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December 19, 2005 1:56 PM PST
DVR technology comes to video iPods
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That's because Hauppauge Computer Works has released Wing, a software application that, in conjunction with its WinTV-PVR hardware--a plug-in card that brings personal video recorder technology to PCs--allows users to record television shows directly to their video iPods or Sony PlayStation Portables.
"People can record their favorite TV shows and put them in a portable format and carry them around," said Ken Plotkin, president of Hauppauge, N.Y.-based Hauppauge Computer Works.
Essentially, Wing is like TiVo for the video iPod or the PSP. It works by digitally recording TV programming directly from a user's PC to a portable device via the Hauppauge card. Users who want premium cable content, such as HBO programming, would need to connect a set-top box or satellite receiver to their PC.
Recording programs using Wing typically takes about twice as long as playback, said Plotkin. For example, a one-hour episode of "Desperate Housewives" would take about two hours to record.
The Wing software costs $24.95 and the card itself runs $99, said Plotkin.
He also said that users needn't worry that they're breaking the law when using Wing. That's because the software is designed for personal use only.
"It's like recording to a VHS tape and putting it onto a VHS player," he said. "There's nothing here that helps people if they want to take a TV show and distribute it."
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However, I don't know how they expect for the encoding to take such a short time. Encoding usually takes from 1.5x - 3x the amount of actual length of show. Now, if you go for low quality, then it might work ok.
Unless I misread, the article says that encoding with this software takes 2x the length of the show. That doesn't seem like a short time to me (and it is within the range you said it usually takes). Here is the relavant quote:
Recording programs using Wing typically takes about twice as long as playback, said Plotkin. For example, a one-hour episode of "Desperate Housewives" would take about two hours to record.
"It's like recording to a VHS tape and putting it onto a VHS player," he said. "There's nothing here that helps people if they want to take a TV show and distribute it."
I suspect Hollywood will not agree. By changing the format and preseentation, you are modifying their content and Hollywood will protest, thought their real reason will be that they didn't get to charge you for the portable copy.
In anyevent, the programming will soon include DRM that will make this illegal if still possible. (You can't legally break our DRM and our DRM says you can't record or transfer content, regardless if fair-use says your actions are legal.)