Comcast Starts Rolling Out TiVo Boxes

It's been more than two years' coming, but Comcast is finally beginning to deploy set-top cable boxes employing TiVo DVR technology.

It’s been more than two years since TiVo and Comcast entered into an agreement to pt TiVo’s industry-defining DVR technology into cable set-top boxes, but the company has finally begun deploying TiVO-empowered set-top boxes in New England.

Although the systems have been tested with Comcast employees for some time, the current rollout is Comcast’s first deployment to a set of everyday customers. If the trial goes well, Comcast plans to make the boxes available commercially later this year in in early 2008. The company has not released any pricing information for services using their TiVo-powered boxes.

TiVo’s deal with Comcast is widely seen as important to TiVo’s survival: although TiVo pioneered DVRs, still enjoys enduring loyalty from its users, and boasts industry-wide brand recognition, the company has struggled to retain market share as cable and satellite providers offer set-top boxes from companies like Motorola with alternative (and generally poorly-regarded) DVR functionality. An earlier arrangement with satellite operator DirecTV put TiVo units into millions of homes, but the company has struggled to keep afloat once DirecTV backed out of the deal. TiVo recently introduced high definition-capable TiVo Series 3 set top boxes, including a full-featured Series 3 HD and a new lower-priced TiVO HD.