Saw this article yesterday announcing new features for DirecTivo boxes still in service (like mine).  For some reason, it reminded me of this Monty Python sketch where the guy tells the dead collector that he’s “not dead yet”.

Engadget: DirecTivo Owners to Get Update in Early ’08

The article details new features that DirecTV customers using Tivo can expect in early 2008:

• Online scheduling (finally)
• Deleted items folder
• Overlap protection

Yes, all these features have been available for years on other Tivo boxes.  Yes, DirecTV is still not providing access to home media options, Tivo To Go, Amazon Unbox, or any of the other cool services from Tivo.  Yes, DirecTV apparently has no interest in actually pleasing its customers.

I’ve written before about the mistake DirecTV made to abandon Tivo effectively for the inferior NDS-based solution.   They took a fairly proprietary advantage that led to incredibly low customer churn rates, and turned it into a powerful driver to force some of their most valuable customers to move to their cable competitors.

In any case, with the announcement of the new, $299 Tivo HD, I can’t imagine why anyone who moves to HD would stick with DirecTV… except maybe if you have to have the sports package.  I have friends who are still working off the old HD DirecTivo.  Maybe they can ride that out until DirecTV gets serious again about Tivo support.