3:55 PM -- Cablevision Systems Corp.'s network DVR is definitely out of the soft-launch phase.
The MSO hasn't revealed how many customers have signed up for its recently launched DVR Plus service (a 2011 Leading Lights winner, by the way), but we're getting a much better sense of how Cablevision is promoting the service, which runs $10.95 per month (the same price as a set-top with a local DVR) and currently is offered in the MSO's New York City- and Connecticut-area systems.
This "Secret Passages" video spot created for the MSO by Gardner Nelson + Partners Inc. plays up the multi-room capabilities of DVR Plus while taking a shot at one of Cablevision's prime competitors, Verizon Communications Inc.. "I can set, record, and watch shows from any TV in my house. You can't do all that with FiOS," the preppy pitch man proclaims in the ad, which started running earlier this month.
However, the ad also mentions something else that I think is a tad more interesting, in that it looks to create impulse-buying opportunities.
DVR Plus puts storage on the network so, provided the customer already uses digital boxes that are compatible with the service, they can upgrade instantly without having to set an appointment or install any new equipment. And there's no truck roll -- customers can sign up for the upgrade by visiting channel 905.
While it's still early days for DVR Plus, it's clear that Cablevision is trying to take advantage of the operational efficiencies of a network DVR that traditional DVRs with built-in storage can't deliver. (See Cablevision Eyes $50 Set-Top.)
— Jeff Baumgartner, Site Editor, Light Reading Cable
