If TiVo Thinks You Are Gay, Here's How to Set It Straight

Wall Street Journal ^ | JEFFREY ZASLOW

[milestogo]

Basil Iwanyk is not a neo-Nazi. Lukas Karlsson isn't a shadowy stalker. David S. Cohen is not Korean.

But all of them live with a machine that seems intent on giving them such labels. It's their TiVo, the digital videorecorder that records some programs it just assumes its owner will like, based on shows the viewer has chosen to record. A phone call the machine makes to TiVo, Inc., in San Jose, Calif., once a day provides key information. As these men learned, when TiVo thinks it has you pegged, there's just one way to change its "mind": outfox it.

[Gorest Gump]

I have a Dish Network PVR and it's great. You don't get recommendations, but that's apparently a good thing. There is also code on the internet for converting an old PC into a DVR. You have to replace windows with linux and install a video card, audio cards and a larger hard drive. But it supposedly works better than what's out there now.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Many consumers appreciate having computers delve into their hearts and heads

Techno sheep?

[Chemist_Geek]

There is also code on the internet for converting an old PC into a DVR. You have to replace windows with linux and install a video card, audio cards and a larger hard drive. But it supposedly works better than what's out there now.

Oh, man, where??!?! Finally, a use for all those boatanchor machines I have as doorstops...

[Gorest Gump]

I haven't checked this out, but here's the link out of Popular Science:

www.cadsoft.de/vdr

Let me know if this works. I have an old boat anchor also.

[GraniteStateConservative]

I know this is an old thread, but SpongeBob is popular with stoners, not homosexuals.

[HitmanLV]

I've been a tivo user for a few years. I've never encountered anything close to these types of problems.

I wil admit though since my OS has been upgraded to the latest version (4.0 I think), suggeston recording has been much more agressive.

Oh and customize your tivo to be able to record up to 200 hours - I don't watch muct TV but it's badass having 'The good, the Bad, & The Ugly,' 'Once Upon a Time in the West,' and 'Godfather Saga' 'ready to go' at any time, and still have plenty of room to record your shows!

[dfwgator]

I'm a fan of "Antiques Road Show" would that mark me as Gay?

As gay as if you bought a bunch of Barbra Streisand CDs.

[c-b 1]

I have no need of TiVo, but I do have a controler for it. The controler is made of pretty Stainless Steel, and comes in .38 special, or .357.

[tje]

I turned off the Tivo recommendations. They were all lame and I was having to spend time deleting them. It's very simple to do...

[Rightone]

Drop TIVO and get DISH. Sheesh.. I wouldn't put up with such BS.

[mlmr]

Does one have to have cable tv to use these products or is it over the internet. I have cable internet but no tv.