So you may have read (or experienced) that TiVoToGo, Multi-room Viewing, and external hard drive storage features are not active on the Series3. As I wrote over on Engadget, TiVo requires CableLabs (the CableCARD people) certification — and they are particularly sensitive to content owner rights. I assume TiVo submitted the S3 without these features to make it through the initial certification process (to get it out the door sooner, rather than later) with the hopes of pushing for approval at a later date. If I were a gambling man, I’d bet we’ll see external hard drive storage options long before TTG and MRV for both political and technical reasons. If you need those features any time soon, ya better get busy hacking your TiVo or putting together a Windows MCE, BeyondTV, SageTV, or MythTV computer (no CableCARD support, but all the OTA HD you can eat).
Electronic Frontier Foundation writes: And that’s how TiVoToGo for Series 3 HD met its maker. As TiVo’s website suggests, CableLabs has yet to permit TiVo to implement TiVoToGo in the CableCARD-compatible Series 3 HD. TiVo must first create a set of restrictions that satisfies CableLabs, and, if it cannot, the feature will remain extinct. Hollywood has openly wanted to rein in TiVoToGo, and any revived version will be more limited than its predecessor. Again, if Hollywood and cable companies had originally obtained such a veto power over the DVR itself, TiVo might never have been born. TiVoToGo’s disappearance is just one concrete example of the harm that digital TV restrictions can cause.
If you generally feel feisty when thinking about these issues, Defective by Design has declared October 3rd “Day Against DRM” and has posted a list of ten action items to fight back. Carlos Mencia also has message (not-safe for work) for the FCC over on YouTube.
Can’t we all just get along?