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Straight from the TiVo press release:

"TiVo said it will begin testing the feature in the coming weeks with a select group of TiVo Series2(TM) subscribers who own the Apple Video iPod or PSP devices. TiVo said it plans to make the feature available to its entire standalone TiVo Series2 subscriber base as early as the first quarter of next year."

The word entire would presumably include Mac users. Of course, this could be a typo, but at least there's some hope.

Also TiVo Desktop *is* compatible with OS X 10.4.2 and 10.4.3 (I've heard but not confirmed 10.4.4 as well). There was an incompatibility with 10.4.0 and 10.4.1, but the later releases of Tiger worked well. The installer gives a false "failed" message, but it does install and it does work very well (better than 10.3.x).

Mac OS X v10.2 - v10.3.x
(Not compatible with Mac OS X 10.4: Tiger)
- Tivo Desktop Download Page

Perhaps you're correct that you can get it to work on 10.4, but as the download page says, it's not supported and they apparently could care less if it works. The fact that you're saying it does work and they haven't bothered to update their download page shows the lack of care they have for mac users.

The only question remains is whether TiVo will provide Mac software that *pulls* (or pushes) the files from the TiVo to the Mac. If they don't, there are plenty of ways of getting around it, but I can't imagine TiVo wouldn't dedicate the couple of hours to develop this software on the Mac.

I think you might want to be prepared for disappointment . TivoToGo is a terrible solution, even for windows users. Tivo has turned in to a company more interested in making a feature-list than making a good product. These half-baked solutions are proof of that, this ipod compatibility is likely another half-baked solution.

I'd be willing to bet that all this is going to be is a program for windows that will convert the show to a 320x240 sized mpeg 4 video file. That's it. So this means it will take about 1 hour to transfer the show, 20 minutes to convert it, then however long to put it on your ipod. I'd love to be wrong about this, but I don't think I will be.

Nobody tell them about TiVo Desktop.

actually it depends. i found one that equals 13-14 shows. more at http://www.tivo.com/.

I have TiVo (and now can't imagine life w/o it 11 months later) and I don't understand why this announcement is even remotely important. Why? Because when you have a TiVo and register your DVR through their web site you can do all the internet scheduling you want (https://www3.tivo.com/tivo-tco/index.do). This Yahoo deal just duplicates that. What am I missing?

I felt the same way when I was an SBC DSL Internet user. Yahoo! started advertising SBC DSL as Yahoo! DSL, I was like what in the hell is the difference. To this day there is really no difference. It's just Yahoo! giving money to companies, in return Yahoo! gets to put their name out more.

Guess it just makes em feel better ...

I have TiVo (and now can't imagine life w/o it 11 months later) and I don't understand why this announcement is even remotely important. Why? Because when you have a TiVo and register your DVR through their web site you can do all the internet scheduling you want (https://www3.tivo.com/tivo-tco/index.do). This Yahoo deal just duplicates that. What am I missing?

This article is pure speculation based on a domain name (googledvr.com) that Google doesn't even own! The article says that Google "might buy the domain" from its owner should Google want to start a DVR service. TiVo is becoming marginalized and plans to make its money from advertising technology-sharing agreements with cable companies and patent licensing.

The article even mentions "GBrowser," which as we all know is Google's Master Plan to unseat the most popular web browser in the world, bar none.

Google also owns googleporn.com. Can we have an article about how they're about to put every porn site out of business?

Is there a news embargo in Canada? Even people in North Korea knew that Tivo was offering service in Canada. I suppose with hockey off the air, Canadian television suddenly became rather barren.

News? Qu'est-ce que sais la news? Oh Canada, eh?

Sadly, that is not true. I have seen more than one red flag over the last few weeks saying that the program couldn't be kept longer than 7 days or saved to VCR.

There is no contract that requires you to keep paying for it, and there is no early termination fee.

WITH RESPECT TO ANY NEW TIVO SERVICE SUBSCRIPTION ACTIVATED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, YOU AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TIVO SERVICE FOR NO LESS THAN 12 MONTHS (THE "SERVICE COMMITMENT"). IF YOU FAIL TO MEET THE SERVICE COMMITMENT BY CANCELLING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE (OR IF TIVO TERMINATES YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE DUE TO A BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), YOU AGREE THAT TIVO MAY CHARGE YOU A $150 EARLY TERMINATION FEE, AND YOU AGREE TO PAY ANY SUCH EARLY TERMINATION FEE.

I realize that it doesn't support your iPaq, but Tivo does support transfering to Portable Media Center boxes.

Apparently Microsoft and Tivo beat Apple to the hand-held video device market, and online store bit.

Sorry Steve, too little, too late.

TiVo is still a functional recording system (just like a crappy old VCR) without service.

That was only true with the original "Series1" units. Now, only certain new DVD-capable units from Toshiba and Pioneer that come with TiVo Basic can record without service. And then they get only 3 days of guide data at once, manual timed and single recording, no Season Passes, no Wishlists, no Suggestions (TiVo's breakdown of TiVo Basic vs. TiVo Plus).

Otherwise, all timed recordings are disabled on Series2 units and you only get LiveTV's 30 minute buffer and trickplay features within it.

All DirecTV with TiVo Service (DirecTiVo) units require service.

I think you are mistaken. I bought a tivo which came with tivo basic included a 2 months or so ago. I didn't get any kind of rebate at all and when I went to upgrade the service to tivo plus at The tivo website it clearly says that there is a 12 month required for all tivo boxes activated with a monthy fee.

Here is from the terms of agreement:

WITH RESPECT TO ANY NEW TIVO PLUS SERVICE SUBSCRIPTION ACTIVATED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, YOU AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TIVO SERVICE FOR NO LESS THAN 12 MONTHS (THE "SERVICE COMMITMENT"). IF YOU FAIL TO MEET THE SERVICE COMMITMENT BY CANCELLING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO PLUS SERVICE (OR IF TIVO TERMINATES YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE DUE TO A BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), YOU AGREE THAT TIVO MAY CHARGE YOU A $150 EARLY TERMINATION FEE, AND YOU AGREE TO PAY ANY SUCH EARLY TERMINATION FEE.

I am stuck with the 12 month contract and I didn't get a rebate....

WITH RESPECT TO ANY NEW TIVO SERVICE SUBSCRIPTION ACTIVATED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, YOU AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TIVO SERVICE FOR NO LESS THAN 12 MONTHS (THE "SERVICE COMMITMENT"). IF YOU FAIL TO MEET THE SERVICE COMMITMENT BY CANCELLING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE (OR IF TIVO TERMINATES YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE DUE TO A BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), YOU AGREE THAT TIVO MAY CHARGE YOU A $150 EARLY TERMINATION FEE, AND YOU AGREE TO PAY ANY SUCH EARLY TERMINATION FEE.

WITH RESPECT TO ANY NEW TIVO SERVICE SUBSCRIPTION ACTIVATED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, YOU AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TIVO SERVICE FOR NO LESS THAN 12 MONTHS (THE "SERVICE COMMITMENT"). IF YOU FAIL TO MEET THE SERVICE COMMITMENT BY CANCELLING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE (OR IF TIVO TERMINATES YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE DUE TO A BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), YOU AGREE THAT TIVO MAY CHARGE YOU A $150 EARLY TERMINATION FEE, AND YOU AGREE TO PAY ANY SUCH EARLY TERMINATION FEE.

WITH RESPECT TO ANY NEW TIVO SERVICE SUBSCRIPTION ACTIVATED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, YOU AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TIVO SERVICE FOR NO LESS THAN 12 MONTHS (THE "SERVICE COMMITMENT"). IF YOU FAIL TO MEET THE SERVICE COMMITMENT BY CANCELLING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE (OR IF TIVO TERMINATES YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TIVO SERVICE DUE TO A BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT), YOU AGREE THAT TIVO MAY CHARGE YOU A $150 EARLY TERMINATION FEE, AND YOU AGREE TO PAY ANY SUCH EARLY TERMINATION FEE.

You're forgetting that TiVo comes with a Service Agreement and that $12.95 you're paying monthly, or the "Lifetime" Service you paid for up-front allows them to change it at will. Read section 6 of the agreement. You granted them that right. You can terminate that right with them by calling up and cancelling your service.

http://research.tivo.com/suggestions/2web519.htm

Tell them you dont want their corporate dick up your ass. You bought their unit as advertised. Fucking with your options as a customer constitutes bait and switch, and a big cock up your ass.

Copyright law forces them to license functionality from Macrovision, who said they would only license their product to TiVo if they put this functionality in, so to answer your question, copyright law plus contract law says it has to be there. Originally, TiVo said that they would only use it for Video-On-Demand and Pay-Per-View, but a bug popped up last week that put restrictions on some syndicated programming (King of the Hill, Simpsons).
 
More info here.

This `TiVo' of which you speak; it is fully supported in the UK, I presume?

http://www.uk.tivo.com/

And doesn't cost me anything beyond the cost of the shows I want (e.g. no additional subscription fee, no requirement to subscribe to cable or satellite TV)?

Of course not. However, your home broadband connection (which requires a subscription fee, of course) cannot stream or process nearly as much video as a cable TV or satellite receiver can send. Perhaps when we all have 100 mibobit per second internet you'll be able to get good-quality video on your computer, but for now it takes more than a half-hour to download a 22-minute episode on an average DSL connection (accounting for time to connect, etc).

And it allows me to watch shows on my laptop, or on my projector?

Tivo to Go will work on your laptop, as long as it runs Windows. Your mobile Linux boxen won't work, though. You could always burn DVDs with a TiVo DVD Recorder, though, and play them on all your boxen using libdvdcssnonus, though.

Your projector will also work, as TiVo supports "video outputs" that allows it to be connected to all manner of "video inputs" on your projector. (If your projector only has a VGA or DVI input, you'll need a converter of some kind.)

Interesting, I will have to look into it.

Please do. You should also read up on this "sarcasm" of which you speak. It's something I don't often find on Slashdot, especially from techie Britons.

This `TiVo' of which you speak; it is fully supported in the UK, I presume?

http://www.uk.tivo.com/

And doesn't cost me anything beyond the cost of the shows I want (e.g. no additional subscription fee, no requirement to subscribe to cable or satellite TV)?

Of course not. However, your home broadband connection (which requires a subscription fee, of course) cannot stream or process nearly as much video as a cable TV or satellite receiver can send. Perhaps when we all have 100 mibobit per second internet you'll be able to get good-quality video on your computer, but for now it takes more than a half-hour to download a 22-minute episode on an average DSL connection (accounting for time to connect, etc).

And it allows me to watch shows on my laptop, or on my projector?

Tivo to Go will work on your laptop, as long as it runs Windows. Your mobile Linux boxen won't work, though. You could always burn DVDs with a TiVo DVD Recorder, though, and play them on all your boxen using libdvdcssnonus, though.

Your projector will also work, as TiVo supports "video outputs" that allows it to be connected to all manner of "video inputs" on your projector. (If your projector only has a VGA or DVI input, you'll need a converter of some kind.)

Interesting, I will have to look into it.

Please do. You should also read up on this "sarcasm" of which you speak. It's something I don't often find on Slashdot, especially from techie Britons.

TiVo may at its discretion and from time to time change, add, or remove features and functionality of the TiVo service or the TiVo DVR without notice. ... TiVo reserves the right to discontinue one, some, or all of the features of the TiVo service you receive at any time at its discretion.

Has your section 6 ever not said that?

(I would've modded you troll myself [I have mod points], but I didn't want you wondering why and my moderation potentially metamoderated down.)

Hey, look what I just stumbled across!

Read sections one and six carefully.

Don't tell me that because there was some fine print in some d@mn license agreement that you've already agreed to this ahead of time. I sincerely doubt that the TiVo license agreement clearly states: We absoutely will reduce the functionality of your purchased and owned equipment in the near future without your consent to appease the broadcasting and content creation industries.

Uh, yes they do. From he TiVo Service and the Privacy Policy, par. 6:

"Changes to Your TiVo Service:

TiVo may at its discretion and from time to time change, add, or remove features and functionality of the TiVo service or the TiVo DVR without notice. If you are dissatisfied with any such changes to the TiVo service, you may immediately cancel your use of the TiVo service as provided in Section 14 ("Termination of Service"). TiVo reserves the right to discontinue one, some, or all of the features of the TiVo service you receive at any time at its discretion. TiVo may at its discretion discontinue the provision of software updates to certain TiVo DVRs. This means that while other TiVo DVRs may receive continued software updates and functionality; TiVo is not required to provide such updates to your TiVo DVR. Additionally, the level of service TiVo provides may not be the same on each TiVo DVR; a given TiVo DVR may support different features and functionality, and TiVo is under no obligation to provide all features and functionality to your TiVo DVR."

It's true! How obnoxious. Here's the link.

I noticed you conveniently failed to address his point about the device you bought and paid for spying on you. But I suppose that isn't a problem for you because only criminals have something to hide, eh?

I didn't address it because it didn't seem necessary (as in, that part seems like a flagrant troll). TiVo is very clear about what they collect, how they collect it, and how to turn that behavior off it you want them to.

I don't consider it spying because I'm telling them to do it! In fact, I'm paying them to do it. I like what they do with the information they collect, and if I didn't I could still use their scheduling and guide service without them collecting any data at all. They have no problem with that - though they point out that some of what they can do for you becomes less useful if your unit doesn't get to leverage their database as well.

Of course, no, I don't have anything to hide anyway. But if I didn't want them to know that our household seems to watch an insufferable and odd mix of geeky tech stuff, geeky scifi stuff, and geeky outdoorsy stuff (yes, there is such a thing), I could prevent them from knowing that. Yes, if they decided to actually lie about what they're doing, they might still find out what I'm watching. But... so what? It's not like I can use TiVo to stalk Jodi Foster or post death threats on Jihaddi web sites. Yes, it might be embarassing to some to be caught only getting all of their news from Oprah, or from O'Reilly, or from Howard Stern - but, what - that's going to be shocking to someone? If you're using TiVo to control your cable box and record racier stuff off of HBO, well - happily the Taliban won't come and cut out your eyes (though someone from PBS may send you a scolding letter, or something).

What TiVo collects, and what they do with it, are all spelled out in their TiVo Privacy Policy. TiVo does allow you to opt out of these collections if you want, by calling them and requesting it.

And the precise data they collect, and how it's used, should be spelled out in the service contract. (I don't have a TiVo, maybe it is.)

Actually, TiVo is extremely specific about the anonymous user info they collect, and go to a lot of trouble to soothe privacy worries. You can even have them stop collecting your anonymous user data if you want. They tell you how.

But since I find that what they do collect is benign (enough), I'm happy to let them slurp it up... because what I get in exchange is a very "smart" display of what's on, and what I might like. That being said, TiVo does pull some strange stuff out of thin air sometimes (for a week there, I was getting a lot of Spanish language stuff pre-recorded - but signaling my dislike for that on a couple of listings before deleting them, it stopped recommending that and went on to more Scifi re-runs it thinks I missed during the regular season - and it's usually right).

"By owning a ReplayTV instead of a Tivo, I feel like I'm living in that crawlspace, away from all the media attention that a company like Tivo gets."

And thus you have a product whose parent company has an even more dire future than TiVo does.

"My 5060 (w/ the requisite hard drive upgrade, of course) still automatically skips commercials. They aren't taking away features I bought, and I appreciate it."

You can enable the "commercial skip/30 second advance" on TiVo units. ReplayTV just stuck an actual button on their remote and triggered a giant lawsuit from the Broadcasters Association that brought down the Company. Despite having spent millions on legal bills, the attorneys Replay (SonicBlue) had on the payroll apparently weren't smart enough to make the case that several VCR manufacturers were putting 30 second "commercial skip" buttons on their remote controls and those were name brand machines being sold at CostCo at the time. TiVo survived and Replay's second owner did not. Judge who was the foolish party.

It should also be stated that TiVo is entertaining the thought of adding a commercial skip button to its standard remote control. Its an option of new feature requests on their webpage found here:

http://research.tivo.com/suggestions/2web519.htm

"There's no pop-up advertisements like Tivo has. There just isn't the money in doing stuff like that because the user base is so small (but the development effort doesn't get cheaper as a result)."

The pop-up ads aren't intrusive. If it eventually makes TiVo profitable enough to cancel subscriptions, I'm all for it. Plus, I like having the option of receiving materials from Range Rover and other advertisers if I request it. That's a feature that is changing television advertising for the better. The omission of such a feature and revenue generator on the Replay platform just illustrates the ineptitute that has plagued the product since 1999...a failure to understand the industry.

"The Macintosh has, lately, demonstrated less enthusiasm about adopting the various DRM flavor of the month technologies that the Windows PC has. This is in part because there isn't the same level of scrutiny, and also because the development effort of adding that stuff doesn't amortize across the user base as well."

No, its because Steve Jobs has vision when compared to Steve "the Chair Master" Ballmer. Apple also has a dedicated user base (and a sustainable one at that) willing to devote $$$ to Apple products. TiVo has a similar fanatical user base passionate about the product and is mainly disgusted with the Company for not going far enough. Replay does not have any of that, except for "me too" users who always feel compelled to post on websites about ReplayTV whenever a story breaks about TiVo.

I should also mention that TiVo has from the start had the intention of eventually killing off the Nielsen ratings thanks to its aggregate data collection. ReplayTV never had such an intention. That was one of the major reasons why I went with TiVo originally over Replay. I don't care if my TiVo reports what I watch because I want the Nielsens taken down for the sham that I believe they are. I'm not worried about the government coming to arrest me if the TiVo records *Skinamax* or anything else on television because anything too controversial and/or critical of the government will never hit the airwaves to begin with, and any tin-foil hat wearer worthy of their aluminum foil knows that.

6. Changes to Your TiVo Service. TiVo may at its discretion and from time to time change, add, or remove features and functionality of the TiVo service or the TiVo DVR without notice. If you are dissatisfied with any such changes to the TiVo service, you may immediately cancel your use of the TiVo service as provided in Section 14 ("Termination of Service"). TiVo reserves the right to discontinue one, some, or all of the features of the TiVo service you receive at any time at its discretion. TiVo may at its discretion discontinue the provision of software updates to certain TiVo DVRs. This means that while other TiVo DVRs may receive continued software updates and functionality; TiVo is not required to provide such updates to your TiVo DVR. Additionally, the level of service TiVo provides may not be the same on each TiVo DVR; a given TiVo DVR may support different features and functionality, and TiVo is under no obligation to provide all features and functionality to your TiVo DVR.

So why hasn't it?

It is. PVR=no commercials. As they become more common, ad-funded TV will wither and die, and good riddance. Commercials are a lousy way to fund programs, a key reason being that they force networks to appeal to the lowest common denominator. 10 million viewers of a random sitcom get higher priority than 5 million devoted Firefly fans, even though the Firefly fans would be willing to collectively pay more.

As good Slashdot and Digg readers (http://www.digg.com/apple/iPod_Video..._Details_) , we know that word on the street is to expect an iPod Video model to debut sometime perfect for the Christmas 2005 holiday buying season. Word is that Apple is looking for video content for such a device.

If you'd like to see the NewWHO series available for digital distribution through iTunes (and for iPod Video and iPod Photo/Color models), then let Apple know by writing to them and asking that they actively pursue acquiring digital distribution rights here in the U.S. Such a distribution agreement would create buzz not only for the allegedly upcoming iPod Video unit but also buzz for the new series here in America.

Write to Apple here:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipod.html

If you'd like TiVo to take a look at a digital distribution agreement for broadband equipped TiVos, write to TiVo here:

http://research.tivo.com/suggestions/2web519.htm

I'm including TiVo as an option since it is well known that TiVo wants to actively pursue digital downloads for their machines and they are currently testing downloads of IFC Channel original content (Greg the Bunny, etc.) through their current beta tests.

TiVo uses a similar approach.

The hardware checks that the Linux OS on disk is a version signed by the company before handing control over. You get the GPLed OS source code but not the keys used to sign software binaries, so you can't run your own modified kernels or programs on the hardware you bought.

Stand-alone HD TiVos will be out next year.

Usually, I'd agree with you. Tivo likes to announce things long before they're viable. However, this time, Tivo users are being invited to beta test it, which indicates that it's nearly complete. You can see for yourself here. Now, to participate, you have to agree to a NDA, and to some other terms. Other than that, however, it's relatively easy for people to participate in.

The entire software stack is not open sourced. But you can get the source for the GPL'd portion.

http://tivo.com/linux

Jeezuz, if only there were a network of interconnected computers and a way to search them...

http://www.tivo.com/linux/

Sheesh -- If you're going to act like a n00b then give me your lower Slashdot number as bounty.

Bemopolis

http://www.tivo.com/linux/linux.asp

http://www.tivo.com/linux/linux.asp

You know not what you're talking about. They can be hacked to allow a network connection, but they can't use the network without voiding the warranty.

According to this, you only get a 90 day warranty anyways. So wait 3 months and then hack the box.

Proudrooster dosn't know you can use a usb network adapter on your tivo2 and "Dial-out" over your broadband connection? Well, you can ;) list of supported nic's

Unlike most linux appliance devices, there is aactually a LOT of usefull things that can be done by rinning a web server on Tivo - like remote scheduling/control of the device for one.

Right, because Tivo doesn't already have that (caveat: requires a Series 2 Tivo that's been upgraded with the now-free HME software, which you should already have from standard updates unless you've specifically hacked your Tivo not to update). You can also watch recordings in multiple rooms (requires a second Tivo, of course), view photos and listen to music, transfer your recordings to your PCs (caveat: with DRM, but what did you expect?), and develop new applets.

Tivo has been very good about embracing the hacking community (to the extent that they link to external forums from tivo.com that cover hacking), and have stepped up with official, free support for many of the features people were hacking for previously (the previously mentioned remote scheduling, photos, music, multi-room viewing, and PC transfers). They've also provided a nice SDK so you can easily write new Tivo apps using Java. With all of that, I simply don't see any need to hack a Tivo any more aside from increasing drive space (not that hacking will stop, nor should it -- that's where the innovation starts).

Unlike most linux appliance devices, there is aactually a LOT of usefull things that can be done by rinning a web server on Tivo - like remote scheduling/control of the device for one.

Right, because Tivo doesn't already have that (caveat: requires a Series 2 Tivo that's been upgraded with the now-free HME software, which you should already have from standard updates unless you've specifically hacked your Tivo not to update). You can also watch recordings in multiple rooms (requires a second Tivo, of course), view photos and listen to music, transfer your recordings to your PCs (caveat: with DRM, but what did you expect?), and develop new applets.

Tivo has been very good about embracing the hacking community (to the extent that they link to external forums from tivo.com that cover hacking), and have stepped up with official, free support for many of the features people were hacking for previously (the previously mentioned remote scheduling, photos, music, multi-room viewing, and PC transfers). They've also provided a nice SDK so you can easily write new Tivo apps using Java. With all of that, I simply don't see any need to hack a Tivo any more aside from increasing drive space (not that hacking will stop, nor should it -- that's where the innovation starts).

Unlike most linux appliance devices, there is aactually a LOT of usefull things that can be done by rinning a web server on Tivo - like remote scheduling/control of the device for one.

Right, because Tivo doesn't already have that (caveat: requires a Series 2 Tivo that's been upgraded with the now-free HME software, which you should already have from standard updates unless you've specifically hacked your Tivo not to update). You can also watch recordings in multiple rooms (requires a second Tivo, of course), view photos and listen to music, transfer your recordings to your PCs (caveat: with DRM, but what did you expect?), and develop new applets.

Tivo has been very good about embracing the hacking community (to the extent that they link to external forums from tivo.com that cover hacking), and have stepped up with official, free support for many of the features people were hacking for previously (the previously mentioned remote scheduling, photos, music, multi-room viewing, and PC transfers). They've also provided a nice SDK so you can easily write new Tivo apps using Java. With all of that, I simply don't see any need to hack a Tivo any more aside from increasing drive space (not that hacking will stop, nor should it -- that's where the innovation starts).

Unlike most linux appliance devices, there is aactually a LOT of usefull things that can be done by rinning a web server on Tivo - like remote scheduling/control of the device for one.

Right, because Tivo doesn't already have that (caveat: requires a Series 2 Tivo that's been upgraded with the now-free HME software, which you should already have from standard updates unless you've specifically hacked your Tivo not to update). You can also watch recordings in multiple rooms (requires a second Tivo, of course), view photos and listen to music, transfer your recordings to your PCs (caveat: with DRM, but what did you expect?), and develop new applets.

Tivo has been very good about embracing the hacking community (to the extent that they link to external forums from tivo.com that cover hacking), and have stepped up with official, free support for many of the features people were hacking for previously (the previously mentioned remote scheduling, photos, music, multi-room viewing, and PC transfers). They've also provided a nice SDK so you can easily write new Tivo apps using Java. With all of that, I simply don't see any need to hack a Tivo any more aside from increasing drive space (not that hacking will stop, nor should it -- that's where the innovation starts).

Unlike most linux appliance devices, there is aactually a LOT of usefull things that can be done by rinning a web server on Tivo - like remote scheduling/control of the device for one.

Right, because Tivo doesn't already have that (caveat: requires a Series 2 Tivo that's been upgraded with the now-free HME software, which you should already have from standard updates unless you've specifically hacked your Tivo not to update). You can also watch recordings in multiple rooms (requires a second Tivo, of course), view photos and listen to music, transfer your recordings to your PCs (caveat: with DRM, but what did you expect?), and develop new applets.

Tivo has been very good about embracing the hacking community (to the extent that they link to external forums from tivo.com that cover hacking), and have stepped up with official, free support for many of the features people were hacking for previously (the previously mentioned remote scheduling, photos, music, multi-room viewing, and PC transfers). They've also provided a nice SDK so you can easily write new Tivo apps using Java. With all of that, I simply don't see any need to hack a Tivo any more aside from increasing drive space (not that hacking will stop, nor should it -- that's where the innovation starts).

OK, you built it on Linux. Now let's see your source code.

TiVo delivered. Unless I see some code from Sonos, I can only label them as open source leeches and will recommend a thorough boycott.

So everyone with a Neilson device, make sure you turn on every episode of FireFly! We need to make Sci-Fi think that FireFly is the hottest show since the original Star Trek got cancelled! ;-)

If there's even a single person with a Neilsen device who is a regulary visitor on /. I'd be surprised

What we need is for TiVo users to give this show three thumbs up and set their season passes to record the show. And of course not opt out of the anonymous data aggregation that TiVo does.

Networks are fast discovering that this data is just as if not more valuable than the Neilsen data because it has a MUCH larger sampling pool combined with the fact that TiVo users are more likely to have disposable income (more valuable for advertisers)

TiVo publishes the Linux source code they use. The GPL doesn't guarantee that you can modify, compile, and run it on the TiVo hardware however, so you're limited to only the builds that TiVo makes and signs. Intel and Red Hat could do the same thing with a motherboard and Linux combo if they wanted.

Linus has been accepting changes for DRM hooks in the kernel recently, so it wouldn't surprise me to see more Linux appliance makers using similar lockdowns in the near future. The days of cheap hardware hacking without soldering may be numbered.