I was lucky enough to get a DVR back in 2001, and I’ve enjoyed a largely commercial-free television experience since then. But I’ve always known my ad-free days are numbered. On the one hand, there’s the Web, where pre-rolls, interstitials and sponsored ad banners are pretty common. On the other hand there are DVRs themselves, and the encroaching interests of content owners who are looking for ways to disable recording features to preserve their revenue streams.

First came that network-DVR precursor known as Start Over, offering viewers the opportunity to rewind to the beginning of some live programs, but without the ability to fast forward after that. Now comes the MPAA’s proposal for selective output control (SOC), which would allow service providers to shut off the ability for a DVR to record content around some early-release HD movies.

There’s a lot of fuss and muss around the MPAA proposal, but frankly it’s probably all for nothing. Even if the MPAA doesn’t win this fight (the CEA has come out against the proposal), content owners aren’t going to let everyone watch good stuff for free (or free plus cable/telco subscription) without finding a way to include commercials. Even if, at some point, producers start demanding the use of SOC for regular TV shows, eventually consumers are going to end up giving ground. There are some shows that folks will just turn away from if they have to watch scores of ads. But consumers aren’t going to give up on every show, even if DVRs stop working altogether. (And they won’t; they’ll just “evolve”.) TV is too convenient, and we like our episodes of Lost and CSI far too much.

It’s fun to whine and complain about the MPAA, but the old cliche is sadly true: there’s no such thing as a free lunch. To mix a metaphor, we can only hope the pendulum will stay swinging on our side for a while longer. Eventually we’ll have to start watching commercials again.

The eagerly anticipated (by some) Motorola and Cisco SDV tuning adapters have just been blessed by CableLabs. Originally promised in Q2, there’s still no telling when you’ll actually be able to pick one up and at what cost:

Tuning adapters are expected to become available to consumers sometime in the third or fourth quarter of this year. Cisco and Motorola, which were not immediately available for comment Friday morning, have not disclosed unit pricing for the new device. A Time Warner Cable spokesman noted in an email this morning that “it is a little too early” to say how the MSO plans to distribute tuning adapters.

A stop-gap solution is better than none and an SDV adapter will allow TiVo customers access to switched programming (see photo). However, I seriously doubt the large number of existing CableCARD-capable HDTVs will receive firmware updates required to support the SDV appendage. Yet another early adopter penality…

While the throngs of iPhone and iTouch users were trying out the new mobile Pandora Radio, one of the most popular free applications, I was testing out a new Pandora Radio Application on my SageTV Home Theater PC. Pandora radio is one of the more popular internet radio services and is a perfect match for the HTPC - it’s a very welcome addition to my home.

The plugin allows users to extend their personalized radio stations from their Pandora username onto their SageTV HTPC. Select a station to listen to and as you’re listening to a song you can give it a thumbs up or a thumbs down to help “teach” the station your preferences. Songs you don’t want to hear can be skipped without giving them the thumbs down just like in the Pandora web application. It’s a fairly simple interface, but very easy to use and extremely functional.

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The biggest ‘news’ out of Sony’s E3 press event earlier this week was the U.S. launch of the previously announced Playstation video service. Sony, Fox, MGM, Lion’s Gate, Warner, Disney, Paramount and Turner Entertainment have partnered with Sony to provide movie and TV content for the on-demand download service. The system uses progressive downloads so users can watch as a movie/TV show as it downloads. Sony says content is playable a minute or so after ordering. Purchased content only plays on PS3 and PSP. No PC, iPod, iPhone or other device support was announced. No word yet on whether rentals will be available for viewing for longer than the usual 24 hours.

Note: While the previous announcement stated that a service like this would be made available ‘world-wide’, I checked my PS3 in Canada and there was no such content available. Note the “video” button circled in red in the picture above (click for larger view). If it isn’t there, no movies for you!

[Update from Dave: Blogsphere chatter indicates the PlayStation video network won't hit the UK until 2009.]

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Today Amazon adds multi-platform video streaming (think web browser) to their Unbox arsenal. Initially, the Amazon Unbox movie and TV video service required a Windows player install or Plays for Sure portable device, which was followed by the TiVo playback option. And now they appear to be dabbling in Netflix Watch Instantly and Hulu territory as they begin “Video on Demand” beta testing. Though I wonder, from a branding perspective, if they’re making a mistake… “Video on Demand” is clearly more descriptive than “Unbox,” but it’s also unremarkable.

In regards to Amazon Unbox on TiVo, I don’t see the service going anywhere anytime soon (despite the recent CinemaNow and Disney announcement) - though, I suppose it’s possible video could be served in the newly supported H.264 format. I’m all for that if it gets us to HD quality sooner. Proof positive Amazon won’t be shuttering the video download service:

The video store will [also] be accessible through the Sony Bravia Internet Video link, a $300 tower-shaped device that funnels Web video directly to Sony’s high-definition televisions. Mr. Carr said Amazon would pursue similar deals with other makers of TVs and Internet devices. “We can support both streaming and downloading,” he said.

As I’d suspected, TiVo support for YouTube is indeed hidden within the 9.4 software update. Series 3 and TiVo HD subscribers should start seeing the application show up as early as tomorrow (Thursday), though the rollout will be completed over the next few weeks. And in some form of meta-irony, I’ve shot a brief video of YouTube on TiVo… on YouTube. For good measure, I also brought up the new SDV Tuning Adapter and TCP Remote screens on my Series3.

I’ve confirmed the YouTube content is indeed H.264 - thus marking the first time TiVo is rendering anything other than MPEG-2. (And why Series2 customers are out of luck - sorry, your hardware doesn’t support additional codecs.) In pressing TiVo on the issue of codecs, I also learned the forthcoming CinemaNow movie rentals will be provided (to both Series2 and Series3/TiVoHD units) as MPEG-2.

I can’t say I’m a huge YouTube fan (and I don’t like Mentos), but I’m impressed with the breadth of this app and the seamless playback. However, what I’d really like to see them do with the new H.264 capabilities is provide access to a much larger library of video podcasts without requiring TiVo Desktop Windows PC transcoding or TiVo to broker indivudal content deals before providing server-side transcoding. I know I’m not the only one waiting for Tekzilla…

Expect TiVo’s YouTube press release tomorrow AM, which is also when the tivo.com/youtube informational page will be activated.

There was general outrage last month (except from Dave) when word came down from NBC that it won’t show any live Olympics coverage if it’s set to be televised in the evening. That might not be a big issue if there wasn’t such a huge time delay between Beijing and the US. But as it is, we’re likely to read scores and text highlights long before we can actually see Olympic action from half way around the world.

Or so we’ve thought.

One industry insider (my own Deep Throat) says talks are ongoing at NBC about the possibility of posting teaser coverage online during the day. With the success of other sports events on the Web, NBC has to know there is huge revenue potential in making live or nearly-live highlights available for daytime viewing. The network says it’s not having any trouble selling ad spots. Why not expand the audience?

Of course the big issue here is that NBC doesn’t want to cannibalize its primetime TV viewership. I don’t know why it’s worried. Show me a clip of the latest 14-year-old phenom on the uneven bars during the day, and I’m still going to tune in at night to see her take on the balance beam.

Here’s hoping NBC’s interactive folks win the day on this debate. The summer Olympics only happen once every four years. I want all the coverage I can get. And, assuming I’m not alone, that translates into big bucks for NBC.

I waited until the last minute to book this trip to NYC and find myself in possibly the only Holiday Inn Express that charges over $400/night. To soften the blow, they’re providing free MLB.com audio streaming via the (also gratis) wired Internet connection. I generally forgo in-room network connectivity, opting instead for my travel router and 3G card - Fortunately (ha), the room’s located in an AT&T dead zone giving me the opportunity to discover this streaming media perk. Though, as a Slingbox owner and football fan, I don’t find it very compelling.