Many key features of TiVo, the much anticipated digital television recorder, will be disabled when it is launched at the end of the month so Seven can charge for them via a software update early next year.

The $699 device will be on sale at all Harvey Norman and Domayne stores from July 29 but the home networking features - such as the ability to transfer music, photos and video from a PC to the TiVo box - will be disabled.

The home networking functionality and the ability to load recorded shows to a portable device like the iPod will only be available early next year for a fee in the "tens of dollars", Seven's TiVo general manager Mark Hughes said.