Fast-forwarding through commercials will be illegal...

[1080iBeVuMin]

Is 'Fair Use' in Peril?
The far-reaching Intellectual Property Protection Act would deny consumers many of the freedoms they take for granted.

By Eric Hellweg
November 19, 2004

Do you like fast-forwarding through commercials on a television program you’ve recorded? How much do you like it? Enough to go to jail if you’re caught doing it? If a new copyright and intellectual property omnibus bill sitting on Congress’s desk passes, that may be the choice you'll face.

[Complete article here: http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/04/11/wo_hellweg111904.asp?trk=nl ]

 

[DarrellP]

Fortunately, my Panny hard drive/DVD burner cannot be software upgraded via satellite or OTA.

 

[barth2k]

They'll have to pry my FF-enabled pvr remote from my cold dead hand!

 

[Stargazer]

What about those that have already bought the hardware and/or software that allows them to do such things? Would we be grandfathered? They should be made to pay us the money we paid for our items if we cannot do this but you know that wont happen.

Perhaps this will happen just in time for the Voom DVR release.

 

[barth2k]

The tivo has a well known easter egg that lets you skip 30 secs (you need to punch in a key sequence to activate it), but I'm sure any time they want to, they can disable that feature with a s/w upgrade. "In response to customer feedback, we've removed a bug that causes our viewers to miss out on valuable and enjoyable inter-program information."

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

This proposed regulation is entirely unenforceable. If it passes, nearly everyone will be an outlaw, resources will be unavailable to enforce it, and eventually the regulation will be repealed.

Does anybody remember the history of alcohol prohibition?

 

[barth2k]

This proposed regulation is entirely unenforceable. If it passes, nearly everyone will be an outlaw, resources will be unavailable to enforce it, and eventually the regulation will be repealed.

Does anybody remember the history of alcohol prohibition?

the law isn't aimed at consumers. It's aimed at MANUFACTURERS who make stbs dvr-type devices. the effect is still the same.

sure you could probably get around it by buying a dvr from taiwan or korea, but as with region free dvd players, most people will not bother. and that's all that the broadcasters want -- to make it so most people will not bother and just watch the damn ads.

 

[Walter L.]

This is an interesting article. A similar situation is happening with DVD. Many new titles don't allow you to go directly to the Main Menu and force you to watch the previews, of course you can still Fast-Forward and/or Skip-Forward, but who knows, maybe in the next generation DVD's they disable that also.

 

[Technut]

The tivo has a well known easter egg that lets you skip 30 secs (you need to punch in a key sequence to activate it), but I'm sure any time they want to, they can disable that feature with a s/w upgrade. "In response to customer feedback, we've removed a bug that causes our viewers to miss out on valuable and enjoyable inter-program information."

tivo already has plans. while FF you will see a 4 second flash style ad. this is something that they are offering to advertises. (coming soon)

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

If they keep up that crap, I will go back to an old fashioned VCR.

Paying monthly fees to TIVO for the privilege of watching ads? Incredible.

Anybody know any sources for recording HDTV without buying from these jackasses?

 

[DarrellP]

It's not the manufacturer's fault, it's the jackasses that sit in their ivory thrones on D.C. and draw way too much pay. We need to start kicking them out of office and getting people in there that stand for the consumer.

Ralph Nader anyone? ;-)

 

[dfergie]

It's not the manufacturer's fault, it's the jackasses that sit in their ivory thrones on D.C. and draw way too much pay. We need to start kicking them out of office and getting people in there that stand for the consumer.

Ralph Nader anyone? ;-)

The drones of Jack Valenti and the Broadcasters...