Yarr The Pirate! :: View topic - This would stop me from watching TV, how about you?

A TV that forces you to watch ads? It's possiblePhilips technology could let broadcasters freeze channel during commercial

SAN JOSE, Calif. - In this era of easy ad skipping with TiVo-like video recorders, could television viewers one day be forced to watch commercials with a system that prevents channel switching?

Yes, according to Royal Philips Electronics. A patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says researchers of the Netherland-based consumer electronics company have created a technology that could let broadcasters freeze a channel during a commercial, so viewers wouldn't be able to avoid it.

The pending patent, published on March 30, says the feature would be implemented on a program-by-program basis. Devices that could carry the technology would be a television or a set-top-box.

Philips acknowledged, however, that the anti-channel changing technology might not sit well with consumers and suggested in its patent filing that consumers be allowed to avoid the feature if they paid broadcasters a fee.

On Wednesday, company officials issued a statement that noted the technology also enables the opposite: allowing viewers to watch television without advertising. The intention was never to force viewers to watch ads against their will, the company said of the technology.

"We developed a system where the viewer can choose, at the beginning of a movie, to either watch the movie without ads, or watch the movie with ads," the company stated. "It is up to the viewer to take this decision, and up to the broadcaster to offer the various services."

The company also said it had no plans to use the technology in any of its products.

Philips wanted to provide the technology and seek the patent only as part of the broader developments within the industry, Philips spokesman Andre Manning said.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Author:	Yarr [ Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:43 am ]
Post subject:	This would stop me from watching TV, how about you?
If I had to pay a fee to avoid commercials or if I was forced to watch them I would probably stop watching TV. I mean personally I love watching DVDs of TV episodes over seeing them live on TV (although HDTV is better) so it would be an easy choice for me. How about everyone else? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12407199/ Quote: A TV that forces you to watch ads? It's possiblePhilips technology could let broadcasters freeze channel during commercial SAN JOSE, Calif. - In this era of easy ad skipping with TiVo-like video recorders, could television viewers one day be forced to watch commercials with a system that prevents channel switching? Yes, according to Royal Philips Electronics. A patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says researchers of the Netherland-based consumer electronics company have created a technology that could let broadcasters freeze a channel during a commercial, so viewers wouldn't be able to avoid it. The pending patent, published on March 30, says the feature would be implemented on a program-by-program basis. Devices that could carry the technology would be a television or a set-top-box. Philips acknowledged, however, that the anti-channel changing technology might not sit well with consumers and suggested in its patent filing that consumers be allowed to avoid the feature if they paid broadcasters a fee. On Wednesday, company officials issued a statement that noted the technology also enables the opposite: allowing viewers to watch television without advertising. The intention was never to force viewers to watch ads against their will, the company said of the technology. "We developed a system where the viewer can choose, at the beginning of a movie, to either watch the movie without ads, or watch the movie with ads," the company stated. "It is up to the viewer to take this decision, and up to the broadcaster to offer the various services." The company also said it had no plans to use the technology in any of its products. Philips wanted to provide the technology and seek the patent only as part of the broader developments within the industry, Philips spokesman Andre Manning said. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Author:	Armani [ Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:10 am ]
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I dunno, when I watch TV, it's usually Lost, or just part of a simpsons or family guy episode. When there is a commercial, I play my DS, or run to check the auction house quelquefois.

Author:	Mythiras [ Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:30 am ]
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Netherland-based lol I feel so bad.

Author:	Mandos [ Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:36 am ]
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You'd have to be pretty dumb to buy one of these. Boycott them before it becomes industry standard!! As for watching movies with adverts, I'd rather record them and watch later with a fast -forward button (old fashioned vcr <--------4tw.) That or download themm lol

Author:	Sunshine [ Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:18 am ]
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I personally think that the TV and DVD/BlueRay or whatever the F it's called industry is moving too fast for the world. I may sound like a retard saying that, but I truly think technology is moving too fast. The entertainment industry is playing to the consumer who wants more and better products and will be willing to pay for them. Yarr loves all of the new things coming out, and I don't know what I'll do when we have a million tv's, various types of dvd players, games, etc....AHHHHHH TECHNOLOGICAL OVERLOAD!!!!! I'm perfectly fine with my laptop, my iPod, my normal-sized TV and moderate dvd player. lol (P.S. I HATE STUDYING WAR HISTORY)

Yarr The Pirate! http://www.yarrthepirate.com/phpbb3/

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Author:	Dmitry [ Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:30 am ]
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If it would stop my dad from flipping through every single channel each commercial break, why not.

Author:	Yarr [ Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:31 am ]
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lol get back to studying cutie. My fear is that this wouldnt be a "feature" to start with. It would be something the networks would force. After all, the networks always bow down to what the advertisers want.

Author:	Hobo [ Tue Apr 25, 2006 12:56 pm ]
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I haven't seen any live TV for the last 5 months, other than a few games of the NCAA tournament at work. Saves me $50 a month by not having cable. Bittorrent ftw!

Author:	Parade [ Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:31 pm ]
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i just record the shows i watch, and then watch them and ff through the commercials on my own time.

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