Low-tech TV recording secrets of ‘The Daily Show’ | Crave, the gadget blog - CNET.
This somewhat HILARIOUS article from CNET describes how “The Daily Show” gets their footage for each show from various news outlets and entertainment programs: 15 rack-mounted Tivos, many of whom are the old school ones that go wayyyyyyyy back before the fancy stuff you can get now. One classic quote from the article:
…because there’s a limited number of remote codes, when a staffer operates one, he has to hold the remote directly against that box’s IR receiver so that the beam doesn’t hit any of the other boxes (i.e., so he’s not inadvertently controlling multiple boxes at once).
Seriously guys? Wow.
Then to actually use the footage, they dub it onto Beta and carry it by hand to the editing room. That’s old school Sneakernet action. Nice.
CNET’s Crave Blog has an article about Wireless USB, a technology that’ll eventually allow you to plug things like hard drives, digital cameras, and other USB devices into a hub and use them wirelessly. It’s a neat technology, sure: I’d love to be able to access my hard drives while my laptop is anywhere in the house, but I can do that over the wireless network now…
…what I CAN’T do now is something demonstrated in the article: wireless external monitor. The article shows a large external screen being used with a MacBook Air as a secondary monitor. SUH-WEET!
One of the things I’ve disliked about my MacBook Pro was that, despite how portible it generally is, every time I sit down at my desk, I find myself plugging in a million things. USB for the iPhone and keyboard, FireWire for my backup drives, Ethernet for a faster connection than WiFi (when you’re uploading high res photos, it really does make a difference), and a big clunky pain-in-the-ass DVI port for my external monitor. Make a couple of those wireless for me and you’ve got a happy Jagalicious. 
