Yes!

I'll be so excited if this works:

The 30-Second Skip

Series 1 TiVos (those that don't feature a USB port on the back panel) can have the benefit of the 30-second skip-past-commercials feature found in Series 2 boxes. The Advance button that normally brings you to the end of a recorded program will become the "30-Second-Skip" button:


While viewing a recorded program or live TV enter the following sequence on your remote:


Select, Play, Select, 3, 0, Select

If your TiVo plays three Thumbs Up "blings" in a row, the Advance button is now reprogrammed to skip forward by 30 seconds. This bit of reprogramming is not permanent--you'll have to redo it if your TiVo reboots.

Ooooh! And this, too:

Make TiVo to Go

If you own a TiVo Series 2 box, saving recorded programs to DVD is much simpler--but more costly--with TiVo's new TiVoToGo feature. Series 2 TiVos feature a USB port, to which you'll need to connect a USB-to-ethernet or-wireless network adapter (which costs about $30) in order to connect your TiVo to your home network.

Once you're networked, you'll probably want to sign up for the TiVo Home Media Option, which will allow you to program your TiVo remotely. To use TiVoToGo, you need to be sure you've got version 7.1-X or later of TiVo software in your device. To check your software version:

Go to 'TiVo Central'.

Select 'Messages & Setup', then 'System Information' with your remote.

If you don't have the latest software, you can go to TiVo.com and request the site to push the upgrade to your unit. While on the site, download and then install the TiVo Desktop software. TiVo Desktop collects and presents a list of the programs stored on your TiVo and allows you to download them to your PC. While on the site, click the link to download the 15-day free trial of SonicMyDVD--the recommended software for saving recorded programs from your TiVo onto DVD. (It will cost you $49.99 to use after the trial period.) Again, this solution is a bit pricey, but it is the simplest nonhacker-level method to save your favorite shows.

An alternative to using TiVo's TiVo Desktop software is the open-source JavaHMO project at javahmo.sourceforge.net. It includes several more features than the TiVo software, including viewing RSS feeds, images from NNTP postings, and NOAA weather alerts, reading e-mail, and playing MP3 files--all on your TV screen.