dvr

The last straw broke last month, when, after a DSL outage, I could no longer connect to the TiVo service.

I got the dreaded N17 error message that says, "Failed while negotiating." The only support guidance TiVo offers is (I'm not joking) to unplug the TiVo and plug it back in. Nothing helped. I trolled forums, restarted my modem, changed my router DNS settings, rebooted over and over, even switched to another TiVo, and connected to a Sprint Overdrive, just to troubleshoot and get guide info. I just couldn't get it working. I tweeted TiVo for … Read more

One of the major hang-ups for people switching from a cable provider's DVR to TiVo is that the retail TiVo doesn't offer the cable provider's video-on-demand (VOD) channels. So, while you can get plenty of options from TiVo's built-in video service providers--Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon, and (soon) Hulu Plus--you can't order, say, a prize fight or even the bevy of "free" VOD options available on most cable systems, thanks to the technical restrictions of TiVo's CableCard technology.

Well it looks like that sticking point may soon be unstuck as Comcast and TiVo have … Read more

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

Facebook asks permission to change its privacy policy

Skype tweaks Skype To Go, letting you make international calls as local ones

Sony drops the price of the PlayStation Portable to $129.99

A Chinese version of Groupon is announced

Motorola sues TiVo for alleged patent infringement in its DVRs

Motorola is sued for using the name Xoom on its new tablet

New York Sen. Charles Schumer wants HTTPS to be the default security setting on major Web sites

A man in Florida is arrested for allegedly planting viruses in Whac-A-Mole arcade games

A … Read more

Motorola has filed a patent-infringement suit against TiVo over digital video recorders, according to a report.

The suit claims TiVo willfully infringed patents that were filed in the mid 1990s on behalf of a company later acquired by Motorola, according to a story in The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal reports that the suit also mentions a DVR patent claim filed by TiVo against Verizon--which offers a service that uses set-top boxes made by Motorola--and that the Motorola suit seeks "all available remedies" for TiVo's alleged infringements, as well as a declaration that Motorola set tops … Read more

TiVo has struck a multiyear deal with Charter Communications to bring its Premiere set-top box and interface to the fourth-largest cable provider.

According to Charter, its deal with TiVo is designed to bring its customers "a new and enhanced experience." Charter said that its offering will have the features current TiVo users are accustomed to, including a programming guide, content searching, and live TV control. Users will also have access to the provider's OnDemand content from the set-top box.

Charter will release an iPad app to complement its TiVo launch. The company said that the app will be a "command central" for users, allowing them to schedule recordings, post updates to Twitter and Facebook, and search for shows.

Charter will be offering Premiere boxes to customers, and those devices will offer 45 hours of HD and 400 hours of standard-definition storage. In addition, users will be able to transfer content to their set-top box with TiVoToGo.… Read more

Dish Network has offered a free iPhone app called Remote Access that allowed you to program your Dish receiver to record shows remotely. However, owners of Dish's new SlingLoaded DVR, the ViP 922, as well as the new Sling adapter for the ViP 722 or 722k, were waiting for the app to let you stream live programming to your iPhone or iPad. Well, that day is here.

We tried the updated app and it worked as advertised, and we liked the interface on the iPad. The video quality wasn't great and the sound had some hiccups now and … Read more

Dish Network subscribers can now watch content from their DVRs in full screen on Apple's iPad.

The satellite provider said today that its Remote Access app is available for free to iPad users in Apple's App Store. The app lets people watch live TV and DVR recordings, as well as manage their DVR. The service was already available on PCs, Macs, Apple's iPhone, Android-based devices, and both the BlackBerry Bold and Curve.

However, in order to get it to work, Remote Access users need much more than just the app.

First off, subscribers will need a Dish … Read more

Dish Network subscribers hoping to watch television wherever they go on several different devices can now do just that.

The satellite provider announced the launch yesterday of its TV Everywhere service. In order to use the service, Dish subscribers will need a Sling Media product, like the Sling Adapter, which works with the company's ViP 722 or 722k HD DVRs. The Sling Adapter connects to the DVR via USB and allows users to send content out to applications on other devices. It's available for $99 to Dish subscribers.

In order to access live TV, watch DVR recordings, and … Read more

TiVo has crafted a holiday offer for its DVRs that will save customers cash in the short term, but potentially cost more over the long term.

The company announced today that consumers can buy the TiVo Premiere for $99.99 if they agree to a one-year service commitment. Even better, TiVo once again has a $0 down offer on its Premiere box with a two-year commitment. Those who want to get their hands on the Premiere XL will pay $299.99 upfront with a one-year commitment.

At first glance, this "limited time" offer seems like a winner for … Read more