AT&T exploring Deal to sell off DIRECTV.

[NashGuy]

I'm sure Tivo can make it work with existing hardware, and will for the MSO branded boxes. But that doesn't mean that cable companies would be willing to cooperate with Tivo to come up with a solution for consumer owned boxes. That's just added work for them with less revenue, when they are already de-emphasizing TV since they make more of their money from internet these days.

So I don't hold out any hope that my Bolt will someday be capable of working with IPTV delivered Mediacom (and if it did it would probably require updating to TE4 which is a non-starter for me) Whenever they drop cablecard, that will be the end of my Tivo, and the end of my subscription to Mediacom. I keep one eye on Tivo forums where people are already investigating other options. One good possibility looks like Channels DVR, which is able to record the live stream from the "TV Anywhere" provider logins for most cable channels.

TiVo has a new line of hardware and software that they're selling to small/mid-sized MSOs for their IPTV services. See here:

IPTV Platform

TiVo’s IPTV Platform offers a range of robust products powered by our cloud-based TiVo Service to help people find, watch and enjoy the content they love. Supporting IPTV and hybrid environments, it speeds and simplifies access to traditional TV and streaming entertainment on every screen...

business.tivo.com

Among the few that have struck deals with TiVo so far, such as TDS, they're using customized Android TV STBs that are skinned with the TiVo UI.

None of the traditional TiVo DVRs (with QAM tuners and hard drives), such as your Bolt, will ever be updated to work with any MSO's IPTV service. And to the extent that *any* TiVo box works with IPTV, it's because TiVo and that IPTV MSO have a deal in place for TiVo to provide the STBs. There is no industry-wide standard that will ever allow a retail box from TiVo (or anyone else) to be purchased by a consumer and then used with whatever IPTV service he/she wants, the way a CableCARD-equipped TiVo could be used with any QAM-based cable TV service.

 

[Jimbo]

You mean why would SBC buy AT&T and call itself AT&T?

Name Recognition ...

 

[Don in CT]

Name Recognition ...

Exactly. AT&T is a legacy name. Even though the greatness of yesteryear is gone the name still resonates.

 

[navychop]

So does Bell Labs. What wonderful things have come out of them since Nokia took them over?

 

[Claude Greiner]

Exactly. AT&T is a legacy name. Even though the greatness of yesteryear is gone the name still resonates.

Exactly.

If let’s say (So help us god) if Dish and Directv merged.

The Directv name would likely continue as the Dish name would go away as Directv has a way better reputation and brand name than Dish.

 

[ncted]

Directv has a way better reputation and brand name than Dish.

Well, had. Can't really say there is much difference any more thanks to AT&T. If Dish bought DirecTV, I am not sure which way they would go. If a third party owned both, they would probably go with DirecTV as you say.

 

[Don in CT]

Well, had. Can't really say there is much difference any more thanks to AT&T. If Dish bought DirecTV, I am not sure which way they would go. If a third party owned both, they would probably go with DirecTV as you say.

I could see them calling the company DirectDish.

 

[navychop]

I doubt we’ll have to worry about that.

 

[ncted]

I could see them calling the company DirectDish.

Sounds like a mail-order dinnerware company from the 90s.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Sounds like a mail-order dinnerware company from the 90s.

That’s what I used to advertise as in the yellow pages.

It was Dish Direct.

You could order Dish directly from us, which also made people think we where actually Dish.

And you could make people think we where Directv also.

But more importantly Dish Direct comes up before dish network in the phone book and its
also before Directv.

You’ll be surprised how many people don’t know the difference.

We even did a phone listing as “disk network” and where getting calls. But sad to say most of those calls we got on that line the people where complete idiots and had no credit.

 

[navychop]

I must say I’m impressed. That was a wonderful bit of advertising to best game the system. Perfect example of entrepreneurial smart thinking, versus bureaucratic thought, a la governments and almost all large organizations.

 

[Jimbo]

That’s what I used to advertise as in the yellow pages.

It was Dish Direct.

You could order Dish directly from us, which also made people think we where actually Dish.

And you could make people think we where Directv also.

But more importantly Dish Direct comes up before dish network in the phone book and its
also before Directv.

You’ll be surprised how many people don’t know the difference.

We even did a phone listing as “disk network” and where getting calls. But sad to say most of those calls we got on that line the people where complete idiots and had no credit.

The Telephone Book was Alphabetical .... DiRectv would come up before DiSh .... ??????????

 

[Juan]

The Telephone Book was Alphabetical .... DiRectv would come up before DiSh .... ??????????

Shhhhhh

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

They still make Telephone books? I haven't seen one in years.

 

[Juan]

They still make Telephone books? I haven't seen one in years.

They make the reader digest version

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[SamCdbs]

They still make Telephone books? I haven't seen one in years.

I wish I didn't. I get at least 10 a year, either in the mail or just dropped off on the doorstep. One from the actual old phone company that is still around and the rest just published by whoever thinks they can sell enough ads to pay for it. Must make money because they still make them, and the yellow pages are full of ads.

I just toss them in the dumpster.

 

[navychop]

That’s not being a good citizen. They recycle well, or can serve as free, passable toilet paper.

 

[ncted]

That’s not being a good citizen. They recycle well, or can serve as free, passable toilet paper.

A lot of municipalities still won't recycle phone books. Mine does, but Raleigh, NC a few miles away didn't at last check.

 

[Jimbo]

They still make Telephone books? I haven't seen one in years.

They typically send out a Commercial Phone book, but not Residential anymore.

 

[TheRatPatrol]

DirecDishTV