BBC hijacks TiVo recorders

[Steve Schear]

[This sort of thing is why I will never consider buying networked 
appliances that I don't feel are in my control.  Has anyone considered 
reverse engineering Windows for an open source release?]

BBC hijacks TiVo recorders
By Andrew Smith
Posted: 24/05/2002 at 23:22 GMT

Users of the TiVo digital video recorder have reacted angrily to a
new sponsorship feature that automatically records certain
programmes, adverts and other promotional material.

One of TiVo's more innovative features is its ability to recommend
programmes based on viewing habits, such as watching every episode of
a soap opera or every film starring a certain actor.

But viewers in the UK were surprised this week to find that the
second episode of the little-known BBC sitcom "Dossa and Joe" had
been recorded without their knowledge and added to the system's main
menu screen.

They were even more surprised to find that they won't be allowed to
delete the programme for one week, and that more sponsored recordings
are on the way.
...
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/25436.html>