In my column in The Times on Thursday, I reviewed the TiVo Mini. It's a small plastic box that lets you gain access to your TiVo from another television in the house without having to buy a second entire TiVo.
But I also wrote:
Incredibly, though, you still have to pay another fee for the Mini: $6 a month, or a one-time $150. Why? The fee you're already paying for your TiVo is already hard to justify; why should you pay more just to pump your legitimately recorded shows to a different room?
Unfortunately, “because we need the money†is the only plausible reason. (I suppose “because our arch-rival, the Dish Hopper, also charges for its secondary-TV boxes†is also plausible.)
After the column was published, Jim Denney, TiVo's product marketing manager, explained to me why there was a fee for the Mini.
First, he reiterated my point that all of TiVo's rivals, like the Dish Hopper, DirecTV Genie and cable-company boxes, also charge a fee for each second-TV box.
Second, he pointed out that the Mini's $6 monthly fee is a lot lower than what you'd pay for a second TiVo box ($15 monthly).
“Yes,†I said, “but what are you actually buying? I mean, you're already paying a fee for your main TiVo box. The Mini just shows what's on your main TiVo - it doesn't supply any new features of its own. TiVo isn't providing any services that would justify a separate fee. All the action is within my own network.â€
He explained to me that that's not quite accurate. The Mini does connect to TiVo's service - bypassing your main TiVo - for many of its functions. For example, when you access Hulu Plus, YouTube, the search and browse functions, and the music and photo functions, the Mini goes directly to the TiVo mothership online.
He also pointed out that the Mini will gain more features and polish as time goes by, and that's worth paying something for, too.
I'm still skeptical. I don't even see why standalone DVR's need a monthly fee. Unfortunately, for better or worse, that's the business model we're all stuck with, no matter who's providing the boxes: you pay a monthly fee for your DVR, and another one for each secondary-TV box.
At least TiVo offers you the chance to pay a one-time lump-sum fee for each device - and if you opt for the monthly fee, at least it's lower than most of its rivals.
