NFL Online: Packers vs. Cowboys

I discovered fairly late that the Packers/Cowboys game is available online for those of us with cable service not getting tonight’s NFL game. I’m not getting consistent streaming quality, but for the most part it’s pretty good. Definitely a workable temporary solution until the NFL Network and cable operators start being friends again. UPDATE: Hmm. … Read more

Details on TiVo Series 4?

TiVo just released their third quarter earnings. In addition to the typical net loss ($8.2 million this time around), some interesting details on a future TiVo box have emerged:

TiVo and the cable industry have come to an agreement on a blue-print for a retail TiVo DVR using the cable industry’s OpenCable Application Platform that will have full two-way cable service functionality. While the technical specifications are still being worked out, such a set-top box will mean TiVo subscribers will be able to get full access to cable VOD and other two-way cable services. This could also mean that a standalone TiVo offering could fully substitute for a cable operator set-top box. This understanding was communicated yesterday to the FCC through an ex parte filing by TiVo.

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Verizon FiOS TV 2.0 Q4 DVR Update Rollout Begins

I’ve just received word that Verizon’s eagerly anticipated Q4 FiOS TV 2.0 update has started rolling out. Tampa Bay, Fort Wayne and Pittsburgh customers may have received the refreshed software as early as this morning, and all other Interactive Media Guide (IMG) regions will receive it over next several weeks. The update consists primarily of … Read more

FCC’s Martin Forced to Back Down from Regulatory Ambitions

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When the I hit the video link on the FCC’s website yesterday at 11:00 am, I was faced with a familiar site: a bunch of suits milling around and not doing much of anything. Instead of leaving the scene on for hours as I did back in September, I shut off the link and tried again about an hour later. This time, no connection at all.

It turns out that the FCC’s scheduled meeting to discuss possible new cable regulations was delayed until after 9:00 pm. Chairman Kevin Martin has been pushing hard to impose new regulatory restrictions on the industry based on his assessment that cable has reached a threshold where its services are available to 70% of the population, and at least 70% of those folks count themselves as subscribers. Unfortunately for Martin, his math has been widely discredited (examples here and here), and he ran up against a brick wall yesterday when he tried to push his point.

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TiVo & Nero Collaborate on PC DVR Software

This can’t be good news for Beyond TV, SageTV, and ReplayTV… TiVo’s entering the PC software DVR market (!) with Nero at an unspecified time and price. A few years ago, perhaps before current CEO Tom Rogers took the helm, PC DVR software was alluded to at a conference call – But I had assumed … Read more

SageTV HD Extender STX-HD100 Details Emerge

After months of hearing their customers clamor for more juicy information and photos of the upcoming SageTV HD Extender, SageTV posted many STX-HD100 media extender details on the forums yesterday.Like Microsoft’s Media Center extenders that were sold for the old XP version of Media Center, the STX-HD100 is made specifically to stream content from a … Read more

PSP Game Download Store Launches

I was fired up when I read about Sony’s new PSP web-based game download service last week. In fact, I’d expected Sony to take advantage of the PSP’s WiFi connectivity much earlier to provide both game downloads and video downloads, leveraging their catalog of movie and television content. But, therein lies the rub… The new … Read more

Amazon’s New Subscription Service

Amazon has started a new beta subscription service that lets you set up a routine purchasing schedule for items you regularly buy. Think laundry detergent, cereal, diapers, etc. Although online grocery shopping has never really taken off, this new Amazon service has serious potential. First, you get a 15% discount on everything – even if … Read more