TiVo to supply set-top boxes to Morgans hotel

NEW YORK Nov 12 (Reuters) - TiVo (TIVO.O) plans to install its television recording devices in Morgans Hotel Group's (MHGC.O) new luxury hotel in Florida, in a move that could expand TiVo's subscriber base beyond residential customers.

TiVo said that when the South Beach hotel opens in December, each of its roughly 400 rooms will have one of TiVo's HD digital video recorder (DVR) set-top boxes.

Joe Miller, a senior vice president at TiVo, said the boutique hotel operator would buy the set-top boxes, but declined to specify if the hotel would pay monthly subscription fees, as do TiVo's home subscribers.

"We are starting with that hotel in Florida and we are excited about moving to other properties as soon as they are available," he said in an interview. "We think the hotel industry represents a unique opportunity for us."

TiVo, which derives its revenue primarily from monthly subscriptions, has been focusing on developing add-on features to help differentiate its DVRs from those of cable and satellite TV providers which often offer basic DVRs at cheaper prices.

Miller added that the deal, which he described as transactional and "not a barter deal," is not exclusive. (Reporting by Franklin Paul, editing by Matthew Lewis)