Shifting Your TV

Two new types of technology are changing the way we watch our favorite TV shows. Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) and place-shifting devices like the Slingbox and Sony LocationFree TV let the viewer control when and where they watch. These gadgets let you skip ads, record an entire season of a show, or watch the Toledo, Ohio news when you are on vacation in Toledo, Spain.

If you love TV, one or both of these devices could make you into your very own network TV executive.

Place-Shifting Devices

When you're on the road, do you think that you can’t watch the premium channels you subscribe to or get access to those regional sports games that are only shown on the local stations? Wrong. Place-shifting devices can capture that content from home and send it over the Internet. And its not just live TV broadcasts that can be controlled: Digital Video Recorders, DVD players, cable boxes, and even camcorders can be controlled and watched remotely via computer.

The Slingbox is the most well known of the devices. Here’s how it works. First, you connect the Slingbox to your home devices like your cable feed, DVR or DVD player. Next, hook the Slingbox up to your broadband Internet connection. Then, install software on your laptop or remote desktop computer, create an account that only you can log in to, and you’re set. You can access your home system from an Internet café in Morocco or from your desk at the office.

You can also use the Slingbox to send a TV signal to a laptop in the home, so it acts like a wireless TV. Instead of hooking the Slingbox to the Internet, tie it into your home Wi-Fi network. Anywhere the laptop gets a strong wireless signal, you can watch TV.

The Sony LocationFree TV has many of these same place-shifting capabilities, but it comes in a different package. Instead of using a laptop or another computer to access your system, the Sony comes with a 12-inch LCD monitor and its own wireless transmitter. It also offers Internet browsing on the LCD screen. The LocationFree system is a good way to get an extra TV around the house without a lot of setup, but the price is pretty steep at upwards of $1500. And it doesn’t fulfill all its potential as an Internet browser. This USA Today column goes into more detail about LocationFree's glitches


Time-Shifting Devices

Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) let you record shows onto a hard drive and watch them whenever you like. TiVos are the most well-known brand of DVRs, but they’re not the only option.  You can also try a Media Center PC, equipped with Microsoft's Media Center OS, that also has video recording capabilities or other open-source varieties like MythTV that are popping up.

You probably already know that DVRs can automatically record shows, fast-forward through ads, pause and rewind live TV, and slow-motion replay; but some DVRs can also let you record two shows at once or watch live TV and record a show on another channel at the same time.

From a user’s perspective, the best thing about a DVR is that you never have to rush home to catch a show. If you set up a recording in advance, the DVR will have it ready and waiting for you on its hard drive.

You also don’t have to figure out how to program a time-based recording like you did on the old VCR. DVRs allow you to browse the TV listings and hit one button to schedule a recording.

For serious TV addicts, these devices are life-changing devices. Which reminds me...I gotta go catch up on the last two episodes of "Lost;" they're waiting for me on the TiVo. Life is good.