Forget Radio Shark, The Stream Ripping Piranhas Were What The RIAA Should Have Been Worried About
December 18th, 2007 Davis
The RIAA may have given up on trying to outlaw DVRs, but that hasn’t stopped them from trying to interfere with your legal right to record content and when it comes to recording radio, they’ve drawn a line in the sand. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a number of innovative radio DVR gadgets hit the market, only to be squashed by the goons at the RIAA squad. What’s made the RIAA’s strategy even more boneheaded than usual, has been their insistence on trying to keep this technology out of the hands of their paying customers.
Whether its their ridiculous lawsuit against XM Satellite radio or Creative’s decision to remove FM recording from their MP3 products, there are plenty of examples where the RIAA has used heavy handed tactics to try and stifle innovation.
Yet, no matter how hard they try, they can’t put this genii back into the bottle and by taking such a strong stance against legitimate companies, they’ve driven DVR radio underground, where they’ve now lost all control over it.
The RIAA may have been worried about RadioShark, but it was the radio piranhas that were the real threat and while they were busy suing their partners, the open source movement has been filling the stream ripping wake, that corporations are now too afraid to touch.
Stream ripping software isn’t new, but the functionality has been relatively limited and the interface hasn’t been ready for the average user. Screamer Radio is an excellent open source solution for DVR radio, but it lacks the aesthetic appeal and scheduling features, that make traditional DVRs so easy to use.
Luckily, the open source community has been hard at work and what Screamer Radio leaves out, Raima Radio is now bringing to the table. Raima Radio is a powerful freeware program that fuses features like wishlists, program scheduling, and video support with the traditional features of most stream ripping programs.
This combination turns a tremendous amount of power over to the consumer and will certainly have the RIAA taking extra heartburn medication (when they find out about it 
) If they didn’t like XM’s limited subscriber base, having the ability to record satellite radio, then they will hate this program. It gives anyone with a computer and an internet connection, the ability to time shift radio to an mp3 player.
Raima supports a large number of internet radio stations and includes links to web pages, where you can find even more mainstream programs. If you are midway through a program, you can hit record and it caches the data, so that you can get all of the program. For years I’ve wanted to tune into Kevin and Bean’s morning show on KROQ, but since I live in San Francisco, I haven’t had easy access to the program. Now I can use Raima’s program to start recording, before I even wake up. By bridging the gap between the internet and the mp3, Raima allows you to follow radio that would normally be out of geographic reach.
Even more powerful then the scheduling capabilities, is the ability for Raima to monitor and record specific songs or artists that you are interested in. Instead of illegally downloading songs from the P2P networks, Raima allows you to create wishlists and will scan for those songs on any station that you tune into. The number of streams that you can simultaneously record is only limited by your bandwidth. This allows you to set up filters, record 10 different stations overnight and in the morning you’ll have a hefty mp3 collection.
This is the functionality that has the RIAA so terrified. If consumers are able to easily record the songs that they hear off the radio, it reduces their need to buy the hit singles. As someone who prefers albums over singles, I think that this is the wrong way to look at it, but I can still understand why they would see this as a threat to their business model. If you get me hooked on a few of your best songs, I’m going to buy your albums, go to your concerts and tell my friends about you, but if you are a casual music listener, this software will enable you to avoid ever having to purchase music again.
While the radio capabilities are Raima’s strongest suit, they’ve also thrown in support for recording streaming video. There isn’t a large selection of channels and the quality is terrible, but its a nice bonus over some of the other stream ripping programs. I would like to see them add support for recording internet video into XviD, but portability is more important for music, than it is for video.
The biggest drawback to Raima’s software is that the quality of the sound files isn’t always the best. The songs usually start recording ten seconds early and cut off before they finish. Unlike TiVo, there is no way to tell the system to start recording earlier or later to account for the lag. The mp3 streams also tend to include commentary from the DJs and sponsors. This isn’t a big deal if you’re trying to listen to a half an hour of talk radio, but it can be annoying, if you are only focused on the music. The quality of the mp3’s is also dependent on your internet connection. If you are trying to record a stream from Japan, while watching YouTube, running Bit Torrent, and playing online poker, then expect stuttering and interference to show up in your recordings. If you have a dedicated connection to a local radio station, then you should be fine.
While these deficiencies aren’t a major drawback, they still help to differentiate time shifted radio from buying the actual music. As great as Raima Radio is, it still can’t replicate the selection or quality that you can get from visiting Amoeba or buying .mp3’s online.
Another drawback to the software is that you can’t tell if a station is broadcasting until you try to tune into it. Because Raima includes a lot of dead streams, it means that you have to spend a lot of time trying to load dead air.
Overall, Raima Radio is a great freeware program and one that is pushing the envelope for time shifted radio. While there is plenty of room for improvement, its one of the better stream ripping programs out there. Universal may be relishing the royalties that they extracted from XM, but in the end, they paid a fair steeper price by trying to squash innovation.
Posted in Music, Technology, Media, DRM, Disclosure - I own stock in co. mentioned, TiVo | 5 Comments »
DVDPost Clones Netflix’s Website
December 17th, 2007 Davis
When Copywrite.org stumbled onto the Belgian DVD company, DVDPost, he noticed something eerily familiar about their website. Over the years, Netflix has inspired their fair share of copycats, but DVDPost had cloned more than just their business model, they completely ripped off Netflix’s website as well.
The similarities between the two sites made Copywrite wonder if Netflix was running a secret European division or if this was just a cheap international counterfeit. While the conspiracy theorist in me desperately wanted to believe that Netflix was using Belgian subsidiaries to expand internationally, deep down inside I knew that this was just another internet knock off. It wasn’t the first time that Netflix’s website had been copied and it probably wouldn’t be the last.
My gut reaction was to start blasting DVDPost as a fake, but luckily I decided to do a little research first. Instead of finding another internet scam, I found a renegade DVD company that has been trying to make a name for themselves, by stirring up controversy in the media.
DVDPost first struck publicity paydirt, when they ran a commercial for a spoof company named Rent-A-Wife. The ad featured a man tying up his wife and trading her for a new one 
DVDPost claimed that the ads were meant to be light hearted, but critics felt that the company had gone too far with the shock tactics. After local media pressure, DVDPost yanked the Rent-A-Wife website, but followed it up with an equally tasteful ad, featuring Osama Bin Laden as one of their customers.
While it’s possible that DVDPost is trying to fool consumers into thinking that they are somehow related to Netflix, I think its more likely that their recent web redesign is part of a PR campaign. Normally, I try not to fall for this kind of PR bait, but I found their marketing techniques too entertaining, to resist commenting on this latest guerrilla ad campaign.
Posted in Marketing, DVDs, Disclosure - I own stock in co. mentioned, Netflix | No Comments »
Not Every Love Song Is Romantic
December 10th, 2007 Davis
Posted in VOD, Disclosure - I own stock in co. mentioned, TiVo | 4 Comments »
Twas The Night Before DivX
December 10th, 2007 Davis
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a computer was stirring, not even a mouse;
The sockets were open, to the internet with care,
In hopes that St. DivX soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of torrents danced in their heads;
Mamma with her ‘dial up, and cable’s internet cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out of the innerweb, there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my ZZZ’s to see what’s the matter.
Away to computer, I flew like a flash,
Tore open my network, before my Window’s PC could crash.
The files that appeared, in the monitor’s glow
Gave the lustre of completion to the videos below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature video file from eight tiny mirrors,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment, it must be St. DivX!
More rapid than the video store, his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Wedding Crashers! now, Dirty Dancers! now, Tropic of Cancer and Wrestling Vixens!
On, Bill Haley and the Comets! on Two Gun Cupid! on, Donner’s Pass and Mp3 Blitzes!
To the top of the pirate’s bay! to the top of my hall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As subpoenas before the RIAA fly,
When you meet with an obstacle, blame the neighbor’s WiFi,
So up to my desktop the coursers they flew,
With a tray full of videos, and St. DivX too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of the MPAA’s burden of proof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. DivX came with a frown.
He was dressed in encryption, from his head to his foot,
But his clothes weren’t all tarnished with DRM soot;
A bundle of codecs he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler unzipping his pack.
His files — how they twinkled! his Warez how binary!
His gifts were ones and zeroes, that made my eyes teary!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
Ready to deliver a holiday message from Sheryl Crow;
The stump of a pipe, he held tight in his teeth,
His smoke encircled the media, just like a sheath;
He had long tail distribution for the little round telly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know, I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled up my folders; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the broadband he goes;
He sprang to the web, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like a judgment dismissal.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy pirating to all, and to all a good-night.”
To celebrate the holidays, DivX is currently giving away free copies of their Pro, Converter and Player software. Normally, this bundle would cost $20, but if you act fast enough, you don’t have to pay anything. In order to get the promotional deal on the software, all you’ll need to do is download and activate the program using the following instructions.
SnapStream Unleashes Godzilla DVR For Big Business
December 6th, 2007 Davis
With access to four tuners and 1.5 terrabytes of storage, I thought that I had the ultimate DVR setup, but after seeing Snapstream’s Enterprise DVR in action, my home entertainment system suddenly seems wimpy. This DVR isn’t meant for the home market, but I can’t help being envious of its capabilities. I don’t know how much Snapstream is charging, but if money grew on trees, I would be all over this in a heartbeat.
With 10 tuners, you won’t need to worry about programming conflicts and with 2 terrabytes of storage, it would mean that you could record 10 different channels, 24 hours a day for at least 8 days before you would have to worry about archiving. Even, if you did need to save old content, the software allows you to back up your videos onto DVD.
While the specs started me drooling, the search capabilities were what I found most impressive. By taking advantage of the closed captioning system, SnapStream is able to search the transcripts of any program you record. This allows you to record a lot of junk and filter it for the information that you care about. Unlike the DVR in your living room, this isn’t limited to one monitor. SnapStream has designed the DVR to act as a server, which allows multiple users to search and stream videos from anywhere connected to the network.
In the video demoing the product, Snapsteam CEO Rakesh Agrawal mentions that they have PR firms, political organizations, schools and pro sport teams as customers. While I could see how all of these organizations could benefit from access to this type of technology, I was surprised to see Wall St. missing from this list. Being able to keep track of when an investment is mentioned in the media, would be a powerful tool for money managers. When you consider that Thomson is booking a billion a year in profits, by selling market data to businesses, you have to imagine that there is a market for searchable video intelligence. SnapStream may be tapping into a niche market, but it can be a lucrative one, if they attract motivated buyers. By helping businesses make better use of DVR technology, they are filling a market void and creating demand for an entirely new DVR product category.
SnapStream’s professional DVR may be well outside of my tax bracket, but it’s still exciting to see the company innovate. Considering the stiff competition in the consumer DVR market, it makes sense for them to diversify into the professional segment. You can read more about SnapStream’s enterprise ambitions in Brent Evans’ recent interview with Agrawal.
Posted in Technology, Media, TV, Search, DVDs | No Comments »
Forget Streaming Video, How Do I Stream My PC Instead?
December 5th, 2007 Davis
Over the last week, I’ve put a lot of thought into how I plan on networking my home entertainment system. After bouncing around for the last few months, I’ve finally found a place to call home (for now), but haven’t figured out my digital strategy yet. 10 years ago, this would have involved hooking up a DVD player and forgetting about it, but today things are far more complicated. While doing an inventory of my entertainment options, I was surprised to realize that I now have eight different devices, that are capable of bringing digital entertainment straight to my television.
Having to allocate electrical outlets is a tough enough problem, but figuring out how to network each device has proved to be even more challenging. Despite having a plethora of choices, I still can’t figure out the best equation, for maximizing my entertainment experience.
My current plan is to set up the Media Center PC in my office and stream the videos to an Xbox360. Because I don’t want to deal with slow WiFi, I plan on drilling holes through the walls (don’t tell my landlord) and running ethernet cable straight into the living room.
My only reservation in using this set up, is that I won’t be able to get the real internet, directly on my television. This is important, because I want to be able watch YouTube, Stage6 and Netflix videos on my big screen TV. In order to solve this problem, I could hook the Media Center PC, directly to the TV, but then I miss out on all of the computing functions, that are more ideal for a desktop environment.
It may seem like I’m asking to have my cake and eat it too, but the experience has made me wonder, if Microsoft has their extender strategy backwards? Instead of being able to stream video files to the living room, why not let me stream the computing functions to an office monitor?
This would unlock the media experience in the living room, while preserving the PC functionality in the home office. Instead of selling media extenders, Microsoft could be offering a networking dongle that connects your monitor, mouse and keyboard to the living room PC. They could even set it up, so that someone could watch the media center, while another person was using the computer. While I know that a lot of consumers don’t want a PC in their living room, a bizarro media extender would be more practical for me.
A few years back, I had a friend who used some kind of networking equipment to cut back on the number of PCs in their office, but this was more expensive and complicated, then what I’m trying to accomplish. I tried to find out more about desktop extenders, but wasn’t familiar with any of the companies I found online. If anyone has ever used a remote computing setup, I would love to find out more about your experience. Is this even possible and is there a solution for the home consumer market? Is this something that would even work or am I better off hooking up an Xbox360 and an old computer to my television instead?
Posted in Media, Technology, TV, VOD, Disclosure - I own stock in co. mentioned, Microsoft, Netflix | 5 Comments »