Comcast HD-DVR now blocking fast forward on American Idol

[Queasy]

PVRblog

Lost Remote

One of our loyal readers, Michael says he couldn't get his fast-forward button to work while his Comcast HD-DVR played back American Idol -- but it did work on other TV shows. He sent a screen grab to prove it. "Notice how the bottom bar has a 'no' sign. Usually that would switch to arrows when you're fast forwarding," he writes. Anyone else have this happen? Grabs follow...

Really sucks for Comcast users (and every other PVR user eventually) if Comcast and other cable/satellite providers start implementing this widespread.

 

[Fausto]

*sigh* You knew this was going to happen eventually. Fsckers. :frown:

 

[MetalMat]

If I am not mistaken, there is an easy plugin to fix that.

 

Advertising companies get more desperate as time goes on.

 

[spacelord]

That does really suck if PVRs start doing that.
.. My Replay automagically skips the commercials without me getting off my ass or putting down my beer.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: spacelord
That does really suck if PVRs start doing that.
.. My Replay automagically skips the commercials without me getting off my ass or putting down my beer.

 

[brtspears2]

This would stink if it happened on all programming. I enjoy being able to watch 4 hours of tv in less than two hours. Besides when I watched American Idol on my DVR last night, I didn't care for the sob stories and interviews and went for the singing. No skipping of that makes the show boring for me.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Advertising companies get more desperate as time goes on.

I fear the end result will be incredibly obnoxious product placement and/or "pop-up" ads during the actual program.

 

[Arkitech]

I think its time for consumers to fight back, pretty soon DVDs will have commercials in between scenes of the movie at this rate

 

Originally posted by: Fausto

Originally posted by: SampSon
Advertising companies get more desperate as time goes on.

I fear the end result will be incredibly obnoxious product placement and/or "pop-up" ads during the actual program.

I've read quite a few articles about how the advertising industry is really sweating its future.
Their days of infinite prosper are drawing to a very quick close, they know this and are going to go out kicking and screaming.

Now industry has to actually focus on delivering a superior product, instead of waving the same old crap in your face.

 

[tomstevens26]

When did they implement this? I'm in the Comcast, Nashville TN market. I recorded American Idol last night from FoxHD (ch. 183) and was just able to do the 30 skip through it without any problems.

 

[spacelord]

If they can turn on the FF feature at will.. 1/2 of the reason for buying a PVR is gone. (1. Skipping Commercials 2. Recording for watching later)

 

[Stark]

download it on bt about 5 minutes after the show ends and you don't need to worry about commercials at all.

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I think its time for consumers to fight back, pretty soon DVDs will have commercials in between scenes of the movie at this rate

Agreed. If this is truly the case, I'll be calling Comcast and returning the DVR box.

 

[GTiBri]

If I was forced to watch American Idol, I would fast forward through the show and only watch the commercials.

Heh.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: dabuddha

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I think its time for consumers to fight back, pretty soon DVDs will have commercials in between scenes of the movie at this rate

Agreed. If this is truly the case, I'll be calling Comcast and returning the DVR box.

they already have similar crap at movie theatres, having commercials before the friggin previews

 

[StrangerGuy]

So, people actually watch that POS show?

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: GTiBri
If I was forced to watch American Idol, I would fast forward through the show and only watch the commercials.

Heh.

winnar!

 

[dethman]

comcast is the fvckin devl.

 

[ProviaFan]

We have a "contract" with the tv industry to watch the advertising (so says Jack[ass] Valenti)? BULL****!

It's laws like this that make me feel no pang of conscience while flagrantly violating the DMCA just to do things that are / should be perfectly legal with content that I legally own. :|

 

[MrBond]

I fear the end result will be incredibly obnoxious product placement and/or "pop-up" ads during the actual program.

TBS, TNT, or USA (I forget which) actually tried popup ads not too long ago - it was during some movie and they were talking about retirement or something in that scene. An ad popped up for some financial planning company on the screen.

SpikeTV does it to advertise their craptastic awards shows. Before I got my Tivo, I'd watch bits of The Screen Savers at lunch, during the show there'd be a sound like a speaker cracking and popping, then an ad would cover the lower portion of the screen for another program on the network. I was actually worried it was going to damage my speakers - because it didn't sound like any normal sound you hear in programming.

Anyway, about this comcast thing - is this for good now, or was it another "mistake?" A couple weeks back, there was the same problem with '24' and Comcast was claiming it was a mistake in the guide. I wouldn't put it past them to tell people that as preliminary "damage control".

Hell, if I were Tivo and Comcast started doing this for more programming, I'd start an advertising blitz saying "We'll never stop you from skipping commericals". Maybe get back some of those customers who dropped Tivo for the cheaper comcast box.

 

[Merlyn3D]

skip 30 seconds worked for me on last night's broadcast as well...I dunno why you guys think it's blocked.

 

[Arkitech]

Another thing I dislike about Comcast's pvr is that if there is no cable service/connectivity then the pvr is useless. Cable was down in my area towards the beginning of the year, so I thought no big deal I'll just catch up on the shows I had recorded. Turns out the damn pvr is freakin useless unless the cable connection is working. :|

 

[sharkeeper]

DVD's are getting out of hand too!

Anyone watch Shrek 2?

You cannot use the skip buttons for nearly ten minutes! What BS. Thank goodness for DVD shrink + re-author!

The commie boxes can be hacked too but you're walking a fine line as they are starting to crack down on modders.

Cheers!

 

[tomstevens26]

Originally posted by: Arkitech
Another thing I dislike about Comcast's pvr is that if there is no cable service/connectivity then the pvr is useless. Cable was down in my area towards the beginning of the year, so I thought no big deal I'll just catch up on the shows I had recorded. Turns out the damn pvr is freakin useless unless the cable connection is working. :|

Not true in my area. Back on Xmas day we lost our cable connection do to snow and ice. It was down probably 8 hours. I used that time to catch up on some Discover HD shows I had recorded. Are you sure you weren't trying to access Comcast OnDemand?

Tom