Distributed Tivo, take 2

OK, let me try again.

You know what Tivo is: an appliance that records TV shows as files on a hard drive.

You might know what Bittorrent is: a program that makes file downloads fast by swarming bits of them from your neighbors to you.

Combine the two and you have a very cool gadget. Plug one end into your home network connection, plug the other into your TV, wait a while, and start watching prerecorded programs.

Key points:

• You don't need cable anymore.
• Depending on your connection speed, you can probably watch a live program delayed by a few seconds, assuming a neighbor is recording and sharing it.
• Advertisers can divert their distribution budget into their production budget. In other words, they'll take the money they save on airing commercials and spend it on making commercials that are more enjoyable to watch.

I wish someone would do this!