Here's a take - maybe Tivo shouldn't be saved. Now, I say this as the owner of 3 Tivo boxes (2 series II) that I love.

But let's look at the marketing battle that's been waged so far. Tivo owners are OUTRAGED that cable companies haven't just lay down and let Tivo take control over their interface, their economics, and their future. Shame on them.

Meanwhile TIVO has argued back that cable DVR's are weak rip-offs. Yes they're cheaper, but they're not as good.

Remember back to Beta vs. VHS? Beta was better. VHS was cheaper. Can Tivo win that kind of match up?

The bottom line is that Tivo has been playing footsy with the cable industry - considering deals that would make their device a pawn in the walled garden game.

Meanwhile - Tivo is a hard drive waiting for content marketplace to arrive and give it a new reason to be not just better, but uniquely different than the cable DVR.

The Tahiti software that was announced at CES is the breakthrough that Tivo needed to ignite an explosion of new users, new content, and empower IPTV over broadband.

A great idea - but the gap between early adopters and mass adoption may simply be too great. Remember the Apple Newton?

And here's why it doesn't matter. Tivo has launched the revolution. It's taught the early adopters that control of content is a reality - and now the content creation community is a buzz with new ideas, new services, and the kind of entrepreneurial energy that hasn't been seen five years.

So if Tivo's brand is it's greatest asset - it will evolve. But the hardware (much as I love it) needs to be faster, fatter, and more easily plug-and-play before it's going to earn a place in the average living room.

After all - how many people have a broadband connection near their living room TV. A wireless network?

The future is Tivo. Hard drive connected to a TV. Tied to a broadband connection. With an elegant, intuitive, friendly interface. But a leopard doesn't change it's spots. And Tivo is a brilliant technology company that's grown despite it's feeble attempts at consumer marketing - and expanding products and services.

I'm read! I'm ready to:

1. I'm ready to buy stuff from Tivo. But they have to turn into a marketing and sales company.

2. I'm ready to replace my Tivo II box with a Tivo III if it stores and controls HD video.

3. I'm ready to try Tivo to go (if it EVER arrives on my box - but I'm not holding my breath).

4. I'm ready to entrust my content to a Tivo managed and distributed IPTV network.

5. I'll even try what they call 'couch commerce' even if the term makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

But in order for me to do any of the things above - someone needs to build the service, and have a conversation with me as a Tivo customer. I've owned Tivo for 5 years. I don't want the brand, the service, or the idea to die. But I'm sure that whatever happens to the company - the seeds have been sown. Consumer control of media began with Tivo - but it won't end there.