Cablevision Systems is set to unveil a test that will allow consumers to time shift TV programming with their regular set top boxes. Instead of having a DVR in the home, you will now be able to use the Cable Companies infrastructure as your DVR. According to the linked article all of the functions you normally have now with your DVR can be duplicated at the head end. This is a interesting development and could be the basis of the ultimate paradigm in that we could go to content on demand for everything we watch.

"The technology for what Cablevision calls its "remote storage digital video recorder" (RS-DVR) "is here today, and in Cablevision's case, we can use it to put DVR functionality in more than 2 million digital cable homes instantaneously, without ever rolling a truck or swapping out a set-top box," COO Tom Rutledge says in a statement."

If they don't get sued by the networks this could potentially be a win for those of us concerned about Fair Use. [USA Today]