So. Are we all together? I love TiVo. LOVE IT!

Here's the thing: I'd like to make a suggestion to TiVo and DirecTV and whoever is involved in making the schedule for DVRs. Please change the title of hockey games back to "NHL Hockey" in the schedule.

Back in the day, when I was working with the original TiVo, I would set up a Season Pass™ for the Dallas Stars games and then just not worry about it for the rest of the season. Back then, the title of a game on the schedule was, "NHL Hockey". So I would set a Season Pass™ for "NHL Hockey" on FSN Southwest and one for My27. It would record any game that came up.

These days, the title changes with every game. Friday's game will be called, "Columbus Blue Jackets at Dallas Stars" or something to that effect. A Season Pass™ for that title will, at best, get me two games this season.

You're probably thinking, "Gosh, silly, just use a WishList™! Duh!"

Well, I have thought of that. It ain't easy. A WishList™ or a Saved Search (on the lame DVR) will record every show that matches your search terms, so that sounds like the way to go. But there are a couple of problems with that. First, "Dallas Stars" catches a lot of junk about that stupid show, Dallas from the '70s. "Dallas Stars Hockey" will pretty much get all your games and some specials so it would be the phrase to go with.

The problem is, I have NHL Center Ice, the DirecTV Sports Package, and all the double channels for HD/Standard, so each game is on the schedule at least six times. SIX TIMES.

1. FSN Southwest HD
2. FSN Southwest Standard
3. Opposition's broadcast HD
4. Opposition's broadcast Standard
5. Center Ice HD
6. Center Ice Standard

And this season, Center Ice is showing both broadcasts for every game so that's two more. And occasionally the NHL Network will jump in with a blacked-out broadcast of a Stars game.

Both my DVRs -- the TiVo and the lame DirecTV -- will try to either record them all, or just pick one randomly. If it picks #3, it's blacked out. If it picks #2, I'm pissed because it's not HD. On the TiVo box, it will at least ignore the standard channels because I don't have them on my favorite channels list. The lame DVR makes no such distinction.

So here's my request to DirecTV and TiVo: Please change the name of hockey games to "NHL Hockey" in the schedule. The teams can still be in the title that appears in the "info" so it's still available to search.

It's possible that a straight TiVo that isn't related to DirecTV still uses "NHL Hockey" as the title. I'm not sure. If it does, that's great. They should stick with that.

And while we're at it, DirecTV DVR developers, please ignore the channels that I have unchecked in searches like TiVo does. I don't want to have to scroll through titles from the foreign channels and titles of movies on certain channels in the 500s while I'm trying to find a cartoon for my 5-year-old nephew to watch. Do you mind?

That's all I wanted to request. TiVo is still the best!

*I have actually heard news that DirecTV and TiVo are going to make up and start selling a TiVo version for DirecTV again. I cannot tell you how excited I am about that.

**Someday I'll express my disappointment in the new dish that gives me all these shiny new HD channels, but in the process uses a more compressed signal (MP4). DirecTV execs apparently thought "the average viewer wouldn't notice." Well, this average viewer DOES notice.

I am leaving for NYC in two weeks, and I am very, very, VERY paranoid that I am going to get sick before then (particularly because eevry person at OSU seems to have come down with something. Including Josh and my friend Jeremy, who I had lunch with yesterday. This is my proposed solution to the problem:

(image from Dlisted)

Let me explain.  Yesterday I had scheduled with Directv to come in and repair my dish and install a new HD-Tivo (LOVE Tivo) reciever.  I scheduled this about 3 1/2 weeks ago.  They told me on the phone that someone would most likely call me with an earlier install date, but that I was GUARANTEED to have the work performed on October 6 between the hours of 8am and 12 pm.  OK. 

I really did hope for an earlier date because I could not get any of the Showtime channels, and the season finale for 'Weeds' was looming.  Since 'Weeds' is really the only thing I watch on TV right now (HBO when is 'Big Love' coming back???)  I was getting a little panicked that I might miss the finale.

Well, you can guess what happened next...no earlier date was scheduled, and I missed the finale.  My dear, sweet Husband recorded it for me at the other house...but I had to wait until last week (a full two weeks after the finale aired) to see it.

Fast Forward to October 3. I did get a little bit worried when no one called to confirm the date the Friday before the installer/repairman was supposed to show up.  Then I became doubtful.  I even joked with Steve that the chances were slim and none that he would show up at the scheduled time, er... time range. 

You see, I have had troubles with repairmen recently.  The phone repairman was scheduled to come one day a month or so ago.  The nice lady on the other end of the line said that someone would call me with a date and time.  Someone did, or rather, something did: a machine recording that told me the repairman would be at my house in two days between the hours of 12pm and 8 pm.  Eight PM!  Jokingly, I told Amanda that we would probably be the last house of the day.  Well, I jinxed myself, because he showed up at 7:45. 

OK, so that was just once, right?  Wrong.  The plumber that was supposed to install a faucet in the kitchen was slated to come between 8am and 12pm.  I give them the benefit of the doubt at 11.  By noon, I am getting concerned, especially since I have to drive to the other house in the afternoon, and it is two hours away.  At 1pm I call the company, and was told that there was a pipe break at a local restaurant and my guy would be there ASAP.  I wait, and wait.  At 3pm I call again.  'Oh, sorry, we are just backed up.  We will send someone right over.'  By this time you are thinking that I should give up.  But no, I have faith that the repair Gods will have mercy on me and send someone soon.  My faith wanes by 4:15.  Just as I am packing the car to leave, the doorbell rings.  Hallelujah!  He comes in, looks at the faucet, turns around, states he needs to run into town to get another tool.  It's a faucet, plain jane Kohler, bought from in-stock faucets at Home Depot for $200.  A special tool?  Fine, go get it I'll WAIT, I'm getting good at it.

5pm, plumber returns carrying special tool (apparently some specialty wrench that had to be machined just for this off-the-shelf faucet).  Installs faucet (rather quickly considering everything), and $250 later I am on the road to the other house.  It's 6pm. 

So, my question is:  why can't they give you a time, and then call when they are running late?  Seems simple enough to me.  I think the next class I take will be in home repair.

Oh, and the Directv guy still hasn't showed...I hope I have better luck with Terminex on Thursday between 8 am and 12pm.

TiVo and US satellite TV provider, DirecTV, have extended their existing partnership with a new, non-exclusive deal that calls for the companies to develop, market and distribute a new TiVo-powered HD DVR service to DirecTV customers. The deal also extends various mutual intellectual property arrangements between the two companies. DirecTV has offered a version of the TiVo service, branded as "DirecTV with TiVo," since 2000. However, since 2005 it has not been actively marketing the service, instead pushing a DVR service based on the XTV platform of interactive TV and conditional access technology provider, NDS. Nevertheless, DirecTV and TiVo have continued to collaborate on some level, signing in April, 2006 an extension of their commercial and advertising relationship (they say that relationship will be further expanded via their new agreement), and earlier this year deploying a software update to existing DirecTV with TiVo boxes, that enables various new features including DirecTV's Remote Booking service.

Under the terms of the new deal, DirecTV and TiVo will work together to develop a version of the TiVo service for DirecTV's broadband-enabled HD DVR platform. The companies say that the resulting offering will support the latest TiVo and DirecTV features and services, including TiVo's Universal Swivel Search and TiVo KidZone. The new platform is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2009, and the companies say that they will release information on its pricing and packaging in conjunction with the launch. DirecTV says that it will continue to develop and offer its own portfolio of set-top boxes as "primary offerings" both for new and existing customers and that the new TiVo-powered box will be offered to those customers as an "alternative choice."

According to a regulatory filing by TiVo, as part of the new agreement "DirecTV will pay a substantially higher monthly fee for households using the new high-definition DirecTV DVR's with TiVo than the fees for previously deployed DirecTV DVR's with TiVo service...The fees paid by DirecTV are subject to monthly minimum payments that escalate during the term of the agreement starting in 2010," the filing continues, "and those minimum payments are substantially higher than in the prior agreement." The filing also states that, under the new agreement, 1) "DirecTV is...obligated to annual marketing commitments, including significant cross-channel promotion of the high-definition DirecTV DVR with TiVo service to be developed by TiVo"; and 2) "DirecTV is entitled to most favored customer terms as compared with other multichannel video distributors in the United States to whom TiVo grants a license to distribute certain TiVo technology in the future." "We have had a very successful history with DirecTV," TiVo president and CEO, Tom Rogers, said in a prepared statement. "Together we brought the TiVo experience to millions of DirecTV customers and now we look forward to launching a next-generation product that uses TiVo's latest features to truly showcase DirecTV's broad selection of high-definition programming--all stitched together with the elegance of TiVo's renowned user experience. This agreement demonstrates our continued embrace of mass distribution opportunities in cooperation with major multichannel operators who recognize the value of giving their customers a choice of compelling user experiences." Added Chase Carey, president and CEO of DirecTV: "As the industry's content and technology leader, DirecTV has a long-standing reputation for developing innovative, advanced products and services, including our highly successful series of DVR's and HD DVR's. We will continue to work with TiVo and make this new product available to all new and existing DirecTV customers who may want to add TiVo on top of our industry-leading experience."

In other TiVo news:

• The company has formed a partnership with Research In Motion (RIM), a developer of technologies for the wireless mobile industry and the company behind the BlackBerry family of smartphones, to bring customized TiVo services to the BlackBerry platform. According to the companies, the partnership will see them developing a range of mobile entertainment services that "marry" the BlackBerry with content delivered to consumers through TiVo's service. The first of these planned services--which is scheduled to be available later this year--will enable BlackBerry users to access an EPG and schedule TV recordings on the go, the companies say, and their future collaboration will focus on software applications that further simplify mobile access to video content. "TiVo subscribers will soon be able to wirelessly control their TiVo DVR's using a BlackBerry smartphone--anytime, anywhere--and that is a powerful example of how our respective technologies can complement each other to serve our mutual customers," RIM's co-CEO, Jim Balsillie, said in a prepared statement. "As the BlackBerry smartphone continues its evolution as a modern lifestyle device, the importance of home entertainment integration will continue to grow and TiVo will be the key in providing consumers with greater flexibility in accessing television content."
• The company has launched a new, high-definition DVR, called the TiVo HD XL, which it claims offers more recording capacity than any other DVR available today. The new box, which is priced at $599 and which can currently be purchased through TiVo's Web site and through Amazon.com, Magnolia Home Theater and a number of other retailers, offers 150 hours of HD recording capacity and is THX-certified. Other features include dual tuners, a backlit remote control, an HDMI cable, standard TiVo features such as Season Pass recordings, Universal Swivel Search and WishList searches, and support for the various broadband services now offered by TiVo, such as movie and programming downloads, on-demand music videos from Music Choice and songs from Rhapsody, and the ability to browse and watch YouTube videos. According to TiVo, extensive video analysis and performance testing by THX will ensure that the new box always records and plays back content at maximum quality and resolution. "TiVo pioneered the DVR category, and they are maintaining that position with the new high-performance, high-capacity TiVo HD XL," Michael Rudd, chief AV Architect at THX, said in a prepared statement. "As more consumers adopt high-definition programming, they will expect their recorded content to reflect the same level of quality and consistency as the original broadcasts. With a Terabyte hard drive, the TiVo HD XL lets users enjoy more HD movies, sports and other programs in high definition than ever before, and THX certification ensures that the quality is always superb."
• The company has signed a deal with Entertainment Weekly magazine, under which programs recommended in the latter's "What to Watch" section will be automatically recorded by broadband-enabled TiVo boxes. According to the companies, the new service--which they are billing as allowing "two powerful properties to work together to create a more seamless television viewing experience for their respective audiences"--will launch in the fall, and will be jointly marketed. The companies' deal will also allow TiVo subscribers to download broadband video content from Entertainment Weekly's EW.com Web site, including such original programs as "Just a Minute," "Ausiello TV" and "Idolatry," and behind-the-scenes footage from photoshoots. "We are pleased to have an opportunity to work with one of the most respected entertainment brands to help change the dynamic of how a franchise like Entertainment Weekly and the TV world can be combined to create a whole new level of service for the reader and the viewer," TiVo's Tom Rogers said in a prepared statement. "TiVo is all about providing easy solutions so that television viewing can be molded to an individual's lifestyle and Entertainment Weekly's development of this complete solution for its readers is just what TiVo stands for."
• According to news agency, Reuters, US District Judge David Folsom has delayed his ruling on whether DISH Network owes TiVo additional damages in the so-called "Time Warp" patent case between the companies. (Note: The patent dispute between TiVo and DISH dates back to 2004, when TiVo sued the then-EchoStar, alleging that it was violating its US patent, #6,233,389--i.e. the "Time Warp" patent--which was granted to the company in May, 2001. The patent describes methods for recording one program while playing back another, and for watching a show as it is recording, as well as a storage format that supports "trick-play" capabilities, such as pause-live-TV, fast-forward, rewind, instant replays, and slow motion.) TiVo, which was awarded $74 million in damages in the case, claims that it is owed an additional $220 million in damages for the 18 months during which the verdict in the case was stayed while DISH/EchoStar unsuccessfully appealed it (DISH claims that it only owes TiVo an additional $16 million). Judge Folsom said that he would try to rule on the issue by October 1st, but cautioned that his ruling might come as late as November. News of the delay caused a 16.5% decline in the price of TiVo's shares.
• In its most recent earnings release, the company included an update--presented as a quote from an unnamed "top Comcast executive"--on the current status of its relationship with Comcast: "We are pleased with the progress of the TiVo service and have broadened its footprint in our New England market to Connecticut," the Comcast statement read. "Refinements to optimize the product's performance have been mostly completed, significantly improving the user experience. Importantly, we intend to light up a full marketing campaign around TiVo in September and, upon this occurring, we will be announcing multiple additional markets to which TiVo will be rolled out through next year. We will also continue to fund development work for the TiVo product, which will include expanding the feature set and adding support for tru2way infrastructure." TiVo also stated in the earnings release that "the TiVo service on Cox, which is currently in trials, is on track for a launch in Cox's New England market later this year."

Time Warner Reacts to LIN Dispute By Urging People Online; after the two companies didn't reach an agreement, Time Warner displays a URL on channels formerly occupied by LIN that hosts a video on how to watch TV programs online. (The New York Times)

Blinkx Drops Bid to Buy Miva; video search company will not be acquiring the pay-per-click ad network. (paidContent)

Comcast to Hike Rates; third price increase since January 2007, cable co. blames the economy (convenient!). (RedOrbit)

Video Advertisers Looking to Display Ads; companies like Apple are inserting video into banners and moving beyond the in-stream slots. (AdWeek)

Conde Naste Using Mobile Vid-Casting for Bridal Fashion Shows; company using Flixwagon to live-stream footage that will be featured on Bride.com's Wedded Bits blog. (MediaWeek)

Access Hollywood Partnering with iVillage; fluffy entertainment news magazine will have a module on the women's site that will include video. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Iron Man's Popularity Brings Down Servers; number of people trying to access the BD-Live content brought down Paramount's tech. (CrunchGear)

Ben Folds has a new album!  It's called Way To Normal.

The way I learned about this is through the modern technology of Tivo.  I've told my Tivo to record any show on which Ben Folds appears, and he was on Conan last week.  You can watch him perform "You Don't Know Me" feat. Regina Spektor on NBC.com, though you probably have to watch a commercial first, then fast forward to the fifth section of the show.

Anyway, I picked up Way To Normal today and have listened to it twice so far.  It seems to be about Ben's divorce and how to get over it and get back to normal and, as you can imagine from the post immediately below, you can see how that would resonate with me.

Anyway, so you should watch the performance.  Ben is my favorite musician and Regina Spektor is also on that list.

How do you spell it: DirecTV, DiectTV or Direct TV?  While you figure it out, I'll first tell you why you need to spell it correctly.

1.  DirecTV has more channels than Dish Network (main competitor in satellite TV) and cable.

2.  Local channels are included in all DirecTV packages, not in cable and Dish Network.

3.  DirecTV has a more affordable DVR service, with the 4 months for free.

4.  Free S&H.

5.  DirecTV has more subscribers than Dish Network as of 2008.

6.  DirectTV offers additional sports viewing fetures like the bird’s eye view and others.

7.  DirectTV has no activation fee unlike Dish Network and some cable networks.

8.  DirecTV has a more affordable HD programming.

9.  Only DirecTV has the advanced Tivo technology.

10.  DirectTV allows more options and a better control of pay per view charges.

So how do you spell it?  It doesn't matter.  As long as it's better. :-)

Lately, I've had a number of odd moments when I get the strange feeling that my life is caught in a 30 minute buffer, and fear that I'll suddenly realize that I've got to awkwardly catch up to the present.

I don't know if it means I'm watching too much TV or not enough...

Då kan man ju undra vad som händer när mottagaren snabbspolar genom TV reklamen i sex gånger hastigheten, vilket börjar blir vanligt i USA i takt med att digital TV inspelningsutrustning typ TiVo blir vanligare. Vissa annonsörer anpassar sin reklam efter denna typ av visning.

På Neurosciencemarketing.com rescenseras en artikel på just det ämnet. Det visar sig att när TV tittare snabbspolar genom reklamen är de något mer engarerade än annars, de vill inte missa när programmet börjar igen. Detta innebär att effekten inte blir så låg man kunde förvänta sig, och faktiskt är inte alltför dålig för reklam som mottagaren sett förut. Forskarna rapporterade om 53% reklamerinran för reklam som försökspersoner snabbspolade igenom men som de sett förut jämfört med 15% för reklam de inte sett tidigare. Naturligtvis är det omöjligt att jämföra dessa resultat med vanliga kampanjmätningar och trackingar, men de förefaller vara tydligt lägre än vad som är normalt i Sverige idag, men helt klart stora nog att räkna med.

Vad innebär det för svenska annonsörer? Motivationen att använda Tivo boxar i är mycket lägre i Sverige eftersom reklamtrycket är så mycket lägre än i USA, så jag tror inte att vi kommer att ha samma problem på lång tid, om någonsin. Däremot ger det lite mer aspekter på Low Involvement Processing. Att snabbspola en 30s spot på 5s innebär dålig bild och inget ljud, det finns alltså ganska små möjligheter att förmedla någon ny information. Däremot räcker det för att repetera redan inlärda associationer. Det innebär att första gången reklamen visas behövs högre Involvement, medan för att bygga räckvidderna på högre frekvenser räcker det med lägre Involvement. (Använder det engelska ordet för att vara tydlig med vilket engagemang som avses)

Det finns även en koppling till uppföljningar. High Involvement innebär spontana frågor, Low Involvement innebär hjälpta frågor, mycket grovt förenklat. Spontana frågor kan alltså fånga inlärningsfasen, medan hjälpta frågor är bättre i senare faser i kampanjer när man bygger räckvidd för högre frekvenser.

1. One of the main characters should suffer from memory loss,from mild to severe, and/or a terminal illness,which provokes pity, from which they can recover or eventually succumb to depending on how sadist the scriptwriter is.
2. Traffic accidents it can be as simple as nearly being swiped by a motorcycle or being run over by a truck. And there are also collisions, swerving off the rails etc...
3. The female protagonist never looks both ways before crossing the street and has super slow reflexes while on the other hand the male lead can assess what's happening in a nanosecond and manages to save her.
4. There's always a contract/IOU/last will and testament or any other legally binding document involved that needs to be fulfilled.
5. People are divided into two classes, the heir/heiress super rich who lead very free lives and manage to be involved in a love story and the hardworking middle class-scraping by the poverty line, who in spite of being in need for money manage to also engage in the love story.
6. Most of the dramas I've watched give the impression that it's acceptable to grab girls and even grown women by the wrist and drag them along.
7. In these dramas, hospitals are very inefficient for example, switched births, switched test results?
8. One or both of the protagonists are stone drunk during the much awaited profession of undying love.
9. Guys must play a musical instrument - usually a piano, it raises the hunk factor.
10. Good girls still end up with the not so mild-mannered favouring the jerk-y side guy.
11. Optional presence of inanimate objects (usually stuffed toys) can likely talk sense to one of the protagonists.
12. Rain comes during the most crucial parts of the episode/scene. It will rain and they will get wet, which forces them to be in close contact ergo, deeper intimacy. Or when it rains and it's a sad confrontation they will both stay out in the rain and have the longest staring contests with a 360 degree pan by the camera.
13. Usually, parents can be stereotyped into the wacky, trying to be cool but embarrassing their kid parent or the uptight,manipulative, I-only-want-what's-best-for-you-so-there's-no-way-over-my-dead-body-will-I-permit-you-to-be-happy parent.
14. Some female protagonists have regressive development and resort to childish bordering on retarded speech and manners.
15. It's a small world out there. Aside from potentially incestual relationships, even the most forgettable minor character can be related to a major revelation or to a major character on which the story will turn/twist or be thrown into utter disarray again depending on the writer's twisted mind.

To sum it up the main thing which keeps things going is MISUNDERSTANDINGS. An Asian drama is full of it and a lot of imagination too. Which is why I like it... :)

• The first Center Ice installment appeared on my latest DirecTV bill. I don't know how I survived before Center Ice. Whoa. It looks like it's gone up. Oh well, what can you do.

• The season opener against Columbus showed up on the TiVo schedule and now I can set it to record, since I'll be at the game with my Lovely Sister (in Keller).

• When I leave the house for work in the morning, it's still below 80 degrees outside.

• Zubie and Bouche are injured. (Although Bouche should still be okay for opening night.)

• My fantasy team is set. I'm waiting for Ryan Whitney to be put on official IR so I can stow him there and get me a replacement. I fear my clever strategy is not working like I'd hoped.

• It's October.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Winner: "Mad Men"

JESSICA CHOOSES:
“Mad Men” - I was very torn with this one. "Lost" is one of my all-time favorite TV shows and pretty much any other year, it would be my choice. However, "Mad Men" is truly outstanding and "Lost" has already won this award. Therefore, I'm going with "Mad Men."

P.S. "Friday Night Lights" should have gotten a nomination in this category. Seriously, some of the best programming on TV. "Boston Legal" can't even carry the shoes (or should I say cleats...get it? Because they're a football team...cleats) of "Friday Night Lights."

ALISON CHOOSES:
"Mad Men" - I was very happy "Mad Men" won. But I wish that there could have been a tie between "Lost," "Mad Men" and "Dexter." Those are the three shows that both my TiVo and I worship. I also think "Breaking Bad" should have been nominated.

P.S. I am aware Jessica’s cleats joke is a pun, thus the lowest form of comedy, but it makes her giggle at her own cleverness every time she reads it. Sorry readers.

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Winner: "30 Rock"

JESSICA CHOOSES:
“30 Rock” - If I haven't yet made my love of all things Tina Fey-related known, then let me proclaim it now. Tina, I would give up my Sandwich Day-sandwich for you. This show is simply sublime. Episode 210 and Sandwich Day are some of the funniest things I've ever seen on TV. If you're not watching this show, I'm not sure we can be friends.

ALISON CHOOSES:
I agree with Jessica and that is why we can be friends. And if you're someone who has no idea what "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" is, then I feel sorry for you and think you should take a serious look at your life and your taste in television.

Speaking of taste or lack of, is "Entourage" actually worthy of even being in this category? I'll admit I enjoyed this show the first two seasons, but it's not funny anymore. It's starting to feel douchey at this point.

To the fans of "Two and a Half Men" who helped get it nominated,
Really?
Alison

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Winner: Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad")

JESSICA CHOOSES:
Kyle Chandler ("Friday Night Lights"). Yes, I realize the academy did not even nominate him, but that is not stopping me from giving him the award.

ALISON CHOOSES:
Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") I actually furiously clapped when Bryan Cranston won, despite sitting in an apartment with four other people (who were not clapping). I love this show and am constantly surprised and impressed with his performance in it. But if the world were a more magical place full of rainbows and unicorns (like it is in my head), I would also give an award to Michael C. Hall for "Dexter" and Jon Hamm for "Mad Men." I would also give Jon Hamm some kind of award for being kind enough to go with Regis Philbin to surprise his wife, Joy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHctRh8pY9Y

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Winner: Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock")

JESSICA CHOOSES:
Steve Carell ("The Office") - He manages to show the heart of a character that in anyone else's hands, might just seem like a dolt.

ALISON CHOOSES:
Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock") and co-winners Jermaine Clement and Bret McKenzie ("The Flight of the Conchords") – Alec Baldwin deserves to have Emmys coming out of his ass for what he does on "30 Rock." There's no question about that. But I'd also be super happy if Jermaine and Bret got a little notice for their wonderfully hilarious and original show.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Winner: Glenn Close ("Damages")

JESSICA CHOOSES:
Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights") - Again, I know she wasn't nominated and I know the women who were nominated have either won the award before or are big movie actresses, but I feel very comfortable saying Connie Britton is better in FNL than any of them.

ALISON CHOOSES:
Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer") – I have to admit I haven't watched "Friday Night Lights," so maybe I would agree with Jessica if I knew otherwise. But I'm a fan of "The Closer" and think Kyra deserves recognition for her work.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Winner: Tina Fey ("30 Rock")

JESSICA CHOOSES:
Tina Fey ("30 Rock") - Did I not make myself clear on this yet? If Tina Fey is eligible for a category, I'm picking her.

ALISON CHOOSES:
Tina Fey ("30 Rock") – Insert constant laughter and joy here.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Winner: Zeljko Ivanek ("Damages")

JESSICA CHOOSES:
Michael Emerson ("Lost") - What I marvel at here is that Michael Emerson is so skillful (with the aid of some pretty amazing writing) that he has not changed the way he plays the character of Ben, yet he has managed to make the audience go from seeing him as a villain to a hero.

ALISON CHOOSES:
Michael Emerson ("Lost") – There has never been a better, more complicated villain than Ben. The writers are due some credit for that, but Michael Emerson always delivers on the material.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Winner: Jeremy Piven ("Entourage")

JESSICA CHOOSES:
Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") - I would marry him and make lots of adorable, witty babies...if only he weren't gay.

ALISON CHOOSES:
Jack McBrayer ("30 Rock") – If NBC put Kenneth's smiling visage on a pillowcase, I would buy it. There is no other character on TV who gives me the same warm, happy feeling in my tummy as Kenneth does. I feel like he and I would be best friends and warm the world with our positive outlook on life.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Winner: Dianne Wiest ("In Treatment")

JESSICA CHOOSES:
Evangeline Lilly ("Lost") - Admittedly, I'm not sure if she would really be up for this or the lead actress award, but I didn't want to pit her against Connie Britton in my head.

ALISON CHOOSES:
Evangeline Lilly ("Lost") – I'm gonna agree with Jessica.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

JESSICA CHOOSES:
Jenna Fischer ("The Office")

ALISON CHOOSES:
Kristen Schaal ("The Flight of the Conchords") – She's pure comedy genius in a cute, awkward bottle.

OUTSTANDING REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Winner: "The Amazing Race"

JESSICA CHOOSES:
"So You Think You Can Dance" - This and "Project Runway" are the only programs in this category where all of the contestants actually have talent and seem to have studied some sort of craft. You can't just walk in off the street, having never done it before, and be a good dancer. "So You Think You Can Dance" is a show tailor-made for me--the dancing, the costumes, my same-sex-non-sexual love for Cat Deely...

ALISON CHOOSES:
"Project Runway" – It's the only reality programming I can stand to watch.

OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES
Winner: "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"

JESSICA CHOOSES:
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" - Come on, like there is any contest here.

ALISON CHOOSES:
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” – Agreed.

OUTSTANDING MINISERIES
Winner: "John Adams"

JESSICA CHOOSES:
"Roots" - Um...they still make miniseries? I guess I choose "Roots." That's the last miniseries I saw.

ALISON CHOOSES NOT TO CHOOSE:
They all sounded boring to me.

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES:
Winner: "Mad Men"

JESSICA CHOOSES:
"Lost" - I think there is a huge problem with the way this award is set up. Excellent TV writing has to involve both great stand-alone episodes, AND great story arcs that are spread out over a season or more. That fact that they vote on individual episodes only, I feel, can be the only reason that "Lost" hasn't won this award every year since it's been on TV.

ALISON CHOOSES:
"Lost" – Most. Amazing. Show. Ever!

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Winner: "30 Rock"

JESSICA CHOOSES:
"30 Rock" - You can't be surprised by this at this point.

ALISON CHOOSES:
"30 Rock" - I have six words for you: "Boys becoming men, men becoming wolves."

I only have about 5 TV shows right now that I *have* to watch every week (The Rachel Zoe Project, Project Runway, Mad Men and Entourage),  but with work, boot camp, running, household chores and somewhat of a social life, this leaves precious little time for blogging.    

It would be so much easier if I could just multitask and watch TV and write at the same time. Or Tivo my favorite shows to watch in my non-blogging time.   Maybe that's a better solution.  'Cuz I have a feeling that if I had wireless, I'd *never* get offline.  Ever.

We had to pick a point in time to evaluate set tops that were available, though we know a few new ones are coming out soon, including the SlingCatcher, expect to hear more from me on that as it gets released. 

The cool thing about this teleconference and report is that we built a new model for evaluating any new technology product where you add up the consumer benefits the box provides (content, convenience, community, etc.) and then subtract the barriers that stand in the way of its adoption (like price, complexity, lack of a brand, etc.). It gives you a way to score a product against other products in its category, as well as in adjacent categories.

The bottom line is this: these set top boxes are all competing to win a distant second prize behind DVRs which are now getting close to 30% of all US households. Meanwhile, the PC is rising as a way to do much of what these set tops do, but in a more flexible (albeit complex to install and manage) way. In other words, this market will have to work hard to prove that it even is a market.

Tivo's excellent software is coming to a PC near you. TiVo and Nero have teamed up on a new product, called Nero LiquidTV | TiVo PC, that will turn your PC into a TiVo-equipped TV.

The $200 product will include a copy of the TiVo software, 12 months of TiVo service, a Nero/TiVo remote, a TV tuner card (with an AV cable and an antenna), and an IR blaster and cable. A $100 downloadable version, including just the software and the subscription to the TiVo service, will be available for PCs already equipped with TV tuners.

It will compete both with standalone TV tuners -- like Pinnacle's PCTV HD Pro Stick and Hauppauge's WinTV-HVR-950Q -- and desktop PVR software, like SageTV's Media Center. Both the Pinnacle and Hauppauge TV tuners, which cost about $100, include basic software that allows you to view live TV and schedule recordings. Software, like SageTV's $80 app, meanwhile, is designed to add the features of a DVR to your existing TV tuner card.

Nero LiquidTV | TiVo PC will be a bit pricier than the competition, but it should have a couple advantages. The first is the first-class TiVo remote; in photos of the product, the Nero-TiVo remote looks to be simply a TiVo remote with Nero's branding. That's a very good thing.

Another advantage is the usability of TiVo's software. Nero says this product will bring the experience of TiVo to your PC: It will let you watch, pause and rewind live TV and schedule recordings for viewing later. Most software packages include these options, but none that I've seen offer an interface that can rival TiVo's.

Nero LiquidTV | TiVo PC will include TiVo's Season Pass and WishList features. And if your computer has multiple TV tuners, you'll be able to record one program while watching another. (Nero says it will support up to four tuners.)

Content will be stored on your computer's hard drive, and can be burned to DVD or saved to portable devices like iPods and PSPs. You'll also be able to share content with any computers or TVs connected to your home network, though Nero has not said whether you'll be able to use the product to transfer other content from your PC (such as downloaded videos) to devices on your network.

Nero LiquidTV | TiVo PC will only work with Window XP and Vista PCs, so Mac users are out of luck. In addition to a Windows PC, you'll also need plenty of hard drive space -- especially if you plan on recording much high-definition content. You can find a complete list of system requirements on Nero's web site.

Nero says Nero LiquidTV | TiVo PC will be available in mid-October; you can reserve your copy on Nero's site.

Liane Cassavoy has been writing about and reviewing technology for the past 10 years. She was a staff member of PC World magazine and has contributed to Entrepreneur, About.com, and other publications, and recently authored a book that will be published by Entrepreneur Press later this year.

Here are a couple of screen images, looking...well, looking like TiVo, which is one of the highest compliments you can pay a software interface:

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Nero says that its version of TiVo will support almost all of the features of the standalone box, including stuff like Season Passes and KidZones. Not only will it let you move recordings to portable devices such as iPods or burn them on DVD, but it should be faster and easier than with a TiVo box, since the latter requires you to move the recordings over your home network from box to PC first. (With Liquid TV, they're already on the PC in the first place.) The features that are missing-such as support for Amazon movie downloads and for podcasts--sound superfluous; you're running Liquid TV on a PC, so you've got access to that stuff anyhow.

Nero says that Liquid TV | TiVo PC will be available in mid-October, in two versions: a $200 one that inclkudes a TV tuner card and TiVo remote control, and a $100 software-only one. (I have a hard time imagining the TiVo experience without the TiVo remote, but Liquid TV can also be controlled with mouse and keyboard.) Both versions include a year's worth of free TiVo service--it usually costs $13 a month, so that's a deal. It sounds pretty cool, and it's one more reason for me to at least flirt with doing something I've postponed until now: put a PC in my living room.

But there are a few points to ponder:

System requirements. Nero says you'll need a PC with a 3-GHz CPU to get the most out of Liquid TV. It also requires at least 20GB of free disk space, but that only provides enough elbow room for 10 hours of standard-def recording, so you'll likely want a lot more than that.

High-definition issues. Nero's site says you can record over-the-air HD programming; this post over at CNET seems to say that a properly-equipped PC could also record HD from cable or satellite. But most PCs aren't properly equipped. TiVo's own TiVo HD box lets you record high-def cable, and the company has announced it's working on an HD box for DirecTV.

This is a PC we're talking about. One of the nicest things about TiVo is that when you set up a recording, you can be reasonably sure it'll actually record. I'm a little worried that even if Nero's software is rock-solid, general reliability issues with PCs or other applications running in the background could cause problems.

Despite any gotchas, I'm glad to see TiVo come to the PC. (It stands every chance of faring better than one-time archrival ReplayTV, which ditched its hardware business to go PC-only with a software package that looked good but is apparently now defunct.) Nero's Liquid TV announcement was part of a busy day of news for the company: It also unveiled Nero Move it, an interesting-sounding Windows application for moving media between devices and converting it on the fly, and Nero 9, an upgrade to its flagship digital media suite,

]]> http://kreuzer33.wordpress.com/?p=1277 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:46:01 +0000 kreuzer33 http://kreuzer33.pt-br.wordpress.com/2008/09/29/nero-delivers-liquid-tivo/ Client Nero today announced the release of Nero 9, the next generation of one of the world’s most trusted and best-selling integrated digital media and home entertainment software solutions. Developed in direct response to customer feedback, Nero 9 gives consumers one solution to easily create, edit, rip, copy, backup, convert and share their music, videos and photos within their connected digital home, on online communities or on portable devices.

“For more than a decade, the world’s largest mobile and consumer electronics brands have trusted Nero for technology leadership and category creation,” said Udo Eberlein, CEO, Nero AG. “Now, with Nero LiquidTV | TiVo PC, we are providing a next-generation DVR application that integrates the renowned TiVo service with the PC. This solution is truly a platform on which our vision for liquid media – where content can be easily accessed anytime, anywhere, and on any device -- will become a reality.”

With Nero 9, the company responded to consumer requests for an enhanced, easy-to-use and convenient user interface. The widely used Nero StartSmart intuitive command center, now integrates new playback, ripping, burning, copying and backup functions with one-click tabs for quick and easy completion of digital tasks.

“Nero has done a superb job of bringing the TiVo experience to the PC, and have done so in a way that lives up to the rich TiVo legacy,” said Tom Rogers, CEO and President, TiVo. “To be able to extend the features of TiVo to a new platform without compromising the integrity of what has made TiVo such a revolutionary product is a significant achievement, one we know both new and old fans of TiVo will love.”

From CNET:

Traditionally, anyone who wanted to convert a PC into a DVR was limited to the likes of Windows Media Center, SnapStream Beyond TV, or (for the more adventurous DIYers) MythTV.

Starting in mid-October, however, people can turn their Windows PCs into a full-on TiVo DVR thanks to Nero's new Liquid TV package. The software effectively turns a standard PC into a full-service TiVo DVR, replete with the same interface, program guide, and ease-of-use as TiVo's standalone hardware DVRs--but with the added ability to burn recorded shows to DVD or export them to portable devices such as the iPod or PlayStation Portable.

Liquid TV will be available in two versions. The $200 package includes a standard TiVo remote, USB DTV tuner/antenna (for over-the-air analog and digital TV, including HD broadcasts), and an IR blaster (for controlling external cable and satellite boxes, which would then be fed into a video capture card on your PC). The $100 package is software only; it's for people who already have a TV tuner card and remote solution (or who will opt for the software's on-screen mouse controls).

The software is said to support up to four TV tuners, one of which can be an external set-top box. Both versions include a year's worth of the all-important TiVo service (required for use). Nero hasn't officially set the renewal fee for the service, but company reps suggested that it will be less than the $13 per month that's the baseline for owners of the set-top TiVo boxes.

The other big advantage of the PC-based TiVo experience is DVD burning and portable device transfer. Yes, both of these features are available with standard TiVos with that company's TiVo To Go add-on software (and a compatible DVD-burning software package). But transferring the recordings over your home network and then transcoding them is a long and laborious process. The transcoding and compression phases still take time with Liquid TV. But because the recordings are already on the hard drive, things go a lot faster, and the processes can go on in the background as you continue to watch other recordings or live TV.

From the Associated Press:

The kit will cost $199 when it goes on sale Oct. 15, and includes a remote and a TV tuner that plugs into the PC. The interface on the computer screen looks just like the one on a TV equipped with a TiVo box.

It's not the first software that allows TV recording on the PC. That's been possible for years on computers equipped with TV tuners, and some versions of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Vista operating system include the necessary software. But it will be the first time that both the TiVo interface and functions have been replicated on a PC.

The Nero LiquidTV/TiVo PC will go on sale initially in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, but it could open up some markets where TiVo does not yet sell its set-top boxes. Joshua Danovitz, vice president and general manager of international business at TiVo, said the plan is to launch it in Europe next year, including in Nero's home country, Germany. Britain is the only European country where TiVo currently has subscribers.

Like TiVo's existing TiVo Desktop software, LiquidTV will allow users to transfer shows recorded on other TiVo devices in the home to the PC's hard drive, and bring shows out of the home, either on a laptop's drive or on an iPod or PlayStation Portable. LiquidTV also allows users to burn shows onto DVDs if the computer has a DVD burner.

From Engadget:

Rejoice, HTPC fans -- that partnership between Nero and TiVo has finally borne fruit in the form of Nero's new LiquidTV / TiVo PC DVR package, which brings the TiVo interface and featureset to Windows. The $199 package comes with a year of TiVo service, a Hauppage USB ATSC tuner, an IR receiver, and a Nero-branded TiVo remote, and does exactly as you'd expect -- it's TiVo on your PC.

There are some interesting PC-specific features bolted on the usual kit -- you can navigate using the keyboard and mouse (there are even some nifty contextual menus) and you can export directly to iPod and PSP-compatible .mp4 from within the interface -- but for the most part it's the same TiVo experience you're used to, including streaming shows to and from other TiVos and TiVo PCs.

From ZDNet:

Like TiVo’s existing TiVo Desktop software, LiquidTV will allow you to transfer shows recorded on other TiVo devices in the home to your PC’s hard drive or on an iPod or PSP. It also allows you to burn shows onto DVDs if your computer has a DVD burner.

Now before there’s a deluge of comments, it’s true that this is not the first software that allows TV recording on the PC. However, it will be the first time that the TiVo interface and functions have been replicated on a PC.

The kit will go on sale initially in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, but it may make its way into some markets where TiVo does not yet sell its set-top boxes. Europe will get a launch next year (The U.K. is the only European country where TiVo currently has subscribers).

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

The Alviso business has teamed with digital media softwaremaker Nero to create LiquidTV/TiVo PC, a software application that provides TiVo service on a personal computer. Users will be able to record shows on a desktop or laptop hard drive, move content between TiVos and the PC, and easily record and format videos for syncing onto iPods and PlayStation Portable mobile devices, all from an onscreen TiVo menu on the PC.

"We've tried to take the best of the TiVo experience but move it to the PC and take advantage of the PC's flexibility," said Richard Carriere, Americas president for Nero, a German company. "We saw a need for the media enthusiast and we looked at how we can help people move to the next level."

The $99 software package can be installed on PCs and hook into a home network, allowing a user to move content from TiVo to the computer. Users can pull up the content from a menu that replicates the signature TiVo look. Nero said it's working on the ability to remotely access home TiVo content from a LiquidTV-enabled PC.

When the software goes on sale in October, users will be able record and watch shows from a PC by either connecting the PC to a TV or set-top box, or pulling content from a computer TV tuner. An expanded $199 LiquidTV pack will come with a TV tuner card, remote control and an infrared blaster to connect the PC with set-top boxes. The $99 pack and the $199 expanded product each come with one year of TiVo service, which normally costs $99.

Apple (s APPL) dominates music and consumer mobility. The MacBook is selling in record numbers. But despite making consumer-friendly products for the whole family, Apple has failed in an increasingly important market that includes TV, movies, music and gaming, and will soon encompass videoconferencing, education and more: The living room.

If Apple wants to be the digital hearth, it will have to do better than AppleTV, and the impending announcement may launch just such a product. So what would the perfect Apple consumer device look like?

• TV tuner and set-top PVR to take on TiVo, with streaming and synchronization to Apple's mobile devices, the way Slingbox does, handled through a more reliable MobileMe
• Controllers with accelerometers and a set-top App Store to rival what's on the iPhone and iPod Touch
• Videoconferencing-capable features to connect a distributed family via iChat
• Computing features (mail, documents and so on) that make it a decent set-top computer terminal
• Broad support for emerging wireless standards, so it looks like a file server to other devices
• Better integration with stereo systems, tied into the whole family's iTunes accounts, on par with Roku or the audiophile-friendly Squeezebox
• Good cosmetics so it can mount cleanly to a wall or behind a flatscreen

Why should Apple get serious about the living room?

1. Get iTunes into the home. Apple has the industry's most successful entertainment delivery infrastructure, and Jobs has strong ties to the industry through Disney. But the company has failed to connect that infrastructure to consumers beyond iTunes and the iPhone. AppleTV is little more than an iTunes connector for televisions: Not enough TV to tackle Tivo, not enough mobile streaming to supplant Slingbox. Apple CEO Steve Jobs called it a "hobby."

2. Push back at the consoles. Gaming has given Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony a shelf slot next to the TV. Nintendo's Wii has especially broad appeal and is encroaching on learning and teaching with almost Apple-like individuality. But with the exception of casual iPhone games and some Mac software, Apple is shut out of the lucrative gaming industry.

3. Casual gaming. The success of Apple's App Store (with 100 million downloads in the first 60 days) has given Apple a glimpse of how lucrative gaming can be. Casual gaming, which the industry estimates is a $2.25 billion industry, has a much broader market appeal than hardcore gaming -- think boomers and kids weaned on Webkins. With an Intel-based chipset and plenty of casual games, the company could make iPhone games run on a set-top box and ink a deal with Disney to target the younger set.

Apple's strong notebook and phone sales mean the company has a chance at mainstream households. If it's going to win that war, it needs to leverage its mobile and entertainment strengths and take the fight to the heart of the household with a strong set-top offering.

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Think the city is primed for next week’s vice presidential debate?

St. Louis had the top Nielsen rating for last night’s presidential debate among major markets, according to figures released today by the television monitoring service.

Nielsen says that 649,000 households in St. Louis — 52.1 percent of local homes with televisions –tuned-in to last night’s face-off between Barack Obama and John McCain in Oxford, Miss.

Moreover, the “share” in St. Louis — the number of television sets actually in use at the time that were tuned into the debate — was 82 percent.

The market with the lowest rating for last night’s debate?

Phoenix, McCain’s hometown, where less than one in four households were watching. Chicago, where Obama calls home, didn’t do much better, with 30 percent tuned in.

In Washington, 45 percent homes saw at least some of the debate.

National ratings for the debate will be available Monday.

jake wagman