Dave Zatz, Author at Zatz Not Funny!

use their mobile handsets to remotely view listings and schedule or delete recordings from their DVR set-top boxes. All that is needed is a WAP 2.0-enabled handset that lets subscribers access the AT&T-Yahoo portal.

As soon as I read that, my immediate thought was: Where’s the TiVo Verizon Java scheduling widget? Well, PVRWire reports something may be announced shortly:

Next week Verizon and Vodafone will launch a service allowing customers to program TiVo units by phone. Sprint plans to enter the remote recording market later this year.

Barenaked and DRM-Free

According to TechCrunch, Amie Street has licensed Nettwerk’s catalog. First to launch will be the new Barenaked Ladies album. Amie Street provides DRM-free MP3s with an escalating pricing scheme: Tracks are initially free and increase in price in relation to download numbers, capped at 98 cents a pop. I wonder what Dale Dietrich’s take is? … Read more

Amazon Unbox on TiVo is LIVE

Megazone dropped me a note that Amazon Unbox on TiVo has been enabled. I immediately registered and ordered A Scanner Darkly ($3.99) through Amazon’s web site – video to be shipped direct to my Series3 via the Internet. Within just a minute or two the download began…

If you register on Amazon to link your TiVo box(es) before April 30th, you’ll receive a $15 video credit. So we’ll find out pretty quickly (and for free) if the size of the library and if the video quality (SD) are both sufficient.

Macrovision Signs Netflix and BitTorrent

Macrovision put out a press release indicating that their copy protection is making its way into a variety of online download services. Netflix, BitTorrent, Movielink and Instant Media will all employ Macrovision’s Analog Copy Protection (ACP) technology as part of their distribution of movies and videos on their websites. Macrovision’s ACP technology helps online video … Read more

South Park: Free and HD on Xbox 360

I love my Xbox 360 (with video download service) more and more each day. Tomorrow, South Park will be available in HD and for free (two weeks only). While 16:9 HD cartoons won’t change my life, it’s pretty cool to see high def content finding alternate avenues onto our televisions. (Note to Comedy Central: Not … Read more

TiVo & Daylight Savings Time

In an attempt to save energy nationally, Congress has extended the period of Daylight Savings Time here in the US. So we’ll be springing ahead a few weeks early this year. I’ve received several news alerts in the last week regarding TiVo and DST, a few of which caught my attention…

WTVM9:

And even V-C-Rs and Tivo which don’t have built-in updating devices

Mercury News:

But be prepared to reset your computer clock, too — and the clocks on your TiVo, BlackBerry and anything else electronic that depends on time.

TiVo units do have the ability to receive updates via dial-up or broadband and I don’t recall ever setting the time on my DVRs, so I did a little digging around. From some posts on the TiVo Community Forum (here, here, and here) it seems like:

Did Lost Just Jump The Shark?

What the heck is up with Lost? Honestly, I think I’m about done. I’ve lost interest in getting answers to their mysteries… the bits they’ve revealed aren’t so mysterious (or compelling) anyway and they’ve killed some of my favorite characters such Ana Lucia and Ecko (not to mention we’ve barely seen any Locke recently).

The first season was absolutely amazing, some of the best television ever — I guess it’s no surprise they couldn’t keep that level of quality (and my interest) going forever. There are two lessons here: 1. Mysteries and horror are better left off screen. What we don’t know is more scary, more perplexing, and thus more engaging. 2. Movies have a distinct beginning, middle, and end (which I prefer)… whereas television shows drag on collecting advertising dollars as long as possible (which I don’t prefer).

Stop reading NOW if you haven’t watched the most recent episode…

Picture of the Day: South Park HD

Cellphone DVR Scheduling For Homezone, TiVo