TiVo Plans RFID-Aware PVR

Dotnaught writes "New Scientist has spotted a patent application from TiVo that suggests the company is "working on a PVR that will recognise one of several individual users, and respond to their personal preferences." The patent application describes the invention as "a multimedia mobile personalization system provides a remote control that detects a user's electronic tag, e.g. an RFID tag." It also promises personalized viewing at a variety of locations, detailing how TiVo might forward stored shows from home to a TV in a hotel room, for example. It remains to be seen whether hotels will be eager to help TiVo undermine their pay-per-view video revenue."

Comments

I want an RFID tag

[LilGuy]

Embed me please! I want never again to have to manually pay for anything, prove my identity, or set my TiVo to my preferences. Thanks.

Re:I want an RFID tag

[nizo]

Actually a bracelet or necklace with an RFID tag to wear around the house would be nice. Maybe a few for visitors too. Or even better I could embed one in my "lazy pants" (i.e. house-only sweat pants) and one into my SO's engagement ring. Having my machine boot into linux when it detects my lazy pants nearby and start beeping when my SO's engagement ring is approaching would be nice too :-)

Re:I want an RFID tag

[Fulcrum of Evil]

Actually a bracelet or necklace with an RFID tag to wear around the house would be nice.

It'd be creepy, actually - Bill Gates did something like this with his house, where you get an ID tag that the house can track and customize music and whatnot. What it did was serve to underscore that you were being tracked.

Business case

[gingerTabs]

Surely this will be an additional revenue stream for hotels as they can charge the same as existing PPV to allow hotel TiVO access to external content which is more appealing to the hotel guest?

Re:Business case

[mandreko]

but will this work if i go to the hotel with my rfid card wrapped in foil, and handing foil to everyone else?

Re:Business case

[kawika]

It's not about hotels, it's about houses. (Geez, sounds like Monopoly here.)

TiVo has access to a lot of user preferences information. Companies like Nielsen and Arbitron have made large businesses out of tracking consumer behavior, but TiVo's use of technology would make it much more accurate.

The problem is, the content providers only want accuracy if it benefits them. The old "journal" system for radio and TV habits reflected what the user liked but not what they necessarily watched. There was quite an uproar when Nielsen switched to an electronic system, precisely because it indicated a drop in viewership.

Re:undermine their pay-per-view video revenue?

[Eccles]

Indeed. The hotels will simply provide a high-speed pipe for $4.95/hour or something like that. Really, though, the TiVo itself is unnecessary. The provider in this case needn't be the user's home machine (or whatever), but instead would be the networks themselves, who would provide the shows for a fee.

Oh noes, teh RFID!11!!one

[MaestroSartori]

I can't wait to hear someone rant about how this use of RFID tags will destroy my privacy, and somehow overnight change the world into some Orwellian police state where we're all branded with the RFID tag of the beast on our foreheads...

Anyone? :)

Re:Oh noes, teh RFID!11!!one

[Scrameustache]

Every member of a family could have a personal radio frequency tag - embedded in clothing or a piece of jewellery, for example

Or sub-dermal and required by law.
What? They assure us that the laws requiring sub-dermal RFID for animals won't be extended to humans? Just like they assured us that income tax would only be a short term deal to pay for the war effort? Why shouldn't we believe them this time?

Re:Oh noes, teh RFID!11!!one

[pilgrim23]

The previous poster (FF123-AA-000000-1412.3) has been removed to a secure location for his own well being. There is absolutley no problem with RFID and no danger at all of this technology being used in a manner harmful or dangerous to your freedoms..

Who Cares

[abricko]

Who cares about that technology... They can't even get a HD DVR out!

RFID + DRM

[lenhap]

Anyone else think of what would happen if this became a standard feature. Sure it may be nice to not have to touch a single button, but as soon as Hollywood can have a show DRM'd to a specific person rather than a specific machine, don't you think they would.

Tinfoil hats aside, Hollywood dictating per-person DRM doesn't seem to be too big of a jump for me. I certainly can't wait for the day that I can't watch a recorded show just because I wasn't the one to record it. Go tivo!

This is terrible!!

[dschuetz]

This use of RFID tags will destroy my privacy! You just watch...overnight, we'll have a terrible Orwellian police state where we're all branded with the RFID tag of the beast on our foreheads!

This is a step in the right direction...

[Alphi1]

I am very glad to hear of this. I've said for a long while, that while I absolutely love my Tivo, it has a few drawbacks (that can be remedied):

1) Lack of dual (or more) tuners on standalone models
2) Lack of support for digital channels (a la CableCard)
3) Personalizing "suggestions" on a person basis, instead of a Tivo box basis.

And from what I hear, #1 and #2 are in the works (rumored to come out mid-2006). And this (it sounds like) could be the third.

I've known for awhile that my Tivo will (if "suggestions" are turned on) record shows it thinks I will like. The problem, is if I record my shows, and my wife records her shows, the machine doesn't differentiate between the two, and tries to find "suggestions" that match both hers and my preferences.

And it rarely turns up anything useful.

Quick

[flipper65]

Someone send one of these to Stallman

Ordering food

[nizo]

Actually if they can have one that broadcasts food preferences (I hate onions and pickles) we might be on to something here. I wonder if it is worth some of my privacy to not have to pick off the onions and pickles because I always forget to ask the Wendy's cashier not to put them on? Pretty much applies to all my other food too; just forget adding onions or pickles please.

Re:Ordering food

[carlos_benj]

I wonder if it is worth some of my privacy to not have to pick off the onions and pickles because I always forget to ask the Wendy's cashier not to put them on? Pretty much applies to all my other food too; just forget adding onions or pickles please.

Have some T-shirts printed up. Vary the colors so you'll have a well-rounded wardrobe - or just keep eating at fast food joints and let them round naturally......

Does this mean that pr0n will just start popping

[digitaldc]

...up in all different locations at the most inappropriate times?

Re:How many of these things are we going to have?

[Rob the Bold]

The toaster that adjusts to your desired level of toast,
The fridge that remembers that you like crushed ice instead of cubed
The Tivo that remembers your choices (I know...mentioned in the article)
The Car that remembers your seating positions
The stereo that remembers your station and desired volume
The computer that logs you on as soon as you sit down

I was thinking . . . I don't need any of these things. My stereo is always set to my station, my ice is the way I like it, the car seat is adjusted for me, because I live alone! you RFID-enabled insensitive clod. It seriously took me a moment to realize why anyone would need this sort of functionality. Sigh.