The enhancement will include exclusive capabilities such as TiVo auto-sync that will allow subscribers to choose if they want new recordings of their favorite programs easily transferred to their portable devices via their PC. Every morning the devices can be loaded with new programs recorded the night before.
A group of select subscribers will test the feature, which will soon be accessible to all stand-alone TiVo Series2 subscribers.
Last year, TiVo made available to all its Series2 subscribers the TiVoToGo feature. The TiVoToGo feature allows subscribers to transfer TV shows from their DVR to a laptop or PC over their home network. From the PC, subscribers can watch the shows, or transfer them to devices compatible with Microsoft Portable Media Center format. The new announcement adds support for the iPod and PSP, as well as the ability to specify Season Pass recordings to conveniently transfer to the portable device via the PC overnight.
Subscribers will need to purchase certain software to facilitate the transfer of content from the PC to these portable devices. To discourage abuse or unlawful use of this feature, TiVo intends to employ ‘watermark’ technologies on programs transferred to a portable device using the TiVo ToGo feature that would enable tracking of the account from which a transferred program originated.
As TiVo’s CEO, Tom Rogers, explained, this latest addition to TiVo’s services is reflective of the increasing demand for portable entertainment among consumers.
