Nero Launches TiVo For PC, Multimedia Software

Nero announced three new products that it said will enable users to easily manage their digital lifestyles.

LiquidTV will let consumers turn their Windows PC into a TiVo digital video recorder. Customers will be able to record, pause, and watch television shows on their computers like they would on a set-top TiVo box. But the PC version also enables transferring shows between computers, exporting to iPods and PlayStation Portables, and burning to DVD.

LiquidTV also will have TiVo functionality like Season Pass recording and WishList searches. Unlike with a set-top box, LiquidTV users will be able to increase the number of shows they can record by upgrading their storage capacity.

"There is an emerging opportunity for a PC-based DVR service that offers easy access to television content on a wide variety of devices," said Bruce McGregor, senior analyst for Current Analysis, in a statement.

The retail version comes with a TV tuner card to capture television signals, an infrared blaster, the software, a TiVo remote, and a one-year subscription to TiVo service. Nero's LiquidTV will be available in October, and the retail version will be priced at $199. For users who already have a TV tuner setup, there's a downloadable software-only version available for $99. The TiVo subscription will automatically renew annually for $99.

Nero also announced Move it, software that enables users to quickly transfer digital media between a Windows PC and multiple portable devices.

The company said it wants transferring to be as simple as possible, and the software automatically transcodes and converts video and audio files for the specific device, be it an iPod, PSP, or smartphone. The software will work only with DRM-free files, so heavy iTunes users may need to look elsewhere.

Move it can also allow one-click uploading of content to YouTube, MySpace, and more. Available now, Nero's Move it will be available in retail locations for $50 or as a download for $40.

The company also announced an upgrade to its multimedia creation suite with Nero 9. The software lets customers create, edit, rip, copy, back up, convert, and share their digital media.

The upgraded suite lets customers burn Blu-ray disks, features new editing options, has an enhanced multimedia player and user interface, and offers auto-backup and data protection services. Nero 9 is available now for $99.99.