I thought of that as I was writing but gave up attempting to write out that cognitive dissonance... I still argue that the product had better merits than Tivo did at the time and that the merit did not lead to sales. Just like the Betamax/VHS argument where one was better but did not win. Good point on your part, though.

I respectfully disagree. Back in the day (2001?) I had a Microsoft UltimateTV for our satellite service. I felt the technology was considerably more sophisticated and easier to use than Tivo. IIRC, the user interface was much quicker and effective and it also had dual tuners. I believe MS stopped selling it less than a year after release for whatever reason. I kept using it as my preferred DVR until DirecTV released their HD DVR. Granted, these patents appear amazingly broad and I have personal issue with software patents like this, but saying MS cannot compete on merits is not true, at least in this case, IMHO.

the analogue ones worked in either a 27mhz or 41mhz range, if memory serves. There may have been others later, but i clearly remember the interference they caused in these frequencies with Soviet military transmitters. I could make so many jokes right now about babies saving us from a Soviet invasion (when there were still soviets...) but won't out of respect for common decency...

To paraphrase the comedian, Greg Proopes, "I thought Australia would be this great, cool progressive place but it's really just Arkansas with beaches" or something to that effect...