Why a $99 TiVo HD Premier is A Bargain… for TiVo (Updated)
Please see update at the end of this article… You’ve probably seen these deals from time to time, if you’re a serious bargain sniper online. Brief periods where the latest-and-greatest TiVo is sold, typically from an obscure-but-reptuable retailer, for an insanely-low price like $99. I finally was able to lock in the purchase on one, [...]
Sorry Engadget, I don’t buy the TV Pack 2008 Excuse
Engadget HD posted an article that really was disingenuous, in my opinion. I’d link to it, but that would be giving them a SEO benefit for poor work. Basically, the article initially claimed that it had found out why Microsoft never released Vista Media Center TV Pack 2008 to end users. Unfortunately, when you hit [...]
Vista Service Pack 2 Lacks Media Center TV Pack 2008 (Updated)
As it stands right now, Windows Vista Service Pack 2 still won’t include TV Pack 2008. I haven’t heard official word from Microsoft, but I can confirm that TV Pack 2008 is absent from SP2. It’s not clear why the Media Center team didn’t add this. Microsoft has confirmed to me that TV Pack 2008 will [...]
TV Pack 2008 (Fiji) Doesn’t Fix CableCARD DRM
Users with CableCARD systems have confirmed to me that Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008 (Fiji)… does nothing to fix the CableCARD DRM problem. I’ve beaten to death the problem in prior posts, just run a quick search on CableCARD to see all of them. But, safe to say, that if you were holding out [...]
Microsoft Still Can’t Explain CableCARD Limitations
I decided for once to attend a Microsoft Expert Zone Chat. These chats are buried in the old Windows XP area of Microsoft’s site (for some strange reason). They offer a rare chance for Microsoft leadership (engineers, product managers, etc) to chat right with customers. I wanted to get the straight answer on CableCARD’s DRM [...]
Slingbox Is My Hot, Hot TV
Today, my Westinghouse W3213 HDTV died. I camped outside of a Best Buy for a good 12 hours in 2006 on Black Friday, nabbing the TV for the nice price of $479.99. Just for comparison, Westinghouse’s equivalent model today still sells for $679.99. But, enough about me bragging, the TV is dead after all. But, [...]
Yeah, I’m Getting a TiVo
I feel like a tool. Last month Slingbox, and this month, TiVo. I mentioned awhile ago that when TiVoToGo went HD, I would get one… Windows Media Center’s lack of placeshifting with CableCARD is downright unacceptable. QAM solutions like HDHomeRun barely work… and wind up with four cable drops going to a single PC. Plus [...]
Proposing a Fix for Vista CableCARD DRM
Sorry folks, I’m writing this as a technical post. I am assuming you know what CableCARD (OCUR) is. I’m also assuming you know about the options with Windows Media Center and using CableCARD with it. If you don’t, I encourage you to run a few web searches and check the technology out… it is the [...]
Comcast Changes Tune: HD Choices, not Channels
Comcast for the past few months was alleging that they had “more HD channels” than satellite providers. Obviously, many Comcast customers were not happy with that false advertising… What Comcast was doing, was counting each offering of an HD On Demand program as counting as a “channel”. Since satellite On Demand programming is not as [...]
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