Philips Ready to Enter DVR Market

Philips is preparing a digital video recording system called Personal TV Channel, which could be seen as a competitor to TiVo.

While the device works much like a standard DVR, Philips hopes the way the product determines your preferences will attract consumers. Whereas TiVo Suggestion requires a good deal of input before it works correctly, setup in Philips' DVR is much easier.

All that is needed is one program to begin filling your channel. From there, it watches what you regularly view to populate it with other programming. Multiple channels can be set up for each member of the household, and they can be shared between users.

In addition to pulling content off of cable and satellite, Philips' device also looks for video content through sources such as YouTube and podcasts. The software is available for both PCs and set-top boxes, the company says.

While the set-top version is still likely at least a year away, Windows Vista users can get their hands on the software as a free download beginning next year, Philips said. It also appears that the company will work to have its software included on PCs.

The cost of the service will be offset by its advertising features, which allow commercials in programs to be replaced by ones more relevant to what a consumer may be interested in.