By Chief Gadgeteer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

TiVo sent out five new press releases today unveiling and outlining a new comprehensive broadband strategy with the concept of “It’s not TV unless it’s on the TV.” Basically, Tivo plans to allow consumers the ability to get broadband video delivered directly to their TV sets in a simple to use interface.

Here are highlights from TiVo’s broadband strategy announcements:

• Unified Search - consumers can search across broadcast, cable and broadband content
• ICM - to provide guru celebrity guides
• Home Movies Service - provide friends and family the ability to share home videos
• Autotranscode - ability to easily browse, transfer, and watch web videos on TiVo
• New TiVoCast Service Programming Partners

Source: DVR Playground

By Chief Gadgeteer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Do you have an underutilitzed portable video device because of the hassle involved to convert your video from your DVR or other video feeds? Do you still watch the same three overpriced movies you bought on UMD in your PSP wishing that you could easily transfer other video content to use on its gorgeous display? Neuros believes they have the solution for you with their MPEG4 Recorder 2.

Here’s an excerpt of the review:

To test the unit, I hooked it up to a standard DirecTV receiver, a DirecTiVo unit and a DVD/VCR combo unit. I recorded a live show from the DirecTV receiver, a recorded show from the DVR and parts of a DVD and a VHS tape. The test portable media player I used to view the recorded content was a Sony PSP.

The Neuros MPEG-4 Recorder 2 worked as advertised. In fact, I found out that the device ignores Macrovision which allowed me to make a backup copy of my “Joe Piscopo Live” VHS Halloween special from 1988 (horrible cheesy 80’s special but includes an incredible organ playing “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor”).

The true highlight of the product is the ease of use for PSP owners. Neuros records to the correct folder on your Memory Stick Duo allowing you to unplug from the Recorder 2 and plug and play in the PSP. If you’ve ever had to convert and transfer files by hand, this feature will make you smile.

Source: DVR Playground

By Chief Gizmateer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

As we reported earlier this week, TiVo and DVRs in general are really changing the landscape of TV viewing. According to Nielsen Media Research, 78 percent of DVR viewers watch network prime-time shows that were recorded within two days of their initial broadcast and 84 percent play back shows within three days.

76 percent of viewers aged 18-49 played back broadcast network prime-time programs within 48 hours and 84 percent watched prime-time shows they recorded off advertiser-supported cable networks and 85 percent viewed time-shifted syndicated shows.

“The TV landscape is changing rapidly, and as consumers increasingly decide for themselves when to watch their favorite shows, Nielsen will establish new means to track their behavior,” said Pat McDonough, Nielsen Media Research’s SVP of planning and analysis. “This latest analysis allows clients to better understand how DVR playback affects viewing over seven days. It will enable us to work with clients to determine the most appropriate way to incorporate this data into our measurements.”

Source: DVR Playground

By Chief Gizmateer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Politicians are struggling to get the word out about their campaigns with TiVo and other DVRs becoming more and more prevalent in households. Because of DVRs, political advertising has attempted to use new media as well with video ads on Goog-tube, Podcasts and Vodcasts. According to StarTribune:

Special interests tossed $2 billion at politicians this election cycle. But technology such as TiVo, the Internet, satellite radio, DVDs and the like make it more difficult to reach potential voters with TV ads, which account for the largest chunk of campaign expenses in major races.

“Certainly it makes it more difficult to get your message out because people now have the option of viewing commercials,” said Mark Drake, communications director for the Republican Party of Minnesota.

The article goes on to mention that young people, who are being targeted with the new media ads, simply are not “rocking the vote” and do not turn out at the polls. Therefore, political advertisers are really having issues finding the proper channel to advertise and get their message out to the voters. Perhaps TiVo will kill the political star.

All I know is that happiness is another political season with a TiVo.

Source: DVR Playground

By Chief Gizmateer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

It takes time to get over a loss. Just recently I have been able to go entire days without even thinking about ReplayTV since they stopped making DVRs last year! In December of 2005, ReplayTV announced a change in strategic direction of producing a DVR for the PC. So, just when I think I’m over ReplayTV, they announce that they are “Coming To Your PC Early November 2006″.

ReplayTV will require the PC to run Windows XP on a P4 1.3GHz machine. You’ll need a decently video card with 128MB of VRAM and a video tuner card. The ReplayTV software is included with some Hauppauge tuner cards.

The pricing beats TiVo at $99.95 to purchase the software (and one year of service) and an annual fee of $19.95 per additional year. That’s one month of service from TiVo!

Source: DVR Playground

By Chief Gizmateer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

TiVo has updated their suggestion form to include a couple of open-ended questions at the top and the ability to vote for up to ten features such as a “30-second skip feature”, “skip commercials automatically”, “save recordings to an external hard drive” and “TiVoToGo for the Mac”.

Perhaps TiVo should have reconsidered raising their rates. Besides having just the new TiVo boxes being too expensive, TiVo’s new price plan now makes the service too expensive as well! Most people can pay anywhere from $4.95 to $10 a month to get DVR service from their current provider, but Tivo has risen rates to $19.95/month. While the pricing gets much better for multiple TiVos ($6.95/month for three years for the second unit) and multi-year plans ($12.95/month for three years), who really wants to sign up for a three year deal with a Series 2 unit when HDTV is becoming more commonplace?

While there are other issues frustrating TiVo users such as restricting WPA wireless encryption to only TiVo-branded wireless G adapters, raising the monthly fees and hitting the pocket book is always a sure way to lose current and potential customers.
TiVo may have pioneered the DVR industry, but I’m not too sure they will continue to be a player in the future of DVRs.

Source: Gizmos for Geeks

By Chief Gizmateer
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

The Zipper is a script that installs modified software on a Series 2 DirecTiVo (back when DirecTV and TiVo had a partnership). The script automagically enables the USB ports on the back of your TiVo which opens the door for networking your TiVo allowing you to transfer shows between TiVos, stream music and photos from your PC as well as controlling your TiVo over a web page. Basically, all the good hacks (MRV and HMO) for these machines are included in the Zipper.

While hacking your DirecTiVo is not new, the process of hacking was left up to serious geeks. The “Zipper” method and an in-depth how-to guide should bring hacking DirecTiVo to the geek masses.

The “Zipper” is one of several methods that can be used to enable certain networking features, such as telnet, FTP, MultiRoom Viewing (MRV), and Home Media Option (HMO), with a Series 2 DirecTiVo.

So, my question always has been… why did DirecTV disable several TiVo functions such as MultiRoom Viewing (MRV) and Home Media Option (HMO)?
Source: DVR Playground

By Chief Gizmateer
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Earlier this morning, new Neuros OSD Firmware was released. Version 3.25-0.23 has some significant improvements over 3.20-0.20 including much better passthru video quality during recording, ‘eject’ support for storage media, PSP support is functional and Lua script support.

The Geeks have covered the Neuros OSD when the BETA of the product was first released back in September.

Neuros Technology’s OSD (Open Source Device) is an open-source Linux set-top box that allows you to watch and listen to your media where and when you want to. Powered by dual core multi-media processor, OSD can record from any source and record to a variety of open formats so you can play your content on various devices from laptops to cell phones.

Source: DVR Playground