AUTOHOP pipe dreams

[rstaples312]

One of my favorite features of my Hopper is, of course, the AUTOHOP feature which allows us the option of skipping commercials if we want to. I would love to have that feature for other than just PTAT. Is that a future possibility or is that even possible?

 

[TheKrell]

Rumor has it that Dish has been awaiting the outcome of lawsuits before they roll out autohop on other receivers. So, since the other receivers don't have PTAT, therefore I think it's possible independent of PTAT.

 

[broeddog]

I think what rstaples is asking, is if autohop will become available on channels other than the PTAT channels.

 

[Hall]

Rumor has it that Dish has been awaiting the outcome of lawsuits before they roll out autohop on other receivers. So, since the other receivers don't have PTAT, therefore I think it's possible independent of PTAT.

Autohop has nothing to do with PTAT. Dish simply has chosen to limit this feature to the highest viewer number "slots".

Dish could do Autohop tomorrow on shows like The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy, etc, etc if they chose to.

 

[beandaddy]

I just got my hws Thursday. Autohop would be nice on all shows not just PTAT. I'm still trying to get accustomed to not click click clicking on autohop shows. But soon I'll be expecting it to autohop walking dead or justified.


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[Bobby]

You have to realize that the Auto Hop feature is a manual process. Someone at Dish actually goes through the programming and marks the beginning and end of commercials. Not such a big deal with 4 channels and only during prime time. To do that with cable programming would be a huge deal, manpower (think money) wise....

 

[Hall]

To do that with cable programming would be a huge deal, manpower (think money) wise....

I thought all along that Dish had this done in India or someplace outside of the US.


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[jerryez]

They could do a much better job of skipping the commercials. I get 5-10 seconds of commercials at the start and sometimes at the end. Plus, it should be on all programs, so you do not reach for the remote and then see autohop hop.

 

[charlesrshell]

They could do a much better job of skipping the commercials. I get 5-10 seconds of commercials at the start and sometimes at the end. Plus, it should be on all programs, so you do not reach for the remote and then see autohop hop.

I can't get out of my skip habits. I still use the skip forward button for AutoHop commercials. As soon as I can tell a commercial is coming I hit the skip forward button. At least the start of the commercial is skipped. Still can't figure out how to skip the end of the commercial. If we had adjustable settings for skip forward and skip back, I would skip the commercial ending too.

 

[rglore]

Some of those at the end are promos, not commercials and are not skipped.

 

[ohioankev]

I can't get out of my skip habits. I still use the skip forward button for AutoHop commercials. As soon as I can tell a commercial is coming I hit the skip forward button. At least the start of the commercial is skipped. Still can't figure out how to skip the end of the commercial. If we had adjustable settings for skip forward and skip back, I would skip the commercial ending too.

While I'm watching a TV show on netflix or amazon I will instinctively pick up my DISH remote and try to skip commercials.

 

[Hall]

What commercials?

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[charlesrshell]

While I'm watching a TV show on netflix or amazon I will instinctively pick up my DISH remote and try to skip commercials.

LOL, I hear ya. Us DVR folks have a new learned instinct. I have remotes all over my house including one in a bathroom ready to push that there skip button.

 

[KKlare]

I suppose the reason for a second of commercials or a couple of them at the program start and end is that Dish "must" not omit any of the program even with some variance by stations. Otherwise they would have complaints from producers as well as the stations. Note they don't cut the credit roll at the end.
-Ken

 

[ohioankev]

I suppose the reason for a second of commercials or a couple of them at the program start and end is that Dish "must" not omit any of the program even with some variance by stations. Otherwise they would have complaints from producers as well as the stations. Note they don't cut the credit roll at the end.
-Ken

Some local stations go over the allotted amount of time too and clip the TV shows on their networks.(My locals are bad at this) So lets say the Dish employee is watching a feed out of New York and marks the spot to resume the show at three minutes, five seconds but my local network airs a local commercial that is four seconds longer AutoHop is going to resume at three minutes, five seconds and show the last four seconds of my local commercial.

What commercials?

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That's my point there are no commercials, but I have been conditioned over the years to pick up the remote and press the skip forward button.

 

[Harleyd]

Autohop Logic: We pay twice!

First post here.

My thoughts on "Universal" Auto-hop:

I heard that some networks have sued Dishnet to stop them from activating Auto-hop on all channels, and if DishNet wins, they will Auto-hop all the channels.
Yeah, right. I'll believe that when I see it.

Anyway....If we get TV free from the air with an antenna, we must sit there and watch the commercials, because that's how the networks get paid.
However, when we pay DishNet for programming, Dishnet has to pay all these networks to get the programming, including all their commercials.
They are basically double charging us and we should be able to skip those stupid AD's!

Although I'm pretty good at "60x remote skipping"

So, because we pay, we should be able to Auto-hop every channel.
I actually think that is the crux of the lawsuit, and Dishnet should win with this defense.

It's totally logical.

 

[sparc]

First post here.

My thoughts on "Universal" Auto-hop:

I heard that some networks have sued Dishnet to stop them from activating Auto-hop on all channels, and if DishNet wins, they will Auto-hop all the channels.
Yeah, right. I'll believe that when I see it.

<snip>

So, because we pay, we should be able to Auto-hop every channel.
I actually think that is the crux of the lawsuit, and Dishnet should win with this defense.

It's totally logical.

The broadcast networks sued Dish. ABC is now out of that lawsuit as they cut a deal to bump Autohop to three days after the program has aired.

Autohop will never go to other channels as Scott has mentioned that Dish has a better relationship with those cable networks with regards to commercials. i.e. Dish already sold out long ago to protect the cable networks and their own interests. Plus there was some early information from Scott that indicated there is a manual component to Autohop. i.e. someone at Dish HQ manually flagging where there commercials are and they upload a file overnight to the Hopper. No way Dish can apply that to all channels.

On the remote chance that the broadcast networks end up moving to a 7 day window for getting paid on ads, then you can see Autohop getting neutered even further.

Also, you're not really paying twice as Dish is retransmitting the broadcast networks signal for their own profits. The broadcast networks will want their cut to pay for all that expensive programming. Unless Aereo wins their legal battle, there's no free lunch. Even if they win, watch Congress legislate Aereo out of existence.

This is the way the system works whether we like it or not. I'm fairly skeptical of any sort of large scale change any time soon. Only way around it is to cut the cord in the meantime.

 

[fuforums]

The broadcast networks sued Dish. ABC is now out of that lawsuit as they cut a deal to bump Autohop to three days after the program has aired.

Autohop will never go to other channels as Scott has mentioned that Dish has a better relationship with those cable networks with regards to commercials. i.e. Dish already sold out long ago to protect the cable networks and their own interests. Plus there was some early information from Scott that indicated there is a manual component to Autohop. i.e. someone at Dish HQ manually flagging where there commercials are and they upload a file overnight to the Hopper. No way Dish can apply that to all channels.

On the remote chance that the broadcast networks end up moving to a 7 day window for getting paid on ads, then you can see Autohop getting neutered even further.

Also, you're not really paying twice as Dish is retransmitting the broadcast networks signal for their own profits. The broadcast networks will want their cut to pay for all that expensive programming. Unless Aereo wins their legal battle, there's no free lunch. Even if they win, watch Congress legislate Aereo out of existence.

This is the way the system works whether we like it or not. I'm fairly skeptical of any sort of large scale change any time soon. Only way around it is to cut the cord in the meantime.

I can't say for sure if some guy is manually doing skip points but I can tell you that auto hop is nothing new. My Replay TV had it ten years ago and it used software to skip by detecting the pause before and after the commercials. It did this on the fly. It worked as good as the hopper and was more accurate at not having that few seconds of the end of the commercial. There was even and easter egg feature that allowed you to reverse it to "show-hop" to only watch commercials. Fun for the Super Bowl commercials. They were also sued and lost so the next replay TV didn't have it making it worth a lot more. Replay had some great features that would be nice even now- one being able to go backwards in the guide to see what show you just missed and find the next episodes. The other being able to share shows to other users. Like Beta Max and HD DVD, it was the better format that lost to inferior but better backed brands. (tivo)

 

[sparc]

I can't say for sure if some guy is manually doing skip points but I can tell you that auto hop is nothing new. My Replay TV had it ten years ago and it used software to skip by detecting the pause before and after the commercials. It did this on the fly. It worked as good as the hopper and was more accurate at not having that few seconds of the end of the commercial. There was even and easter egg feature that allowed you to reverse it to "show-hop" to only watch commercials. Fun for the Super Bowl commercials. They were also sued and lost so the next replay TV didn't have it making it worth a lot more. Replay had some great features that would be nice even now- one being able to go backwards in the guide to see what show you just missed and find the next episodes. The other being able to share shows to other users. Like Beta Max and HD DVD, it was the better format that lost to inferior but better backed brands. (tivo)

In the very beginning, Autohop had zero commercial. They have since added some delay in between for whatever reason.

The info about their being some manual component from Dish HQ came from Scott in the very beginning. Could have changed by now, but i doubt it as the networks could come in at any time and mess with an automated system. Perhaps with the three day deals, Dish could go to an automated system.

I'm actually a little surprised that Dish hasn't added back in a non-skippable 10 to 30 second ad of their own between commercials and just cut the networks in. They could probably do that for every single network and you can say goodbye to complete skipping. Maybe during the next round of disputes to generate more money for the networks (and Dish of course)...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

They could do a much better job of skipping the commercials. I get 5-10 seconds of commercials at the start and sometimes at the end. Plus, it should be on all programs, so you do not reach for the remote and then see autohop hop.

Different stations have different delays which is the reason why sometimes see part of a commercial. The times for AutoHop are based on whatever channel they are watching at dish.


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