[BC] Dumping POTS line //TIVO Option

[PeterH5322]

>dump the TIVO and get a real DVR

If you want to archive the programs, yes, a real DVR, one with a build-in 
DVD recorder, is the way to go as it already encodes the program, and 
formats the files in .VOB format, and can transfer the program(s) to a 
DVD very quickly.

ReplayTV, and perhaps others, requires the data stream to be reencoded 
for DVDs, and for you to perform an off-line authoring step which is very 
time consuming.

In the case of ReplayTV, the really nice features, Commercial Skip (CS), 
and Internet Video Sharing (IVS) are crippled as soon as you register 
your unit, even if you buy a current one and intentionally downgrade the 
firmware to that level which CS and IVS are supported.

The only way to prevent the RTV from being crippled is to operate a 
ReplayTV DNS (domain name server) which will ape RTV's site, and refuse 
the forced download.

Such a DNS can also provide a highly tailored channel guide, including 
satellite channels ... foreign ones, too ... which the RTV channel guide 
cannot, and will not do.

There is a well-known media giant, one which has its headquarters on the 
Chicago River, which provides a very good alternative channel guide, 
providing your residence address is "outside the United States".

Yet, I had no trouble registering with that site.