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MONDAY MARCH 27 2006 6:09 PM

Cablevision Testing Remote DVR

Submitted by WilWheaton

Edited by WilWheaton

According to a story on Digg, Cablevision is testing a remote DVR for its customers.

In a move that could ignite a major debate about consumer "fair use" of TV programming, Cablevision Systems will unveil plans to test a service that gives cable subscribers the ability to record and time-shift shows using existing digital set-top boxes.

Although it works just like TiVo and other digital video recorders (DVRs) consumers choose in advance which shows to capture and can fast-forward through ads the recording itself will be stored at the cable system, not on a hard drive in the consumer's home.

The technology for what Cablevision calls its "remote storage digital video recorder" (RS-DVR) "is here today, and in Cablevision's case, we can use it to put DVR functionality in more than 2 million digital cable homes instantaneously, without ever rolling a truck or swapping out a set-top box," COO Tom Rutledge says in a statement.

The discussion at Digg is rather interesting, with some people counting down to a lawsuit from the networks, (an assertion made in the article) and others pointing out that the networks may embrace this sort of technology as a possible compromise that allows viewers to timeshift their programming without skipping past commercials, should companies like Cablevision limit the RS-DVR's functionality. In either case, DVRs are clearly here to stay, and it will be interesting to watch this unfold: will the networks learn from the RIAA and MPAA, and find ways to embrace this technology so many of their customers obviously love? Or will they stay in their glass towers and throw rocks at automobiles while they clutch their buggy whips with white-knuckled terror?

On a personal note, I'm that one guy who doesn't have a DVR (TiVo, ReplayTV, etc.), because whenever I think about buying one, I read about how the DVR makers have just taken away some functionality you paid for when you bought it, or the stupid TV producers make a deal with the DVR company to force you to watch the show you recorded within an arbitrary period of time which they set. I've looked at MythTV, remembered how much I hated compiling my own Linux Kernel a couple of years ago, and safely gone back to my DVDs and DirecTV.

But DVRs are certainly here to stay, and the latest TiVo offering is really tempting, so if you want to say you know of that one guy who doesn't have a DVR, you may have to go looking for someone new pretty soon.

Comments

hadees

Austin, TX

December 2003

MAR 27, 2006 06:41 PM

I think i'll stick with MythTV. But your right it isn't for everyone. It is definitely the best out there but you need to have a good grasp of linux before even attempting it. Installing and upgrades and can be a real headache. But I have used it for the last 3 years and I hardly watch commercials anymore because it can detect and skip them. Also MythTV is so much more then just a DVR (PVR).

[Edited on Mar 27, 2006 by hadees]

crazedlunatik

Portland, OR

February 2004

MAR 27, 2006 08:55 PM

I have dvr and I never watch anything when its on

dvr's rule... boo to the tv schedule!

s5

STAFF

San Francisco, CA

MAR 27, 2006 09:03 PM

WilWheaton said:
On a personal note, I'm that one guy who doesn't have a DVR (TiVo, ReplayTV, etc.), because whenever I think about buying one, I read about how the DVR makers have just taken away some functionality you paid for when you bought it, or the stupid TV producers make a deal with the DVR company to force you to watch the show you recorded within an arbitrary period of time which they set. I've looked at MythTV, remembered how much I hated compiling my own Linux Kernel a couple of years ago, and safely gone back to my DVDs and DirecTV.

How about eyetv? They seem to be doing it right, they aren't tied to a big nasty media company, and the EFF likes them too.

MrStitches

Brooklyn, NY

November 2003

MAR 27, 2006 09:15 PM

Wow, and actual ADVANTAGE to being forced to use Cablevison (unless you want satellite)? That has to be a first.

dempsey

Seattle, WA

June 2003

MAR 27, 2006 09:28 PM

s5 said:

How about eyetv? They seem to be doing it right, they aren't tied to a big nasty media company, and the EFF likes them too.

Notes on both of these: try KnoppMyth, which is Myth built on Knoppix, the cd bootable *nix, so you chuck the cd in, answer some questions and bam... MythTV installed on your HD. Systm did a good episode on it. Speaking of Systm, what the hell happened to it...

On Elgato: I just wrote a long ass post on my potential mac mini / eyetv 500 HTPC ideas here in my journal, but, in a moment of (my) idiocy or perhaps teh intarweb being lame, it didn't save. Blast. Next time I find some extra thousands laying around, I'm mac-ing out my tv.

[Edited on Mar 27, 2006 10:29PM]