More red flag fun from TiVo and Macrovision

The continuing challenge that Macrovision seems to have with flagging TiVo content has claimed another victim. A harmless and potentially terribly boring flick from 1968 called "A Flea in Her Ear" has been flagged to expire within 24 hours of its first viewing once recorded to your TiVo in a totally legit manner. We're sure TiVo has some lame excuse this time like "broadcast noise" or something else totally irrelevant (the recording was, once again, made by a cable subscriber), and yes, we're sure nobody is terribly choked up about not being able to keep this flick around forever and ever. But it still threatens to uproot a very cornerstone of our freedom, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of TiVo. Thomas Jefferson would be totally ticked off.

[Crazy @ Aug 11th 2006 9:40AM]

New victims...

[Scott @ Aug 11th 2006 10:00AM]

Jefferson just ripped that line from John Locke. Though I feel like that sort of thing has to happen when all the cool gedgets are released in Europe before America (the freaking birthplace for most computer-related junk!).
Anyway, it was just a matter of time before someone tried to hook up with TiVo and actually limit content. But why don't they make a viewing limit? Be able to watch it twice... even one viewing would be ok since it would be like watching a show live. If it's really that important of a an episode to keep... it's not impossible to use some sort of video capture device. If the signal is going through a wire at anytime before the final media is displayed, it can be rather easily intercepted for less noble uses. But that's just a pain and seems to defeat half the purpose of TiVo. What can ya do...

[Perley @ Aug 11th 2006 10:09AM]

I suspect our forefathers are more upset at the change to "We the corporations..."

[shirizaki @ Aug 11th 2006 10:20AM]

I'm going to make a free DVR box solely based on some media OS. No fees, no bull. Then when they try to slap me with something, I can just point to dvd recorders and VCR's.

[BRISCO @ Aug 11th 2006 10:22AM]

WHY WOULD ANYONE BUY A TIVO, MONTHLY FEES AND NOT ENOUGH SPACE FOR SHOWS. I RESEARCHED GOT A MEDIA CENTER AND I HAVE MORE SHOWS THAN I KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH PLUS I CAN BURN TO DVD OR CD OR WATCH ON MY TV DOWNSTAIRS VIA THE XBOX 360, ALL FOR FREE!!!!!!!

[The Incredible Hulk @ Aug 11th 2006 10:26AM]

When Hulk see tivo limitation like this on Hulk plasma, Hulk smash!

[snark @ Aug 11th 2006 10:33AM]

I'd say those who own Tivos should all just go back to the VCRs. This nonsense is just so mindnumbingly irrating I'm just surprise Tivo hasn't gone out of business already. If one of the "cornerstone" of your business model is letting your fee paying customers record tv shows to watch at a later time, anytime, as many time as they wish is slowly being erroded by tv execs and you're letting them do it you should find another line of work. As Jebus once said, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other" and right now Tivo ain't showing any love to it's subscribers.

[Josh @ Aug 11th 2006 10:44AM]

Yes, this sucks... But I still think my TiVo has a slicker, more user-friendly interface than my DirecTV DVR, let alone a Windows media-center (plus my TiVo burns DVDs, and I bought the lifetime subscription, so no monthly fees).

[Rob @ Aug 11th 2006 10:52AM]

I do not think this problem affects 99.9% of TiVo users in any way, so anyone who thinks this would cause a person to drop TiVo and use a VCR is high. While I understand a tech blog pointing out these rare occurrences, they are much less annoying than when a recorded TV show is running 1 minute behind schedule, so you miss the ending. Now that is something to get pissed off about!

[irving @ Aug 11th 2006 10:55AM]

I will cancel my TiVo monthly service when this happens to one of my shows. I'll set the dang thing manually, or use my computer's less-functional DVR/Tuner thingy.

[ebob9 @ Aug 11th 2006 12:08PM]

I saw this 24h flag on all 'The Movie Channel' recordings on my TiVo. I watched one of these recordings, and it was then realized I didn't get the movie channel, and it was recording static. Good job TiVo on protecting that static - I wonder who gets the copyright royalties for that?

ebob9

[bill @ Aug 11th 2006 1:25PM]

The new Telecom bill has the Broadcast Flag in it so you need to call your Sen and Cong folks and bend their ears. But is also has another item not much known. Its called the Analog Hole plug. The studios want to force the manu's to remove ALL the plugs in the back of your set you you can hot record anything, not even in Analog for the old VCR or be able to move the analog piece to your computer and digitize it to burn a DVD or CDVidel etc. And I believe it has the Digital Radio Audio Flag also. They want to be able to disable recording from the new HD Digital radio being broadcast now along with the FM signal.

Its in the Senate version but not in he House version. Make sure you yell at your Sen and House folke to pull it out. Ive been on the phone for months talking and explaining what it is. Most do not have a clue since these laws are written by the people being regulated.

[Jeff Foster @ Aug 11th 2006 1:50PM]

welcome to teh suck.

it only gets worse from here.

[RobN @ Aug 11th 2006 2:23PM]

Brisco said: "WHY WOULD ANYONE BUY A TIVO..."

Because just like people who type in all-caps, they're a bunch of idiots.

[illingist trooper @ Aug 11th 2006 3:16PM]

Oh great. Fun while it lasted...

[I,Robot @ Aug 11th 2006 3:51PM]

Believe it or not “BRISCO”, but…. There ARE people that don’t log on to engadget.com everyday like you and me. People who, when you explain to them about the latest gadgets, look at you like, you’ve just blown-up their car. Or worst yet, haven’t ever HEARD OF TIVO.

I’m NOT LYING; it was the scariest reaction I ever saw! I bought a TIVO for my mother for mother’s day (that was 6 months ago). Not only did she NOT know what it was, but waited for me to fly home to hook it up. After doing so, she cried, when I told her what it could do. She cried for like, 5 minutes. When I told her not to cry, it only TIVO… The company has been around for 6 years or more. She said, “Nobody that I know, has one or has ever mentioned owning one?”.

She then called other family members to invite them over to see it – like it was some sort of party. They came in to the house and promptly asked, “What’s a TIBO”?

So believe me when I tell you? TIVO machines and service plans are popular for a reason. I’d be afraid to see what damage un-informed people would do to a Microsoft Media Center.

[Pip @ Aug 11th 2006 3:59PM]

I use a Tivo because there still isn't anything else out there that comes close.

I can use a Moxi which does HD, but has crap show information, or I can compile my Linux kernel for the next month trying to get a Myth TV working, or I can just be frustrated with everything else out there.

Simply put, Tivo still hasn't been topped yet. And if they ever are, sure, i'll switch. But they better hurry up before the HD Tivo comes out, they've had what? 5 years or so to come out with something that does HD and works as good as Tivo and no one has done it yet?

[hometownboy @ Aug 11th 2006 10:36PM]

If TiVO made a combo DVR/slingbox-like thing, I'd get that in a heartbeat. But I'm not holding my breath.

[Jamie @ Aug 12th 2006 12:09AM]

you spend good money to buy a tivo box, have wires running from the cable box to it, then pay a monthly fee just to use it.... hmm, me thinks there are a lot of suckers in this world. Sorry, Tivo has NEVER impressed me, and spare me that "interface is better" crap, bottom line is being able to watch the recorded show with NO MONTHLY payment.
Personally, I have two HDDVR boxes with dual-tuners and 60gb harddrive, beautiful interface with built- in pic in pic. I also have two mediacenter PCs streaming video, music and online content to wall mounted LCD TVs. I wake up with weather and rss feed on my tv, read my email and switch to tv to view live or pre-recorded content. With third party plugins there really is no limit to what the mediacenter can do.
Sorry tivo owner but no amount of yelling will change my view of you being stuck about 4yrs back in time, and this new development doesnt help.

[Ciaran McCaw @ Aug 12th 2006 1:25AM]

F**king Macrovision. When you buy content, it should be yours to do whatever you wish w/, right? Who's w/ me on this?!

[GhostDoggy @ Aug 12th 2006 11:10AM]

There is no way I will ever spend another dime on TiVo. They sold out, then bent over and grab their ankles.

[the7thone1188 @ Aug 12th 2006 3:33PM]

TiVo is still the best DVR out there, with a simple and intuitive interface, that works (almost) out of the box. Set it up once, and it's good forever.

[interlard @ Aug 12th 2006 8:28PM]

Easy workaround. You download the show to your computer, rip off the DRM and watch it whenever you like.

Why can't we have normal DRM that only limits illegal use? They must enjoy acting like the bad guys.

"The more you tighten your grip, the more will slip through your fingers."

[Scott @ Aug 13th 2006 2:16AM]

Wait... doesn't Vista support HD? And doesn't it have media center built in? I think I have a plan.

[BdgBill @ Aug 13th 2006 10:09AM]

I built a DIY DVR using an old PII 700MHZ and GBPVR (free). This machine is bulletproof. It frequently runs like a top for weeks at a time without being rebooted. I have something like 200hrs of high quality recording capacity, full tv guide functionality and NO DRM CRAP.

GBPVR runs on windows and is very easy to install. I went to GBPVR after a frustrating month of trying to get Myth TV working. Had GBPVR working in 30 min.