ReplayTVBlog

Over at XYZ Computing they have posted a great article on How to Build Your Own Mini-ITX DVR. This is actually the third part in a series of articles on building a tiny Mini-ITX based computer. In the beginning, the Mini-ITX motherboard booted a very small Linux distribution off of a flash drive and was not very powerful, but definitely small and quiet. The second part of the series added a better “cube” shaped case, more cooling, and it booted a larger Linux distribution from a CD and could actually save data to a Comact Flash card.

In this, the third part in the series, XYZ Computing shows how they took their existing Mini-ITX system and added a hard drive and Video Capture Card with TV Tuner so that they could turn it into a DVR running MythTV that could replace a TiVo or ReplayTV.

This is a project that I have been thinking about tackling sometime in the near future and it’s interesting to see someone else’s approach to this idea. While I think that their final Mini-ITX / DVR system is nice, there are some things I plan on doing differently. For one thing, I think that the noise level is extremely important when building a computer that is going to be in the living room next to the TV and I would like to try and build one that doesn’t need any fans. Either it is water cooled (if possible) or runs cool enough that it doesn’t need any additional cooling — again, if possible. The other thing I know I would do differently is to use a case that is more like an audio or video component case than the tiny cube shaped case that XYZ Computing used. This will be a larger case that will help solve some of the space issues they had inside the cube case and it will fit in better with the rest of my home entertainment system.

With lots of pictures and specific hardware examples, this article will be a great reference for anybody trying to build a Mini-ITX based DVR — I know that I will be referring back to it when I start my DVR project!

Technorati Tags: Mini-ITX, DVR, PVR, TiVo, ReplayTV, MythTV

Popularity: 12% [?]

With the announcement by Cablevision earlier this week that they will begin testing their Remote Storage DVR System (RS-DVR), both Comcast and Time Warner have come out in support of Cablevision and their RS-DVR System. At the Bank of America Media, Telecommunications and Entertainment Conference Comcast COO Stephen Burke said: “It’s a great idea. I applaud it.” Burke, along with Time Warner CFO John Martin, said at the conference that the Cable industry is watching Cablevision and that if their tests are successful that they would most likely implement a similar solution.

It seems like the rest of the Cable industry is watching Cablevision to see if they get sued by the broadcast networks. Time Warner had toyed with the idea of implementing a similar service a couple of years back (called Maestro) but abandoned the service amid fears of copyright lawsuits from the TV networks. The difference with Cablevision’s RS-DVR system is that users will select which shows to record and each will have their on storage, initially limited to 80 hours. The Time Warner Maestro system was going to record all TV shows and store them so that users could choose to watch any show they wanted to without having to have scheduled it to record.

If Cablevision’s RS-DVR system works and they are not sued by the broadcast networks, I think that the rest of the Cable companies will probably follow suit and put into place their own Remote Storage DVR solution. So what will this mean for the Comcast / TiVo deal and any future deals that TiVo may be working on with the other Cable companies? If Comcast does go ahead with an RS-DVR system, why would they also offer TiVo boxes — although they could probably offer the TiVo boxes as a “premium” solution, I don’t see many people opting for it. The RS-DVR choice would be cheaper and most people just don’t know how much better a TiVo is compared to your average generic DVR or PVR, which is what the RS-DVR systems will probably be like.

Technorati Tags: Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner, RS-DVR, DVR, PVR, TiVo

Popularity: 5% [?]

Cablevision has announced this week that they will begin testing a remote DVR service that will give users similar functionality to a TiVo or DVR box in their home but without any additional hardware needing to be installed. Basically, it will work similar to Video On Demand (VOD) except that users will be able to set specific TV shows to record and then watch them at a later date, similar to any DVR such as TiVo or ReplayTV. The recordings will be stored on Cablevision servers and users will be alotted 80 hours of storage. The recorded shows can be played back at any time and they will be able to fast forward through commercials — although I’m sure this is subject to change at any time.

Is a Remote DVR Service like this a good thing? And can it be a replacement for a real PVR like a TiVo or Cable Company DVR Box? I don’t know but I don’t think I like it. Anytime I think about storing any “data” of mine on somebody else’s storage devices, it makes me a little nervous. Whether it’s a web based email service, online photo storage, or (as in this case) my recorded TV shows, I don’t like the idea of giving somebody else control of my recorded shows — especially a Cable Company. Privacy concerns aside (and there are a ton of them), what will they do with the recordings? If I keep them too long will they automatically delete them? Are they going to load them up with Digital Rights Management (DRM) or Copy Protection so I can’t do anything with them? Will they take away the ability to fast forward through commercials? Who knows?

Right now, I like having control of my recorded TV shows. With my ReplayTV, I can record anything I want, and I can even copy it to my computer and archive it / burn it to DVD / transfer it to my video iPod — whatever I want to do with it! With a remote storage DVR service, I won’t be able to do most of these things and the few that I can do now could be taken away at any time.

I’ll stick with my ReplayTV and TiVo and keep control of my recordings, thank you very much.

Technorati Tags: TiVo, ReplayTV, Cablevision, DVR, PVR, iPod

Popularity: 5% [?]

Aplus.net announced today that they have developed an application that will let you view your photos stored on their web photo service, Web-a-Photo, on your TiVo. The TiVo application requires that your computer and your TiVo be connected to the same network in your home and that you use the Web-a-photo software on your computer to upload photos from your digital camera. You will also need version 7.2.2 for your TiVo software, which if you don’t have it already can be requested on the TiVo website.

The TiVo Web-a-Photo application will allow you to access any photos you have uploaded from your PC to Web-a-Photo. They can be viewed on your TV and you can email the photos and order prints — all from your TiVo!

The photos have to be uploaded to the Web-a-Photo service from your computer and can then be accessed by your TiVo.

Technorati Tags: TiVo, Web-a-Photo, Aplus.net

Popularity: 3% [?]

We all thought we would have to wait for the upcoming Series 3 TiVo to get two tuners in our beloved TiVo box, but apparently we were wrong. Over at Zatz Not Funny, they are reporting that there is a new Series 2 TiVo box for sale online that has dual TV tuners! According to the product page on Amazon, this new TiVo also has built in ethernet for connecting to a wired network.

While this updated Series 2 TiVo does not have the ability to record High Definition TV (HDTV) or Cablecard support, it has the most wanted feature right after HDTV – Dual Tuners! With the two built in tuners, you will be able to record one TV show while watching another live. There are some limitations to this — you can not record from two digital cable channels at the same time — only one basic cable channel and one digital cable channel or two basic cable channels at the same time.

All of this information is extremely preliminary and not verified. Right now, there is nothing on the official TiVo website and all of the information here is gathered from Amazon. You can’t even order this unit from Amazon yet, so I’m sure all of this information is subject to change at a moments notice. Still, it’s exciting to finally see a dual tuner TiVo coming out — if only it could record HDTV I would smash my Comcast / Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR to pieces!

Technorati Tags: TiVo, HDTV, Comcast, Scientific Atlanta, DVR, PVR

Popularity: 3% [?]

A big event is about to begin this week that may go down in TiVo history. TiVo’s lawsuit against EchoStar Communications (Dish Network) for patent violations will start in Texas. The lawsuit could mean millions of dollars for TiVo if they win.

In the suit, TiVo claims that EchoStar violated a TiVo patent for a Multimedia Time Warping System. While this sounds like something out of Star Trek, it’s basically a patent on any device or system that allows a user to store a broadcast television program while simultaneously watching another television program — in other words, watching one TV show while recording another.

If TiVo wins this lawsuit, they could be awarded millions of dollars to compensate for lost license fees. This would also open the door for TiVo to go after any company that makes a DVR or PVR device for license fees. They probably won’t do this, but they will use this as leverage with all of the Cable companies to get licensing deals for the TiVo software similar to the deal they already have with Comcast.

It will be interesting to watch this case as it progresses — not only could it mean a nice influx of cash for TiVo, it could also mean that we would see TiVo software everywhere — a definite victory for DVR users!

Technorati Tags: TiVo, EchoStar, Dish Network, DVR, PVR, Cable, Comcast

Popularity: 3% [?]

Last week I posted about the end of TiVo Lifetime Subscriptions and that March 16th would be the last day to get your TiVo lifetime subscription. Well, TiVo has made a last minute reprieve on the death sentence for lifetime subscriptions sign ups, albeit temporary. For an unknown reason, TiVo has decided to extend the date to get a lifetime subscription until April 15th. This means that you can get a lifetime subscription on any TiVo purchased between now and April 15th. You do have to call to activate your TiVo and get your lifetime subscription (it can’t be done on the unit itself), and you have to do this by April 15th.

Whether it’s because they saw a spike in sales because of the announcement or they just decided it would be fair to give people a little more notice to get their lifetime subscription, I really don’t care — I just see this as a second chance to get my TiVo and a lifetime subscription. As the Godfather would say, “TiVo has made us an offer we can’t refuse”.

Technorati Tags: TiVo

Popularity: 3% [?]

As I wrote about earlier in the month, TiVo is in the process of changing their pricing model and with this change comes the end of the lifetime subscription. Well, the time has come. Today, March 16 2006, is the last day the the TiVo Lifetime Subscription will be available. After today, there will be no more lifetime subscriptions — it’s monthly fees forever!

So, if you haven’t done so already, I would suggest you sign up for a lifetime subscription immediately. While it may be a decent chunk of money up front, it will definitely pay for itself over time. I don’t think we’ll be seeing a lifetime subscription deal like this from any DVR or PVR manufacturer ever again.

Technorati Tags: TiVo, DVR, PVR

Popularity: 3% [?]

Sling has announced that they will be making a version of the Sling Player for the upcoming Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) from Microsoft that has been code named Origami.

Of course at this point, who knows when any type of UMPC will be released. But when (if) it is released, users who have a SlingBox will be able to use their UMPC anywhere they can get a high speed Internet connection to view their home video sources that are connected to the SlingBox. This means being able to control and watch your DVR (TiVo, ReplayTV, Cable DVR, etc.) from anywhere.

I know this is possible now with a laptop, but sometimes it’s really a pain to lug around a laptop and get it out, turn it on, boot into windows, start your sling player, etc. when a UMPC with the Sling Player installed would be much quicker and easier to use — In Theory!

Technorati Tags: SlingBox, UMPC, Microsoft, Origami, TiVo, ReplayTV, DVR

Popularity: 3% [?]

TiVo is beginning to roll out the newest version of their software, version 7.2.2, to subscribers. This new version is for TiVo Series 2 units only — unfortunately, series 1 and and DirecTV DVR with TiVo owners are left out in the cold. This is an advanced release (the current released version is still version 7.2.1) that includes the following new features:

• Improved Support for USB Network Adapters – The new version will add support for some new Linksys and SMC USB Network Adapters. USB Network Adapter support had definetly been a weak point so far — if you’ve ever tried to find a network adapter for your TiVo in a retail store, you know what I mean.
• New and Improved Suggestions
• An Undelete Feature for Recently Deleted Recordings

Of all the new features, probably the most interesting is the new Undelete Feature. Basically, it will act somewhat like the trash bin in Windows XP. When a recording is deleted, it will be kept in a Recently Deleted Group in the Now Playing List. As long as there is space available on the hard drive, the deleted recording will be available in this group and can still be watched. As soon as space is needed, the oldest deleted recordings will be removed from the Recently Deleted Group to create enough space on the TiVo hard drive for the new recording.

The Undelete feature is definitely a good idea, but I’m not sure how well it will work in the real world. I know that my hard drive on all of my DVRs is constantly filling up with recordings — I just don’t seem to have enough time to watch all the TV shows I’m recording! So, for me I don’t think recordings would end up staying in the Recently Deleted Group very long (if at all!), buy your mileage may vary.

To get the advance release of the version 7.2.2 software downloaded to your TiVo, you need to request the update at the TiVo website and then it should be downloaded to your TiVo within three business days.

Technorati Tags: TiVo, DVR, DirecTV

Popularity: 9% [?]