Time Warner readying modified fast-forward functionality for DVRs

While Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) won't go down as the first cable company to modify the oh-so-lovable fast-forward feature, at least the latest hamstringing won't affect those willing to pay up. Dubbed "Look Back," the newfangled DVR feature will reportedly come "without a monthly fee," and will only allow customers to skip ahead and back in predetermined chunks of time; moreover, it will be limited to programs that are watched back before midnight of the day they air. The firm plans to test it out this October in South Carolina before "gradually introducing it around the country," and it was also noted that this -- along with the "Start Over" feature that functions exactly as it sounds -- would not require viewers to "remember to record programs," but alas, it also eliminates the ability to keep a library of stored content onboard. Ah well, so long as we diehard DVR users can keep on coughing up the dough required for a fully-functional FF button, we've no real qualms with this option joining the fray.

[Spanky @ Aug 13th 2007 4:37PM]

I'm tired of constantly coughing up dough for every little option. Just give me the basics and I'm good. All the fancy options are kewl for the first time or two use but quickly become useless. Stop upgrading what works. The extras are not wanted.

[Rick wilson @ Aug 13th 2007 4:53PM]

You guys still press a button to "FF"? Ha, my ReplayTV just skips commercial automatically.

[waLLy @ Aug 13th 2007 5:46PM]

Ah... I miss my ReplayTVs quick-29-second-skip button. So very useful. It's a shame what happened to their company... they were giving Tivo a run for the money, and beating them in certain features, IMO.

Alas, I gave in to Comcast. Once you use the dual-tuner DVR, it's pretty hard to go back.

[kl @ Aug 13th 2007 6:05PM]

Granted it's no automatic skipping of commercials like the ReplayTV, but I'm lucky (or unlucky?) to have a Moto cable box from TimeWarner. By default, there is no 30 second skip but thankfully you can reprogram another button on the remote to do the 30 second skip.

Sure beats using the FF. :D

[Crono @ Aug 13th 2007 5:15PM]

Biggest reason to build your own HTPC/Media Center. Don't have to fork over the doh just to fast forward.

[Alexander @ Aug 13th 2007 6:17PM]

Too bad, that from 2009 on you just cannot simply build your own HTPC anymore...

[Avis @ Aug 16th 2007 10:09AM]

Why can't i build my own HTPC after 2009? Any new regulations?

[indolent @ Aug 14th 2007 12:09PM]

I don't think Alex knows what he's talking about...

[Crono @ Aug 14th 2007 12:16PM]

Especially since cablecard enabled devices are just now hitting the market, it should be easier than ever to build your own HTPC.

[Emirhan @ Aug 13th 2007 5:16PM]

These guys are greedy, they don't let you skip the commercials.

[Ian @ Aug 13th 2007 5:18PM]

I'm so happy I have TiVo. $18 a month and no hidden fees. And the box was FREE! Yeah, love me some TiVo! =)

TiVo TiVo TiVo!

[waLLy @ Aug 13th 2007 5:48PM]

My Comcast box was free. Costs less than $5 a month. Dual tuners. HD without any extra cost.

[Cactus @ Aug 13th 2007 6:07PM]

Where do you get a $4.99 DVR? I'm also with Time Warner, and as of last month, they bumped it to 20 bucks each ($10 rental + $10 "DVR service") regardless of whether your DVR is HD or not.

Alas, with the CableCARD rental fees, that STILL ends up being competitive with TiVo...

...If only my balcony was to the south...

[Dave @ Aug 13th 2007 5:58PM]

This is supposed to make me want to stop bit-torrenting HOW?

[SYN @ Aug 13th 2007 8:40PM]

until we come close to even a noticeable minority, they aren't going to make any attempt to draw people away from it. torrents while being 35% of internet traffic are still well under 1% of tv viewers. if you ask the average person where they picture the internet being in 20 years, many will likely list being able to download tv shows, and watch them when you want to as something that could be coming down the road, whereas that reality has existed for years for those who seek it.

[PK @ Aug 13th 2007 9:09PM]

Er - yeah. It happened almost 2 years ago...

AOL buys Weblogs Inc.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/06/tech/main923109.shtml

[eric f. @ Aug 14th 2007 10:29AM]

How is it a DVR if it doesn't store recordings? It just sounds like On Demand, with the cable company storing a cache of all the pre-midnight shows.

[Tony @ Aug 15th 2007 1:56AM]

I live in Hawaii, which is Time Warner's test market. We've had the "start over" functionality for a few months now and it's great. Works on most of the channels too, even on my cable box that's not a DVR. It's hard to know when it's going to work though. Sometimes you turn to law and order and you get the option to start over, sometimes you don't.

You can't fast forward in "start over" mode though.