tivo

When we last heard from upstart DVR maker Digeo, the company had been bought out by networking and communications company Arris. Thankfully for owners of Digeo's Moxi DVR, though, it appears that the company's new corporate godfather is doubling down on the video recorder product line: It's debuting an updated version of its DVR with a triple tuner and initiating a round of price cuts on existing model (and related bundles).

The full details:… Read more

It's been awhile since I've sung the praises of TV tuners, which let you watch and record shows on your PC, TiVo-style. Well, now you can get more than just the style: Nero's LiquidTV TiVo PC brings the actual TiVo software to your system.

The retail package includes the software, a TiVo remote, a USB IR receiver, a one-year subscription to the service, and a high-end USB tuner.

Originally it sold for $199.99 (way too steep, IMHO), but right now you can get the LiquidTV TiVo PC for $69.99 shipped.

The TiVo software probably needs … Read more

Broadband-connected TiVo DVR subscribers have access to Blockbuster's long-awaited OnDemand rental service, TiVo announced on Tuesday.

The service is available to owners of TiVo Series2 and TiVo Series3 digital-video recorders (including the TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL).

According to the company, users will be able to stream films ranging from new releases to classics. Users will be charged $2.99 for classic hits and $3.99 for new releases. Blockbuster will be adding more films over the coming weeks, including "select HD titles."

As part of the agreement, Blockbuster will also begin selling TiVo DVRs in &… Read more

The availability of instant digital downloads from services like iTunes, Amazon, or Netflix has made it convenient for me watch TV shows on my time, without the commercials. Isn't it obvious? I choose when to watch a show and I save about 15 minutes worth of useless advertising.

Similarly, one might use a DVR to record shows and watch them at a later time, with the liberty of fast-forwarding through ads. Although there are those who don't mind commercials, most would probably skip them. So it's not surprising that TiVo reported "nearly all of the television … Read more

Post updated Wednesday, September 30 at 8:20 a.m. PDT with more information.

Good news comes to TV-watchers with TiVo DVRs installed in their living rooms. On Wednesday, TiVo and BlackBerry-maker RIM unveiled a free TiVo app that will let people control their TiVos from the BlackBerry smartphone.

The app will let TiVo owners see a guide of what's playing when, including browsing by category, popular shows, and daily picks. You can also search for shows by their title, a keyword, or by an actor's name. Once you find your show, you can use Tivo for BlackBerry … Read more

The Digital Home Podcast is back! After a looooong hiatus, Don Reisinger is ready to get back in the saddle and take on hot tech topics once more. Check it out! Oh, and sorry about the sound. That will be fixed next week.

Shownotes for episode 201

Report: New wireless adapter for Xbox 360 to cost $100

Netflix CEO hopes to stream to PS3, Wii, iPhone

Lessons learned: Switching to the TiVo HD

This week's cool site: Google Books. Check out my hands-on look here.

And as always, follow me on Twitter!… Read more

As a Time Warner Cable customer, I've experienced rather annoying issues with the Scientific Atlanta 8300HDC digital video recorder (DVR). I've been forced to replace it on several occasions. Other times, it would simply stop working, requiring me to unplug it from the wall to reboot.

It had become such a problem that I finally decided I'd had enough last week and that I'd ditch Time Warner Cable's HD DVR for a TiVo HD. For $239.99 at Best Buy (the company was offering it on sale--the TiVo HD usually retails for $299.99), it was a great deal. I also paid $129 to get one full year of TiVo service.

With the TiVo HD in hand last Monday, I was ready to enjoy my new toy. I contacted Time Warner Cable to get all the details I needed to get set up.

Training anyone? When I called Time Warner Cable last Monday, I was extremely displeased by the company's customer service. No one quite understood what I was talking about when I told them that I wanted to switch from my HD DVR to the TiVo HD. I asked them what the set-up process was. I wanted to know if I lost any channels.

After waiting for about five minutes for the customer-service representative to find information on the TiVo ("Sorry, we don't get many of these requests," she told me), she finally read to me, verbatim, what it said on her sheet.

According to the technician, I would need to have a multichannel CableCARD installed to get my programming. Unfortunately, I would lose several channels even with the CableCARD. I was told by the agent that I would need a Switched Digital Video adapter in addition to the CableCARD to retrieve those channels. An SDV adapter is basically a black set-top box that connects to the TiVo HD, allowing you to watch switched digital video channels. It's a fancy term for saying that Time Warner Cable is trying to save bandwidth.

Somewhat satisfied by the information, I told the agent that I wanted to schedule an appointment for a Time Warner Cable technician to come to my house and install both the CableCARD (you're not allowed to install it yourself) and the SDV adapter. No luck. The agent told me that I would first need to go to the Time Warner Cable Web site and fill out an online form. Upon doing so, I was put in line to receive an SDV adapter.… Read more

Over the last 13 years, Chris Shipley has been the primary gatekeeper of the twice-a-year Demo conferences, evaluating more than 20,000 applications from companies wishing to present in front of a roomful of reporters, venture capitalists, and analysts.

Now, with DemoFall 2009 beginning Tuesday morning, Shipley is marking the last of 24 Demos she has overseen as she prepares the formal hand-off of the show to VentureBeat founder Matt Marshall.

For each Demo, Shipley and her team have selected a few dozen companies, giving each a chance to make a name for themselves during a 6-minute presentation in a … Read more

Rafe and Tom talk about the long-term use of gadgets like TiVo, the MiFi, and more. We even get a road test report on FreeNAS from Dave the psychologist!