Invention Would Stop People From Changing Channels Until Advertising Over

[twisterX]

If a new idea from Philips catches on, the company may not be very popular with TV viewers. The company's labs in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, has been cooking up a way to stop people changing channels to avoid adverts or fast forwarding through ads they have recorded along with their target programme.

The secret, according to a new patent filing, is to take advantage of Multimedia Home Platform - the technology behind interactive television in many countries around the world. MHP software now comes built into most modern digital TV receivers and recorders. It looks for digital flags buried in a broadcast, and displays messages on screen that let the viewer call up extra features, such as additional footage or information about a programme.

Philips suggests adding flags to commercial breaks to stop a viewer from changing channels until the adverts are over. The flags could also be recognised by digital video recorders, which would then disable the fast forward control while the ads are playing.

Philips' patent acknowledges that this may be "greatly resented by viewers" who could initially think their equipment has gone wrong. So it suggests the new system could throw up a warning on screen when it is enforcing advert viewing. The patent also suggests that the system could offer viewers the chance to pay a fee interactively to go back to skipping adverts.

Read the full patent here (http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220060070095%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20060070095&RS=DN/20060070095).

:source: Source: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn9011&feedId=online-news_rss20

[Busyman™]

That patent can suck a dick. I swear if they ever put some shit thats stop me from changing a channel or ffwd, I'll return that motherfucking piece of equipment to the store.

That "patent" would be manipulating the very basic functions of my equipment.

They, like the RIAA (with this "it's illegal to rip my own CD" shit), can suck an entire ass.

I doubt this patent will make it to market though.

[Chip Monk]

That patent can suck a dick. I swear if they ever put some shit thats stop me from changing a channel or ffwd, I'll return that motherfucking piece of equipment to the store.

That "patent" would be manipulating the very basic functions of my equipment.

They, like the RIAA (with this "it's illegal to rip my own CD" shit), can suck an entire ass.

I doubt this patent will make it to market though.
I agree, if I ever have a TV or a DVD recorder that tells me that I cant skip ads then I will take it back to the shop as faulty goods. It's up to me what I watch and what I don't. That's technology going backwards, not forward.

[DanB]

I hate to say it but I agree with Busyman that the idea sucks bawls. :angry:

[Busyman™]

I hate to say it but I agree with Busyman that the idea sucks bawls. :angry:
It's bad enough that there will probably be broadcast flags that will prohibit recording of certain shows in digital format.:dry:

Imagine a person with Tivo, DVD recorder, or BD-recorder pressing record and the on-screen display gives you a middle finger.:ermm:

[twisterX]

I hate to say it but I agree with Busyman that the idea sucks bawls. :angry:
It's bad enough that there will probably be broadcast flags that will prohibit recording of certain shows in digital format.:dry:

Imagine a person with Tivo, DVD recorder, or BD-recorder pressing record and the on-screen display gives you a middle finger.:ermm:

Thats why Myth TV is the way to go if your going to be recording TV. :D

[Barbarossa]

What a nightmare disaster that would be. It should never be allowed to get off the ground.

[tree_for]

this fuggin suckz!!

[RealitY]

Dont think this would actually make it. If it does Im guessing previous equipment wouldnt and couldnt be affected. Seems that if its not in all brands it cant happen. What company would make equipment with this crap when others didnt have it. Think their stock would go in the toilet quick. Dont think anyone plans on getting the DVD that has no FF on ads when the other does. Most likely someone keeping himself busy or some company trying to cash in on a patent. Guess if this became uniform therede be hackers modifying this equipment and companies on the net selling equipment without or bypassing this. Sounds like easy profit if it were ever to happen. Just plain fkin silly...

[lynx]

Filed: December 4, 2003Hardly ground-breaking news. :no2:

[Hairbautt]

Oh hell no...

[true_neo]

Dont think this would actually make it. If it does Im guessing previous equipment wouldnt and couldnt be affected. Seems that if its not in all brands it cant happen. What company would make equipment with this crap when others didnt have it. Think their stock would go in the toilet quick. Dont think anyone plans on getting the DVD that has no FF on ads when the other does. Most likely someone keeping himself busy or some company trying to cash in on a patent. Guess if this became uniform therede be hackers modifying this equipment and companies on the net selling equipment without or bypassing this. Sounds like easy profit if it were ever to happen. Just plain fkin silly...I think it would be safe to say that they would switch to a new form of broadcasting (like here in Norway, they are talking about switching to digital from analog b'casting any time now), which would also make other TVs unuseable. That's incidently also the cause of concern here, they are worried that all the old people who only watch news won't be able to keep up.
So yeah, if they were to execute the shoot(); function on their $foot objects, they would find a way to fuck all the other TVs over.