ProfessorBainbridge.com: Grump, Grump, Grump:

I've got a Tivo. I've got a PSP. So am I going to be able to take advantage of Tivo's new service that lets you download TV shows to your PSP or video iPod? Nope, because I get Tivo from DirectTV. Please excuse me while I go get some cheese to go with my whine.

The problem, as so many of us have found out, is that despite the advertisement of the service being DirecTV with TiVo, it was really DirecTV with some TiVo functionality. The lack of ability to use the full range of TiVo services without hacking the receiver is incredibly frustrating, and I don't consider it whining at all.

Some have suggested I should just hack my receiver and quit complaining. However:

• I don't have time.
• I don't want to risk being without my unit.
• I don't trust DirecTV enough to expect them not to shut off hacked units at someone's random whim.

In short, I question if those so eager to suggest hacking really value TiVo functionality.

The attitude of DirecTV (especially with their current move, replacing TiVo with a DVR from another News Corp. company) has been enough that if there was a suitable replacement, I'd drop DirecTV in a heartbeat.

What does a suitable replacement require?

• Suggestions, which I use as "soft" season passes.
• Direct to disk (no external channel changing).
• True program following capability.
• Multiple tuners.

It's really not a big list, and with some combination of the competition, I can just about get there. But none combines them all, as far as I'm aware. I'm open to be proven wrong.

You could buy two standalone TiVos and use them with analog cable. Multi-room viewing allows you to move the shows between the two units, so you can use the second as an additional tuner/recorder.

Or, in mid-2006, TiVo will have two HDTV units available. One will be a standalone CableCARD unit - dual-tuners, direct tuning of cable or ATSC. The other will be software for the Comcast Motorola 6412 DVR.

As for hacking your DirecTiVo, you could buy a 'pre-hacked' drive from PTVUpgrade.com or Weaknees.com and swap the drive into your unit. Then you always have the alternative to put the default drive back in the unit.