TiVo's latest software upgrade (which occurs automatically over the phone line required to operate a TiVo long term) has reportedly enabled broadcasters to erase material recorded after a certain date. Apparently, this has already occured and some people have complained on various TiVo forums about the action. They are claiming that, recorded episodes of "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill" were "red-flagged" for deletion by the copyright holder. D'oh!
That's only half the sad story, once red-flagged, there were reports from customers that indicated were not allowed to transfer these flagged episodes to the PC for safe keeping. However, the spokesman for TiVo says it's a "glitch" and a non-story.
Yet, the more skeptical of TiVo users out there are not at all comforted by the statement and even fear they are seeing some handwriting on the wall concerning coming restrictions.
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But last year, TiVo quietly disclosed that it would employ copyright-protection software from Macrovision Corp. for pay-per-view and video-on-demand programs. According to a post on TiVo's Web site, the software allows broadcasters to restrict how long a DVR can save certain recordings or in some cases prevent someone from recording altogether. "Program providers decide what programs will have Macrovision copy protection," said the TiVo post. ADVERTISEMENT
Matt Haughey, creator of PVRblog.com, the Web site where the complaints first appeared, said some fans are overreacting about the red-flag incident. However, he said he is worried that TiVo has handed Hollywood a means to restrict recordings. "TiVo would be of limited utility in the future if the studios were allowed to do this with regular broadcast content," Haughey said. "This is like cell-phone jammers. What if you couldn't talk on your cell phone? If customers can't do something with their TiVo that they could in the past, they will stop using it." |
It seems that the rules are changing in the middle of the game and we know who is writing the rule book. With less than 4 million subscribers, TiVo had best keep a lid on this type activity or they could see their customer base vanish just like the flagged programs.
Source: My Way AP Hi Tech News
