Leaving on a Jet Plane, or A Reason to be Jealous of our Windows Neighbors

by David Parmet Mar 20, 2006

This week we’re packing our bags and heading south for the annual trek to my parents’ house - to drop off the kids and head further south. (They wanted grandchildren, we’ll give them grandchildren!)

This trip, specifically this plane trip, will be unlike any we have taken with the kids before, mainly due to two significantly new pieces of technology we’ve added to Chez Parmet in the past month. First we upgraded our TiVo box to a Series 2 model, then I bought my wife a video iPod for her birthday.

We knew about TiVo To Go, oh yes we did. But it wasn’t until we connected the box to the home network, and my wife started downloading Oprah onto her ThinkPad that we truly understood the majesty and glory that is.. TiVo ToGo.

If you would all indulge me for a moment…

Please TiVo people ... please please PLEASE release TiVo ToGo for the Mac already? Please?

We’re Mac users… we’re supposed to have the latest, greatest and coolest before anyone else!

WHAT IS UP WITH THIS??

OK, I’m back.

Now you would think that’s enough to make a person happy, being able to move her favorite TV shows to her laptop so she can catch up with Jon Stewart while the kids are watching Dora, but oh no, hold on to your hats.

Even though it’s not officially supported yet, my wife found all the hacks and cracks to get her TiVo ToGo shows onto her iPod… WITH THE COMMERCIALS STRIPPED OUT!!!!

Yeah, I know. A wonderful time to be alive. Truly.

Here’s what makes me wonder… does the MPAA, the RIAA, the networks and the rest of the entertainment oligarchy really think that a generation of children (i.e., mine) raised on TV on demand, whenever they want and on any device their parents can configure, will knuckle under to a cabal that controls when and how they can be entertained? Do they really think there’s a sustainable business model in Region One DVDs and Broadcast Flags when - laws and copyrights aside - anything can be viewed at any time on any device?

So on Thursday, if you happen to be on our flight, you’ll see me and the boy watching ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ on my PowerBook, the twin princesses watching Dora on the ThinkPad and my wife watching Oprah on her iPod.

And if you hear any screaming kids on the plane, they aren’t ours.

Comments

  • Hmmmmmmm maybe this will spawn rumors again of Apple buying TiVo…

    milklover had this to say on Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 22
  • one can hope….

    David Parmet had this to say on Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 10
  • Knowing how insane they are, I imagine you will be greated on landing by the MPAA and the RIAA with handcuffs!

    mozart11 had this to say on Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 35
  • Tivo wouldn’t do much good here in Sweden, the show air months after they do in the US. To us, releasegroups and direct connect is the way to fly, atleast until Apple realizes that there are people outside of the US who wants TVshows.

    Emil had this to say on Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 10
  • Knowing how insane they are, I imagine you will be greated on landing by the MPAA and the RIAA with handcuffs!

    *raises eyebrow* uhh… insane? As far as I’m aware, they just fight piracy. Never heard of them doing anything close to bothering with housewives circumventing device restrictions :s

    Luke Mildenhall-Ward had this to say on Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 299
  • Never heard of them doing anything close to bothering with housewives circumventing device restrictions

    Then your head has been stuck in sandy silicone for the past few years.

    Just take a look at this.

    And this.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • Internet not the best place for irony? You betcha.

    Benji had this to say on Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 927
  • Sorry.  I didn’t recognize this—-> :s

    My apologies, Luke.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • Mark Knopler said it best…

    “That ain’t working, that’s the way you do it.”

    toadkicker had this to say on Mar 21, 2006 Posts: 10
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