Sadly, TiVo also knocked down whatever anticipation it had been building up by confirming last week that it will stuff pre-roll video ads into users’ recordings. The ads will roll out to all TiVo Roamio and Bolt DVRs running the latest TiVo Experience 4 software within the next 90 days, and will presumably be part of TiVo’s forthcoming Edge DVR as well. While these ads will be skippable by pressing the “Skip” button on a TiVo remote, users are still rightfully recognizing them as an unwelcome new intrusion, flooding TiVo’s message boards and Twitter feed with angry comments for days.

Instead of just piling on, though, I’d like to provide some options and alternatives for users and dig a little deeper into TiVo’s possible motivations for degrading its core DVR experience. Read the full column on TechHive for more details.

Although TV providers tend to absorb most of the blame when stations go dark, it seems like Dish is getting more aggressive in pushing its side of the story this time around. The company’s press release is pretty specific about Fox’s demands, noting that the network wants “a double-digit percentage rate increase” for local channels and is using local channel blackouts to leverage further price hikes on cable channels. Dish is also offering free antenna installation for satellite customers and a $12 per month discount for customers who drop local channels. Unfortunately, no such courtesy is available for Sling customers.

An audio upgrade for Fire TV: Although Amazon didn’t announce any new Fire TV devices at a press event this week, it is launching a new Echo speaker that pairs with certain Fire TV players for better audio. The $200 Echo Studio can connect wirelessly to a Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick 4K, or third-generation Fire TV pendant to provide Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Atmos audio. You can also pair two of the speakers together for a wider stereo effect.

The product is similar to Apple’s HomePod speaker, which can pair with an Apple TV streaming player for better audio, but with one important distinction: The Echo Studio also has 3.5mm and Toslink optical audio inputs for making a wired connection to your television. That means it won’t become worthless for TV audio if you decide to use something other than a Fire TV. The Echo Studio is launching on November 7 and is up for preorder now.

An Apple TV update: If you have a fourth-generation or higher Apple TV, you can now update it to tvOS 13. The new software adds support for multiple profiles, allowing each family member to have their own recommendations and watch list in Apple’s TV and Music apps. To switch between profiles, just hold the home (TV icon) button, which brings up the new Control Center. From here, you can choose a different profile, view playback controls and lyrics for music, and put the device to sleep.

The update also turns Apple TV into a more formidable gaming system with the launch of Apple Arcade, a $5 per month bundle of games with no ads or in-app purchases. Many of those games will work with a game controller on Apple TV, and the tvOS 13 update lets you pair a PlayStation 4 or Bluetooth-equipped Xbox One controller in addition to the usual MFi-certified ones.