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I don't have any facts to back me up but I would suspect that Microsoft dominants the software-based PVR market. Who is in 2nd place? I'm not sure maybe Snapstream's BeyondTV? Or MythTV? Sage? Meedio? I think the market is very fragmented at this level.
I believe the best ReplayTV can hope for is 2nd place. And even then I don't think they can stay relevant but for 3 or 4 more years. After that Microsoft will have a near monopoly on software-based PVR's. There will always be a few who insist on running an open-source PVR so that they are not crippled by DRM but Microsoft will have an 80-90% market share.
ReplayTV will start the race for 2nd place with zero customers. It will be a hard climb. I think there is one thing that can make the climb easier.
** Deep integration with existing hardware-based ReplayTV's. **
Essentially, the software would be a software-based PVR and an official DVArchive (or WiRNS) replacement.
I think many ReplayTV owners would be interested in this product. Personally, I find DVArchive and WiRNS extremely useful but a pain in the a** and would love a stable, professional, supported replacement from ReplayTV.
This gives ReplayTV an immediate customer base that could rocket them into a 2nd place position quickly. Plus it offers a migration path for existing ReplayTV owners.
I see it like this.
ReplayTV PVR Software with free channel guide
Your typical PVR software. Record, Pause, Rewind, etc.
Price: Free with a Hauppage TV Tuner card or purchase for $49.95 from the ReplayTV site.
ReplayTV Media Center add-on
Plays, organizes, and manages your CD's, DVD's, MP3's, Divx movies, Photos, internet radio, etc. ReplayTV gave away the PVR to the Hauppage customers and this is how they would try to upgrade them.
Price: $29.95
ReplayTV Legacy Integration Add-On
Allows you to stream from PC to Replay and vice versa. Allows you to move ReplayTV shows to the PC. It would do many of the things that DVArchive and WiRNS already do. The only reason they will offer this is to take advantage of their existing customer base and to offer a migration path to existing users who might otherwise bolt to another brand.
Price: $19.95
Of course, I don't really expect this. But we can dream can't we?
I believe the best ReplayTV can hope for is 2nd place. And even then I don't think they can stay relevant but for 3 or 4 more years. After that Microsoft will have a near monopoly on software-based PVR's. There will always be a few who insist on running an open-source PVR so that they are not crippled by DRM but Microsoft will have an 80-90% market share.
ReplayTV will start the race for 2nd place with zero customers. It will be a hard climb. I think there is one thing that can make the climb easier.
** Deep integration with existing hardware-based ReplayTV's. **
Essentially, the software would be a software-based PVR and an official DVArchive (or WiRNS) replacement.
I think many ReplayTV owners would be interested in this product. Personally, I find DVArchive and WiRNS extremely useful but a pain in the a** and would love a stable, professional, supported replacement from ReplayTV.
This gives ReplayTV an immediate customer base that could rocket them into a 2nd place position quickly. Plus it offers a migration path for existing ReplayTV owners.
I see it like this.
ReplayTV PVR Software with free channel guide
Your typical PVR software. Record, Pause, Rewind, etc.
Price: Free with a Hauppage TV Tuner card or purchase for $49.95 from the ReplayTV site.
ReplayTV Media Center add-on
Plays, organizes, and manages your CD's, DVD's, MP3's, Divx movies, Photos, internet radio, etc. ReplayTV gave away the PVR to the Hauppage customers and this is how they would try to upgrade them.
Price: $29.95
ReplayTV Legacy Integration Add-On
Allows you to stream from PC to Replay and vice versa. Allows you to move ReplayTV shows to the PC. It would do many of the things that DVArchive and WiRNS already do. The only reason they will offer this is to take advantage of their existing customer base and to offer a migration path to existing users who might otherwise bolt to another brand.
Price: $19.95
Of course, I don't really expect this. But we can dream can't we?