TiVo coming to Australia (and New Zealand)

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freitasm

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Topic # 13846 31-May-2007 19:02

Seven has signed a distribution agreement with TiVo for Australia and New Zealand. No details on when it will arrive here, but early 2008 for Australia.

Seven is working with Yahoo!7, so could it be a hint that Telecom New Zealand could be involved in the content distribution?

I know Telecom New Zealand played with the Slingbox for placeshift, but things stalled after a while (about a couple of years ago)...

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Reply # 73115 1-Jun-2007 10:03

As I understand it, TiVo is just a PVR that can be connected to the internet and show web-pages and podcasts. You pay a monthly subscription to get very detailed EPG information and it can record programmes that meet certain search criteria (like actor's name, etc).

But it needs a DVB-T, satellite or cable TV connection to work - it doesn't do IPTV. So presumably it would piggy back on the Freeview DVB-T service? I would have thought it would be difficult to try to muscle in on MySky or the planned TCL PVR service, but maybe if it's got a whole lot of better feature it might do well.

Personally I don't see a market in NZ for this sort of thing. If you've got the cash to buy one of these boxes and pay the monthly subscription, why not just get a MySky box?

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Reply # 73117 1-Jun-2007 10:18

TiVo Site: Unfortunately, no model of TiVo® boxes is currently compatible with C-band satellite systems.

Is Sky a C-band system?

TiVo Site: TiVo boxes are compatible with antenna, analog cable, digital cable, DIRECTV and Dish Network/Echostar.

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chiefie

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Reply # 73120 1-Jun-2007 10:39

Is this the only way to get EPG data legally?

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Reply # 73124 1-Jun-2007 10:59

chiefie: Is this the only way to get EPG data legally?

That's a good point - won't TiVo have to buy the TV scheduling data from TVNZ, Sky, etc? I could imagine they'd get into all sorts of copyright problems if they just scraped web-sites for the EPG data. Sky would say "bugger off" as it would be in direct competition with MySky.

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Reply # 73128 1-Jun-2007 11:32

The only hope I have for TiVo to establish its presence in NZ is a way to subscribe to EPG data, or at least EPG data becomes available in NZ for Windows Media Centre. I mean, Sky, TVNZ, TV3 should collaborate and help promote digital broadcast, which should include digital data like EPG for Windows XP/Vista Media Centre!

I mean, for goodness sake, no wonder MCE isn't doing that great in this part of the world... because NZ does not have EPG data!!!

So far all retailers are selling concept that you can easily record programmes off the air by using "EPG"... dream on I'd say!

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Reply # 73421 5-Jun-2007 09:37

EPG data is publically available... though I'm not sure if you are breaking the law if you grab it?!? Anyone know the implications of getting information off a publically available website? (there is no information on the site to say it's private or anything... )

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Reply # 73423 5-Jun-2007 09:45

Felix: EPG data is publically available... though I'm not sure if you are breaking the law if you grab it?!? Anyone know the implications of getting information off a publically available website? (there is no information on the site to say it's private or anything... )

Well, to quote http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/415803:

"The listings of programmes are protected by copyright owned by Television New Zealand Limited, Canwest Communications NZ Limited and Prime Television NZ Limited. None of the listings of programmes to be broadcast may be reproduced by any means without the express permission of these companies."

So it's fine to grab it for private use, but if a company spidered it and tried to do what TiVo does (selling subscriptions for EPG data) then they'll fall foul of copyright infringement unless they pay TVNZ, etc.

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Reply # 73424 5-Jun-2007 09:48

sweet,

cheers

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Reply # 73425 5-Jun-2007 09:48

Oh, and Sky has a similar thing:
"The user may view or print listings for private use provided such searches are carried out manually. Automated searches may not be carried out. SKY Network Television Ltd owns the copyright to the SKY TV website. Apart from any fair dealings under the Copyright Act 1994 no material from this website may be otherwise transmitted, republished or distributed in any way without the prior written permission of SKY Network Television Ltd."

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Reply # 73426 5-Jun-2007 09:48

sweet,

cheers

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Reply # 73437 5-Jun-2007 12:33

The EPG should be unbundled.