Monday, January 15, 2007 

TiVo's Fast Forward Ads Are Back

TiVo Fast Forward Ad



While not quite as bad as their original design, the fast forward ads are back. I was fast forwarding through the commercials of tonights episode of 24 and I noticed a still image applied over one of the commercials. This ad (pictured above) was for the "all-new BMW X5" and the ad only appeared while I fast forwarded through a commercial for the same car. When this commercial ended, the image disappeared, If I pressed play the still image also disappeared, but it gets worse. When I played the commercial at regular speed, there was a flashing green thumbs up with the message "for more..." (pictured below). It is indicating that you can press the thumbs up key for more information (another, longer commercial, FUN!). Something similar used to be done for commercials of TV programs. During their ads you were prompted to press the thumbs up key to record that episode. That was a useful and welcome feature, this is an obtrusion. Granted, I prefer the new fast forward ads to the old, as they only appear briefly and only during an ad for the corresponding product. The old version was far worse, as it was displayed through the entire commercial break. Still I question if I would have spent $300 on this device, had I know that I would be bombarded with these and other annoying ads. Where does it end? TiVo Thumbs Up For More Info Ad

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With one simple hack, you can avoid all of the issues you note. While playing a recorded show on your TiVo, press select-play-select-3-0-select. You will then hear three dings and the ->| button now is a 30 second skip ahead. Press it 4 - 6 times in succession and, voila', you are back to your show with no hassles at all.

Cool thanks for the tip.

select play select 3 0 select...

I am sorry man but I Disagree !! this is EXACTLY what I WANT tivo to do!! if they can manage an add WITHOUT getting in my way or SLOWING down my fast forwarding HELL man kudos to TIVO good job !!! I'm all for non invasive ad displays!!! in fact I would love to see a simple one line large text "ADD" at the bottom of EVERY commercial with WHAT it is (and static so I can see it in fast forward) this way if it IS something I want to see I can hit play and watch it!!

I would ESPECIALLY like to see NEW SERIES at the bottom of the screen for any commercial advertising a NEW show coming out!!

As long as it does not restrict me or dictate terms to me (I am god to my hardware it is to do as I command not the other way around)

If they can advertise without disobeying this ultimate law HEY good for them!!!

It still surprise me how many people don't know about the 30 sec skip hack. An old high school friend was in town a few weeks ago, and saw me 30-sec skip through a game we were watching (delayed). He has had a Tivo for over 4 years and didn't know. He called his wife and walked her through it. I could hear her on the other end shouting about how cool it was going to be, to skip comercials while watching 24 now!

All Tivo owners should give a brief look at http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/
Find out what that little box can REALLY do!

Spread the word people!

TiVo blows. Time to switch to MythTV, a DVR designed by tv watchers for tv watchers

So people pay $20/mo for TiVo to avoid commercials and the genius guys that run the company think they can add commercials back?

Flush twice. It's a long way to TiVo headquarters.

Nerys said...
I am sorry man but I Disagree !! this is EXACTLY what I WANT tivo to do!! if they can manage an add WITHOUT getting in my way or SLOWING down my fast forwarding HELL man kudos to TIVO good job !!! I'm all for non invasive ad displays!!! in fact I would love to see a simple one line large text "ADD" at the bottom of EVERY commercial with WHAT it is (and static so I can see it in fast forward) this way if it IS something I want to see I can hit play and watch it!!

I would ESPECIALLY like to see NEW SERIES at the bottom of the screen for any commercial advertising a NEW show coming out!!

As long as it does not restrict me or dictate terms to me (I am god to my hardware it is to do as I command not the other way around)

If they can advertise without disobeying this ultimate law HEY good for them!!!

It's Morons like this that probably work for Tivo pretending to be a Customer likeing the product so the we will buy into it.

The suggested thumbs up show, "Born on the Nurburgring" is actually a very good promotional spot for BMW - not just for the X5.

It went over the history of the Nurburgring, BMW's involvment in vehicle testing on the ring, and of course, what show about the ring wouldn't be complete without a few minutes of Sabine Schmitz?

Anyway, I actually searched for the show and set my DVR to record it.

:)

Have you noticed that some commercials have content for fast forward viewing? See the ATT ad with the girl who asks for service without paying an arm and a leg. She holds up a plastic arm and leg. At fast speed it looks like a girl is srpeading her legs above her head.
Brilliant!

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