TiVo, the company behind the famous digital video recorder (DVR) that changed the way people watch television in the early 2000s, says it no longer sells the device that helped it build its brand.
This week, a spokesperson confirmed TiVo was no longer manufacturing its own “hardware” and had run through its remaining inventory of DVRs, though it will continue to support them for some time.
That includes DVRs that are sold to cable and broadband Internet-based television providers, according to a source familiar with the matter. It isn’t clear if TiVo has stopped making its TiVo Stream 4K device, an Android-powered streaming TV gadget that has been offered for a few years, though the source confirms the company is still making and providing similar hardware for cable TV operators.
Moving forward, TiVo will focus on integrating its operating system into smart TVs manufactured by other companies, a spokesperson confirmed. Some of its smart TVs began shipping in this United States earlier this year.
“We are very proud of the TiVo DVR legacy, and the great experience TiVo has always provided lives on in our TiVo OS for Connected Televisions, which is available on televisions from Sharp in the U.S. and multiple brands throughout Europe,” the spokesperson said.
The move brings closure to one of television’s most influential devices, which popularized the ability to pause live TV and record programs with a single button press.
For many early adopters, TiVo became shorthand for digital recording itself. Its final model, the TiVo Edge, debuted in 2019 and supported 4K video playback with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound. The device was available in versions for cable subscribers and antenna users, each with a 2TB hard drive and multiple tuners.
The company’s first model, the Series 1 TiVo, was released in 1999 in partnership with Philips. Over time, TiVo devices won over consumers and networks alike; the Television Academy honored the company with an Interactive TV Emmy Award in 2006 for helping audiences “connect to the digital entertainment they want, where and when they want it.”
TiVo’s first foray into DVRs was met with some antagonism from broadcast networks and cable TV programmers, who felt that the device’s ability to flag commercials and allow consumers to skip over them would cut into their revenue.
Over time, the industry warmed up to TiVo — none moreso than the pay TV industry, with cable companies supporting the device through the CableCARD initiative and satellite provider DirecTV agreeing to license the technology for a series of its own TV set-top boxes.
But TiVo’s relevance waned as cable providers began embedding DVR functions into their own set-top boxes and as streaming services introduced cloud-based libraries that eliminated the need for home storage. In response, TiVo pivoted toward licensing its software and user interface to TV manufacturers and pay-TV operators, and more recently has expanded into automotive entertainment systems through its DTS AutoStage platform.
TiVo’s website now directs users toward its smart TV operating system and connected car services. For existing DVR owners, the company said support will continue, which should give some assurance to those who purchased “lifetime” guide subscriptions years ago.
TiVo is part of Xperi Corporation.
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