won't break their contracts with Microsoft to do so for that or WMC. And their core business is patents and guide data and licensing those as that is much more profitable than the Tivo business (if they do end up getting Tivo) - so there's no reason to think that won't continue to supply/licence out that data for the reason they own Tivo.

As for the talks about them (Rovi) killing Tivo - I don't see it - not anytime soon at least (again, if they even do end up getting it) - there are Cable Cos have a bunch of branded Tivos they continue to supply and have already supplied to their customers. Most I could see is no newer Tivo models/products released. But existing support - especially for Lifetime buyers and Cable Co provided Tivos - will continue.

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#18

Post by adam1991 » Thu Mar 24, 2016 11:59 pm

Frankly, I find all of that extremely naive. Breaking contracts is second nature to these sharks. Break the contract, let the other party make the next move--or not.

And we all know how their guide data business works from our end. They've proven that they're very bad at it, and showed that from day one of the cutover last year.

The activist investor in question has his own agenda, which has nothing at all to do with Rovi or Tivo in particular.

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#19

Post by Ed  » Fri Mar 25, 2016 12:04 am

adam1991 wrote:Breaking contracts is second nature to these sharks. Break the contract, let the other party make the next move--or not..
And open yourself up to a lawsuit from a company as big/with deep pockets/bigger than you such as Microsoft for being in breach of contract and making sure they'll never be a customer of yours again; thus willingly cutting off a secure, consequential revenue stream from a big company. Plus, all the potential lost business such an act/the resulting suit for willy-nilly breaching a contract would bring from other potential/existing customers. Riiiiiiiight. :crazy: Good thing you're not in charge over there :thumbup:

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#20

Post by adam1991 » Fri Mar 25, 2016 12:43 am

Again, you're being naive.

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