Join TiVo’s Series3 mailing list and check out their CableCARD FAQ!

TiVo says: Combine the best of both worlds: the Emmy® award-winning TiVo® service with high-definition television for the ultimate home theater experience. Experience HD digital cable like never before.

First they’re ordered to disable DVR service (currently on hold) and now they’ve been ordered to kill transmission of network TV.

Washington Post says: Hundreds of thousands of Dish Network subscribers could lose access to shows on traditional television networks as early as today after a Supreme Court justice’s decision yesterday that brings an end to lawsuits that have been tied up in court for more than eight years. The decision stemmed from lawsuits filed by News Corp.’s Fox Network and stations affiliated with the four major networks, all claiming that EchoStar has been illegally offering distant-network signals to customers who are capable of receiving television signals from nearby cities.

It’s been rumored that both the Series3 TiVo and the Comcast Motorola TiVo have been in beta testing for months. HD Beat apparently received confirmation in the form of Series3 pictures and info. There’s nothing we haven’t seen before January at CES and June in Vegas. What we really want to know is when will it be released and how much will it cost?

Never enough time…

• Buy Slingbox, get mobile player free; MS Smart Phone SlingPlayer v1 out of beta; PPC SlingPlayer v1.1 beta now available. (jkOnTheRun)
• National Association of Evangelicals (who?) approves TiVo’s KidZone. (Christian Post)
• DVRs help voters avoid campaign ads. (Washington Post)
• Cisco buys VOD company Arroyo. (TechCrunch)

Round 1

My mom has been in need of a TV, so while visiting in Florida I suggested we pick up a Samsung CRT — it was on sale at Circuit City and perfect for her small space. Call me old fashioned, but I like tube TVs. Yes they are bulky and weigh a ton, but I prefer the image quality, brightness, and viewing angles. They also happen to be significantly cheaper than flat panels. However, despite my arguments, Mom was seduced by a slim and light Sharp SD LCD which we ended up taking home.

Round 2

During my stay I tried (again) to sell my mom on the merits of a DVR. I explained how she can pause live TV to answer a call, use instant replay to catch dialogue she misses, and record all her favorite TLC shows. She nodded, smiled, and said it sounded interesting. Then she said she might think about it next year when she retires. (LiveDigitally’s Jeremy Toeman has had more success — his mom regularly uses “Mister TiVo.”)

Final Score: Mom 2, Dave 0

Never enough time… in Florida!

• TiVo co-founder Barton discusses Interactive Television Emmy. (TiVo)
• Guba lowers DVD download prices and I don’t care. (BusinessWeek)
• More discussion of advertising in the DVR age. (Washington Post)
• Final VC-1 patent licensing terms set by MPEG group. (HDBeat)