Comcast adding ads to their HD DVR menus

The Chad sent me this screenshot a couple days back, showing banner ads on the DVR guide from Comcast:

Looks like people are noticing it in other places as well. I can't say I'm surprised, as I remember having a AT&T cable box in 2000 that used to be covered in TV Guide ads on both the guide section and when displaying show information. Still, seems silly to do this to owners, years after they've been using the guide free (not to mention there's already a $9.95 monthly rental fee for the box).

Did I mention I can't wait until I get rid of this box and buy a Series 3 TiVo? Please TiVo, release it before the Fall season really gets started! [thanks Chad and Chris]

Tivo Series 3 Unboxed

Wow, it must be close! PVRWire has shots of the Tivo Series 3 boxed, and unboxed.

If this was merely a beta user, I seriously doubt the box would be adorned with HD graphics all over. Maybe it really is getting released on the 17th of September.

Wild rumor: Series 3 TiVo out on September 13th?

I noticed this comment on an old post here and this other comment HD Beat claiming that TiVo will announce the Series 3 formally on 9/12 and have it for sale the next day. Both are unsupported rumors that I'd rate up there with year 2000 doomsday predictions, but I'm posting these pointers because I really hope it is true.

I can't find anything solid to back up these claims. I've tried every nook and cranny of the TiVo site... about the only thing linking 9/13 to anything is a speaking appearance by a TiVo exec in NYC, but that's for a mobile media talk, nothing about HD or technology releases.

So, mysterious anonymous commentors, got any goods to back up the claims of 9/12-9/13 Series 3 launches?

TiVo launches Series 3 mailing list

It's not hardware, but it's a start: TiVo has a mailing list sign-up page for the Series 3 TiVo which is still described as "coming soon". I'm sure they'll use the list to communicate launch dates or any snags they're finding along the way. [thanks Wendell]

TiVo Series 3 beta box snapped in the wild

Engadget has the scoop on a beta tester's TiVo Series 3, complete with screenshots. Looks like the box design is really close to what TiVo showed at CES last January. As expected, it's a dual CableCARD device and there's a shot of the CableCARD configuration screen.

Built to order MythTV available

MythTV is an open source home theater application that runs under linux, but for many new to linux and building your own PC, installing and configuring it can be a daunting task.

The Monolith Media Center is a small footprint PC pre-loaded with MythTV, Ubuntu linux, and a TV tuner card, ready to go for $650. It'll even do over-the-air HDTV with a $275 upgrade card.

Project Hoover: Suck up every TV show in the new fall season

The people at Snapstream have been pushing the multi-tuner envelope for a while now and today they show what you can do with it in their how-to: Suck up every TV show in the new fall season, be your own TV critic.

Whether or not you ever build an 11-tuner home theater PC, one cool aspect of the post is a handy Google Calendar of all the dates/times for every new show. Here's the subscribe link for that, check their post for the full details of how to track and record every new show this fall.

Tivo House Party

TiVo just launched a new marketing thing called the Tivo House Party. It sounds like a Pampered Chef/Tupperware party kind of thing where you hold an open house in your neighborhood so everyone can see how great TiVo is. They promise special programming and other offers, but it's unclear what kind of shows would be a good test for first-time TiVo users.

House Party makes it easy: Sign up by giving us your email address and we'll send you an application. If you're chosen, you'll get to host a party for your friends and family, featuring something fun and free! Your free personal party website at www.houseparty.com will give you all the tools you need to send and manage invites, view and upload great photos and video, read and post blogs, and get inside info and exclusive offers.

The site also talks about a boatload of web features that promise to mimic evite, flickr, and myspace with invites, photos, and blog posts about the house party night. It's still kind of unclear what someone's incentive would be to host one -- perhaps the host gets a bunch of TiVo Rewards kickbacks?

Hacking the AT&T U-Verse DVR

Fiber optic networks are slowly taking root in the US, with Verizon's FiOS and AT&T's U-Verse providing internet, phone, and HDTV over fiber to the home. The U-Verse system has only rolled out in San Antonio, Texas so far, but some customers have already figured out how to extend the system.

It seems when AT&T offers multi-room packages, they only provide one DVR, but they will give you additional (identical) boxes with the DVR functionality removed. It only took a couple weeks before someone popped open the back of a unit to see the internal differences between the DVR and the set-top-box w/o DVR.

Turns out they simply unplugged the hard drive sitting in the case, and you can quickly and easily plug it in to gain additonal DVRs on your home system. It's so simple it's almost comical that AT&T did this. [thanks frank!]