In the world of DVRs, the TiVo is easily the most important and capable device around. With a slew of options that allow you to find shows with ease and a user interface that is second to none, the product is a world-class entrant into the market. Yet while most people enjoy the TiVo — it has had a steady 70-plus satisfaction rate for years — it’s still a fringe device that has little chance of survival unless the company does something to combat cable companies and increase subscriber count. Unfortunately, that “something” may be a dramatically different price point — free.

According to James McQuivey of Forrester Research, who joined me on my CNET Digital Home podcast last week, “TiVo has been fighting for years and has only sold about 1.7 million units of its boxes compared to your cable and satellite companies, who looked at TiVo and said, ‘1.7 million units? We can do that.’”

And it’s that issue: The cable companies can (and have) capitalized on TiVo’s business model by creating sub-par DVRs that mimic the device’s functionality at no additional charge, effectively ensuring that TiVo still incurs millions of dollars worth of losses each year. This despite the fact that the cable company DVRs simply don’t hold a candle to the TiVo; they are incapable of offering the kind of solutions we have come to expect from more advanced devices.

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When I wrote about my hopes for the future of the Apple TV, my arguments largely revolved around a desire for the ability to download iTunes and get access to the Internet. Well, with “Take 2″ of the device, we didn’t get the latter, but I suppose one out of two isn’t half bad.

And we did get a download that offered a slew of improvements, including bringing the Apple TV to the level of functionality for which I had initially hoped. That said, does it stand up to my Mac Mini, which is connected to another HDTV in the house, or does it fall short?

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Even though Warner has decided to take Blu-ray’s side in the high-def format war, HD DVD has been able to hold on by a thread as retailers and rental chains like Netflix allowed customers to continue ordering Toshiba’s ill-fated media.

But in the final deathblow to HD DVD, Netflix said Monday it will only carry standard DVDs and most importantly, Blu-ray discs going forward. The company said its decision was impacted by the majority of the movie studios’ decision to back Blu-ray and indicated that it was simply costing it too much money to keep three formats in stock. Netflix has said that it won’t phase out its entire HD DVD stock immediately, but will have none left by the end of the year.

And while a few last adherents may scoff at the news and say it’s not the final nail in the coffin that we’ve all been waiting for, I disagree. Now that Movie Gallery is practically out of the movie rental picture, Blockbuster, the world’s largest brick-and-mortar retailer, continues to support Blu-ray exclusively and Netflix has finally turned its back on HD DVD, how can the format survive going forward? [Update: Best Buy also said today it would recommend Blu-ray to its customers.] As it stands, Toshiba’s format is only available in major retailers, and considering the kind of deals they’re trying to offer, HD DVD sales are looking more like a firesale than bargain shopping.

Why is Netflix so important? With some 7.5 million customers and command over arguably one of the most important facets of the entire movie industry, that red envelope means everything to movie studios. Long after the film has dried up at the movie theaters (typically after two weeks), the studios immediately try to find ways to recoup the millions of dollars they doled out to make and promote it. And while DVD sales certainly do help, they are watered down — to some extent, at least — by piracy. But when all else fails, these studios can still rely on movie rental services like Netflix to acquire media and distribute it to a huge number of consumers — far more than any movie studio could through selling it on the open market.

But how is anyone supposed to learn about a format when it’s not even available to rent? Consumers may see HD DVD players in the store and buy one, but as soon as they get home and realize that the vast majority of movies are only available on Blu-ray and all of their rental services only supply Blu-ray movies, that player is likely to get sent back. And if no major rental service backs HD DVD, what’s stopping Paramount and Universal from jumping ship? Nothing.

The high-def format war is over. In a matter of weeks, both Paramount and Universal will realize what’s going on and decide to back Blu-ray. And once that happens, we can all jump on the Blu-ray bandwagon too.

It’s about time.

Over the past few years, the set-top box industry has been nothing short of a disaster. In addition to Digeo, makers of the Moxi DMR, cutting its workforce in half and ditching most of its products, TiVo — the world’s most popular DVR company — lost almost $48 million last year, easily eclipsing the company’s $34 million loss in 2006. And with cable companies offering the Scientific Atlanta 8300HD for only a few dollars each month, most companies are forced to sell set-top boxes for practically nothing.

With that in mind, AHT has announced the release of its first open source set-top box. Dubbed Tribbox, the device will run you about 310 euros ($453) and can be plugged into any existing home network via Ethernet. But unlike its competitors, the Tribbox is designed with both consumers and OEMs in mind. According to the company, companies can develop a full-fledged set-top box with the pre-installed Linux OS, and because it’s an open-source device, consumers can create a GUI and an “embedded system, media center, car entertainment system or whatever!”

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After finally admitting that the company did a poor job with the Apple TV, Steve Jobs in his Macworld keynote today unveiled a totally new interface with loads of functionality that should be enough for any Apple zealot to jump for joy. Of course, what Jobs didn’t mention during his “Delusions of Grandeur” speech was whether or not the Apple TV has some viability going forward. After all, how much faith do people really have in Apple to make its new offering a success when the product was relegated to the shadows and generally ignored over the past year?

If you ask me, they should have more faith than ever.

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If you’re not into the second-by-second minutia of CES, it can be hard to take a low-key approach to the tech industry’s yearly kickoff. There’s just too much news, too much hype, too many “revolutionary” gadgets and services that you’ll never hear about ever again. But this year was especially significant for those of us who care about online video, as many of the major announcements concerned getting TV onto the web or the web onto TV. So here’s a need-to-know guide for the top five NewTeeVee-related announcements out of Las Vegas this week.

1. Panasonic meet YouTube, YouTube meet Panasonic: In a move that could have a profound impact on the future of Internet video, Google and Panasonic unveiled a partnership that will see YouTube access built directly into Panasonic HDTVs.

• Was it expected? You better believe it was expected. After all, when Sony announced at last year’s CES that it would allow access to AOL video in its Bravia line of HDTVs, don’t you think Google and Panasonic took notice?
• Is it innovative? Mildly. Sure, there aren’t a slew of HDTVs currently on the market that offer this kind of functionality, but if you have an Apple TV you can already do this. And how good will the videos actually look on your screen anyway?
• Is it likely to take off? I wouldn’t hold my breath. How many people actually care that they can access YouTube on an HDTV? I think this plan is a junker waiting to happen.
• Is there something better out there? It’s called a computer and browser. Look, these videos weren’t meant for HDTVs and the chances of enjoying them are minimal at best. Trust me, you’ll enjoy them more on a computer.
• Overall importance grade: D

2. Comcast’s Fancast finally goes live: Sure, it may have been a long time coming, but Comcast has finally launched Fancast, meaning you can have a directory of professional TV and movies with links to where to watch or buy content.

• Was it expected? Uh, yeah, it was expected way back when it was announced that Comcast was a Hulu launch partner. Beyond that, don’t we always expect a new video service at least every other day?
• Is it innovative? No. I’m looking for something fresh in this space and I just can’t seem to find it. An IMDB-like video service is fine, but is it needed?
• Is it likely to take off? You’re kidding, right? This service has about as much chance of taking off as I do of becoming the first baseman for the New York Yankees.
• Is there something better out there? This service is so clunky and awkward, I’d say that even Hulu is somewhat better than Fancast. Now there’s a ringing endorsement.
• Overall importance grade: D

3. MTV Networks heads to the web: How many times have you seen My Super Sweet 16? If it’s less than five times, you’re probably lying. If you’re not, you’ll be happy to know that you can now watch MTV Networks’ full lineup of programming on a host of services including, Veoh, Hulu and that pesky service above, Fancast. Excited yet?

• Was it expected? Yes and no. Did we know that MTV was going to definitely release its programming to other online services? No. But did we come to expect it after FOX, NBC, CBS and others did it? Very much so.
• Is it innovative? Not really. Let’s face it, how many more companies need to put their programming online before we finally realize that it’s not even news anymore?
• Is it likely to take off? Out of all the programming currently available online, I’d say Viacom has the best chance at seeing its shows take off. With properties like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report, just to name a few, look for the same kind of success online.
• Is there something better out there? Yeah, it’s called ESPN. Ever heard of it?
• Overall importance grade: C

4. TiVo to feature web video: Huh? Didn’t the company already announce that a while ago? Can’t you already watch some of your favorite IPTV shows on the device? Yes you can. But according to TiVo, now you can get a “season pass” for all of your programming with the help of RSS feeds.

• Was it expected? This was expected months ago and was partway rolled out for a while. But in its infinite wisdom, TiVo decided to hold off its major release until we wanted to throw the box out the window to finally allow for RSS capabilities. Thanks, TiVo!
• Is it innovative? Adding RSS to a device so you can download videos on the fly? No.
• Is it likely to take off? Chances are, this could prove to be a watershed moment for some IPTV shows. After all, with millions of TiVo customers currently enjoying their boxes on a daily basis, this could be the exposure they need.
• Is there something better out there? Personally, I don’t think there is anything better to get IPTV onto your HDTV. Can you do it with a computer? Sure. Can you use your Apple TV? Uh huh. But will it look so much slicker on a TiVo? Definitely.
• Overall importance grade: B

5. Microsoft beefs up its Xbox Live offering: In a move that could easily bring about even more change, Microsoft announced that it has signed MGM and Disney-ABC on to its Xbox Live Marketplace, while also noting that its IPTV service — Mediaroom — has eclipsed the 1 million user-mark.

• Was it expected? Well, with Microsoft’s Xbox Live Marketplace growing by the day, we should have expected even more video on the service going forward, right?
• Is it innovative? It’s innovative in the sense that no other video game console has done what Microsoft has been able to do with video, so the answer is probably “yes.”
• Is it likely to take off? I think it already has. Wouldn’t you agree?
• Is there something better out there? Sure. A computer is a good place to start and let’s not forget about the TiVo. But when it comes to game consoles, we’ve hit the top with the Xbox.
• Overall importance grade: C

So there you have it — the news roundup from CES. Anything else you want to know? Didn’t think so.

Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who covers everything from Google to HDTVs. He currently writes for over 15 popular technology publications, including CNET’s Digital Home, InformationWeek and Future Publishing in the UK.

With the Consumer Electronics Show fast approaching, most sites are telling you about the coverage you can expect or what sort of products have already been confirmed. I thought I would tell you what I’m looking to get out of CES this year as it pertains to the topics we cover here at NewTeeVee.

So without further adieu, let’s take a look at some of the products that I’m hoping to see when I get to Vegas on Monday.

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Archos last week said it has formed a partnership with the Dish Network that will allow its 605 or 705 device to be connected to a VIP622 or VIP722 DVR via USB to transfer shows back and forth. But it’s just another example of the company trying to add even more functionality to an already stocked device, while failing to provide users with an end-to-end solution.

Arhcos’ portable media players consistently rank quite high in objective reviews, and as far as I’m concerned, they are easily the nicest ones out there. Further, taking into account uninvoiced orders for its recently launched fifth-generation product line, Archos just posted a 12 percent gain in quarterly sales over the same period last year. Yet the company ranks a distant fourth in the PMP market.

It’s what Archos doesn’t do that makes all of its extras like DVR-recording and set-top box integration little more than bonus features on a player that will never hit the mainstream.

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After four years in existence, MovieBeam has entered the pantheon of services that should never have been offered, but were nonetheless, and failed almost immediately. The service was shut down for good this week; all that’s left is information on the Chapter 11 filing of its parent company, Movie Gallery.

Chapter 11 aside, many of us knew this day was coming. Long before it became the property of Movie Gallery, MovieBeam became the laughingstock of the VOD industry. So what, then, can be learned from MovieBeam’s failure?

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If you are currently getting your cable TV from Time Warner Cable or Comcast using a Scientific Atlanta 8300 cable box, then you have an HD cable box that can do a lot more than its default settings. Out of the box, the cable box is set to pull video at a handful of resolutions (480p and 720p), but with a few minor hacks you can really trick out its capability. Here’s how:

Step 1: Turn off the power to the box and hold down the “Guide” and “Info” buttons at the same time.

Upon holding the buttons down, you’ll be brought to a page that welcomes you to the set-up and asks you if you’d like to proceed.

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