Comments on: Network-based PVR To Boost DVR Market http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/3593 Independent Tech News and Product Reviews from former VP and head of CNET.com and Longtime Computer Shopper Columnist, Alice Hill author of the popular "Hard Edge" column. Originally named AliceandBill.com. Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:48:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: ruslj http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/3593#comment-80178 Sun, 15 Oct 2006 18:49:28 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/3593#comment-80178 It sounds convenient from an equipement perspective but having it be network-based makes privacy a thing of the past (as if it already isn't) It sounds convenient from an equipement perspective but having it be network-based makes privacy a thing of the past (as if it already isn’t)

]]> by: Jim Frost http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/3593#comment-79968 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 14:12:09 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/3593#comment-79968 It was originally the cable companies' intent to use technologies like this, rather than set-top PVRs. The technology has existed for years, but it was undeployable because the content providers refused to license their content for the cable companies' use. Thus the technology largely died on the vine. This is not an issue with set-top PVRs because of fair-use laws. It's ok for the consumer to record for their own use, but it's illegal for someone to record to resell -- even though the net effect is the same. The article mentions "once the ... content providers sign on" in passing; in truth this is the primary obstacle and has been for years. Don't bet on it happening any time soon. It was originally the cable companies’ intent to use technologies like this, rather than set-top PVRs. The technology has existed for years, but it was undeployable because the content providers refused to license their content for the cable companies’ use. Thus the technology largely died on the vine.

This is not an issue with set-top PVRs because of fair-use laws. It’s ok for the consumer to record for their own use, but it’s illegal for someone to record to resell — even though the net effect is the same.

The article mentions “once the … content providers sign on” in passing; in truth this is the primary obstacle and has been for years. Don’t bet on it happening any time soon.

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