New developments with TiVo and advertisers (1 Viewer)

[Jean D]

Here is a frightful Article from Yahoo News. What are all your thoughts? Personally, I dont think its that far away that I just build a PVR (i.e. http://www.byopvr.com), and sell the Tivo's.

 

[Michael Reuben]

That's a misleading article title, and I'm going to revise the thread title so as not to perpetuate it. As the article makes very clear, users will still be able to skip past commercials.

And to answer your question: I'm fine with it. TiVo needs to develop such sources of revenue if it's going to survive against cable and satellite companies, most of whom are rolling out their own PVRs. As long as the user has a choice about opting in for the advertisers, my viewing habits won't be affected.

M.

 

[Henry Gale]

"Ads to pop up when TiVo users scan past commercials"

This is from USA Today


http://www.usatoday.com/tech/product...tivo-ads_x.htm

As the article makes very clear, you'll understand why I still have my S-VHS deck.

 

[Robert_J]

Program in the 30 sec skip and you shouldn't have to worry about it. Also, it Tivo disables this feature the "hackers" will have it added back in within a week.

-Robert

 

[ChuckSolo]

This is absolutely ridiculous. My take on this stupid thing is that forcing us to watch any type of commercial is ludicrous and the government should stay out of it, period. John McCain is right, if I want to zap past commercials I will. That is the problem with services such as Tivo, they are at the mercy of advertisers. IMHO, all this advertiser crap, commercials, etc., should have been dealt with between the cable/Satellite providers back when we started to pay for their services. I have always been of the opinion that if you attach an antenna to your TV and get free over the air service, then you are subject to commercial interruptions. However, if you are paying for content, any content, you should have the freedom to choose if you want to see ads or not. I know, I know, the broadcast networks rely on advertisers for content development and such that's their problem. I believe that the networks could incorporate brand name products into their programming and eliminate the annoying commercial breaks that can run up to as long as 5 minutes on occasion. On the other hand, there are people like my wife who like commercial breaks so she can run to the john or the 'fridge or whatever. Heck, we pay for the "priviledge" of watching TV AND the commercials too? I say we need liberation from commercials, Tivo, like VCRs and DVD recorders should be commercial "zappable" forever.

 

[Jean D]

Chuck Im with you. I paid for the programing, and content, I should be able to choose what I watch (the programs)and what I opt not to watch (the marketing). And the fact that I skip past the commercials shouldnt default me to annother form of marketing (pop-up ads). Its just wrong to be forcefully subjected to marketing when I opt not to have any. Much like Spam. Tivo is spamming me now despite my junk mail filters.

 

[Stephen Tu]

It's a totally misleading article title. All there is is more of those "Tivomatic" type icons that pop up while you whiz by, catching your eye in case you want more info. You aren't forced to view the additional info, & it's not disabling or slowing down the fast forward button. There is no forcing involved. It's not like the FF is grinding to a halt & forcing you to view a popup to continue, which would be intrusive. It's just an icon overlay on top of the commercial; you are free to ignore it just like you do the commercial.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I would buy a Tivo if it could electronically erase the onscreen network logos, and administer an electric shock to the people who put them on the air!

 

[Mary M S]

I agree with Chuck, and am praying the software download for this new “Feature” does not come via Satellite but comes by phone line. (which I am unplugging till forced to reconnect for any upgrade which I really have to aquire) also meaning that I will NEVER be tempted to buy a Season Ticket which neccesitates a phone line! I am so tired of these slippery slopes of incremental ‘forces’ which step by step build degrees of acceptance from the sheeple we seem to become, allowing these increasing intrusions and reductions of privacy for our ‘convenience’ and ‘entertainment’.

Note this ominous (IMO) sentence in the Yahoo News link: "I look at TiVo being first generation of the TV advertising of the future," says Tim Hanlon, a vice president at Starcom MediaVest Group, one of the world's largest media-buying companies, with clients including General Motors Corp., Procter & Gamble Co. and Best Buy Co. "There's a whole witch's brew of change coming to the linear television form."

Witches brew indeed!!! And just when my slim Book of Incantations and ward-off spells grows less effective each year! I am a brand new Tivoite, depressed that just as I purchase; attracted to the advertised ‘control’ these systems supposedly help place back in my life, these ‘rights’ are being diluted. And the official-eaze, will slowly spin the subject into “Well...Really, its more about timeshifting”.

I am sick of each day, turning off one regular PPV channel and a new one called “HERE” on my menu, because Direct wants me to SEE it. Meaning any child whom can read gets to pass by guide names like: “Women who Love Women” “Hot, Sexy, [pick subject].” …..etc. D* I am assuming, deliberately turning these channels on/off every day, so that my personalized list resets them to my menu as a “newly available” channel.

I am sick of D* tying every upgrade into a resetting of contract, when THEY did not subsidize purchase. Ford once tried to “charge” me in a new vehicle purchase under legal jargon buried in the sales tax area, $250.00, which I would pay them so that they could mail me a coupon every 3 months for a discount on an oil change. And bringing them additional revenue since the 250 fee included selling my information to any 3rd party they chose who could then send me unsolicited advertising. This was going into my 3 yr. note, till I requested an explanation of the charges for the 4TH time, and the sales man finally had to tell me straight out, what this “official’ 250 fee was REALLY for.

I am sick of having my fax pounded by Spammers whom no-one can find or charge for their use of my personal telephone line/ laser printer cartridges / and 24pd weight paper.

Now If I am reading correctly, this OPT IN only requires someone in my household accidentally selecting any advertisement popping up anywhere (yellow star) or new fast forward gizmos, and that gives my Legal consent (even if a visiting 3 yr old is playing piano keys with the remote, just to hear the TiVO tones) for TiVO to sell my personal information so that those companies can Spam me by postoffice/e-mail/ or phone. Oh joy.

And like everything else in my life, I am forced to attempt to Tune out and Ignore, yet more bug and popup type clutter which swamp my day & nights. Having the net effect of slowly turning me into a desensitized/ unaware/ zoned out and inattentive human being who fights the overstimulation of light/noise/advertising/violence and all other various forms of pollution which insidiously build upon the slagheap of my mind.

I’m sorry Officer; you asked “what was the killer who just shot the clerk in front of me wearing?” Well I really could not tell you. I have become CONDIDTIONED to having to go through my life with FILTERS on. It's such a bother but I do tend to view the whole world these days as though through a glass, darkly

I am besieged and not even the 'sweat of my own brow' money will buy me peace and quiet and control.
Rant? Yes!

 

[Robert_J]

The last update "E" came down over satellite but required a quick phone call to activate. They are slowly moving towards satellite only updates.

-Robert

 

[Mary M S]

New years resolution.... i will start learning how to hack. Where is that underground thread? Who cares about voided warrenties when your sanity is at risk.

They are slowly moving towards satellite only updates.
indeed and ...as expected. The evil empire moves to block all loopholes, sewing my eyelids open with fiber optic thread.

 

[Robert_J]

There is a whole "underground" section at Tivo Community. Also, there are companies that are selling the Tivo OS in kind of a gray market. The Instant Cake CD from PTVupgrade is used for upgrading to a larger drive. Well, they have also tweaked the Linux kernal to support drives larger than 137GB. I'm pretty sure they are violating some type of licensing agreement somewhere. On the other hand, only a small percentage of Tivo users are doing these upgrades. Hopefully Tivo will keep ignoring us upgraders.

-Robert

 

[Jason Edgecombe]

My sense is that the new ads (and PPV programs "expiring") is not so much Tivo looking for new revenue as it is that networks are holding TiVo's feet to the fire and threatening legal action if TiVo doesn't stop making their advertising "less valuable." Such litigation would be baseless, but would still be expensive to defend such that it would cripple the company.

Here's the solution: Tivo tells the content industry that "if we go down, we'll take you with us," and threaten to release the Tivo software to the world if the company gets forced out of business. It's already open-source, but Tivo has held back things like complete commercial skipping and the file structure by which programs are stored. If users knew how the file structure worked, recorded programs could easily be removed from the PVR and shared. See how the nets like that.

[This also underscores why we need copyright reform NOW. The current system doesn't benefit artist, creative types, or the public; it only benefits "content providers," whatever that means.]