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TiVo plans to split its product and licensing divisions
TiVo, one of the early makers of DVRs, has been on the hunt for potential buyers. The company announced it is splitting its product and intellectual property licensing divisions on Friday, perhaps in hopes of becoming more attractive to buyers. It hopes to complete the split by the first half of 2020.
TiVo sues Comcast again over alleged patent infringement
Though TiVo and Comcast just wrapped up a round of patent infringement litigation, TiVo's looking for another go. Yesterday, it filed lawsuits in California and Massachusetts alleging that Comcast's X1 set-top boxes are infringing on no less than eight of its patents. "Through decades-long investment in research and development, Rovi has created innovations that delight consumers in their day-to-day entertainment experience. Our commitment to our customers and stockholders compels us to protect these valuable inventions from unlicensed use," TiVo CEO Enrique Rodriguez said in a statement. TiVo was acquired by Rovi in 2016. The merged companies took the more recognizable name TiVo and at joining, they together held over 6,000 patents.
Comcast might have to pay TiVo after losing a patent dispute
Comcast may be feeling a twinge of regret for hyping its X1 set-top boxes to the Moon and back. TiVo has won an International Trade Commission dispute accusing Comcast and its hardware partners (Arris and Technicolor) of violating patents through the X1 platform's approach to DVR recording and search. The case had originally covered six patents, but this still means Comcast could be on the hook for licensing fees if it wants to avoid a sales ban.
TiVo's next-gen interface plays nice with all your TV content
With TiVo's Series 1 DVRs going extinct at the end of the month and new parent company Rovi taking over, the TiVo brand is getting an interface refresh to bring it up to day with people's current viewing habits. (As well as the FCC's proposed set-top box rules.) The next-generation user interface is designed to allow for even better TV content discovery and predictions, a customizable viewing experience and overall less time spent fiddling with the remote.
TiVo is pulling the plug on Series 1 DVRs September 29th
Whenever you buy something with a promise of "Lifetime" service, the question is exactly how long that will last. For owners of the very first TiVo DVRs who shelled out for promised Lifetime service, the answer is about 17 years. Dave Zatz let us know the company is notifying owners that after September 29th, their boxes will no longer be able to create recordings or pull down guide data. The Series1 boxes won't be able to handle guide data provided by TiVo's new owner Rovi, which is why it's ending service.
TiVo will be acquired by patent giant Rovi for $1.1 billion
Rovi has agreed to acquire DVR maker TiVo in a deal worth $1.1 billion. The acquisition, which was rumored to be close to completion in March, will be part cash, part shares -- only $277 million will actually change hands, with the rest of the figure being paid out in stock of a new company that will own both Rovi and TiVo. Subject to the usual regulatory approvals, the purchase will complete in Q3 2016, after which the joint entity will be known as TiVo. While you're aware of TiVo, you probably don't know what Rovi is or does. The company started life as MacroVision, and owns thousands of patents relating to DRM and program guides. More recently, it's mostly been in the news for wielding those patents liberally in various lawsuits, including a case against Netflix that it eventually lost. TiVo also has lots of IP relating to its DVR tech. With the acquisition, the new TiVo will have over 6,000 patents, and some far-reaching claims to royalties in the DVR market.
TiVo and Rovi close to merger deal, says NYT
Rovi is closing in on a deal to buy DVR maker TiVo for an unknown price, according to sources from the New York Times. The exact terms aren't yet known, but TiVo reportedly has a market value of around $750 million. If the name "Rovi" isn't ringing a bell, the company makes interactive TV guides that are used by 18 million or so TV subscribers. You may remember it better for its much-hated DRM copy protection, when it used to be called Macrovision. TiVo, of course, is known (and mostly liked) for ad-skipping DVR products like the 4K TiVo Bolt.
Facebook for iOS now integrated with OpenTable reservations and Rovi TV info
Facebook has begun integrating OpenTable and Rovi TV guide information to its mobile Pages so users can now book a reservation and check out what's coming on TV right within the social networking app. For the former, there'll be a Reservations prompt located in the restaurant's Facebook Page, underneath the address and hours of operation. Simply pick the desired date, time and party size, and you can book a table in seconds. The Rovi integration, on the other hand, provides information on upcoming episodes of your favorite TV shows so you'll know exactly when and which channel it'll be on. The OpenTable and Rovi integrations are live right now on the mobile web as well as in the latest iOS app update, which also lets you tap and search for hashtags. iOS users can go ahead and get it from the source link below, while Android users will have to sit tight for now.
Toshiba to launch TVs with DivX Plus Streaming certification
Just in case you didn't have enough content options from the likes of Roku and your cable set top box, Toshiba has partnered with Rovi to integrate the DivX Plus Streaming codec into a new line of TVs. The streaming format promises enhanced multimedia controls like multi-language subtitles, resumable playback across devices and Dynamic Resolution Scaling, which should be good for those with fluctuating bandwidth. However, there aren't that many services behind the format just yet, though Knowhow Movies by Dixons Retail in the UK has pledged its support. Still, one can never have enough ways to entertain the kids.
Rovi is shutting down its OTA TV guide service without notice
The company with so much love it changed its name to fool its fans is at it again, this time killing the signal that provides guide data directly to many televisions and set-top boxes. You see, before changing its name from Macrovision, Rovi acquired Gemstar-TV guide in 2008 -- which was probably most well known for the integrated program guide common in higher end TVs throughout the last decade. While most people just use the guide offered on their provider's set-top, this guide is for those who actually use the clear-QAM or over-the-air tuner in their TV. The way it worked is that manufacturers baked the software into the TV, which would then tune into a local affiliate's broadcast of a week's worth of guide data. The setup successfully made it through the digital transition -- minus the truckloads of analog-only TVs ceasing to work along the way -- as new TVs featured a digital version of the service, as well as some digital converters, like the DTVpal DVR.
Toys R Us launches family-friendly internet movie service, plans Tabeo access, HD video and more
Like Amazon, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble before it, Toys R Us is following the path of being a retailer distributing its own branded hardware (Tabeo, Nabi) with an accompanying app store, and then supplementing those offerings with a digital media service. ToysrusMovies.com is a Rovi-powered digital storefront currently available to PCs, Macs and other Flash compatible devices, with an app planned for the Tabeo soon, as well as Blu-ray players, HDTVs and other mobile devices including iOS and Android. The content consists of "more than 4,000" titles from big names like Disney, Fox, NBCUniversal and more, available for 24-hour rental starting at $2.99, and $5.99 for download or streaming. Right out of the gate its scored an early release of Madagascar 3 two weeks before the disc release, currently a $16 purchase with "unlimited" streaming to activated devices, with downloads to up to 5 devices. Now of course, all it needs is some compatible devices, but building an ecosystem is a process, and may be key to separating Toys R Us' offerings from the competition. Check out more details in the press release after the break or at the site.
Sainsbury's pairs up with Rovi for video service, stays ahead of the techie curve
Beloved UK supermarket Sainsbury's is making a big push into digital media, after snapping up e-book retailer Anobii and music company Global Media Vault, it's now partnering with Rovi for a digital video service. Launching later in the year, it'll offer video-on-demand and downloadable copies of "major" film and TV titles, available the same time the discs are available in store. It'll initially be limited to computers, before rolling out to Smart TVs, connected Blu-Ray players, smartphones and consoles. The only question we have is if we'll be able to collect Nectar Points on our purchases -- if so, we're sold.
Rovi lands Google Fiber patent license deal, keeps program guides flowing
Rovi considers itself the master of TV program guides everywhere -- even if some disagree -- so it's almost inevitable that the company would negotiate a new patent license with Google. The deal puts all of Google Fiber's TV interfaces in the clear, whether it's the set-top box near the TV or the less traditional interfaces found on the web and the Nexus 7 remote. Considering Rovi's existing connection to Google TV, the new pact may cement the company and its partner in Mountain View as surprisingly close friends.
Nuance adds Rovi's metadata to Dragon TV, becomes annoyingly good at TV trivia
Nuance, of Dragon TV fame announced today that it was licensing Rovi's (formerly known as Macrovision) metadata for its talky-TV platform. Once integrated, the application will be able to marshall far more information than it currently can -- enabling it to give answers to queries like "Who plays Chuck on Gossip Girl?" That said, we're not holding out much hope that it'll be able to answer our question about which guy from CSI played that bad guy in that movie we can't remember the title of, or something.
Amazon, Rovi, Flixster and Samsung highlight UltraViolet's CES press event
The launch of UltraViolet earlier this year was very much the same as we've come to expect from Hollywood. In the case of DVD and Blu-ray, they eventually manage to get it right. Time will tell if UltraViolet ends up successful or another DRM story like PlaysForSure, but studio execs like Ron Sanders of Warner Brothers said "a year ago this was just a concept... we have a bright future" while participating in a panel at the UltraViolet press event at CES today. There are plenty of reasons he might feel that way, but announcements from Panasonic and Samsung to add Flixster app to its HDTVs and Blu-ray players is surely one of them -- Flixster is owned by Warner and evidently one of the most downloaded apps of all time from the iTunes store. In addition to the success of Flixster, the DECE claims to already have 750k UltraViolet households signed up in less than three months. The current state of UltraViolet and much more after the break.
Rovi hits Hulu with patent infringement lawsuit
Mo money, mo problems, right Hulu? Seems it, considering the newly up-for-sale content hub has just been slapped with a patent infringement suit. This latest bit of intellectual property beef centers on the online content provider's alleged unlicensed use of Rovi's electronic program guide technology. According to Reuters, the company, which currently powers the streaming likes of Blockbuster On Demand and CinemaNow, is seeking financial compensation for potential "lost license revenue and treble damages," potentially tripling any future settlement award. While Hulu has yet to issue a statement on the matter, we'd be willing to bet those takeover talks are taking a backseat until this gets sorted.
Rovi sues Amazon and IMDb for infringing TV guide patents
Rovi sounds friendly enough, but the company used to be called Macrovision -- and the infamous DRM provider just sued Amazon's IMDb.com last week for infringement of five TV guide patents. The patents came along with Rovi's acquisition of Gemstar, and they cover everything from interactive program guides to purchasing products on-demand to scheduling recordings from a computer -- a huge range that seems to hit everything from QVC to the Xfinity TV iPad app. That probably explains why Rovi says it has deals with everyone from Apple to Yahoo -- between its TV listings products, recent purchase of a sizable video library, and the current litigation with IMDb, it appears that the company is serious about leaving its DRM-centric roots behind and moving into internet content distribution.
Rovi announces agreement to acquire Sonic Solutions for $720 million
Rovi Corporation has already gone though a few significant transformations -- it was once the DRM-centered company known as Macrovision -- and it's now set to undergo another big one. The company has just announced a "definitive agreement" to acquire Sonic Solutions in a deal valued at $720 million. Among other things, Sonic owns RoxioNow (the service formally known as CinemaNow), which will give Rovi access to over 10,000 movies and TV shows, and Sonic also just acquired DivX earlier this year, which Rovi points out has a presence on more than 350 million consumer electronics devices. Head on past the break for the official press release, and look for the deal to close sometime in the first quarter of next year if all goes according to plan.
Rumor: Apple/Rovi deal suggests Apple television
Earlier this week, it was reported that Apple and Rovi had signed a super-secret pact. The multi-year arrangement will reportedly let Apple make use of Rovi's technology, which includes interactive television programming guides. Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster suggested that the deal could mean live TV and DVR functionality for the new Apple TV. "[This is] further evidence that Apple is developing live TV and DVR features for its Apple TV product," Munster told CNET. Additionally, Munster goes on to predict an Apple-branded, all-in-one television. I'm not convinced that an actual Apple television is on the drawing board, but it seems that an interactive guide could be added to the Apple TV without too much trouble. As we've seen, it's running the iOS. Apple's developers could probably write an app to make use of Rovi's data. And what a mountain of data they have. According to the Rovi website, they've got about 111 million subscribers and a unique catalog of more than 1.2 million TV series episodes (going back to 1954) and over than 1.8 million music albums. Add to that nearly 500,000 movies, and it's an impressive collection. Here's to an update we'd love to see on the Apple TV. Hopefully it won't be too hard for mom. [Via Macsimum News]
Google TV: Who is the competition and what are they saying about it?
The Google TV has landed and is already sending ripples through the marketplace, but what about all the companies already blending internet and TV? Whether they are already planning to work with the new initiative (Rovi), even more firmly staking a claim on their existing technology and vision for the connected TV (Microsoft, Yahoo), sounding like it's an option for the future (Samsung, VIZIO, Boxee) or already working on their own Android on TV projects (People of Lava, MIPS) each one should tell a little bit about where this market is headed in the coming months and years. Read on for their statements -- and a quick breakdown of what each is bringing to the table in case you weren't already running a network cable to your HDTV years ago. Update: Now with reactions from Roku and PlayOn!
