With HDTV sets selling at the million per month rate and no signs of slowing down anytime soon, consumers are quickly learning their desire for HDTV content is far greater than the current supply. Options for HDTV content often include either digital cable or satellite and a terrestrial antenna. Cable has its advantages in many markets, because it can reliably provide local HDTV feeds without the need for often clunky antenna. However, millions of early adopters, as well as HDTV newbies, flock to the satellite providers (DirecTV, Dish Network and upstart VOOM) for their content because of their large offerings of HDTV programming, HD-DVR equipment and access from practically every location in the United States.

Humax has disclosed that it has entered into a development and supply agreement with DirecTV. The agreements encompass various set top box models including a portion of the entry-level receivers that will feature interactive services and an HDTV receiver capable of receiving MPEG 4 broadcasts due to ship later in the year. In addition, Humax is producing the new DirecTV DVR, also due out later this year.

Humax USA has announced its 2005 line, which includes a 26-inch flat LCD TV with a built-in DVD Recorder with TiVo as well as three new DVD Recorders with TiVo.

In a recent article by Eric Hellweg in Technology Review, the topic of new legislation is in front of the current U.S. “lame duck” Congress, addressing a number of piracy and media issues that relate to how audio/video enthusiasts record and use TV. According to the article, there are a handful of bills being considered right now that aim to make recording a movie in a theater and/or distributing it via peer-to-peer networks a felony. Since most reasonable home theater enthusiasts are willing to buy a DVD of a film through legal means, this might not be a landmark piece of legislation. However, there are other bills that go much further, including one that makes it illegal to fast-forward through parts of films or even to fast-forward through commercials on your TiVo or other DVR systems.

Sony Electronics is about to ship six new Grand WEGA rear projection HDTV sets that will be fully integrated Digital Cable Ready (DCR), as well as two high-definition digital video recorders. The DVRs feature an integrated hard disk drive for recording and control of live broadcasts, as well as the TV Guide On Screen interactive program guide for easy program searching and automatic scheduled recording.