TiVo as an Alibi???

[JLucPicard]

I wonder when we will see the first instance of TiVo being used as an alibi in a storyline on a TV drama (if it hasn't happened already?).

I watch shows like L&O all the time, and it seems there are many people living alone who are home alone and nobody can corroborate their alibi. I fall into that category, though I have not found myself in a situation where it was necessary for me to have an alibi. :)

I wonder what weight would be given to the History data where you may find an entry, for instance, indicating that a program was deleted because "someone in your household removed it from the 'Now Playing' List on 02/04/07 at 11:34 p.m." - especially if its pretty clear that nobody else has ready access to the TiVo.

Just another of many odd thoughts that run through my head, but I find myself thinking that now everytime I see the "I was home alone" scenario on these shows.

Any thoughts? Or any similar, slightly off the wall TiVo-related items?

[smak]

I've thought of that as well. Use slingbox mobile to delete a show on your tivo 2 minutes after you commit a crime, and then go home and get rid of the slingbox.

"I was home officer, see the timestamp"

-smak-

[hyachts]

On a related note, nowadays it's as likely as not that someone will have interacted with the outside world via their internet connection in a way that they could be reasonably identified as the user - or even just through event logs on their computer.

While any of this could certainly be faked, it's at least as reliable as an eyewitness or personal corroboration, "He was with me all night, officer"

[ZeoTiVo]

I saw a L&O where they were interviewing some guy in a slum aprtment about anything he heard the night before, etc.. after a few questions he says "Thats all I got, I want to watch my show and I can't afford no d*mn TiVo" :D

but yes the timestamp on a TiVo could be easily faked - a laptop that will emitt he right IR codes at the right time and then the laptop disposed of would be the easiest and least traceable. You could have it watch a show adn FF all the commercials etc.. and then delete it.

[JYoung]

This actually cropped up a couple of years ago on Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
One guy's alibi for the murder was that he was at work, crunching numbers on his computer for his boss.


It turned out that he was using his Windows Mobile device to VPN to his desktop and VNC to access the desktop.
No one actually saw him at his desk but did see his work computer on and data would change the next time they walked by so they assumed he'd just gone to the bathroom or something.



I've thought of that as well. Use slingbox mobile to delete a show on your tivo 2 minutes after you commit a crime, and then go home and get rid of the slingbox.

"I was home officer, see the timestamp"

-smak-

(looks at smak suspiciously)

[ADent]

There was an episode of Columbo with somebody using (a huge) VCR as an alibi.