Cable TV provider Cablevision Systems plans to test a new type of PVR that uses existing digital set-top boxes but
stores the recorded programming in a remote location. USA Today is
reporting that the new technology, dubbed "remote storage digital video recorder," or RS-DVR, is available
today and will be tested on Long Island, N.Y., in the second quarter. It then will be rolled out to many of the
company's subscribers.RS-DVR gives each subscriber 80 GB of programming space -- time enough for about 45 hours of recordings -- and lets them record two programs simultaneously. Cablevision expects to charge less for the new technology than it does for current PVRs, which cost $9.95 a month.
Subscribers can skip commercials with RS-DVR. Cablevision says the technology doesn't violate copyright laws. "Consumers have well-established rights to 'time-shift' television programming by making copies for personal, in-home viewing," the company said in a statement to USA Today. "This new technology merely enables consumers to exercise their time-shifting rights in the same manner as with traditional DVRs, but at less cost."
I'm not sure yet, but there's something I don't like about this. It seems there would be latency issues, especially when choosing to fast forward through commercials. Maybe not, as I know that this isn't much different than video on demand, and that seems to work pretty well on my Charter Communications system.
It does offload some of the mechanical problems that can occur with PVRs. After all, if a hard drive stops working, it'll be a gigantic one at Cablevision headquarters and not the tiny one in your living room. You'd think the former would get fixed quicker than the latter. And it will let you sign up for the service quicker than a true PVR, as no trips to your house are necessary.
1. There is definitely something I don't like about this and it doesn't have anything to do with latency issues or performance. I have also had Video on Demand from Charter and the performance when fast forwarding or rewinding through a program was perfectly acceptable. My concerns lie more with the fact that everything I record will be on Cablevision's servers and hard drives. I know they say now that we can fast forward through commercials, but will that change in the future? Plus the privacy concerns. I'm not sure I want them knowing everything that I watch and record and then using this information for their own gain.
While the service sounds like a good idea, I'll reserve judgement until I see it in action.
Posted at 6:07PM on Mar 27th 2006 by ReplayTVBlog