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FCC's Powell Calls TiVo 'God's Machine'
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Posted by: dwvninety

TIVO is a godsend.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm.../fcc_loves_tivo

Posted by: nrc

It's good to have friends in high places. :)

Posted by: Kerryokie

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is a new convert - to the personal digital video recorder faithful.

"My favorite product that I got for Christmas is TiVo," FCC chairman Michael Powell said during a question and answer session at the International Consumer Electronics Show. "TiVo is God's machine."

If Powell's enthusiasm for digital recordings of TV broadcasts are reflected in FCC rulings, the entertainment industry could find it difficult to push in Washington its agenda for technical restrictions on making and sharing such recordings.

Powell said he intended to use the TiVo machine to record TV shows to play on other television sets in his home, and even suggested that he might share recordings with his sister if she were to miss a favorite show.

"I'd like to move it to other TVs," he said of his digitally recorded programming. A number of products already allow that.

A TiVo competitor, SONICblue, has been sued by top motion picture studios and some television networks over a ReplayTV device that enables users to share digitally recorded shows over the Internet with a limited group of fellow ReplayTV owners.

Powell made the statements during a brief exchange with Gary Shapiro, who heads the Consumer Electronics Association, a lobbying group opposed to government-imposed restrictions on TiVo-like digital recording technology.

Shapiro was clearly delighted, calling Powell's statement "good news" and suggesting to Powell that his regulatory authority might allow him to rule in favor of sharing recorded TV broadcasts.

"That's up to you, actually," Shapiro said. "We're glad. We hope some of your colleagues in Congress buy a TiVo as well."

Many in Hollywood have railed against the machines, saying they could cut into TV advertising revenues if fewer people watch the commercials that underwrite broadcasters' business.

The entertainment industry has proposed "broadcast flag" technology that could thwart or limit copying or distribution of pirated broadcasts over the Internet, where, it fears, they could be sold.

Powell said the FCC was examining the broadcast flag issue to determine whether the agency has a regulatory role. He suggested that Congress might "assign us a role so we have clear jurisdiction and resources to do it."

Powell said he understood the needs to balance consumers' fair use rights to make personal copies of television shows with Hollywood's fears that TiVo-like technology allows exact copies to be made and easily sent over the Internet.

Already, one upcoming TV series intends to fight back against commercial skipping technology by blending advertising into its programming, offering a seamless hour of entertainment mixed with salesmanship.

The series will air for six weeks on the WB network with Michael Davies, best-known for ABC's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," as its producer, according to a story in Friday's New York Times. Its working title is "Live from Tomorrow."

PVR technology has now found its way into DVD recorders and personal computers. Several new standalone and PC-based models were announced here at the CES trade show this week.

Posted by: murgatroyd

quote:
Already, one upcoming TV series intends to fight back against commercial skipping technology by blending advertising into its programming, offering a seamless hour of entertainment mixed with salesmanship.

Where's Max Headroom when you really need him? :D

Jan

Posted by: avaloncourt

I caught that on the radio news as well. It was interesting to hear such a public statement from a high level government person.

Posted by: dswallow

I was out at a diner tonight after the bars closed and was speaking with a friend about TiVo and he mentioned seeing this report.

If TiVo can't give gifts to federal officials, how about establishing a GSA price for Federal employees? If TiVo can give gifts, then they should give one to every administrative assistant to anyone that has anything to do with the broadcast, cable, movie and recording industries. Heck, give each a standalone and a combo receiver. Better yet, give each an HDTV version, too... let these people see how little HDTV programming is available to the average home.

This sort of positive advertising/marketing is priceless.

While you're at it, maybe you should also arrange a deal on units for all the military servicepeople, too. Of course, you'll have to put dual 250GB drives in those. :D

Posted by: JimSpence

How do we now get Chairman Powell to change SHVIA so that DirecTV can allow us to buy WB and/or UPN as distant locals?

That's for those of us who don't have our locals on DirecTV and most likely never will. (DMA = 154)

Posted by: dmdeane

This is a good thing, whatever one thinks of the current FCC chairman. Once enough people in the right places have experienced TiVo, they will have a gut level understanding of what kinds of consumer rights are at stake in the current regulatory battle over digital TV. That, ulimately, is a more persuasive thing than merely theoretical arguments over consumer rights.

Posted by: panictivo

quote:
"TiVo is God's machine."

I wish the reporters would ask this guy some obvious followup questions:

1. Which TiVos are God's machines. Series 1, 2? DirecTiVo, or SA?

2. What is the basis for the assertion. Was this a message directly from God or second hand? Is it based on some unexplained miracle that got attributed to God?

3. What PVR would Jebus watch?

4. Should Hindu and Satin worshipers be concerned about using God's machine?

5. Which other religious figures are associated with consumer electronics items?

6. Is it possible that my Panasonic TU-HDS20 is Satin's machine? That would explain a lot of its behavior!

Posted by: emory

quote:
Originally posted by panictivo
I wish the reporters would ask this guy some obvious followup questions:

4. Should Hindu and Satin worshipers be concerned about using God's machine?

I know what Satin is, but what type of fabric is Hindu?

Posted by: dswallow

quote:
Originally posted by emory
I know what Satin is, but what type of fabric is Hindu?

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/...21100150300.htm
http://histclo.hispeed.com/country/...er/irk-gar.html
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/...62000480200.htm

Posted by: hanumang

dswallow, emory was taking a jab at a certain misspelling. ;)

Posted by: dswallow

quote:
Originally posted by hanumang
dswallow, emory was taking a jab at a certain misspelling. ;)

hanumang, I was taking a jab (er, yeah jab) at emory's [facade of] innocence while attempting to maintain my own [innocence]. :D

Posted by: Dajad

Gotta say ... this is ONE HELL OF AN IMPORTANT ENDORSEMENT!!!!!

FANTASTIC!!!! Congrats again to TiVo!!!!!!!!

...Dale

Posted by: Double-Tap

I can't fathom how the entertainment industry will condone the sharing of recorded broadcast video over the net. They will never stop it entirely, but that is the least of their worries. It makes me wonder if Replay's most talked about feature may not be there in the near future. Powell or not, I don't see much hope for it to continue.

The entertainment industry is already in an uproar when we try to skip commercials with the push of a button on our TiVos. One television series is even going so far as to "blend" commercials during airing of the show itself. Needless to say, I'd avoid watching those types of programs like the plague. Three thumbs down for sure. I can't stand it when they start advertising the way they do now.

It is always interesting to watch the degree of zeal with which new converts display their enthusiasm for TiVo/PVRs. Powell's has to be one of the most descriptive and jubilant I've heard. "TiVo is God's machine." Even I haven't gone that far, having owned one since November of 2000. Still, it's a good thing to have a voice like his supporting TiVo-like devices. I'm sure he'll convert a few more associates during the coming months.

It's obvious his quote was, more or less, an off the cuff remark. So many will be offended because their particular choice of deity/belief wasn't named as chief engineer. Oh, well.

Posted by: Syzygy

I suppose Ted Turner and his lackeys are saying "TiVo is Satin's machine!" ;) [sic]

Posted by: Dan Clarke

Wowie! Nice to see some people at the FCC actually know about the technology they are regulating.

It truly is good news. Too bad he can't actually send shows to his sister via Tivo since it has that security thing a ma jig.

It just boggles my mind that the head of the agency that regulates this technology 'just' got it. Hey, I'm very glad. I just find it very hard to believe that a government agency can regulate something they don't know about. Oh wait, they do that every day! :)

Posted by: Sbmocp

Do you suppose that, if TiVo gave Jimmy Buffet a free unit, he'd rewrite one of his old ditties as a TiVo theme? I can see it now..."God's Own Machine."
:D :D :D

Posted by: gregpr

quote:
Originally posted by panictivo
I wish the reporters would ask this guy some obvious followup questions:
3. What PVR would Jesus watch?

More importantly what programs would Jesus watch? The TV evangelists? Baywatch? :D

Posted by: red4stone

quote:
Originally posted by panictivo
I wish the reporters would ask this guy some obvious followup questions:

1. Which TiVos are God's machines. Series 1, 2? DirecTiVo, or SA?

2. What is the basis for the assertion. Was this a message directly from God or second hand? Is it based on some unexplained miracle that got attributed to God?

3. What PVR would Jebus watch?

4. Should Hindu and Satin worshipers be concerned about using God's machine?

5. Which other religious figures are associated with consumer electronics items?

6. Is it possible that my Panasonic TU-HDS20 is Satin's machine? That would explain a lot of its behavior!

Why would anyone worship satin when there is lace?

Posted by: riekl

quote:
Originally posted by Dan Clarke
Wowie! Nice to see some people at the FCC actually know about the technology they are regulating.

It truly is good news. Too bad he can't actually send shows to his sister via Tivo since it has that security thing a ma jig.

It just boggles my mind that the head of the agency that regulates this technology 'just' got it. Hey, I'm very glad. I just find it very hard to believe that a government agency can regulate something they don't know about. Oh wait, they do that every day! :)

All I can say to this is a big "HUH ???" I think you are the one with absurd expectations. So the members of the FCC board should own one of every type of communication device ? You do realize they regulate the use of 10's of thousands of products from cell phones, to cable modems, to your tivo and much, much, much more. It is absolutely absurd to expect them to have used or even seen most of the devices. And it is not point in fact necessary to have done so in order to understand the legal issues involved with the devices use.

Posted by: dmdeane

Homer: "Mmmmmm......satin".

Posted by: Syzygy

quote:
riekl said:
...And it is not, in point of fact, necessary to have [used a TiVo] in order to understand the legal issues involved with [TiVo].

I think you realize this is just you arguing for the sake of arguing. A regulator should, as you very well know, understand the social and personal impact of his/her decisions as well as the legal issues.

Posted by: riekl

... Umm where did I say they didn't need to understand the impact of their descions ? What I said they don't need to own every single device they govern to be able to have that understanding.

It is absurd to think they do, or to even have a mild expectation that they would. When a judge is deciding a case in court he doesn't have to have vivid personal experience with the parties involved, he listens to both sides of the case, and makes a judgement based upon existing law and presence. It is the same thing for the FCC, and i am shocked that someone would expect them to have any familiarity with the products themselves.

Posted by: Syzygy

There are women and an African-American on the Supreme Court for a reason. It's too bad that every life situation ordinary Americans meet up with isn't represented in the life experiences of the court members.