David Coursey, executive editor of the popular ZDNet AnchorDesk, investigates how to add functionality to the embedded Linux-based TiVo personal video recorder by hacking it . . .

“AS WITH ANY good hacking article (and this will only be a fair one), I should warn you up front that proceeding further could render your TiVo useless, void your warranty, violate all sorts of end-user licensing agreements, and, in extreme cases, kill you (if you happen to touch the unshielded power supply inside the box while having an especially unlucky day).”

“That caveat out of the way, let me tell you how I got started down this road to hackerdom . . .”

“HOW IS THIS possible? For starters, TiVo is Linux-based. It also helps more that the company seems to take a benign view of activities of this sort. But the real key is that button reassignability was built into the machine in the first place, perhaps indicating that the TiVo people have a warm spot in their hearts for people smart enough to discover and enter reprogramming codes . . .”

“I won't publish the keystroke sequence here, because I think you need to read about it in some detail before you start messing around. If you don't want to spring for Kovsky's book, or if you're just in a hurry, check out Hacking the Hacking The TiVo FAQ, especially the part that explains the backdoor code Steve sent me. (It also explains some of the many risks you face when hacking your DVR.) . . .”

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