Generally, we'd say it's hard to tell what TiVo has up its sleeve with this newfangled "Hawk" software, but given that we already took a peek at what's potentially the next big TiVo interface late last month, we can't help but think the two are related. TiVo has been sending out solicitation e-mails to select Series3 / TiVo HD owners in order to enlist them in a beta program to test out a software release slated for launch sometime this fall. Users are being asked to deal with a few quirks and report them in a timely fashion, and they're promised a small parting gift for their participation. Of note, "Hawk" won't work with Series1 / Series2 boxes, and while "fall" is definitely mentioned, so is the word "December." Meaning? Don't get your hopes up that this release will be headed down the pipes in gold fashion anytime soon.

[Thanks, NotMe]

San Antonio may have been one of the first locales to get U-verse TV service, but it's not quite the first to snag AT&T's Total Home DVR software. As the carrier continues to gift U-verse users with the ability to watch recorded programs on any connected TV in the house, this Texas town has become the latest to get loved. Where will AT&T head next with THDVR? Your guess is as good as ours.

A select few Bright House Networks subscribers in Central Florida have already been blessed (if you want to call it that) with the carrier's new "Digital Navigator" DVR software, and for better or worse, it's coming to even more of you soon. BHN has put out an announcement to notify customers in the region that the rollout should hit everyone by the end of this month, and while it claims the new look will make it "easier to find programs, give parents more parental control options and allow Digital Phone customers to have Caller ID displayed on their TV," we know all too well how these refreshes can end up in reality. Unfortunately, we have a feeling most of you won't be enjoying the change.

So it's true -- hordes of DirecTV users weren't just dreaming about a glitch that required a painstaking reboot to start the week off. DirecTV has sent out e-mails to loads of affected users which were unexpectedly forced to mash the red "Reset" button located within a door on the front panel of their HD DVR / receiver in order to get things going again. Of course, even the mighty satcaster can't replace any missed recordings that were scheduled, but it is "sincerely" sorry for the inconvenience. You'll still be paying your full bill, though, so it's not that sorry.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Generally, we'd pass something like this off as just coincidence, but when over 95% of 1,000+ respondents confess to sharing the same issue, we simply can't turn the other cheek. It's assumed that DirecTV botched up a software update early this morning that affected a number of HR2X set-tops. Over at DBSTalk, the vast majority of readers who voluntarily took part in a poll affirmed that at least one of their HR2X units required a restart / reboot this morning. We know there's no real point in asking if you too were affected, but that aside, what was DirecTV attempting to send down? The world may never know.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Houston and San Diego -- hope you enjoyed your time at the top, as Connecticut has swooped in and stolen away the limelight. As of now, CT-based U-verse customers can take advantage of all the niceties that come with Total Home DVR. At this rate, we'd suspect that AT&T will have its entire US footprint covered with the software before the year's end, but we wouldn't recommend holding your breath or anything.

[Thanks, Anthony]

Given that AT&T still hasn't rolled its Total Home DVR software out to each of its markets yet, we're having a tough time believing a new set-top-box is just around the bend. Skeptical though we may be, a couple of subscribers have confirmed receipt of an interesting new survey that asked if they would subscribe to "a new STB" that supported the aforementioned TH DVR service, included IR capability and could handle digital programming including HDTV and Dolby 5.1. In addition to that, it asked if the respondent would be willing to cough up an extra $4 for the U400 package or an extra $10 for a total of 90 high-def channels. Call us crazy, but we're thinking that "90" figure is going to be stuck in your head as you wish, hope and pray for your HD lineup to bloom. Good luck with that whole "patience" thing.

[Thanks, Anthony]

We know, you're still digesting the whole Nero LiquidTV / TiVo PC introduction, but once you get through your head that said product brings TiVo functionality to your PC, we'd like you to have a look at something only mildly related. In the best form possible (that'd be video, for those curious), a walkthrough of a potential new user interface for TiVo as a whole has been hosted up. According to the lucky soul who was able to grab this information from a recent survey, there's no telling if it'll ever actually be released. 'Course, we highly doubt TiVo pays its engineers to cook up new software for nothing, but we've heard of zanier scenarios. Check out three UI vids after the break, and be sure to look carefully for the oh-so-subtle differences.

[Thanks, Dave]

Rejoice, HTPC fans -- that partnership between Nero and TiVo has finally borne fruit in the form of Nero's new LiquidTV / TiVo PC DVR package, which brings the TiVo interface and featureset to Windows. The $199 package comes with a year of TiVo service, a Hauppage USB ATSC tuner, an IR receiver, and a Nero-branded TiVo remote, and does exactly as you'd expect -- it's TiVo on your PC. There are some interesting PC-specific features bolted on the usual kit -- you can navigate using the keyboard and mouse (there are even some nifty contextual menus) and you can export directly to iPod and PSP-compatible .mp4 from within the interface -- but for the most part it's the same TiVo experience you're used to, including streaming shows to and from other TiVos and TiVo PCs. If you're already running an HTPC setup, you can get the TiVo PC software and a year of service for $99, but your Media Center remote might be a little wonky without a remap, and Nero reps didn't make any promises about CableCARD compatibility apart from "it should work if Windows recognizes it." Obviously we'd like to see that firmed up a bit -- and maybe get some tru2way support in the deal -- but it's definitely a start. Should be available now.

We've a feeling we'll soon be unable to keep up with all the Total Home DVR rollouts, but we aren't complaining one bit about the speed at which AT&T is getting it out there. Hot on the heels of Austin, Fresno, and a handful of other cities getting gifted, AT&T has quietly given Houston, Texas and San Diego, California residents the ability to watch recorded shows on connected TVs anywhere in the house. Dollars to donuts a few more markets get lit up before October dawns.

[Thanks, Artur and Anthony]

We're hesitant to say that the flood gates are open, but it looks like AT&T is pushing its Total Home DVR software out at a pretty regular clip. Just days after introducing it in the Bay Area and merely hours after dumping it on Dallas / Fort Worth residents, AT&T is now bringing the U-verse update to customers in Los Angeles, Fresno and St. Louis. In short, the software refresh enables users to play back any recorded SD or HD program on any connected TV in their home at no extra charge. Who's up for placing bets on the next locale to get the good news?

No surprises here, but AT&T has done its duty by pumping out a press release to match up with information discovered late last week. As of now, the recently released Total Home DVR software is available to U-verse subscribers in the Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas area, and if you're curious as to what that adds, you can catch up right here. Hey AT&T, why not just present us with a nice, neat time table so the rest of your users aren't just in the dark? Thanks in advance.

[Thanks, Anthony]

This week's Ask Engadget HD question couldn't possibly be any nearer and dearer to our hearts. For years now, we've wondered why nobody is producing standalone OTA HD DVRs. Sony's DHG-HDD500 and LG's LST-3410A were the last two significant options that we could find, but hopefully our searching abilities are severely flawed.

"In the continued theme of the recent question regarding To TiVo, or not to TiVo?, I have a question regarding standalone HD DVR's. My question is: Where are they? Seriously, I don't want to pay a monthly fee to TiVo nor do I want to have to boot up a HTPC all the time. All I want is a standalone unit with no monthly fees to record OTA HD. Does an animal like this even exist? Thanks!"

Like we said, there are a few animals such as this if you don't mind scouring the secondhand market, but we'd love to hear from any relative newcomers that we've somehow overlooked. Oh, and where the heck is that EchoStar TR-50 we spotted at CES 2008?

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Are you ready to believe? While Digeo's road to the present has been laden with mishaps, the latest word has it that the company will indeed be rolling out two new products in the very near future. Of course, we've seen the plug pulled at the last minute before, but if everything holds up this time, we'll see a Moxi set-top-box arrive later this month on Charter. Additionally, "a second MSO" will be offering the unit in short order, and a retail box should ship in January. Sadly, that latter device won't have tru2way capability (though it will support a multistream CableCARD), but it should be noted that Digeo is also prepping a Moxi PC interface as well as wares that could tie into home automation setups. Hit the read link for the full spill -- just don't get your hopes up too high until we see a shipping confirmation.

Was it really 2006 when Linux lovers were sinking their gums into Neuros Technology's OSD? Two years later, we're finally seeing shipment of the OSD 2.0, which diverts quite significantly from the original in terms of design and ups the ante by adding support for encoding high-definition video at 720p in MPEG-4 and D1 resolution in the H.264 format. It's built around a Texas Instruments Davinci-based CPU module and a mini-ITX motherboard / enclosure, but rather than just being a very hackable consumer product, this one is described as a "super-reference design" by CEO Joe Born. You'll likely remember the WhereverTV, which is of course based on the OSD 2.0, and the firm has already landed another partner for the box in Hupla. For the individuals who just want an undisturbed unit, you can latch on now for $250.