ReplayTV’s 4500 Series to Employ Monthly Subscription Fee

by Alan Sheckter, SmartTV & Sound news editor

SONICblue Inc. recently announced that it would begin charging a TiVo-like monthly service fee for its next generation of ReplayTV digital video recorders. SONICblue’s policy has been to include a lifetime service subscription when a customer made an initial, one-time ReplayTV purchase.

The new pricing strategy will begin with the company’s forthcoming ReplayTV 4500 series, which is set to be unveiled this summer. The new policy will not apply to SONICblue’s current ReplayTV 4000 or prior customers, who will continue to receive lifetime subscriptions, the company said.

ReplayTV’s current, all-inclusive-priced 4000 series is priced from $699 for 40 hours of program storage capacity to $1,499 for 320 hours of storage. SONICblue said it would elaborate how much the monthly fees will be, and how much the initial purchase prices will drop when the ReplayTV 4500 series is rolled out.

According to a company statement, “separating service subscription rates from the retail price of the ReplayTV unit…will better meet the needs of national electronics retailers with lower overall costs and increased promotional opportunities.”