TiVo without a TiVo box
The moment many have long awaited has arrived: Comcast cable customers can get TiVo on the cable company's own DVR set-top boxes.
TiVo is now available as a software download, which means no new piece of hardware for current customers and no waiting around for hours on a technician.
in Comcast's new TiVo service.
It's the first time TiVo has been available on non-TiVo hardware. Motorola says its DCT6412 set-top box is one such model. Technical trials began in December 2006, and market trials will begin this spring, the companies said. What they're not saying is how much the service will cost. Comcast's DVR service currently runs $9.95 a month.
Though the partnership was first announced in 2005, the timeline for launch was pushed back further and further, until this week at CES 2007.
Included with the new version of TiVo will be updated features, like Comcast's On Demand content in the WishList functionality, and updated search capability. Searching by keyword now looks for more than just show titles, looking for episode titles and descriptions, for example. People can also now filter for high-definition programming.
The official commercial launch is set for the second half of 2007. The service is expected to arrive in stages across different regions.
Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica. 
