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Program Tivo over AOL
mynametaken writes: "Saw this
article about AOL and Tivo partnering to offer services. The gist:
Terms of the pact call for San Jose, Calif.-based TiVo to integrate AOL features like instant messaging (IM) and live chat into its new TiVo Series2 DVRs, which were introduced earlier this year. Also, both companies are working to provide AOL members who are also TiVo subscribers with the ability to schedule recordings on their TiVo from the AOL service.
I know that being able to program a PVR remotely is a big request. It looks like we'll have to have AOL to do it, though."
AOL program introduces a small bug (probabbly something to do with calendar) (see previous story) and all the Simpsons we want to record turns out to be "Dawson's creek" instead...
My life in the land of the rising sun.
Hmm.. if it's programmable via AOL, couldn't someone develop another application that does the same thing? How hard would it be to fugure out the protocol?
Moderation: Put your hand inside the puppet head!
http://tivo.lightn.org/
I use it to schedule recordings while I'm at work all the time.
Will it work with Trillian? www.trillian.cc AOL has been a prick lately about third-party clients...
Calm down, it's *only* ones and zeroes.
I can hardly wait to fill other people's TiVo drives with dreadful Cinemax softcore porn.
"So easy to exploit, no wonder its number one!"
--saint
I love how EVERYTHING has to be hooked up to the Internet now. I don't want to turn on my TIVO and see that some Hax0r has told it to record 60 hours of paid programming and Dawson's Creek. Yes, the TIVO connects to the Internet anyway, but this is a potentially huge problem. I'm hoping one day that my oven connects to the Internet so that hackers can use it to burn my apartment down.
Liberate your mind in two clicks or less.
I know that being able to program a PVR remotely is a big request
:)
That capability has been available for quite some time from ReplayTV... and you don't even need AOL to do it!
I think they're missing their target audience here. I mean sure, the techno illiterate (AOL users) will be able to use a TiVo, but are they really going to be the ones that want this functionality? They need to make this service available to everyone who uses the "real" internet.
Just my $.02
I program my Replay over the internet all the time. http://www.myreplaytv.com/
Even when I'm sitting in front of the TV, it's a lot easier to type in names of shows, search, etc with a full keyboard and mouse than with an on-screen keyboard. I can also download the show to my laptop's hard drive and watch it on the plane. And I don't have to be on AOL.
In January 2001, AOL and TiVo expanded their relationship to include an enhanced multi-million dollar marketing and promotional campaign across various AOL Time Warner online, print and television media properties. The campaign focused on educating consumers about the TiVo personal television service.
As has been mentioned before, the hardest thing about a PVR is trying to explain it to other people. I've had mine for 1.5 years now, and I still have a hard time explaining what it is to people. But once I show it to them, they understand (and usually think its pretty neat). Haven't gotten any hooked on it yet, but I keep trying.
Disclaimer: I do not own a tivo. I have seen them in use, though.
I fully understand how remotely updating your preferences would be useful. Say you are at work, a coworker tells you about a certain program thats on an hour before you get home. Log on to AOL (sigh) and update your prefs! In contrast, would anyone really want IM and chat capabilties in their PVR? Can anyone think of a good use?
I don't think he'd be too happy.
+5:offtopic,but anti-American
At the same time, TiVo will return to AOL $48 million of a $200 million investment made in June 2000 because "the new product offering will not require the subsidy payments contemplated at the time of the original agreement," TiVo officials said in a statement. AOL in turn will return 1.6 million shares of TiVo preferred stock to the DVR concern.
With all the talks about AOL-TimeWarner having some financial trouble (with AOL's stock dropping in the toiliet), I wonder if this has anything to do with AOL needing their money back?
Let me get this straight. AOL-TimeWarner owns Turner Broadcasting. Turner Broadcasting says PVR users are thieves and yet AOL is making it easier for me to use my PVR?
Turner Broadcasting thinks PVR users are theives, though... and AOL owns Turner Broadcasting!
Maybe they can set up their system to skip recording anything that's on a Turner station...
-----
Uncle Bernie has left the building!
Come to the University of Mars! Classes starting soon!
Looks like AOL-Time Warner needs to get their story straight. I mean, first PVR users are theives, and now the same conglomerate wants to add functionality to their PVR?
It doesn't make sense to me unless they're just dying to insert pop-up ads over actual TV shows.
Well, maybe not great, but I think that this turn of events is properly termed a "Really Good Thing!"
:).
After they finish with napster (if ever) the media companies seem to have set their sights on TiVo as their next target. What with the "PVR=illegal" comment by Jamie Kellner, and the disapproval in general of being able to record and store media, its not a wonder the lawsuits haven't already begun.
Having AOL Time Warner throw their weight behind TiVo (if only partially), will at least make most companies think twice before going after TiVo, not to mention add a veneer of legitamacy to the whole PVR movement.
Plus, since Jamie Kellner is CEO of turner broadcasting (owned by AOL Time Warner), maybe his superiors will get him to shut up
You have stolen property!!!
"What is the sound of one belly slapping?"
Here we have the CEO of Turner (part of AOL Time Warner) saying that PVR users are theives and yet his same company are embracing them for profit.
Good to see AOLTW have their departments in sync... the whole gnutella thing is ringing in my head too.
First before I say anything, I would like to say I'm a proud owner of a 20hr TiVo and it's great!
TiVo has been also a great company to work with, very responsive.
However, I don't think it's a good idea to team up with AOL. Maybe it's time to start looking at these video cards that are getting closer and closer to providing a TiVo like service--- ie, ATI's All-in-Wonder 8500 128MB & TV/Capture Card and the titantv service Now, before you assume that this is just another post claiming "you could build it yourself and play Quake on it too", check out the link. You can now schedule stuff, have it do time shifting, etc etc. I linked to the page that begins to talk about the tv recording like services. The actual review starts a few pages back. Anyways, word on the street is the TiVo on your pc isn't far away at all.
I need a TiVo for my car. Pause live traffic now.
This is ridiculous...one Turner idiot bitching about PVR's while another increases their functionality. What a crock of shit...the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing and they both look stupid.
Think about it. AOL, 1/2 of AOLTW acknowledging that PVRs are actually legitimate consumer electronics and trying to get its foot in the door by adding services to them. That not only discredits that stupid TW executive because who the hell is going to take her seriously when half of AOLTW is taking PVRs seriously, it also may mean that AOLTW will find a way to get around the "theft" issue of PVRs.
If AOLTW figures out how to make a profit on broadcasting and PVRs that is a good thing. It means that we will have one less company that is sympathetic to the unproductive whiners whose state-enforced monopolies have made them into lazy little shits unable to move faster in a rapidly changing marketplace than a T-Rex caught in a tar pit.
Just wait till Turner Broadcasting CEO Jamie Kellner figures out that instant messenging distracts the viewer from watching commercials during ad-supported basis. That project will be dead quicker than you can say "what a freakin jackass."
Seriously, I could see television executives, using legislation or lawsuits, require all set-top boxes to freeze up during commercials and not allow the user to do anything but watch.
_______
2B1ASK1
The massive security holes in this will be hilarious to read about... heh, heh
...we are from the government - we are here to help...
However, I don't think it's a good idea to team up with AOL.
Oh no, getting access to 23 million+ naive consumers who have at least $20 disposable income per month is usually the death knell for any fledgling business. Yessirree.
Edith Keeler Must Die
This was a cover story for the fact that AOL pulled out of joint devlopment of an AOLTV\TiVo box for Time Warner cable subs.
Think about it, how would you IM with without a keyboard?
Tivo just got shut down. There are only 3 companies that wanted to _partner_ with Tivo as much or more, and they all have "B" as their middle initial.
$5 / month hosted VPS on linux = awesome!
If AOL can not be easily avoided/turned off, they just lost my money. I have been looking into TiVo type devices for a while. When I fould out about the new series two units from TiVo, I've been getting ready to buy one. But if my TiVo is going to be slow and crash because of AOL software, I don't want it. If I'm going to get IMs from people trying to send me viruses during my favorite shows, I don't want it. If I get a single piece of spam on my TV, I don't want it. I sure hope TiVo will keep a VERY tight rope around AOL.
Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
Give it time. 3.0 is coming out and TivoWeb is still undergoing modifications.
- Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.