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Where is that remote? A valid and common question most of us have probably posed at one time or another.

And yet, no good solution. Well, there probably is one out there for $19.95 or something, but I haven’t seen it. And chances are anything out there would involve me replacing my beloved TiVo remote with some substandard chunk of plastic.

So what to do? Well, I understand the TiVo folk are hard at work engineering Series³, so if it’s not too late, may I make a wee suggestion?

WiFi-enable the TiVo Series³ remote. Why? Let me count the ways:

1. Two-way communication. You can press a button on the TiVo console to have the remote beep or make some kind of audible/visible response as to it’s location.
2. Enough with the infrared already. That’s sooo ’80s technology. I’d like to be able to fire my remote without having to point it at the TiVo directly.
3. You could send TiVo remote signals from your computer (including one to locate the remote). Change channels or turn things on and off.
4. Program the remote to control other devices that aren’t supported from factory defaults.

I hope there’s more at work in the Series³ than HDTV. Thanks to the TiVo Hacks book, there’s already a nice wishlist of what people want to do with their TiVo’s. With HDTV’s resolution, it wouldn’t be out of the question to enable web browsing on the thing. Or reading e-mail. A small-footprint, wireless keyboard with builtin trackpad/trackball/thumbpoint device would be ideal for this. As if I don’t spend enough time on my couch as it is…

And here are some other thoughts I have related to the nextgen TiVo.

Posted at 2:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (1)

I think-- if the current trend continues-- all television shows will be about either crime/prosecution or emergency medicine. Sigh.

Posted at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

The X-Files has come to an end. At least, the original television series has. Now we wait for a movie or two, perhaps an animated series or, say ten years from now, a new series based on the theme. Good TV never dies, it just gets repackaged and resold. Speaking of which, season 5 is now available on DVD.

I was a bit disappointed with the finale, but I expected to be disappointed. I'd hate to be in Chris Carter's shoes-- how do you write an ending for a show like The X-Files? Nothing would do it justice or make everyone happy. It was a noble effort, but turned out to be (largely) a clip show. For the cultlike following this show has enjoyed, that was the wrong way to go-- we KNOW all that stuff-- there isn't any reason to rehash it. So what if some people are lost from all the past-show references-- the finale show is for the fans, not someone searching the dial for something (anything) interesting. In the end it turned out to be a show that wasn't terribly interesting to anyone. C'est la vie.

Posted at 5:59 PM | Permalink

Star Trek: The Next Generation, the First Season will be out on a 7-disc DVD set on March 26th. I wonder if I have $104.99 in my couch cushions? I have a soft spot for sci-fi. What's on your DVD watch/want list?

Posted at 12:08 AM | Permalink

Oh boy. Another Chuck Norris made-for-TV-movie. This time CBS gives us The President's Man: A Line in the Sand. Just click that link and read the synopsis. For archival purposes (so we can laugh about it years from now), I'll post a bit here:

By day, Joshua McCord (Norris) is one of Dallas University's most popular professors. In times of crisis, he is the United States government's secret weapon.

A team of terrorists stages a hi-tech break-in at a museum, dropping wires from the roof to the floor of the great hall. They are after three statues among the many on display. The targeted statues contain the components to construct a nuclear bomb.

(You can't see me right now, but I'm rolling my eyes big-time.)

This is nothing against Norris personally-- from what I've read, he sounds like a nice guy and all. He just can't act his way out of a paper bag.

Sorry-- this wasn't even fit to post, but it's late and I have little else to blog about.

Posted at 2:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

CNN.com reports that this is the last season for The X-Files, one of my favorite TV shows, sci-fi or otherwise (official Fox press release). The show has had it's troubles for the last 2-3 seasons, especially once Duchovny left the cast.

I have mixed feelings about it-- part of me is glad because I don't have to buy a 10th season on DVD and I won't have to sit through another uncomfortable episode as Patrick and Gish try to define their characters.

On the other hand, the new cast really hasn't had long enough to make a name for themselves in the show. The big question is whether there was enough steam left in the X-Files engine to afford them the time to do that. I guess Chris Carter felt there wasn't, and I will just have to abide by his opinion. I just hope they do a good job giving closure to the series.

Fortunately, this frees him up to do another X-Files movie, which I'm really looking forward to.

I do have to wonder though-- is this just a big stunt? I mean, how many episodes were done where they closed the X-Files only to re-open them the following season?

In other news, X-Files season 5 (DVD) is scheduled for a May release!

Posted at 3:37 PM | Permalink

It's great to see a new Star Trek series begin and it looks very promising. The 5-day Star Trek: Next Generation marathon on TNN is cool-- I wish I could watch it all... hopefully the series will be released in it's entirety on DVD.

Posted at 11:58 PM | Permalink

The X-Files will return for a 9th season. I have mixed feelings about this news...

I'm an avid X-Philer, but the 8th season was rocky. Not so much because of Robert Patrick-- I've actually grown to like his character and he's done a good job in that role. The show just wasn't the same without Mulder. The whole chemistry thing between Mulder and Scully isn't there (nor should we expect it to be) with Scully and Doggett.

You also lose a lot of the humor and light-heartedness of the show. I don't recall one episode this past season that wasn't serious. I miss the occasional off-the-wall funny episodes from prior seasons. Also, Mulder had all the funny lines to offset Scully's continually-serious nature. Doggett is a straight man-- so all the dialog between Doggett and Scully is bound to be serious and nothing else. Not very interesting.

One other thing that has really changed with the show. Scully is a Believer now. Once Mulder left the scene, she had to become the paranormal expert for the X-Files and Doggett entered as the skeptic. It's a complete reversal of Scully's character from the beginning of the show.

Posted at 5:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Wow--- i didn't have to wait long for my X-Files 3rd Season order. I got it today! It shipped from Amazon's Delaware distribution center via UPS ground ($2.98 for shipping & handling charges). Next-day delivery for $2.98-- what a deal!

Posted at 2:29 PM | Permalink

X-Files: Season 3 is on the way! Can't wait to see the "Jose Chung" episode again...

Posted at 3:09 PM | Permalink