When they get home, the tribe, or what's left of it, will be waiting. These modest results suggest that the installed base of DVRs will not reach critical mass. The study predicts digital video recording technology will become successful but will have to be integrated into other types of hardware rather than offered as a stand-alone box. More than 44 percent of cable subscribers and 50 percent of satellite subscribers are willing to pay a separate monthly fee for personal TV services, TechTrends said, but it added that consumers aren't willing to pay several hundred dollars for a set-top box with only a recording feature. While MyReplayTV should be popular among existing users, it is not likely to drive new sales, said TechTrends research and consulting director Laurence Bloom.
Cost is still the big issue.
The MyReplayTV service will be available in the fall as part of an update to the ReplayTV software. In its first incarnation, the service will allow people to view program listings, set up recordings, and see how much storage space is left on their hard drives. Eventually the service could be part of an interactive experience, offering Internet content geared toward the programs being recorded. Inc. All rights reserved.