It didn't happen. Consumers, it seemed, just didn't get what the machines could do. It didn't help that the recorders carried a four-figure price tag and monthly fees. Two years later, the prices have dropped, but the expected sales burst hasn't taken place. Only 300,000 to 400,000 units have been sold - an adoption rate comparable to the early days of the VCR in the late 1970s.
Critical mass is still over the horizon.
Manufacturers think that could finally change. Early players TiVo and EchoStar Communications' Dish Network are pushing ahead with new ad campaigns for their own devices. And competitor ReplayTV is back from oblivion with a new backer and a revamped business strategy. It all adds up to a renewed battle in the personal video-recorder business. Each player is betting that its marketing attack will be the one to capture consumers' imagination - and wallets.