More on TiVo's fast-forward banner ads
By Peter Rojas 
posted Mar 29th 2005 8:31PM
posted Mar 29th 2005 8:31PM
Wondering what those banner ads that TiVo is inserting while you fast-forward look like? The ads aren't covering as much of the screen as some people made it sound a few days ago, but they're definitely not as unintrusive as we would have hoped. Apparently they're still testing the new ads, so the average TiVo user might be spared the annoyance for some time to come (though to be honest, we're not sure what TiVo's timetable for this is). One slightly mitigating factor: apparently you're allowed to banish the ad by pressing the "Clear" button on your remote.
"The ads aren’t covering as much of the screen as some people made it sound a few days ago"
Depends on how much your TV overscans. Look at how much space there is below the seek bar on the TV in that pic - it's not overscanning much at all (which is good, really). Most TV's overscan more than this - on my TV, this ad was clearly taking up more than 50% of the screen. And it did not work as advertised (pun intended) - it stayed on my screen during 24 every time I fast-forwarded *or reversed*, whether it was during a commercial or not. I missed the re-start of the show several times because of this stupid pop-up.
I'm not paying $13 a month to be a beta tester, TiVo. I'm not happy about seeing TiVo-sponsored ads at all, and then to screw it up like this is ridiculous. (This on top of all their other software problems lately too.)
"apparently you’re allowed to banish the ad by pressing the “Clear” button on your remote."
This doesn't "banish" the ads - they come back next time you FF through a commercial. Even when they fix the issues, that's the way it's supposed to work. You can't get rid of them.
What's worse, you can't get rid of them *even on recorded shows*. You have to watch the ads every single time you re-watch a TV show. How ludicrous is that? The image is just there, on your hard drive, tagged to the TV show.
(Before anyone says "but I re-watched 24 and the ad is gone!", TiVo specifically disabled that ad by making it transparent [it's still technically there] for now while they fix the problems they now admit exist. There is a big thread on the tivocommunity forums about this and TiVoBill, the resident TiVo representative, has confirmed this.)
Hey, I'm not happy about the ads either, I find myself using my Media Center PC more and more these days, and I'm dreading the appearance of these pop-ups on my TiVo.
Also, perhaps I wasn't clear enough, but by "banish the ad", I did mean that one specific ad. If I'd meant all the ads I would have said "banish the ads".
I don't really see what the big deal is. You're fast forwarding, who cares if they put a little picture on your screen while you fast forward?
Tivo's definition of "banner" seems to be a little different to mine.
I thought the idea of Tivo was that you paid a fee so you didn't have to watch the ads and you got customised guide information. Don't they pay royalties to the TV stations because their tech enables you to skip ads? Sounds like double dipping to me.
Luckily I don't have to worry about any of this though, I have a DVR.
Wait until Tivo has the technology to show small Budweister ads on the helmets of football players as they run around on the field. And overlay a Taco Bell ad across the first down marker on the field.
Baseball already has the green-screen billboards in the parks. Just need to add them to TV shows like 24, CSI, Survivor.
Anybody know if Tivo can customize the ads based on your viewing profile?
Bootes: We care because (1) they shouldn't be testing this on people who are paying for service; like Jeff says, we're not paying to be beta testers, and (2) if you've never used a TiVo before let me explain: the full fast-forward speed of a TiVo is pretty fast, and you need to be relatively quick to see the show starting again and press play (the TiVo even does a few seconds rewind once you press play, to account for reaction time); adding a huge ad in the middle makes it that much harder to see when the show is starting, which can already be tricky sometimes.
Phone line, *yank*
So they're showing one ad superimposed on another? I can't wait for the list of funny and disturbing combination that will eventually happen: Beer ad on top of ad for Ford, Michael Jackson's latest CD on top of ad for local daycare, Raid on top of ad for Windows, Pets R Us on top of local Chinese restaurant...
Why not just use the 30-sec advance option and not use fast forward?
I don't see why it is such a huge deal. I get my HDTV DVR for 5 bux from the cable co...if you are still buying an expensive Tivo box AND then paying $13 bux then I don't blame Tivo for giving it to you without the Vasoline...
Hey Bootes,
Somtimes while fast-forwarding I'll actually stop if a commercial (for products or news) interests me. I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this.
So what happens when you fast-foward during an infomercial?
Who actually fast forwards? I use the 30-second skip bit.
I had my TIVO for 3 days when I saw this, and I paid for the lifetime subscription! I am ticked off to say the least! I paid to quickly skip the commericals, not to have the box act sluggish while it displayed a commercial to me. I don't know about anyone else, but I am going to intentionally boycott "The Interpreter" when it comes out because of this tactic. ARGH!
Tivo should really reconsider the use of this new feature.
When they announced that they would start doing this, the press releases and interviews made it sound like the banner would be the size of the "want to record this, thumbs up" banner that pops up there's a commercial for an upcoming TV show and placed so that it wouldn't disturb viewing, and that the banner ads would only be displayed during commercial breaks. I didn't really have a problem with that.
However, we now find out that the banner ads are smack in the middle of the screen, huge and also showing during regular programming.
While I'm sure ads showing up during regular programming is some sort of a bug, this thing really isn't looking too good.
I have a DishNetworks DVR, and I LOVE IT... 30 second skip, and it's not Tivo based! I hate Tivo for this, I have read up on this subject, and they are going to loose customers, fast.
Hey, CHARLES, I found on Tivo's site a 30 day money back guarantee on service:
"Try the TiVo service,risk free, for 30 days! If you don’t absolutely love it,we’ll give you your money back. Just call us at 877-367-8486 within 30 days of activating TiVo service to cancel your subscription if you are not completely satisfied."
I HOPE YOU DO THIS! SPEAK YOUR MIND!
-Dennis-
I don't see the big deal. The ad I saw only lasted the length of the commercial. When the commercial was over, the banner was gone.
Comcast had recently signed a deal with Tivo, so could this be the next step for comcast customers with their cable DVR players?.....if it's not ads, it'll be a mandatory deletion of recorded content, or how about just forcing us to watch the commercials. Time and time again we see great original ideas being squeezed to the point that what's left is a shadow of what made it brilliant to begin with. To those that think Tivo's actions with this situation is nothing to be concerned about, just give it some time; I'm sure they'll restrict, block, take away, something more from the Tivo experience that will cause you to love the DVR just a little less.
If this is what a company has to do to survive, which is to find a way to sell its soul to the devil at the paying customers expense, then maybe its better that Tivo goes under. Bottom line is I see it as a real tacky way for a company to gain revenue which potentially alienates its stalwart customer base causing irrevocable damage.
Charles boycotting means to intentionally ignore something, so saying "intentionally boycott" is redundant.
Now it's a banner, if the storm is over: it's gonna be a commercial and than you can't delete it. So not happy: stop being a TiVo user.
Do advertisers really expect every set of eyeballs absorb every one of their ads? Individuals look at what interests them; I don't stare at the 'Gotta-go-pee-right-now' pill types but I do stop on ads that interest me. I don't stop on ads I've seen before, but I'm still aware of them. None of that means FF time is wasted ad time.
What about Paid-mode & Sponsored-mode software out there? Apply that model to TiVo. I'm paying for the service - why should I put up with more damn ads? If they want to get ads on there, I want to pay (a lot) less. Or at least have the choice of which mode.
To top it off, my TiVo has slowed wayyy down with all the new baggage on there. I was excited to try TTG but it's not worth the other changes.
I have directv tivo, which I'm assuming will never have this new "feature". Anyone know one way or the other?
Also, If I were an advertiser I would be up in arms. This is basically covering up their image, even if it is being fast forwarded. I've found that even when I double FF thru commercials, I still have to pay close attention to what's happening in order to catch my show coming back on. I think the short exposure to advertising (even without sound) is hightly effective. I now drink miller instead of bud for instance.
I have directv tivo, which I'm assuming will never have this new "feature". Anyone know one way or the other?
Also, If I were an advertiser I would be up in arms. This is basically covering up their image, even if it is being fast forwarded. I've found that even when I double FF thru commercials, I still have to pay close attention to what's happening in order to catch my show coming back on. I think the short exposure to advertising (even without sound) is hightly effective. I now drink miller instead of bud for instance.
Shouldn't beta-testing this new "feature" be opt-in? They should have contacted customers and given them a discount on their monthly fee (or some of those Tivo points if they have a lifetime subscription) to opt in to test the banners and provide feedback.
Once again, if this is implemented well, and stops the greater evil of networks and cable companies forcing Tivo to disable any forwarding/skipping features, I'm all for it. I'd prefer to skip or fast-forward for 10-15 seconds and watch a banner on my screen (like the one pictured - that's a good size) than have them take away my ability to fast forward or skip altogether. This was inevitable.
The problem is, Tivo has a very poor record of implementing WELL. The recent software version has made my Tivo a PAIN IN THE ASS to use, what with the buy-one-button-press-get-a-second-one-free problem and the painfully slow performance of the whole UI. I think the software which came with my Tivo was built for its processor; the latest software needs a much faster CPU, and probably more memory.
To top it off, they take FOREVER to fix this crap.
For those thinking they can escape to cable company DVR's, don't worry, cable companies have even more dastardly plans for those hobbled machines, including programs that can't be recorded and time limits on how long you can retain those programs.
At the end of the day, if all this mutates into some huge pain in the ass, I'll just go back to the pre-Tivo days of watching very little TV, only those shows I can't live without.
Solution, use 30 second skip. I don't know why anyone fast fowards through commericals anymore.
Come on over to the ReplayTV side! No ads, 30 second jump as well as full commercial skip with 1 press of the button. Easily upgradeable and a cat5 jack to boot. For the same price no less!
So now I'm paying for cable and a Tivo service and I'm stil subjected to ads which don't work on me anyway because my generation grew up with them and has learned to ignore them.
I've been using the internet since I was a teenager over a decade ago. Banner ads have no effect on my, I have to force myself to pay attention to them.
I can see how this would interupt fast forwarding, and should it bother me, I'm not afraid to get a new device.
Maybe we should pay attention to the ads, just like was mentioned before so we can boycott them.
What's next? Will they force you to watch commercials before you play a show like some streaming video sites?