• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, October 16, 2025

With all the technology and media innovations, it is amazing to think TiVo had been still selling DVR boxes in 2025. 

The longtime digital video recording device maker  -- which was the go-to company for consumers in the early days of digital video recording -- is leaving this part of their core business after 26 years.

What changed its mind so late in the game, when cloud-based systems have been providing TV program storage for delayed viewing for consumers since 2010?

Initially, one might assume the older-generation TV consumers or those in more rural counties may have wanted to continue with the technology they were familiar with -- as well as the fact that pay TV and/or internet providers can charge extra for cloud-based storage. 

But seemingly the other side of the equation comes from longtime loyal TiVo customers, where critics for years have given glowing reviews of TiVo technology, its operating system, and remote control devices versus current competitors.

Another reason it kept going with the DVR is that those units appealed to “cord-cutters” -- the number of which over the last decade or so has been rising. The early days of cord-cutting meant consumers had to mix and match technology and hardware. Looking back now, this all seemed like a transitional approach. 

Now with easier internet access (and cancellation options) as well as friction-free additions of virtual pay TV services and individual streaming platforms, consumers have a broader range of choices to meet all their media and communications needs.

Credit to TiVo that sales of its DVR units lasted as long as it did. Also consider that TiVo was nearing the end of its inventory, and realized the revenue growth of those units was very limited.

At the same time, TiVo has been massively shifting to the software side of things -- including new “Time Warp” technology and that of its connected TV platforms. 

In the earlier days of new TV operating systems, TiVo had licensed its software technology -- the TiVo operating system -- to pay TV providers. It still does that today. It also offers a streaming content option to broadband providers.

What remains going forward: Managing content discovery and developing relevant ad formats for pay TV companies -- which are unique to the TV ecosystem. This is good news for brands that still crave anything concerning unduplicated reach. 

Everyone is looking to rid themselves of media waste of all sort -- especially consumers. And in addition, set-top boxes for anything TV related are apparently no longer cool living-room accessories.