TiVo Time-Shifts DirecTV Partnership

So, TiVo’s on-again, off-again relationship with DirecTV? It’s on again. After ditching the TiVo (TIVO) platform in Feb. 2007 for a competing personal video recorder made by sister company NDS Group (NNDS), DirecTV (DTV) has circled back to embrace the PVR pioneer’s platform once again. This morning the two companies announced plans to build a version of TiVo’s PVR that can capture DirecTV’s entire lineup of digital and high-def channels. The device will arrive at market by 2009, when it will be offered alongside DirecTV’s existing line of set-top boxes.

Why the sudden interest in a renewed partnership? Could be the recent change in management at DirecTV, which was taken over by Liberty Media (LINTA) in an $11 billion asset swap with News Corp. (NWS) (News Corp. is the owner of Dow Jones and of this Web site). Or could it be that DirecTV simply saw the writing on the wall after TiVo successfully sued Dish for infringing on its patented time-warp technology?

Perhaps a little of both, hmm?