Intel/TiVo Deal Precursor to Mac DVR?

Intel and TiVo announced that TiVo will develop products based on Intelis Viiv technology. TiVo plans on adding Viiv compatibility to the TiVo Series 2 digital video recorder so that it can exchange files with Viiv-enabled computers. TiVois announcement demonstrates the marketis interest in Viiv, and Apple is in a prime position to take advantage of that when it introduces Intel-based Macs starting in 2006.

Viiv (rhymes with "five") is Intelis new chip set for home digital entertainment systems and supports both 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound speaker systems. It is designed to be easy to use with a remote control, and manages movies, photos, and games. It also is designed to communicate with other electronic devices, online services, and software.

Apple recently slid into the home digital entertainment world with the new iMac G5 and Front Row, letting users view pictures, listen to music, and watch movies with a simple remote control, even if their iMac is across the room. The one missing component, according to some, is the inability to record TV programs directly to an iMac.

Analysts and rumor sites have been speculating about the possibility of a Mac-based digital video recorder (DVR) for some time now, and many are predicting that Apple will announce just that at Macworld Expo in January.

If Apple is developing a home digital entertainment system with DVR capabilities, Intelis Viiv technology would be a perfect fit for a new Mac that is also running an Intel processor instead of a PowerPC processor, something analysts have also been predicting for a Macworld Expo release.

The odds of finding out what Apple really has in store, however, are slim. The company historically does not discuss products under development until they are actually released.