I’m a relatively-happy Comcast customer. When the service works, it works well enough. It’s not amazing, and I certainly would define “comcastic” differently than they do.

I have a couple of their DVRs in my home, and I use them regularly enough. I would certainly use them more if the interface wasn’t so god-dammned awful, mind you – but at least I can get to Premium and HD content in a few clicks.

When I first heard that they had released an Xfinity remote control app for iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod touch), I was beside myself with elation. Finally, I could use an elegant UI to navigate and control my programming options! Kinda.

Turns out, I needed to upgrade my DVRs to experience this new level of comcasticness. While I would never expect them to offer replacement boxes up front, I (seriously) expected to log into my account via the app and be offered to upgrade from there.

Did that happen? HARDLY.

No, instead, I had to re-confirm that I didn’t have the right DVRs from their Web site. “MyTV DVR Manager is available in your area. However, we are unable to detect a compatible DVR in your household. Please refer to the FAQ or contact us at 1-800-COMCAST for assistance.” They didn’t offer to upgrade me there, either – and I wasn’t about to jump into a freakin’ phone call.

I jump around every page on their site looking for a way to upgrade my DVR – only, that page doesn’t exist. If it does, they don’t throw it in your face when, say, you’re confirming that you don’t have the DVR that you are obviously trying to use!

Finally (don’t ask me how), I found my way into an online chat session – after filling out the exact same information they already had on record from my logged-in account. This was starting to get overly tedious.

I was greeted with a rather comcastic Java chat app – who the *hell* still uses Java for this kind of thing? JavaScript, yo – check it out. Anyway, at least I could see that there were 7 people ahead of me in the queue. That was nice.

I jump to another page, then back to the chat page – only to find it completely wiped out (and an error message in the status bar). I had to start the chat session all over again, after filling out the redundant form (once more). Then, after waiting a few minutes and finally getting connected to a rep, I accidentally clicked over to a new tab and… wiped out the session again.

Third time’s the charm? Yeah, despite being on a pretty good computer, I forced myself from multitasking until the chat was finished. I was a bit miffed by then, but at least the representative was armed with knowledge and quite kind in his / her demeanor. Which brings me to my point(s):

The reason why these large companies have customer service issues isn’t necessarily because their CSRs are bad, but their software and customer experience IS. I should NEVER have interfaced with a rep to get this done; Comcast had several opportunities to provide a targeted upgrade opportunity, whether on the iOS devices or through the “DVR Manager” page.

Long story short: if you want to upgrade your Comcast DVR, you’re better off just connecting directly with someone in online chat (if it works for you). Don’t expect Comcast to deliver a new DVR to you unless you ask for it, specifically. It shouldn’t cost you anything to do, since you’re renting the DVR equipment from them in the first place. They actually should offer to either: (a) send the replacement to you, with a return kit for the old boxes; or (b) point you to a local office to facilitate the exchange in-person.

How to Upgrade Your Comcast DVR

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I never thought I’d see the day when a USB device worked on both OS X and Windows to allow me to record video signals, including digital cable video signals! I can also schedule recordings, even remotely from my iPhone! There’s also the ability to chat with others, and see what other people are watching.

I’m talking about the TubeStick. With TubeStick you can stream live TV directly from your computer to your iPhone and remotely schedule recordings, ready to watch them later on your computer – or even on the go. The TubeStick works out of the box. Everything you need is there: a TV receiver, the matching white mini-antenna, an adaptor for external antennas and a USB extension cable.

Do you know what the best thing is about the TubeStick? You can win this one in my hand for yourself!! Simply log into Twitter, and tweet the following link: http://go.tagjag.com/tubestick. Add anything else you’d like to the tweet, as long as that link is in there. One of you will be a winner!

I’d be interested in seeing what shows all of you watch, so I’m looking forward to seeing you get signed up. It’ll be fun to see if I’m watching the hottest shows out there, or the lamest!

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Will TV Ever Die? No!

When Apple first announced their Apple TV product, I was interested but not excited. Years later, that interest has completely warn off – largely because of the lack of updates and killer features. Admittedly, I do already have a TiVo (and a few Comcast DVRs to boot).

Still, why has Apple seemingly abandoned the Apple TV? There’s a new report suggesting that Apple is working on a connected television. I’m not so sure that’s even interesting to me. Who knows? Maybe they’ll knock that one out of the park.

Do you have an Apple TV, or do you feel like you’re missing out because you don’t have one? I asked my Twitter followers, and some of them responded:

Vividlydrawn: what's an AppleTV?

about 47 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:37:58 +0000 2009

jmccullough108: I agree. I am perfectly fine without one.

about 46 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:38:19 +0000 2009

Condawg: I feel the same way. Hooking up my iMac to my TV gives me basically the same thing… It just seems worthless, IMO.

about 46 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:38:39 +0000 2009

Schlomo: AppleTV is not nearly as interesting as my xbox!

about 46 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:38:40 +0000 2009

robertrosenfeld: I agree. I like Apple, but I don't need them handing my entire media experience.

about 46 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:38:41 +0000 2009

ericpratum: Agreed. Honestly, I don't sit in front of the TV enough to make it worth it. If I did, I don't know that I'd choose AppleTV

about 46 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:38:51 +0000 2009

MikeMathia: I don't own one, and I don't wish that I had one. It's a good idea, just not for me.

about 46 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:39:05 +0000 2009

dVoka: AppleTV rocks! You can connect a Terrabyte drive to it where your backed up DVDs reside, run Boxee (hulu), and much more.

about 45 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:39:23 +0000 2009

unclespeedo: i don't believe you're in the target audience for apple tv….. you shouldn't feel like you're missing anything, you're not

about 45 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:39:40 +0000 2009

gregskidmore: Yes I do too. I keep wanting to get an AppleTV. I don't know why I haven't bought one yet. Maybe it's lacking something?

about 45 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:39:45 +0000 2009

roehmholdt: iTMS + 30in Cinema Display > AppleTV… now to go get that Cinema display…

about 44 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:40:12 +0000 2009

Outsanity: It's just more Apple crap that's more likely not worth the money unless you're that into Apple swag

about 44 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:40:19 +0000 2009

xKevinx: I'm with you on that

about 44 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:40:34 +0000 2009

maddogdom: you said that about the iPhone and you loved that!

about 44 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:40:36 +0000 2009

andrewmundy: you're totally not the only one. I promise

about 44 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:40:37 +0000 2009

AppleNerd: I don't see anything in the AppleTV. Seems boring…

about 44 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:40:41 +0000 2009

JessePB: Considering you can accomplish the same thing by buying directly in iTunes and streaming with any number of other devices, no.

about 44 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:40:47 +0000 2009

yenra: AppleTV is excellent at displaying photos on a big HDTV – smooth & great quality; also Flickr, Podcasts, YouTube.

about 44 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:40:56 +0000 2009

shedtroll: I don't feel I'm missing out. Boxee is a better alternative.

about 44 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:41:07 +0000 2009

cpedraza: I'm an Apple fan but in the world of DVRs AppleTV doesn't make sense for me.

about 43 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:41:22 +0000 2009

findingnewo: Yeah, I don't get the appeal. I think WinMCE extenders are much more worth it.

about 43 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:41:22 +0000 2009

jbone66: My ATV was humdrum until XBMC/Boxee was available for it. It's our main method to accessing video content now…

about 43 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:41:43 +0000 2009

VxJasonxV: It's very interesting. It's just that the most of us have computers to do everything the AppleTV does, and more.

about 43 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:42:07 +0000 2009

biss13: if you don't own an AppleTV how do you know what is it you are missing? ;)

about 43 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:42:10 +0000 2009

robpickering: And that statement shows everyone you don't have one. Hulu on my TV – 'nuff said

about 42 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:42:15 +0000 2009

EricCAnderson: Agree: it's basically just another iPod for your TV (even with boxiee on it)…

about 42 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:42:20 +0000 2009

Knunez: yeah I dont need one.. no point in having one anyways

about 42 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:42:45 +0000 2009

wolrah: i agree they're not that interesting out of the box, but patchstick them and they're great. XBMC and Boxee ftw

about 42 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:42:52 +0000 2009

Christyxcore: i agree. I thought it was cool when I saw it at my friends house but now that I think about it, it's also overpriced 4 watitis

about 42 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:42:51 +0000 2009

tjohansen: AppleTV alone isn't great, but AppleTV + @boxee is great!

about 42 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:42:59 +0000 2009

johnbarta: just buy it chris! Even if you dont use it it could be a fancy drink holder

about 42 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:42:58 +0000 2009

iGeekW: AppleTV is not worth the money :P

about 42 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:43:05 +0000 2009

jefflundberg: A DELL Studio PC w/ Blu-ray and Windows Media Center Edition is much more interesting.

about 41 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:43:22 +0000 2009

benhigham: I guess that depends on your current setup. I think it appeals to a different audience.

about 41 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:43:28 +0000 2009

easy_way: there a waste of money i got one and its kinda useless

about 41 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:43:55 +0000 2009

LisaBarger: Yes, Chris. Yes you are.

about 41 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:43:57 +0000 2009

yesitsmedoug: I once walked into Apple and asked them Why I would want one. They didn't sell me on the idea so I also don't have or want one

about 40 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:44:14 +0000 2009

chrisutley: #AppleTV with @boxee is great. I rent a lot of movies from #Apple, and watch TV shows over Hulu.

about 40 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:44:16 +0000 2009

themacinjosh: no you're not, I don't feel like I'm missing much. All of the media is available whether you own an apple tv or not.

about 40 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:45:04 +0000 2009

TarasI: I don't think so. One of my friends has one and it's really not that useful, especially if you have Media Center Extensions.

about 39 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:45:34 +0000 2009

idarknight: you might be – between the hacks and the core functions, it is a device whose tipping point may have come

about 37 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:47:33 +0000 2009

anansie: Its cheaper than a mac mini and has boxee going for it , Also it's the only game in town for renting movies in hd on iTunes

about 35 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:49:23 +0000 2009

amarvin: i didn't feel that i was missing out on Apple TV until Boxee popped up. now i want to roll my own Atom-based version w/ boxee.

about 35 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:49:36 +0000 2009

kevinbriody: I bought an early model AppleTV. I'd call it “neat” but definitely not compelling. Cool to show family vids, some DL'd TV.

about 35 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:49:58 +0000 2009

jay1one: we might be the only two, but you are definitely not the only one.

about 34 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:50:18 +0000 2009

ahaslach: Functionality of AppleTV can be replicated/exceeded w/ a laptop and video cable. Not a compelling product.

about 34 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:50:20 +0000 2009

j_holtslander: Nope.

about 34 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:50:23 +0000 2009

ipodtouch15: I agree!:)

about 33 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:51:17 +0000 2009

wmchamberlain: Why would I buy a AppleTV when I can do more with a mac mini? Even the Cult of Mac would have a hard time explaining.

about 32 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:52:16 +0000 2009

calebh: nope I feel the same way

about 32 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:52:24 +0000 2009

schmenzer: Chris, I was a lot more interested before I started using Boxee.

about 31 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:53:22 +0000 2009

seanwolter: The true media hoarder has a mac mini and a drobo hooked up to his big screen

about 30 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:55:08 +0000 2009

mikekochansky: I agree. As much as I love Apple, I have little to no desire/need for AppleTV

about 29 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:55:28 +0000 2009

ricorick: Boxee has made mine more interesting and better.

about 28 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:56:52 +0000 2009

Zanoryt: Running Boxee on Apple TV is a compelling replacement for a cable connection. It's not 100% ideal, but Boxee is really awesome

about 27 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:57:40 +0000 2009

adamkmiec: I love mine – it's a fixture of our house

about 25 minutes ago

Thu Feb 05 23:59:23 +0000 2009

MicrosoftWin7: RT: ByronSmartMicrosoftWin7 Yeah my hacked Xbox1 W Media Center(720p) is far more intresting then Apple TV, + the 360

about 24 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:00:18 +0000 2009

blogbloke: I'm with you Chris

about 24 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:00:57 +0000 2009

JessLoebig: Well maybe it is because you have a TiVo ;)

about 23 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:01:26 +0000 2009

cogwisewill: Well, if you get the atv flash and are able to put hulu on the appletv along with a other things… http://bit.ly/LDL8

about 23 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:02:05 +0000 2009

RobinBoyWonders: I like it a lot

about 22 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:02:25 +0000 2009

color_me_pink: You're not the only one. Until there is DVRcapability, I won't even consider it.

about 21 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:03:35 +0000 2009

gurubrandon: Yes.. but Boxee makes that genre of devices very interesting. ( http://boxee.tv )

about 21 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:03:41 +0000 2009

PassTheBoll: seeing as you can accomplish the same thing using less money, I won't get one. Just take a computer and connect it to the tv.

about 21 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:03:57 +0000 2009

webdrifter: This frugal tech guy is all ATO man! No AppleTV, no DirecTV and no cable TV. Just a cheap Techno who has seen and likes HULU

about 20 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:04:42 +0000 2009

gailelaine: I don't own an Apple TV because I just don't see the need. I own a Mac and I've looked at the Apple TV.

about 19 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:05:11 +0000 2009

LoganPayne: I don't feel that like I'm missing out. But I do want one….to stop buying DVDs and discs…

about 16 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:09:06 +0000 2009

Sebbbb: how isn't it intresting? it comes in a shiny apple box :P

about 15 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:09:18 +0000 2009

sideswipe70: I feel the same way. It just seems like a glorified media server.

about 9 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:15:37 +0000 2009

swichi293: I own everything apple, but I refuse to own the apple tv. It really is quite pointless

about 8 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:16:29 +0000 2009

aaron_bennett: It's just not exciting enough for the price OR the inevitable inoperability with my other devices.. You are not alone.

about 7 minutes ago

Fri Feb 06 00:17:40 +0000 2009

What are your thoughts on Apple TV and the general state of DVRs?

Apple TV vs Every Other DVR

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Great deals on the ARCHOS 5 & ARCHOS 7:

• There are currently no coupons for this store, but we are adding new ones throughout the day. Please check back later or try a new search at http://coupons.lockergnome.com ()

It’s not easy watching television when you’re on the go. You can’t exactly take the TV with you, nor a DVR. There are many solutions for this conundrum, of course. One of the most impressive ones is the ARCHOS 5. ARCHOS introduces a new concept: the Internet Media Tablet.
The ARCHOS 5 is the flagship of the new range, bringing the customer a new way to enjoy Internet, Media and TV…in a handheld device.

With its built-in capabilities, your Internet Media Tablet becomes the ultimate way to surf the web. The amazingly sharp and high-resolution screen lets you navigate effortlessly through the web just like you would on a PC.

Browsing becomes almost seamless with the ARM® Cortex™ processor and the Adobe Flash™ 9 video support. Surfing on a handheld device has never been so fast and smooth.

The ARCHOS 5 features a very high capacity internal hard drive from 60 GB to 250 GB, in slim and sleek enclosures.

You can thus download a vast number of songs and videos from the unique selection of renowned movie and music partners assembled in the Media Club.

Out of the box, it is a good first initial product. I was able to be browsing almost instantly, and only had to step through basic registration before use. There are so many different things you can do, and the ARCHOS 5 will not disappoint.

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What About the ARCHOS 5 Internet Media Tablet?

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Yes, I was watching television on my computer, and not on a TV. I was using a website to watch my shows. Does that make it any less of a TV? Do I really need a “TV” to watch my favorite television shows? TV on the Web? Really? Ohhh yeah, really. How convenient is that?

TidalTV looks much like you would expect a full-on DVR experience to look on a “real” television. The channels available are relatively mainstream. There are more channels available than what you would possibly expect on a service like this. You can search and browse through the different major channels, or even check out their listing of “on demand” shows.

Kat got distracted while researching this site for the blog post. She found out that the Food Network channel is on here, and Paula Deen just happened to be showing at that time. We may have lost her for awhile, y’all. She’s quite addicted to the lovely Paula. Oh no… she just found the Wedding network. Since her daughter is getting married at the end of September, we may not see Kat surface again until after that. Apparently, that particular channel has everything and anything you can think of that has to do with weddings.

See what I mean? You can sit right at your computer and watch all your favorite television shows. It’s completely free, and there’s nothing to sign up for. How much better could it possibly get?

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Do Television Shows Need TV?

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I recently mentioned the fact that I have a TiVo unit on loan, and I’m enjoying it quite a lot. Once you start using it, it’s difficult to start using any other kind of DVR. With the latest software update to this particular TiVo, I can now watch YouTube videos on my big screen tv.

When you connect your TiVo DVR to your home network and high-speed Internet connection you get so much more than just a basic DVR.

1. Download thousands of movies and TV shows from Amazon Unbox
2. Listen to millions of songs with the Rhapsody music service
3. Share photos and home movies with friends & family, and view them on the TV
4. Transfer your favorite TV shows to your laptop or iPod using your PC or Mac

But don’t worry if you can’t connect your TiVo DVR to the Internet. As long as you have a phone line available, TiVo will still find and record all your favorite shows, keep your TV schedule current, and make sure your TiVo DVR has the latest updates.

Like I already said, there’s just no way that I could ever switch to another DVR service after using TiVo. The experience has been amazing, and I’m definitely happy that I tried it out.

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Are You Watching YouTube on Your TiVo?

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After I blogged recently about wanting to try TiVo, I was sent a unit to review for a few weeks. I’ve been wanting to try it out, so this was a great opportunity. With certain software, you can take programs you record on TiVo and transcode them on your computer. You can then turn them into videos you can watch on pretty much any device. All the DVRs I’ve had are boxes unto themselves, they couldn’t be networked in any way. By networking my TiVo, I can then do as I described, to create videos I can play on my computer, iPhone or any other device I wanted to use. Here are a couple of programs you can use to accomplish this.

TiVo Butler is an application that can track programs from multiple TiVo devices that you have on your home network. It’s free, and allows you to browse the recordings you’ve made on your TiVo. You can download them, encode them and much more. TiVo Butler is only available for Mac OS X.

However…

TiVo Playlist is the Windows equivalent. Everything that you could hope to do with your TiVo, you’ll be able to do with ease using TiVo Playlist.

1. Retrieve TiVo Now Playing lists over an ethernet connection and calculate total recording time and disk space used
2. Support for multiple TiVo units
3. Estimate free space remaining given the capacity of the TiVo hard drive(s)
4. Display either full List View or Folder View
5. Mouseover Title shows description of recorded show along with Year Released/Air Date, Actors, Director, etc.
6. View graphical representation of disk free space and space used by either recording status or recording quality
7. Export of Now Playing lists to CSV files for use in other programs such as Microsoft Excel
8. Batch downloading of recordings to PC (even from multiple machines)
9. Tested to run under Windows 2000 and XP Pro and reported to run under Windows 98/ME, XP Home and Vista
10. Works best at screen sizes 800×600 or larger if running 96dpi, or 1024×768 or larger if running 120dpi
11. Downloads to FAT32 partitions support up to 4Gb filesizes, NTFS partitions support files > 4Gb (Windows 2000/XP/Vista only)
12. Access via HTTP/HTTPS and requires TiVo software version 7.1 or newer

You know how to email me, if you have other DVR or TiVo software or tips to pass along to me! I’ll be glad to check them out and share them with the community.

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What Software do You use with TiVo?

I’ve never really had a TiVo, though I’ve been using DVRs for years. The new TiVo HD looks nice, though – and I should be able to grab shows / convert them after connecting the unit to my home network. Kevin does it all the time, and he also recommended that I get my TiVo through some place that does hard drive upgrades for me. Other friends have told me:

My house is filled with Comcast DVRs – I like what they do, but I can’t stand how they do what they do. I won’t really miss VOD with a TiVo, either. Ponzi likes VOD, but I think she’d appreciate the networkability of a TiVo even more (though she’s using Windows Vista, and I’m primarily on OS X). There’s gotta be good desktop software for TiVo / TiVo data management, I’d only assume.

I Think I Want a TiVo?

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Tivo vs MythTV vs Windows Media Center