Report: Talks underway between TiVo, Time Warner Cable

Word is that the newly emboldened maker of the TiVo DVR wants to bring—or at least license—its time-shifting technology to "every U.S. pay-television system," starting (perhaps) with Time Warner Cable.

Bloomberg (via Engadget HD) reports that TiVo, which recently won a key patent case against EchoStar and Dish, is now in talks with Time Warner Cable and other "pay-TV providers."

Those talks, which (according to Bloomberg) were confirmed by a Time Warner Cable exec during a recent conference call, could eventually bring TiVo service and its slick, easy-to-use interface—if not TiVo DVRs themselves—to TWC's 13 million-odd subscribers (of which I happen to be one).

Adding to the intrigue is a recent court ruling that slams EchoStar and Dish for violating a TiVo time-shifting patent, which (as explained by the Orange County Register) covers any DVR that let you record one show while watching another.

That means TiVo has some serious leverage with cable and satellite companies that offer DVRs (basically all of them) but have yet to license TiVo's technology. In other words, it's either "let's make a deal," or "see you in court." (Current TiVo licensees include Comcast, Cox, and DirecTV.)

Of course, "in talks" is a far cry from "definitely on the way," so if you're a Time Warner Cable subscriber, I suggest keeping your Scientific Atlanta DVR hooked up for now.

Also, bear in mind that while Time Warner and/or other cable carriers may end up striking deals with TiVo, the agreements might not (and probably wouldn't, frankly) result in an actual TiVo box for your living room, but rather a license allowing the carrier in question to continue offering its own DVRs, either with or without TiVo software.

Another possibility (as reported by Bloomberg): the financially wobbly TiVo might simply be gobbled up by the likes of satellite competitors EchoStar or DirecTV.

Still, we can always hope, right?

So, any fellow Time Warner Cable subscribers pining for a TiVo?

Note: Time Warner subscribers—or any cable customer, for that matter—could always just buy their own TiVo and hook it up with a carrier-supplied CableCard, but you'd have to pay a monthly TiVo service fee (about $13 or so, depending on the plan) in addition to your standard cable bill.

Related:
TiVo Elbows Into Living Rooms With Recording Patent [Bloomberg, via Engadget HD]