How TiVo introduced digital video recorder technology to customers

¶ … technology are often widespread and have the possibility to change the way humankind operates within itself. Technology paves the way for new technology creating a system of seemingly eternal growth and unlimited potential. It is therefore important and worthwhile to investigate and highlight certain aspects of the ways technology impacts different environments. Customers of technological products, at the end of the supply chain, are the ultimate decision-makers and cast the most powerful vote if whether or not a technology will survive in market conditions. The new relationships and logistical requirements when a company introduces a new piece of technology often complicates and distorts its original essence. The purpose of this essay is to investigate technology to analyze and compare and contrast the different aspects that technology impacts upon different segments of a society and in market situations.

The digital video recorder, a relatively recent piece of technology, is the focus of this investigation. This technology released with the advent of digital media, within the last decade has soared within the last two years in terms of popularity and its applications. I will investigate how the digital video recorder technology has changed the marketplace and how customers react with this piece of new gear. I will first investigate how the parent company of this technology introduced new product to its customer base and the learning point associated with these actions. I will also investigate how new value has been proven with this technology to its desired marketing targets. Thirdly, I will show how the support plans for customers and other interested parties that apply this technology are affected and impacted. Finally, I will highlight and examine how new partnerships and new enhanced experiences, as a result of this technology are finding their way into everyday life and making solid use of human potential and its valuable resources.

Background Information

The digital video recorder (DVR) was introduced to the world by a company called TiVo in 1999. The technology records video in a digital format, making it extremely portable and applicable in many different formats. The technology is usually available in two different ways. TiVo sells the hardware box which actually does all the recording and allows the consumer to have total control of its recordings. Cable companies have adopted this technology as well, but store all recorded information in centralized locations owned by the corporation. In this case the consumers need the cable company to utilize the technology.

The ability to record digital television recordings allows for time shifting features and pausing live TV and creating own instant replay and playback scenarios. This technology has spurred on dual digital recorders. This technology allows television viewers to record a television show and watch one at the same time. Televisions and other hardware such as desktop computers and even laptop computers are soon adopting this technology to enhance their products.

INTRODUCING DVR TECHNOLOGY

TiVo was the first major company who marketed and developed a digital video recorder. This launch occurred in 1999 in the United States and throughout other parts of Europe and North America. This company was started after an introduction of this equipment at the Las Vegas consumer electronics show. It was first launched in America after a development deal was made between a hardware manufacturer and the ownership of TiVo. Since, TiVo was expanding into the UK and Australia into different television services. TiVo is ultimately a service and a subscription is necessary for its use.

This product was marketed to allow the television consumers to skip commercials and avoid unnecessary parts of programming and may wish to instantly avoid. Allowing individual freedom and selection caught on to the consumer markets and as a result this industry has taken off. Wells (2010) clearly explained how DVR adaption has accelerated and appears to continue to excel array in the near future. She claimed that "in Europe, the percentage of all TV viewing that was time shifted to recording device was more than tripled between 2006 and 2009, 1.7% to 5.9%." At this price continually rolled out into different packages and in different ways, such as the cable companies and other multimedia outlets, the digital video recording device is proving to become a historic piece of technology that is significantly altering the way that Americans and other people's experience their entertainment and therefore significantly impacting the way that they live and enjoy their life.

SUPPORT PLANS FOR DVR TECHNOLOGY

In most cases the best technological advances require the least amount of maintenance and logistical support. Digital video recording is relatively user-friendly and does not require a great deal of support or support planning to ensure its success in the marketplace. As it might be ignored but the availability of the technology is so widespread that replacing broken or unusable hardware is not really an issue in this case. Learning to use this technology is not difficult either. One member of a household can usually translate and teach others to use this technology relatively simple. Otherwise cable providers and TiVo as well as administrative and technological support online or available by phone nearly all the time.

FUTURE OF DVR TECHNOLOGY

As stated before, dual tuner DVR technology and widespread use of cable provided and TiVo provided technology is currently in the growth stage of the product lifecycle. It is growing and spreading rapidly. Individual selection is becoming more important as knowledge and choices of entertainment multiply on a daily basis. Competing for the consumers attention requires this tailoring to individual needs and any future applications of digital video recording technology will most likely be applied in this area.

In the beginning of this technology development is seen the consumer had advantage over advertisers in terms of ignoring their often annoying insertions into enjoyable and otherwise pleasant television programming. Advertisers have now snuck their way into on-demand and other DVR products making it impossible to escape this most likely inescapable fact of multimedia enjoyment. Personal computers and laptops computers are now drifting towards cloud technology where is more resembling the cable companies model of centralizing recording hard data and not allowing the consumer to control and do with the data it he pleases. This is perhaps the most troubling and eye-opening trend in how this technology relates to the greater part of society and where it fits into how it should be viewed academically, historically and socially.

Conclusions

Digital video recording is presently here and strong but will ultimately die off as other of his predecessors did such as the VCR and as we see the DVD player slowly entering the stage as well. It is very important however to recognize how these different technological advances impacting from parts the market and impacted from parts of the consumer's choices and behavior. This worthwhile exercise provided the contrasting textual evidence to place this technology within its proper viewing aspect and contributed to enlightening and demonstrating the potential of careful worthwhile research and investigation.