Earlier this week, TiVo (TIVO) introduced the Mini, a broadcast box that takes saved programs or content from your primary digital video recorder for watching in another room. A similar accessory called the TiVo Stream allows you to broadcast to an iPhone or iPad.
All of which would have been awesome two years ago, but not today. Why? Both services impose heavy fees, while requiring the services of a primary TiVo box: $99 for the Mini itself plus $5.99 per month or $150 lifetime service fee for the Mini, and $130 for the Stream. They're also dependent on wired Ethernet, because TiVo deems Wi-Fi too unreliable.
Worse, the Mini advertises access to streaming services, but lacks support for the two most popular: Netflix and Amazon.com's Instant Video.
Is TiVo flirting with disaster? Or is the company finally waking up to what TV consumers want? In this interview with The Motley Fool's Alison Southwick, Tim Beyers of Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Supernova, long a believer in the company's business model, argues that now may be the right time to go short. Please watch, and then leave a comment to let us know what you think.
