DVR

Sling Media Anticipates Commoditization

Blake Krikorian, the co-founder and CEO of Sling Media, had an interesting and frank conversation with MarketWatch. Bottom line: Krikorian asserts he has a several year lead until other services add Slingbox features, during which time Sling hopes to innovate and partner before their technology becomes a commodity. Of course, having a healthy awareness of … Read more

GM’s Car-based Multimedia Infrastructure

GM wants to build you a car-based multimedia infrastructure. They envision a system for moving content from various home and portable devices into your car for storage, organization, and presentation. Oh yeah, they want to enforce DRM by tying content to your vehicle identification number (VIN) — surely that’s a first! GM’s Patent Application says: … Read more

HBO Petitions FCC To Prevent DVR Recording

HBO continues their quest to specify what you can and cannot record to your DVR. They’ve been at the forefront of limiting our recording rights and are at it again, this time petitioning that subscription video-on-demand should be off-limits. It’s interesting that they attempt to segregate content… why should one network or type of programing … Read more

Microsoft Attempts To Patent EPG

Microsoft has submitted a patent application encompassing the construction of an electronic program guide (EPG) from a variety of sources. For example, the DVR might grab guide info from multiple feeds and then compare it to scannable channels and build a lineup grid based on the results. Doesn’t sound much different than most other modern … Read more

Cisco Funds Disney’s MovieBeam

If you recall, MovieBeam was a Disney service similar to Akimbo offering pay-per-view rentals of downloaded movies via leased set-top boxes. After testing the service in a few markets, Disney shut it down and later spun off the company. Most, including myself, figured it was gone for good despite comments that service would be relaunched … Read more

LG’s Microsoft DVR Drops Guide Fees

That was quick! After only two months, Microsoft and LG have abandoned DVR guide fees. Furthermore, those who have previously paid are entitled to refunds. The fee structure was originally $9.99 a month or $249 pre-paid for an infinite subscription. At $599 a pop, the LG LRM-519 rivals the cost of some Windows Media Center … Read more

Instant Replay PIP Stored On Remote

Just about everybody and their mom has been applying for (bizarre) DVR-related patents lately. Today I’ll spotlight IBM, who wants to own the rights of presenting “instant replay” content within a window. But wait, that’s not all… if you order now, they’ll also store that video right on your remote control’s “non-volatile” memory! And I don’t know why…

IBM says: The invention provides systems, apparatus and methods for recording a television broadcast, and a retrospective section of the record. These enable a television viewer to use a television control to select and store a retrospective section of a recorded television channel, while watching the channel. The retrospective section typically comprises a section of the channel that has just been watched by the viewer, so that an immediate replay of the retrospective section corresponds to an “instant” replay. An example method includes the steps of generating a record of the television broadcast, and operating a television remote control to select from the record, while viewing the television broadcast, a retrospective section of the record. The method further may include storing the retrospective section in the television remote control.

Read more

Product Placement Expands In DVR Era

The 1/30 issue of Business Week reports a 22% increase in product placement television advertising. I’m sure we’ll see these methods continue to gain ground as DVR adoption grows. Ultimately we’ll be left with product placements, graphic overlays, and long-form opt-in commercials. Top product placement offenders, 9/19/05 – 12/25/05: Amazing Race: Family Edition (CBS) 2,037 … Read more