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- ReplayTV History -
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ReplayTV at a Glance
Stock quote: DMHOF.PK $4.60 (0.00)
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
Company founded: 1997
Product lines: Replaytv, Denon, Marantz
Monthly subscription cost:$12.95
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Early History
ReplayTV
is another U.S. pioneer in the personal video recorder market. Replay Networks was founded in September 1997 with the purpose of designing, building and marketing next-generation television products using advanced digital technologies. Based in Silicon Valley, the heart of the high-technology industry, Replay Networks brought together leading engineers, interface designers and other experts to create cutting edge television products.
Replay Networks' designers and marketers were brought together from a who's-who of successful entrepreneurial companies. These include Palm, Macromedia, NeXT, InfoSeek, Disney, LucasArts, Commodore Amiga, 3DO and others.
Replay Networks' first product, ReplayTV with the Replay Network Service, was a new breed of digital recorder that will forever change the way people watch television. ReplayTV enables consumers to take charge of their televisions. No longer subject to the programming whims of network and cable executives, viewers can watch what they want, when they want.
RTV2001 Replaytv (1999)
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Despite an early entry into the personal video recorder market, in addition to award winning features and product lines, the ReplayTV system was only able to connect with 15% of the personal video recorder market. It was dwarfed by the much larger and better financed Tivo, which had captured the remaining 85% of the market.
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In 1999, the ReplayTV system was unveiled to the public, largely promoted as a successor to the common and extremely popular VCR. While the Tivo system which was also introduced in 1999, focused on simplicity and ease of use, ReplayTV focused on advanced features, offering many features and connections that Tivo and most other home entertainment components did not.
Early Features
The original ReplayTV system offered the following features:
- Easily create and configure your own personalized Replay Channels
- Guaranteed recording of your favorite TV shows
- VCR-type controls while watching live TV (Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward)
- Rewind to the beginning of a live broadcast while it is still being recorded
- Instant replay
- User definable video-quality levels
- Fast IEEE-1394 (FireWire connection) for future attachments and storage expansion
- RF/ANT input for cable (F-type)
- Line One input (2 audio RCA: 1 composite video RCA)
- Line Two input (2 audio RCA; 1 composite video RCA; 1 S-Video
- Line One output (2 audio RCA; 1 composite video RCA)
- Line Two output (2 audio RCA; 1 composite video RCA; 1 S-Video)
- Upgradable storage capacity
- On-screen easy-to-use program guide
- Automatic clock set
- Compatible with all over-the-air, cable, and direct broadcast satellite systems
- Easy one-button recording of TV programming
- ReplayTV does not use videotape
- Models that store 6 to 28 hours of video
The Replaytv RTV2000 series offered many never before seen features. The main drawback was a high initial cost, approximately $900 which included a lifetime subscription to the Replaytv software and programming update. Later models would allow personal photos, commercial skipping and room to room streaming.
For its time, the ReplayTV PVR was one of the most advanced on the Market with
automatic commercial skipping features and networking features
that allow room to room streaming and also sharing of recordings
over the Internet. The ReplayTV also allows you to download your
favorite photos from your PC for viewing on your TV. You can even
communicate with your ReplayTV remotely to set it to record your
favorite shows when away from home.
The ReplayTV system also has the usual PVR features such as a
detailed and interactive program guide, including that of most
major cable and satellite providers, live TV pause/recording that
allows you to pause, resume, slow-motion and instant replay of
live television broadcasts, show organizer to allow you to easily
organize your recordings, show finder to locate shows to record
via a number of searches and much more.
Recent History
In 2001, Replay Networks was aquired by SonicBlue. Over the next year, SonicBlue would work to improve the ReplayTV system, adding in contraversial new features such as commercial skipping and show sharing/streaming. It was eventually sued by a number of companies over the features, which forced it into chapter 11 bankruptcy. In March 2003, the ReplayTV line of products was aquired by Digital Networks North America, which own the Denon and Marantz line of home audio and video products. Between 2003 and 2006, Digital Networks North America continued to offer the ReplayTV systems, however it held only a small percentage of the market.
From Hardware to Software
In 2006, Digital Networks North America announced the intention to phase out production of the standalone ReplayTV hardware in favor of production of a PC-based software DVR system. This became available to the public in late 2006, requiring the purchase of a compatible PC video DVR card and purchase of the ReplayTV DVR software as well as a subscription to the ReplayTV service. While the original ReplayTV boxes are no longer in active production, they continue to be supported as well as the new PC DVR card, which share many of the same features.
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08/04/2008 11:20 AM
In order to give the website a better focus, we are phasing out the less popular areas of the site, including the high definition and digital video recorder areas and forums. This will leave the site focused on digital satellite television and satellite radio.
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Dancing With the Stars
ABC
8:00 pm ET
Host Tom Bergeron and judges Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba return as 11 new teams trip (sometimes literally) the light fantastic. Among the stars: astronaut Buzz Aldrin; actresses Pamela Anderson, Shannen Doherty and Niecy Nash; sports reporter Erin Andrews; Olympic gold medal figure skater Evan Lysacek; reality star Kate Gosselin; former TV "Bachelor" Jake Pavelka; and soap actor Aiden Turner ("All My Children").
How I Met Your Mother
CBS
8:00 pm ET
Lily (Alyson Hannigan) is so upset when Ted (Josh Radnor) brings a date to her birthday dinner that she goes to extreme lengths to keep the interloper out of the traditional photo she takes each year of "the gang." Laura Prepon ("That '70s Show") reprises her guest role as Karen, Ted's ex-girlfriend; Anne Dudek ("House," "Mad Men") also guest stars. Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Segel co-star in the new episode "Say Cheese."
Nurse Jackie
SHO
10:00 pm ET
Edie Falco is back for a second season playing a New York nurse who struggles to balance her demanding job with a family and long-hidden secrets that could cost her both. The season premiere, "Comfort Food," finds Jackie rejecting Eddie (Paul Schulze) and trying to recommit to her family, but a formal complaint lodged against her by Coop (Peter Facinelli), a narcotics shortage and Eddie's overdose threaten to drive her over the edge.
MLB Preseason Baseball
ESPN
1:00 pm ET
There's nothing quite like the crack of the bat against the backdrop of swaying palms to get the blood pumping and reassure the baseball fan that spring -- and the MLB regular season -- is indeed around the corner. Today, ESPN broadcasts the first of eight preseason games, this one from Clearwater, Fla., where Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees get ready for the season against the team they beat in the World Series last fall, Ryan Howard's Philadelphia Phillies.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
MAX
6:45 pm ET
Didn't moviemakers learn anything from "Exorcist: The Beginning"? This prequel to the campy classic is more of the usual: Young people run for their lives. Yay. Jordana Brewster, Diora Baird, Taylor Handley and Matt Bomer star as the potential victims, with R. Lee Ermey as -- what else? -- the sheriff. The man's got to audition for different characters ... .
Chuck
NBC
8:00 pm ET
Sarah and Shaw (Yvonne Strahovski, Brandon Routh) observe Chuck's (Zachary Levi) every move as he takes a final test to see if he is ready to be a spy. The pressure is truly on, since Chuck knows he'll be forced to return to his humdrum former life if he fails in the new episode "Chuck Versus the Final Exam." Adam Baldwin also stars.
Life Unexpected
CW
8:00 pm ET
Lux's (Britt Robertson) social worker meets with Cate and Baze (Shiri Appleby, Kristoffer Polaha) after Bug (Rafi Gavron) and Lux are picked up by the police for violating curfew. In an effort to be supportive, Cate tries to find Bug a job at the radio station but only winds up disappointing Lux again. Austin Basis also stars in the new episode "Family Therapized."
Wild Hogs
FXEAST
8:00 pm ET
File this desperate 2007 comedy under "senior abuse." Several familiar yet aging faces star as motorcycle enthusiasts who share a road trip that yields surprises. John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy play the amateur bikers from Cincinnati who head for the West Coast, facing down their individual crises and running into trouble with a veteran cycle gang leader (Ray Liotta) en route. A certain legend from a classic biker movie has a fairly amusing cameo.
Rules of Engagement
CBS
8:30 pm ET
Jeff and Audrey (Patrick Warburton, Megyn Price) get into a spirited argument when she discovers he does not believe her claim that she saw her grandmother's ghost. Russell (David Spade) tries to persuade Timmy (Adhir Kalyan) not to go through with his arranged marriage. Oliver Hudson and Bianca Kajlich also star in the new episode "Ghost Story."
Gossip Girl
CW
9:00 pm ET
Damien (guest star Kevin Zegers) pressures Jenny (Taylor Momsen) to sleep with him. Lily (Kelly Rutherford) shares her secret with Rufus (Matthew Settle). Chuck (Ed Westwick) has to make a difficult decision about his hotel. Vanessa and Dan (Jessica Szohr, Penn Badgley) explore a new stage in their relationship. Blake Lively also stars in the new episode "The Sixteen Year Old Virgin."
Trauma
NBC
9:00 pm ET
A traumatic event from Rabbit's (Cliff Curtis) past is revealed when he has a breakthrough in therapy. A patient is put at risk when Nancy and Diana and (Anastasia Griffith, guest star Scottie Thompson) have different opinions. Glenn (Taylor Kinney) reaches a milestone, while Tyler and Boone (Kevin Rankin, Derek Luke) weigh their options for the future in the new episode "13."
The Big Bang Theory
CBS
9:31 pm ET
Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and his friends try to come to Sheldon's (Jim Parsons) rescue when the latter's crippling case of stage fright stands between him and a coveted award. Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar also star in the new episode "The Pants Alernative."
CSI: Miami
CBS
10:00 pm ET
There's little joy in the offing when Kyle (guest star Evan Ellingson), Horatio's (David Caruso) son, returns from combat and promptly turns to his father for help in solving a murder in the new episode "Dishonored." Emily Procter, Eddie Cibrian, Adam Rodriguez and Jonathan Togo also star.
Law & Order
NBC
10:00 pm ET
Detectives Lupo and Bernard (Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson) investigate when four police officers are shot, a case that is complicated by the fact that, despite a roomful of witnesses, they have a description of the shooter but little else. After they discover the victims may have known the shooter, their investigation takes them to drug dealers, a jealous husband and a judge who is racked with remorse in the new episode "Four Cops Shot."
Castle
ABC
10:02 pm ET
Things didn't end too well for Dana Delany and Nathan Fillion when they played spouses on "Desperate Housewives," so let's hope things go more smoothly as Delany guest stars in a two-part story (concluding next Monday) as Jordan Shaw, an accomplished and insightful federal investigator who helps Castle and Beckett (Fillion, Stana Katic) track down a killer. Susan Sullivan and Molly Quinn also star in the new episode "Tick, Tick, Tick... ."
United States of Tara
SHO
10:30 pm ET
Golden Globe winner Toni Collette stars as a suburban wife and mother who struggles to handle the pressures of everyday suburban life while dealing with multiple personalities that humiliate her family regularly. In tonight's second-season premiere, a shocking event in the Gregsons' neighborhood changes their lives and opens their door on Tara's family secrets.
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