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Nero Unveils LiquidTV, TiVo For Your Computer
bigwophh writes to mention HotHardware is reporting that Nero has decided to try a new step forward for home theater PCs by bringing the TiVo service to your computer. The new LiquidTV / TiVo PC package includes a (USB-based) high definition ATSC digital/analog TV tuner, antenna, remote control, IR blaster, Nero's LiquidTV software, and a 12-month subscription to the TiVo service for around $200. You can cut that in half if you already have a compatible TV tuner. This is the first time that TiVo has licensed their intuitive interface for a PC package. In addition to the TiVo interface, the rest of the LiquidTV software package allows you to burn your TV recordings to DVD or transfer the videos to other computers, iPods, PSP, or "other mobile devices." This service is due to launch next month.
I would expect that those of us who like to use our computers for video would already have these capabilities without spending $200/yr on a subscription. I know I do.
Caveat Utilitor
My first thoughts exactly.
MythTV has progressed into a beautiful solution over the years.
I have both TIVO devices and MythTV and I personally like the MythTV solution better.
I have a TivoHD and Series 2, which both work great. What's the advantage in running it on your own PC? Only thing I could think of is the Tivo software should be faster on a decent PC.
But if I was going to go the PC route I would install something like MythTV that would give me complete flexibility. Tivo still has to work with the networks to ensure shows are handled the way the networs want.
MythTV is great if you like to fiddle with your DVR hardware instead of actually WATCHING the television.
For most people, this is a reasonable solution (alongside other reasonable solutions such as getting the DVR that comes from the cable/telephone company, getting a Windows Media Center box, etc). I would venture to say that a MythTV box takes a couple hours for the average user to set up (barring issues with incompatible hardware/software, which'll undoubtedly add more time). Let's say it takes 4 hours to build a reasonable MythTV box, install and configure it. $200 for this thing. $200/4 hours = $50/hour. For me personally, my time is worth way more per hour than that -- it makes more sense to go the prepackaged route.
I'm not saying it's for everything, but the fact of the matter is most people don't want to mess with their TVs. The same way they don't want to mess with their cars, microwaves, blenders and -- yes -- computers. Most people just want to watch the damn TV.
I would love this kind of solution if IR blasters were 100% reliable. But they occasionally fail to change channels properly, resulting in missed shows. One year, I missed an important playoff game and that was the last time I used an IR blaster setup -- I changed TV providers to one that used integrated TiVo receivers.
As an OTA only user of mythtv, I've never had the pleasure of working with IR blasters ;). In the past when I've commented on the stuff people put up with from their cable companies I've been flamed for calling IR blasters a kludge.
Seriously...a computer changing channels for you with a pseudo-remote???...to be more kludged requires squirrels and treadmills.
You're already repellent.
Regular people don't want to buy new/used/old hardware to run free software. Either it works with the crap we have, or we complain/forget about it.
Regular people don't want to buy new/used/old hardware to run closed software. Either it works with the crap we have, or we complain/forget about it.