TiVo Arrives in Canada

[Geekyfanboy]

This is for all our friends to the North!!!!

Source: CBC News

TiVo finally comes to Canada — TiVo, the popular U.S. television-recording device, is finally arriving in Canada in early December

The TiVo set-top device, which allows viewers to record shows and skip commercials, will be available across Canada — except in Quebec — through Best Buy, Future Shop, The Brick and London Drug stores for $199. Device owners also need to subscribe to the TiVo service, which has a monthly subscription price of $12.95, with discounts available on long-term contracts.

The TiVo is going to compete with recording devices offered by Canadian television providers, including Rogers Communications Inc. and Bell Canada Inc. The Series2 DT DVR can hold up to 80 hours of standard-definition programming, TiVo Inc. said in a press release, and can record one show while the viewer watches another. The device can also be hooked up to a broadband connection, which allows the viewer to remotely program it to record using a computer. The TiVo service also allows users to transfer their recordings onto a laptop, iPod or PlayStation Portable.

The device is optimized for cable viewing, with the multi-channel recording feature not available to satellite subscribers. The TiVo device being released in Canada also does not record high-definition television, although other models in the United States do record HD.

TiVo has been a big hit in the United States, replacing the VCR as the television-recording device of choice. Some Canadians have been able to use TiVos bought in the United States but have reported problems as it has not been officially supported by the manufacturer.

The company said the move into Canada is part of the company's overall expansion plan.

"TiVo's move into Canada represents a natural, important progression for our business as we continue to make sustained progress across international markets," said Joshua Danovitz, vice-president and general manager of international at TiVo.

The TiVo will compete with similar digital recording devices offered by television providers, including Rogers Communications Inc. and Bell Canada Inc., which sell for about $300. Devices offered by television providers, however, only work with that particular company's service.

[jedijeff]

That is cool news. I bought a PVR in the summer from my cable company, that does HD as well. The one thing that bugs me about my PVR is that it seems a bit limited in recording options. This might come in handy for a second TV possibly, and I like the Idea that I can move things off of it which I cant with my PVR. Will have to keep a watch out for it.

[Rico]

Wow - I had no idea TIVO wasn't available in Canada yet.  I really love TIVO.  I've got two standard ones (one with my older son at college) and the new HD version - which is very slick.  The real nice thing about the new HD one is you can easily add an external hard drive by just plugging one in via an eSATA connector in back.  Then boom - more capacity.  I haven't done that yet, but I'll probably will at some point.  TIVO really changes the way you watch TV and is well worth it to me.

[alving4]

We do have DVRs, Rico, just not the Tivo brand. My Rogers DVR totally changed the way I watch TV as well. I've been living somewhere else, unable to access my DVR for a couple of months and it's been a chore to have to watch shows in real time.

I'm looking forward to getting a Tivo (as you say, the interface seems incredibly slick), but I want to be cautious about how compatible it will be with the cable system. Since the Series 2 Tivo doesn't record from digital cable (that's what I've read), I'm not sure I can use it. All I can say is that I hope that they can expand their offering once they've got a foothold here in Canada.

I want to be able to copy shows from a DVR to an iPod touch (which I also hope to get once it becomes worthwhile), since you cannot purchase tv shows from iTunes here either (you'd think we were living in some backward country or something...)

[KingIsaacLinksr]

If Tivo is anything like the internet except better without commericials, then I'm definately going to get one as soon as I get A: $$$ and my own apartment or something like that. 

;) 

Although I was under the impression that Tivo had been denyed the ability to record shows without the commercials.  I thought that the feature had been taken away.  At least, thats what I heard, maybe I'm wrong.

King Linksr

**EDIT**  APPARENTLY, I'm wrong.  My bad ;)

[billybob476]

As a Canadian, I approve of this thread. I am VERY interested in this.