TiVo – Oddball Update

Successes Both Mechanical and Technological

November 12, 2011December 7, 2011 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

The weekend isn’t even halfway over, and already I’ve achieved two significant project successes — or at least, I hope I have. (One of them has yet to be proven out). Since at least one of these has been something I’ve tried to achieve for a long time without any success, I thought I’d post how I got it done in case it helps others.

TiVo’s Big Announcement Is…WebTV?

March 4, 2010March 4, 2010 Chief Oddball

Last month, TiVo teased us with an upcoming announcement, saying that their inventing the DVR was just the opening act, or some such puffery. This week they finally revealed the meat and potatoes: it’s the all-new TiVo Premiere, otherwise known to us old hats as the Series4.

2009: The Year Entropy Accelerated

November 6, 2009September 21, 2011 Chief Oddball 3 Comments

As the ill-fated 2009 starts to wind itself down, it’s making it more clear than ever that it’s not going to let us forget how much pain and suffering it inflicted on us all. Some more than others, obviously, but by-and-large it’s been a pretty depressing year.

That Got Their Attention

October 23, 2009October 23, 2009 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

I recently complained here about the problems we’ve been having with our Comcast service, both Internet and TV related. The gist of it is this: The underground line from the drop box to our home had degraded to the point where our service was being partially or completely interrupted.

The Greatest Inspiration of All

May 5, 2009May 5, 2009 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

We’ve finally made it back home. And home, as it turns out, is the greatest inspiration of all. It was a bit of work getting here. You know how it goes — nearly 48 hours of nonstop travel across four separate flights, some lasting an hour, some lasting 13.

Sunday Slacking

January 11, 2009January 11, 2009 Chief Oddball

Finally, another Sunday has arrived, that coveted day of the week on which I (usually) do no work. I put in some time at the office yesterday, managing to wrap up another two Flash videos, leaving 10 more to go. Some additional components of an ongoing sidework project arrived, but I’ll save them for tomorrow; the deadline is still two and a half weeks away.

TiVo HD, Comcast and CableCARDs

January 1, 2008October 2, 2011 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

First off, welcome to 2008. I mostly don’t do New Year’s resolutions, but if I were to make one, it would be “post on Oddball Update more often.” I seem to have mostly gotten the rest of my house in order, at least in terms of no longer working myself to death, trying not to get upset about petty things, and having a positive outlook toward the future that life may bring me.

TiVo Dies; Is Resurrected

February 4, 2006October 2, 2011 Chief Oddball 1 Comment

In the last couple of weeks, something strange has been going on with our TiVo. While watching either live TV or recorded programs, occasionally the action would freeze for a second, then the picture would dissolve into chunky compression artifacts before clearing up and returning to normal.

Tag: TiVo