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- UltimateTV History -
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UltimateTV at a Glance
Stock quote: MSFT $23.37 (-0.67)
Headquarters: Mountain View, California
Unit Founded: 2000
Product lines: Ultimatetv, Microsoft
Monthly subscription cost:$9.95
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Introduction
UltimateTV is a personal video recorder service from
Microsoft for the Directv digital satellite service. Similar to
DirecTivo units, UltimateTV give Directv customers the ability to
record their Directv programming service. UltimateTV offers a
detailed and interactive program guide, including that of most
major cable and satellite providers, live TV pause/recording that
allows you to pause and resume live television broadcasts,
including slow motion and instant replay, record 2 shows at the
same time, program searching by keywords, interest or genre and
more.
Early History
Microsoft entered the personal video recorder market in June 2000,
nearly a year and a half after Tivo and ReplayTV had launched their services.
The UltimateTV platform was an extention of the Microsoft WebTV unit. The WebTV unit
was not as successful as Microsoft had hoped and the idea was to try and tap into the
millions of Directv satellite customers and offer them a personal recorder system that would utilize the WebTV software.
The UltimateTV system was to compete head to head with the already popular Directv with Tivo system.
Tivo was already a well established market leader with a strong brand recognition from their stand alone Tivo models.
The UltimateTV monthly service fee was also more costly at $9.95 per month, compared to the
$5.95 per month that Directv charged their Tivo customers. The UltimateTV system offered users up to 30 hours of digital recording from the favorite Directv stations.
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Microsoft once hoped that the Ultimatetv would energize their struggling Webtv division. They exited the personal video recorder market in 2002, before re-entering using Windows XP Media Center Edition in 2004.
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Recent History
Microsoft has hoped that their dominance in the computer industry would had aided them to establish a strong following. However, it was not to be. The cost differences between Tivo and UltimateTV in addition to Tivo better marketing and following caused Microsoft to exit the PVR market in 2002. Microsoft would re-enter the market in 2004 utilizing their flagship Windows XP operating system with Windows XP Media Center Edition. More recently in June of 2007, Microsoft unveiled Microsoft Mediaroom, an Internet Protocol Television service (IPTV) intended to help cablevision companies deliver recordable streaming television technology.
While production of new UltimateTV receivers has discontinued, existing boxes continue to be supported by Microsoft and Directv. Consumers are still able to purchase used UltimateTV receivers and have them activated. A good place to find used UltimateTV receivers would be EBAY. The 3 models of Directv
receivers with UltimateTV capability are the RCA DWD490RE, RCA DWD495RE and the Sony SAT-W60.
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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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Cycling
VERSUS
9:30 am ET
When viewers tune in today to the opening of the 96th Tour de France in Monaco, they'll see at least one familiar face. Lance Armstrong, the seven-time champ, will return to compete on the nearly 2,200-mile route for the first time since 2005. This year, a particularly difficult mountain stage has been added at the end of the 21-stage race, which runs until July 26.
A Capitol Fourth
PBS
8:00 pm ET
Jimmy Smits hosts the Independence Day concert at the U.S. Capitol, welcoming a slate of performers that includes Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, the cast of "Jersey Boys," Michael Feinstein and classical pianist Andrew von Oeyen. Erich Kunzel returns as conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra. Also: fireworks!
Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular
NBC
9:00 pm ET
Natalie Morales and Tiki Barber of "Today" host this broadcast of the annual gala fireworks display from New York, featuring such A-list musical acts as country superstar Kenny Chesney, Katharine McPhee and Jordin Sparks.
2009 Hot Dog Eating Contest
ESPN
12:00 pm ET
Nathan's Famous' yearly salute to acid reflux comes live today from Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y., where American Joey "Jaws" Chestnut will defend his title in the 94th annual event. Last year, the 24-year-old Californian downed 55 franks and buns in 10 minutes, tying six-time champ Takeru Kobayashi of Japan, whom he then defeated him in a five-dog "eat-off." Those two men return today to compete in an international field of "eaters."
Apollo 13
MAX
7:30 pm ET
Tom Hanks stars as Cmdr. Jim Lovell in director Ron Howard's 1995 theatrical hit about the near-disastrous 1970 Apollo 13 mission. Headed for the moon, Lovell and his crew, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert (Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon), experience an on-board explosion. On the ground, their colleagues scramble for a solution while the world holds its breath. Gary Sinise and Ed Harris also star. Jim Lovell appears in a cameo role as captain of the USS Iwo Jima.
Burn After Reading
HBOE
8:00 pm ET
The star quality certainly is present in the latest film from Joel and Ethan Coen, the Oscar-winning makers of "Fargo" and "No Country for Old Men," but the story gets too frantic for its own good. John Malkovich plays a newly resigned CIA agent whose secrets are swiped by his divorce-seeking wife (Tilda Swinton) and ultimately land in the hands of gym workers (Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand, alias Mrs. Joel Coen). George Clooney also appears.
Far From Home
MNT
8:00 pm ET
And far from good, this movie marked young Drew Barrymore's attempt to transition from kiddie fare into more adult roles. She plays a teenager on a tour of national parks with her dad (Matt Frewer). The pair gets stranded without gasoline at a trailer park in a remote area where a serial killer is picking off people. Unfortuntely, this poorly written film runs out of gas just as quickly. Richard Masur and Karen Austin also star.
Kings
NBC
8:00 pm ET
King Silas (Ian McShane) sends David (Chris Egan) on a mission to recover a national treasure, the Charter of Gilboa, but David learns shocking news about his father's death while carrying out the assignment; Jack and Katrina's (Sebastian Stan, guest star Leslie Bibb) engagement gets attention and decidedly mixed reactions from Queen Rose (Susanna Thompson) and the king. Dylan Baker also stars in "Chapter One."
NASCAR Racing
TNT
8:00 pm ET
NASCAR action continues tonight in Daytona Beach, Fla., where top Sprint Cup drivers square off in the traditional Fourth of July weekend race, the Coke Zero 400. Last year, Kyle Busch benefited from a last-lap wreck that brought out the race's 11th caution and gave him a narrow victory over Carl Edwards in a green-white-checkered finish. He'll return to defend his title against the likes of Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, among others.
Rocky
TCM
8:00 pm ET
Sylvester Stallone rose to superstardom with this 1976 blockbuster about a small-time boxer who reclaims his self-respect by taking on the world heavyweight champion (Carl Weathers) in a well-hyped title bout. Taking his long shot seriously, the challenger prepares with the help of a wise old trainer (Burgess Meredith). Talia Shire and Burt Young also star in the film, which inspired four sequels.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
NBC
10:00 pm ET
While hearing a harassment case involving a woman (guest star Sprague Grayden, "Jericho") and her ex-boyfriend, Judge Koehler (guest star Alan Dale, "Ugly Betty") asks Benson and Stabler (Mariska Hargitay, Chrisopher Meloni) to question a convicted serial killer about the location of his son's body. Richard Belzer and Stephanie March also star in "Liberties."
The Keeper
TMC
10:30 pm ET
Dennis Hopper is so good at playing psycho he can phone it in. And that's what he does in this formulaic 2004 thriller. His character, a cop who's a few doughnuts short of a dozen, takes it upon himself to "rehabilitate" a stripper (Asia Argento) ... by locking her up in his basement. Even more ludicrous is the subplot involving the TV producer (Helen Shaver) who's crazy -- and we mean that literally -- about Hopper's copper.
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