TiVo Inc. began selling a new “Series2 DT” digital-video recorder Tuesday, designed to allow cable subscribers to record two channels at the same time.
The DVR, priced at $99, allows basic-only cable subscribers to record two analog channels simultaneously. Digital-cable subscribers who connect their set-tops to the DVR will be able to record one digital channel and one analog channel at the same time.
TiVo is also developing a digital-cable-ready DVR that will contain a smart-card slot that subscribers can use to decrypt cable programming -- eliminating the need for a cable set-top -- if they lease a CableCARD from their local operator.
That product -- which won digital-cable-ready certification from Cable Television Laboratories Inc. earlier this month -- is expected to hit retail shelves by the end of 2006, a TiVo spokeswoman said.
The new Series2 DT DVR is also compatible with the TiVoToGo service for portable media players, and it contains Ethernet and universal-serial-bus ports that enable home networking.
