# Hate The Pause Ads



## blam (Nov 15, 2007)

I *hate* the new pause ads.

Im about to move on to just use the Verizon DVR.

Ive bought the unit.

I pay for the stupid subscription

And now you are trying to get more money from me? By selling my menu to advertisers?

My kids are wondering what the products are. Ive taught them to skip commercials, but now they have to be attacked by ads in the menu? I cant even have them use the TiVo now.

Thanks for selling my kids to advertisters.

I hate TiVo.


----------



## bschuler2007 (Feb 25, 2007)

Yep I hear ya. I thought explaining the Sex in the City movie to a child as a latenight talkshow when it surprisingly showed up in the main menu one day was tough as well. Kid thought he had caught a porno on my DVR and was laughing..how embarrassing that day was. Luckily.. I only have kids over when guests visit, and those guests no longer bring their kid.. I made it a point to avoid the menus when I have friends over now.


----------



## janry (Jan 2, 2003)

Bye.


By the way, I so rarely hit the pause button till this is just a non factor for me. Why do so many people hit the pause button so often?


----------



## 188 (Oct 15, 1999)

hold on. I will tell you in a minute.


----------



## parzec (Jun 21, 2002)

I concur -- Tivo has crossed the line with pause adds. Tivo should keep the ads on the main page under Showcases not in the Now Plaing list and definitely not during the actual show. Most people buy Tivo for timeshifting AND for ad-skipping. I was OK with ads restricted to the main page and even tolerated thumbs up Tivomatic ads, but this new practice has ruined the once elegant and streamlined Tivo interface. The old addage is true: Give 'em an inch, and they take a mile. Also a slighter newer addage also applies: "Stupid is as Stupid does".....Tivo, What are you doing ???


----------



## mec1991 (Nov 5, 2004)

blam said:


> I *hate* the new pause ads.
> 
> Im about to move on to just use the Verizon DVR.


Well, time for you to move on then. I'm nearing that point myself, but continuing to whine about it in every post you have made will not solve the problem. If you have an alternative like Verizon, use it.


----------



## Berryman1979 (Mar 4, 2009)

Am I the only one who pauses the tv when i cant look at it? If you really can't not look at a paused tv press pause and then press the tv power button.


----------



## blam (Nov 15, 2007)

mec1991 said:


> ...but continuing to whine about it in every post you have made will not solve the problem.


If we let TiVo know about what works and what doesn't, then it will maybe, just maybe solve the problem. They do listen to their customers sometimes.


----------



## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

How about going through the proper channels?

http://research.tivo.com/suggestions/2web519.htm

Look at the logo for this site: "This is not part of Tivo, Inc."


----------



## tombonneau (Mar 26, 2009)

Berryman1979 said:


> Am I the only one who pauses the tv when i cant look at it? If you really can't not look at a paused tv press pause and then press the tv power button.


No kidding. If you are pausing to look at something, just hit down and the ad goes away. That happened to me when I was watching a sporting event and wanted to point out someone in the crowd. It was pretty easy to do.

A lot easier than getting on my computer, opening up a browser, going to a website, logging into the website, typing up a post, and then hitting the submit button.


----------



## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

blam said:


> If we let TiVo know about what works and what doesn't, then it will maybe, just maybe solve the problem. They do listen to their customers sometimes.


Considering that every single one of your posts has to do with the subject of ads on TiVo and yet you felt you had to start yet another thread on the subject.

Don't let the door hit ya....


----------



## blam (Nov 15, 2007)

Langree said:


> Considering that every single one of your posts has to do with the subject of ads on TiVo and yet you felt you had to start yet another thread on the subject.


Well, they keep on coming up with new ways to put ads on my menu. So I have to keep posting about it.



Langree said:


> Don't let the door hit ya....


Unlike you, I don't want customers to leave TiVo. So I help by complaining so that they make things better.

You don't look at the ads, so don't look at my posts.


----------



## blam (Nov 15, 2007)

tombonneau said:


> No kidding. If you are pausing to look at something, just hit down and the ad goes away. That happened to me when I was watching a sporting event and wanted to point out someone in the crowd. It was pretty easy to do.
> 
> A lot easier than getting on my computer, opening up a browser, going to a website, logging into the website, typing up a post, and then hitting the submit button.


You are correct. Basically this is a pop up ad. Something that is in the way of what i'm trying to look at. Something I have to close. The absolute worst kind of ad ever invented.

I don't want popup ads on my menu. So it is worth the time to post and complain.

Maybe I can get "popup ad blocker for TiVo menu"...


----------



## blam (Nov 15, 2007)

orangeboy said:


> How about going through the proper channels?
> 
> http://research.tivo.com/suggestions/2web519.htm


Thanks for the link.



orangeboy said:


> Look at the logo for this site: "This is not part of Tivo, Inc."


True, but they totally read it. So why not post here too...


----------



## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

blam said:


> Well, they keep on coming up with new ways to put ads on my menu. So I have to keep posting about it.
> 
> Unlike you, I don't want customers to leave TiVo. So I help by complaining so that they make things better.
> 
> You don't look at the ads, so don't look at my posts.


Do you really think your complaining helps?

If you let them know, constructively, through proper channels that you have issues, it does more then anything you do here, moreso if it's the only thing you do hear. After awhile you're little more then whitenoise.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

orangeboy said:


> How about going through the proper channels?
> 
> http://research.tivo.com/suggestions/2web519.htm
> 
> Look at the logo for this site: "This is not part of Tivo, Inc."


Sure - post on the tivo website but continue to post here too. This site may not be part of TiVo, Inc. but their people do lurk here. So do prospective customers -- I know this was one of the first places I found when I googled TiVo before I bought mine 4 years ago -- who have come here to learn more about the product before purchasing it. They deserve to know before shelling out their cash and signing up for a year or more of service that the TiVo UI is riddled with advertisements and it's getting worse.

If they decide to buy despite that at least they know what they're in for.


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

blam said:


> ...True, but they totally read it. So why not post here too...


Boy, have you been drinking the Kool-aid if you think "they totally read it..."


----------



## tivarino (Dec 22, 2003)

RoyK said:


> Sure - post on the tivo website but continue to post here too. This site may not be part of TiVo, Inc. but their people do lurk here. So do prospective customers -- I know this was one of the first places I found when I googled TiVo before I bought mine 4 years ago -- who have come here to learn more about the product before purchasing it. They deserve to know before shelling out their cash and signing up for a year or more of service that the TiVo UI is riddled with advertisements and it's getting worse.


I feel your pain, but the reduced following is what forces TIVO to find other revenue streams. The more you chase people away, the worse it will get until TIVO can't survive anymore. Chasing folks away from TIVO is not in the interests of anyone still using the product, whether it makes you feel better or not.


----------



## caddyroger (Mar 15, 2005)

blam said:


> I *hate* the new pause ads.
> 
> Im about to move on to just use the Verizon DVR.
> 
> ...


TiVo is in the bissness to make money. If they are not making any money now they have to do some thing. They can do ether one of two things sell ads or raise the subscription price. If they can not do ether then they will send out notice's that after this Date {enter date} TiVo will not be in bissness and TiVo will shut down. My self I take the ads instead of higher sub prices. I don't set there 6 hrs a day watching the ads or on pause . I'm not that damn lazy to press the down button. I watch what I recorded.


----------



## EVizzle (Feb 13, 2005)

I find these ads to be the most intrusive on my viewing experience, but not enough to leave Tivo.


----------



## pilotbob (Nov 8, 2007)

Not that I care about the ads. My son didn't like it. But, as someone said, it is paused because I am not looking at it. If I paused it TO look at it, press down. Not a big deal.

But, perhaps this weekend I will create a macro for my harmony remote that does PAUSE -< DOWN when I press the pause button. Don't you all have programmable remotes?

BOb


----------



## daveak (Mar 23, 2009)

RoyK said:


> They deserve to know before shelling out their cash and signing up for a year or more of service that the TiVo UI is riddled with advertisements and it's getting worse.


Riddled with advertisements, what? I don't think I've ever seen more than one at a time, which is certainly less than what you get on the local cable (wannabe) dvr UI. I certainly see the point about paying a sub and getting advertising, how much would the sub be without the ads? Or even better (though it seems that many of you would disagree), could I get my TiVo service free with ads?

And I might as well confess - I have clicked on some of the ads. Two ads for different movies, one for an upcoming new show, and one for the BMW. There have been at least a couple more... 

I am not ashamed to admit it and I should also confess - seeing ads for new and upcoming shows is rather helpful to me, since I click through so many ads when I am watching a program. How else would I know there is a new show on Fox I might want to record? Or a new movie? The banner or pop up ad is much less intrusive (and I can choose to click for more info) than the commercials I routinely skip.

Now about those ads the writers and producers are actually building and writing directly into my favorite shows...


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

tivarino said:


> I feel your pain, but the reduced following is what forces TIVO to find other revenue streams. The more you chase people away, the worse it will get until TIVO can't survive anymore. Chasing folks away from TIVO is not in the interests of anyone still using the product, whether it makes you feel better or not.


I'm not chasing *anyone* away. I'm merely pointing out that the number of ads on the TiVo UI is large now and grows larger and larger. That is a fact. If prospective users find that not to their liking then it is *what TIVO is doing* that is chasing them away -- not me.


----------



## donnoh (Mar 7, 2008)

I am sick and tired of all the *****ing about Tivo's ads.

Let's take a look at what people ***** about.

1. Press pause button and besides the pause bar another bar shows up with a "more about" button, occasionaly another bar comes up with an ad.

2. Press the "clear" button and the screen reverts to a still shot.

3. Press the down button and the screen reverts to a still shot and the pause bar.

For some reason this seems to be more work than the average Tivo user can handle.

When I press the pause button it's for one of a couple of reasons:
1. Answer the phone or door.
2. Go to the bathroom

Why do people get pissed looking at an ad on a paused screen?


----------



## solutionsetc (Apr 2, 2009)

I think because it sets a new precedent. Tivo is now displaying ads while we're watching a show (please let's not get into a debate as to whether pause is considered part of watching a show - the show is on screen, and so is the ad).

If everyone is ok with this, fine. Some are; some are not. For the folks that aren't ok with it I think it is important to let TiVo know. If you see this as *****ing, and are tired of it, don't read the posts (let alone post yourself and continue the discussion).

I can't help wonder what will be next from TiVo if everyone is on board with this little addition... and I am not because of that. Due to the TiVo low rez interface on hi-def sets, the popup is huge; and way over the top AFAIAC.

Is it enough for me to send my TiVos back. No... not now. But...

1.) If some other DVR comes along to support MRV (not far off), and

2.) We see better software (not hard to do IMHO), and better direct support for the Macintosh, and

3.) TiVo adds more ads to the interface

I will be gone in a heartbeat. This is why I have yet to purchase lifetime service for my new Tivo HDs. I figure this will all pretty much be sorted out within the next year or so.


----------



## audioscience (Feb 10, 2005)

I pay no attention to the pause ads or any of the ads that Tivo has.


----------



## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

Money talks. If you don't like it, you NEED to stop your subscriptions (provided you are not under contract) AND tell TiVo why you do so. It really is the only way.

If you ARE under contract, you need to stop using the TiVo. TiVo collects data, and will notice.

You can keep complaining here all you want (and you should), but what really matters is non-use of your TiVo. If you keep using it, but complain, TiVo will not care.


----------



## smak (Feb 11, 2000)

If you are pausing the Tivo because something came up, like a phone call, or you have to go into the other room it shouldn't matter what's on the screen when you're not looking at it.

If you are pausing the Tivo because you want to see something on the screen, pause brings up the green bar anyway, and you either have to clear that, or wait until it's gone.

Everytime I pause the screen to see something like credits, i'm hitting clear anyway to get rid of the green bar. This was before any ads. I do it on my directv too.

-smak-


----------



## xboard07 (Dec 16, 2007)

be careful, all the fanboy Tivo defenders will be coming out in droves


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

donnoh said:


> I am sick and tired of all the *****ing about Tivo's ads.
> 
> ....


Let's see... The topic of this thread is "Hate the pause ads." which is a pretty clear indication that it contains comments *****ing about Tivo's ads. Yet here you are posting in the thread which obviously means you clicked on it to read posts about........
ummm.....


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

blam said:


> Well, they keep on coming up with new ways to put ads on my menu. So I have to keep posting about it.
> 
> Unlike you, I don't want customers to leave TiVo. So I help by complaining so that they make things better.
> 
> You don't look at the ads, so don't look at my posts.


TiVo Meeting Room -
Oh No - there are 200 posts by 12 people on TCF - we need to rethink everything.

One is even starting whole new threads about it


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

solutionsetc said:


> I think because it sets a new precedent. Tivo is now displaying ads while we're watching a show (please let's not get into a debate as to whether pause is considered part of watching a show - the show is on screen, and so is the ad).


so you say something that is incorrect and we are not allowed to debate that? I don't know about you but I don't think the plot develops fast enough when the show is paused.


----------



## solutionsetc (Apr 2, 2009)

ZeoTiVo said:


> so you say something that is incorrect and we are not allowed to debate that? I don't know about you but I don't think the plot develops fast enough when the show is paused.


It is a judgement call... depending on why you hit the pause key (to stop the programming; or to take a closer look at the current frame). Don't think there is a right or wrong side of this debate as it applies to the individual's use.

And I don't want to get into an argument with you over this as, from what I have read of your posts, you seem a level headed guy who does not feel this latest "addition" to be invasive enough to care about.

But can you say with authority that if everyone just ignores this that there won't be something even more invasive added in the future? I can't... therefore I think it important to go on the record now.


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

solutionsetc said:


> But can you say with authority that if everyone just ignores this that there won't be something even more invasive added in the future? I can't... therefore I think it important to go on the record now.


actually I have said that ads are an inevitable part of a capitalist society and that ads will always seek that place where they get notice and become effective to the one advertising something. Thus ads will be a part of any media I consume without directly paying for the creation of that content.

So the ads in places on the TiVo that do not make me change how I use the remote to watch a show do not bother me as I see TiVo as being ahead of the curve on the new ground that Ads will seek and find as DVRs make 30 sec spots between content blocks unproductive for advertisers. I can click to go deeper or look right past them as i elect.

So if I pause a show to look at some detail in a frame - I have in the past hit clear to remove the status bar. I actually learned an slightly easier method of hitting FF after pause and that clears it as well without having to shift my hand to get to the clear button.


----------



## solutionsetc (Apr 2, 2009)

ZeoTiVo said:


> I have said that ads are an inevitable part of a capitalist society and that ads will always seek that place where they get notice and become effective


So you'd be ok with having to press a totally separate button to clear a popup taking up a large area of the screen during RW, Advance, and FF?

What about having to go through and clear another ad filled screen to play one of your recordings (regardlessly whether you pressed the Play key or not)?

Where is the line in the sand for you? And if one exists, why is it unreasonable for this to be approaching the line in the sand for others?


----------



## SkeeterTV (Oct 27, 2005)

The ads dont bother me one bit. The ads are in places that do not affect my ability to effectively navigate the UI and they are keeping my subscription rates down. I actually have to go out of my way to click on one if it interests me, which I do because some do interest me. 

When your subscriptions go up an extra 2, 4, 6 dollars a month, how will you feel about revenue driving ads then?


----------



## alansh (Jan 3, 2003)

My personal "line" would be interstatial ads -- you must watch this ad before you can view your programming.

Anyway, don't count on Verizon's UI staying ad-free. All the cable-company offered cable boxes I've used have ads in their UI.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

janry said:


> By the way, I so rarely hit the pause button till this is just a non factor for me. Why do so many people hit the pause button so often?


You watch every single show entirely the way through on one shot? Or always go back to now playing instead of pausing?

(Answering a probable troll...)
Reasons I pause:
1) nature calls
2) to make note of something on the screen, especially
2B) Chuck Lorre vanity cards


----------



## SGR215 (Jan 20, 2004)

Langree said:


> Do you really think your complaining helps?
> 
> If you let them know, constructively, through proper channels that you have issues, it does more then anything you do here, moreso if it's the only thing you do hear. After awhile you're little more then whitenoise.


I disagree. Unfortunately, many companies refuse to fix a mistake or recognize a problem until you make it a big deal. Making it a "big deal" often involves complaining about it via alternative channels rather than just contacting customer service. I'll agree; we seem to be getting bombarded with these complaints lately but you're directing your anger towards the wrong people. If we're getting bombarded with complaints here it should tell you a lot of people are finding it worth complaining about and are using alternative channels to vent that anger. Tivo does in fact actively monitor these forums; they even provide a link on the Tivo software itself to this very forum. (Found in the 'Tivo Search' beta) So I can't really say I blame people for complaining here.

I do wish a dedicated sticky could be made regarding all advertising and any other posts regarding it should be merged or locked. Not only would it provide Tivo a single thread to look at if they so choose; it'd also minimize the annoyance of seeing these threads daily.


----------



## bschuler2007 (Feb 25, 2007)

Yep and the best defense so far is.. I don't look at the Tivo's screen.. so ads don't bother me. 

PLEASE!

If you hit PAUSE not to look at your screen.. fine.. but it is called PAUSE and not STOP. If you want ads.. call it STOP. Pause conveys the full image is visible. This is MISLEADING ADVERTISING then when Tivo says you can PAUSE a live TV show by hitting one button.

What's next.. hitting REWIND causes a Frito Lay commercial to come on screen and your show starts at the beginning after the commercial.. That's also not REWIND.

FU TIVO!


----------



## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

bschuler2007 said:


> . Pause conveys the full image is visible.


Show me ANYTHING that conveys that, ever.


----------



## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

bschuler2007 said:


> Yep and the best defense so far is.. I don't look at the Tivo's screen.. so ads don't bother me.
> 
> PLEASE!
> 
> ...


I had no idea you felt this way.


----------



## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=425673
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=376771


----------



## Sapphire (Sep 10, 2002)

orangeboy said:


> How about going through the proper channels?
> 
> http://research.tivo.com/suggestions/2web519.htm
> 
> Look at the logo for this site: "This is not part of Tivo, Inc."


Thanks for that.

The pause ads are super annoying. When my prepaid 2year sub is up I might dump cable and TiVo and go with DirecTV. The pause ads are the last straw.


----------



## Sapphire (Sep 10, 2002)

alansh said:


> Anyway, don't count on Verizon's UI staying ad-free. All the cable-company offered cable boxes I've used have ads in their UI.


Verizon wants to differentiate and distance itself from cable companies in order to take away cable customers so I don't see them putting ads in the DVR.


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)




----------



## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

solutionsetc said:


> I think because it sets a new precedent. Tivo is now displaying ads while we're watching a show (please let's not get into a debate as to whether pause is considered part of watching a show - the show is on screen, and so is the ad).


Technically the thumbs up and billboard ads set the precendent, though they are supposed to only display over commercials.

Personally I'd like a way to disable the "More Info" button or at least have it default to not showing if there's no actual ad. TiVo makes no money on the "More Info" button by itself, just the ads. As such I don't see why they'd be against this.


----------



## SGR215 (Jan 20, 2004)

The pause menu 'feature' definitely seems like it was deployed with little thought other than potential profit.



If it's a feature why not put it in the program info screen where everything else is?



Why offer the ability to hide it yet not make it stick?



Why offer the ability to hide it yet still add pointless text stating: "Press UP to show ads"? Oh wait.. I meant "extras".

I think the reason many people are annoyed by this feature is because it's blatantly obvious what the answer is to all of the above questions; profit. It's one of those in-your-face, you can't ignore me ads. It's similar to those ads you get when you close out your browser and suddenly it reopens with an ad. Furthermore, most people who pause their Tivo verify it actually paused by looking for the bar; which now conveniently contains the ad directly above it. (Does the word Oracea sound familiar to you?) Too bad Adblock Plus can't be ported over to Tivo.

I do have mixed feelings at times if you believe everything you hear regarding the future of Tivo and why they might be doing all this. One of the major points for the ads is that Tivo needs them to survive. The thing is if this is true than it's certainly not a good sign for Tivo's future. AOL was in the same exact situation and it's a miracle they are still around; although they are loosing customers in record numbers. They even had to resort to offering their service for free because the ads became so bad and blatantly obvious people started asking "Why am I paying for this again?" Another major thing occurred, it used to be AOL was the only user friendly way of chatting online. There was no other alternative; or at least one as user friendly as AOL was. Tivo currently is in the same situation. There is no other alternative that offers the same feature-set, or better, than Tivo right now. However, there are companies beginning to change this and within a few years I'm sure there will be several other products just as good, or perhaps even better, than Tivo. I sure hope we don't see Tivo become another AOL.

Disclaimer: Seriously, I love my Tivo. I Promise. I'm simply assessing the current situation of Tivo given the available facts. As of right now my TivoHD is my third favorite electronic gadget in my household. Second goes to my HDTV and first, my PC.


----------



## janry (Jan 2, 2003)

mattack said:


> You watch every single show entirely the way through on one shot? Or always go back to now playing instead of pausing?
> 
> (Answering a probable troll...)
> Reasons I pause:
> ...


Look at the number of posts I have here. Trolls don't typically survive here with that number.

1) When nature calls, I hit the TiVo button, not the pause button. But, if I did hit the pause button when nature calls, I would not be bothered by what's on the screen because I'm in the bathroom. But, I don't have a TV in the bathroom. Maybe you do.

2) Nope. Never done that. Can't imagine what you are looking at.

2B). Yes, my wife likes those also, so I hit the pause button, then the clear button. No big deal. If it was, I'd program the sequence in my Harmony remote.

So, twice a week I may hit the pause button. It's not enough of a deal to get me upset. Just chill.

Also, I don't know about the rest of TiVo owners but I didn't buy a TiVo to skip commercials. It's nice to do so, admittedly, but I do it to time-shift. Even if DVRs didn't allow me to FF, I'd still own one.


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

janry said:


> ...So, twice a week I may hit the pause button. It's not enough of a deal to get me upset. Just chill.
> 
> Also, I don't know about the rest of TiVo owners but I didn't buy a TiVo to skip commercials. It's nice to do so, admittedly, but I do it to time-shift. Even if DVRs didn't allow me to FF, I'd still own one.


BINGO....folks, we have a winner!


----------



## donnoh (Mar 7, 2008)

Bierboy said:


> BINGO....folks, we have a winner!


Yep and I bet he doesn't have the 30 second skip button enabled either.

He is one of the 12 Tivo owners that watches commercials.


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

donnoh said:


> Yep and I bet he doesn't have the 30 second skip button enabled either.
> 
> He is one of the 12 Tivo owners that watches commercials.


What?


----------



## jkalnin (Jan 8, 2003)

I'm sick of all the Ads I see when I watch TV, so I'm done watching TV. 
Wait, look at all those billboards out on the street. Now I'm done driving too. Did that movie just have product placement in it? Now I'm done with movies!
Did my alphabets cereal just spell out Coke? Now I'd done eating food!!
What just popped up on my browser, a spam ad? Well now I'm done with the internet!!!


----------



## djwilso (Dec 23, 2006)

jkalnin said:


> I'm sick of all the Ads I see when I watch TV, so I'm done watching TV.
> Wait, look at all those billboards out on the street. Now I'm done driving too. Did that movie just have product placement in it? Now I'm done with movies!
> Did my alphabets cereal just spell out Coke? Now I'd done eating food!!
> What just popped up on my browser, a spam ad? Well now I'm done with the internet!!!


So, your response to the ads is to just take it.

Just roll over. There is nothing you can do about it.

So do nothing. Remain quiet while others dictate your destiny to you.

And to top it off, you make fun of the people that make the choice to become vocal about something that they do not accept?

Seriously, it is this kind of passive non-reaction to oppression that sends the signal that we like what they're doing and, please can we have some more?

When exactly will it be too much for you to tolerate? When 75% of the screen is covered with a continuous ad that you cannot dismiss by any action?

Ridiculing those you do not agree with will not cause them to alter their beliefs.


----------



## Martin Tupper (Dec 18, 2003)

I finally broke down and reprogrammed the pause button on my universal remote to run a two command macro ('pause' and 'down'). Presto, no more pause ads.


----------



## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

djwilso said:


> So, your response to the ads is to just take it.
> 
> Just roll over. There is nothing you can do about it.
> 
> ...


Opression?

Really?

TiVo is oppressing you?

and you expect to be taken seriosly?


----------



## djwilso (Dec 23, 2006)

Langree said:


> Opression?
> 
> Really?
> 
> ...


I was making a generalization of passive behavior.

I didn't really mean it to be specific to TiVo.

Being passive will never provide a desired result. It is only through taking the position of offense that will create an impact and lasting change.

If you choose not to take me seriously, I could simply not care less.


----------



## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

djwilso said:


> I was making a generalization of passive behavior.
> 
> I didn't really mean it to be specific to TiVo.
> 
> ...


If the only action taken in your distaste of the actions of TiVo is to complain here then it serves as no more then lip service and is meaningless.

The way change is made is through action. You and others can ***** all you want about the ads, but so what. You're still using the service. You're not taking an offensive action, you're just a noise in the background.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

Well said. And the repetition nature of these threads is just a desperate attempt on the part of critics to try to find an unrebutted soap-box from which they can spew their personal frustration and anger. However, discussion forums are not the appropriate venue for an unrebutted soap-box. If you want to ***** about something where people won't call you out on the lack of scope or circumstance of what you're *****ing about, look into a blog or post to your Facebook page. Post to a discussion board if you want to read *both* messages both in support *and *in opposition.


----------



## samo (Oct 7, 1999)

Complaints on TC accomplishing few things.
1. They show TiVo management that regardless how upset some TiVo users are, they will not jump the ship and at worse they will re-program their universal remotes.
2. Perhaps some people who came to this forum for a help on deciding on TiVo purchase will be discouraged to do so. So what. Considering that total TiVo sales are dismal, lost sales would be a drop in a bucket.
3. They mobilize small time TiVo shareholders to post replies and to explain everybody that TiVo needs to make money.
4. They provide entertaining reading. It is fun to read pros and cons on the obvious topic. Of course just about everybody (except for the TiVo shareholders) would love to get rid of the ads. But justifications people come up with for the ads to stay and proclamations of anger over these ads are really funny at times.
5. They bump the traffic in Coffee House. Without this topic there would almost nothing to talk about.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

Hehe.... interesting observations, but you could go a bit further with some of them: #2 prompts even more people to stick with the cable company provided DVRs, thereby meaning that each TiVo subscriber shoulders a greater burden for supporting TiVo's revenue stream than they would otherwise, meaning, essentially, that the incessant complainers are making it more likely that there will be more invasive advertising.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

bicker said:


> Hehe.... interesting observations, but you could go a bit further with some of them: #2 prompts even more people to stick with the cable company provided DVRs, thereby meaning that each TiVo subscriber shoulders a greater burden for supporting TiVo's revenue stream than they would otherwise, meaning, essentially, that the incessant complainers are making it more likely that there will be more invasive advertising.


Until more and more ads are presented to fewer and fewer subscribers until ultimately the the point of diminishing returns is reached and the small pool of advertisers will dry up.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

At which time we'll all be forced back to cable/satellite company-provided DVRs. QED.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

bicker said:


> At which time we'll all be forced back to cable/satellite company-provided DVRs. QED.


Or.... somebody will wake up and realize that there IS and will always be a market for "the best" product offering "the best" features even if it costs more.

Yes, TiVo has tried in the past to build its business based on the above premise and has not succeeded. But times have changed. Back a few years ago most people had no idea what a DVR was. Selling into that kind of market is difficult to be sure.

Heck, years ago most people didn't know what cellular telephones were and couldn't conceive of any reason to buy or lease such a thing for personal use. Now they are prolific, almost everybody knows what they are, and manufacturers can get high prices for many of them because they are perceived as "the best" and offer features that the users have been convinced that they "need" -- even if they don't make phone calls any better than the less expensive ones.

Today more and more users have been exposed to DVRs. The marketplace is different now. DVRs are becoming more and more of a "necessity" to the modern household. People are able to make meaningful comparisons of products. It just isn't the same as it used to be.

Given that, there will be more and more customers willing to shell out their cash for the "IPhone"s of the DVR world -- provided that the manufacturers don't shoot themselves in the foot by polluting them with things like advertising.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

RoyK said:


> Or.... somebody will wake up and realize that there IS and will always be a market for "the best" product offering "the best" features even if it costs more.


More unsubstantiated, self-serving rhetoric. If it isn't true, there is no way anyone can "wake up" and "realize" it, eh? 



RoyK said:


> Yes, TiVo has tried in the past to build its business based on the above premise and has not succeeded. But times have changed.


Indeed, they have: If anything, mass-market consumers are even bigger cheapskates than they were ever before.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

bicker said:


> More unsubstantiated, self-serving rhetoric. If it isn't true, there is no way anyone can "wake up" and "realize" it, eh?


Your blustering that it "isn't true" doesn't make it untrue.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

It isn't blustering: It is calling you out on your unsubstantiated assertions. It doesn't make your comments untrue -- it makes them absent of the merit you implied they had.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

bicker said:


> If it isn't true, there is no way anyone can "wake up" and "realize" it, eh?


So - we've gone from you inferring my statements are untrue



bicker said:


> It isn't blustering: It is calling you out on your unsubstantiated assertions. It doesn't make your comments untrue -- it makes them absent of the merit you implied they had.


to well maybe they are true but they have no merit.

Hogwash.

Go ahead and get the last word in - you always do - no matter how worthless it is. I'm done arguing with you.


----------



## tivarino (Dec 22, 2003)

bicker said:


> More unsubstantiated, self-serving rhetoric. If it isn't true, there is no way anyone can "wake up" and "realize" it, eh?
> 
> Indeed, they have: If anything, mass-market consumers are even bigger cheapskates than they were ever before.


If you truly believe there is "no market for 'the best' product offering 'the best' features even if it costs more", than please explain for me the success of the IPOD. IPODS are half again to twice as costly as their competing products, yet they outsell the whole industry by large margins. Why is that, exactly?


----------



## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

Pause is my marriage saver. It allows me to stop the show when somebody interrupts to bring up some point.


----------



## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

RoyK said:


> Or.... somebody will wake up and realize that there IS and will always be a market for "the best" product offering "the best" features even if it costs more.


We'll see how Moxi does - the sales of Moxi units and TiVos is currently the only realistic way to measure the public's interest in a stand-alone DVR.

Based on a decade of DVR history, I simply think that there is not enough of a stand-alone market. Which is really odd to me, but that seems to be how it is.


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

RoyK said:


> ... I'm done arguing with you.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

Bierboy said:


>


Don't get too happy, Bierboy. I'm done arguing with Bicker (who is now on my ignore list along with some others who's postings I consider worthless rubbish) but far from done expressing my disgust with the ever-growing proliferation of ads on the TiVo UI,


----------



## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

tivarino said:


> If you truly believe there is "no market for 'the best' product offering 'the best' features even if it costs more", than please explain for me the success of the IPOD. IPODS are half again to twice as costly as their competing products, yet they outsell the whole industry by large margins. Why is that, exactly?


Mostly because they found a great way to incorporate the product (iPod) with an easy to use service (iTMS). They don't really sell on the features of the product, but on the build quality and ease of use (plus great ad campaigns).

The situation for TV delivery and music delivery is so different though that it's hard to compare the two markets.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

tivarino said:


> Why is that, exactly?


Ask Jonas Ridderstrale, and Kjelle A. Nordstrom.

And then ask yourself by TiVo wasn't able to do the same thing. (Hint: Look at the bank account of the company behind each product, at the time the product was first introduced.)



Bierboy said:


>


Don't get so excited. I'll believe it when I see it.


----------



## SkeeterTV (Oct 27, 2005)

Imagine how much better the world would be if all this energy that's being spent on a disagreement over ads was focused on something more useful... like feeding starving children, protecting battered women, helping homeless animals... etc. etc. etc...

Lets face it, you cant go anywhere or do anything without seeing or having to deal with ads. Do I like paying $10 to see a movie then have to sit through ads for Coke, Fandango, etc.? Not really no, but I have the option to come in late, aka, 'fast forward' if you will, past those ads. You pay $5 for a magazine and guess what, over 25% of the content is... wait for it... ads! And you're paying to see them!

Look around your world and ask yourself if this is really that important. If it is, then cancel your Tivo subscription and cancel your tivocommunity.com membership, then move on. It's easy, I do it all the time with things that I don't agree with. There are always other options.

Peace


----------



## donnoh (Mar 7, 2008)

My guess is that the people whining about Tivo's attempt to introduce ads are the same ones that grew up in an entitled world.

They didn't get up on a Saturday morning and run downstairs to the family TV to watch cartoons because that was the only day they were on.

I'm pretty much tired of the "me" generation that are only concerned with stupid crap, like hitting the pause button and having an ad appear.

Is that the only thing they have to worry about? They don't know what they are missing in life.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

donnoh said:


> My guess is that the people whining about Tivo's attempt to introduce ads are the same ones that grew up in an entitled world.
> 
> They didn't get up on a Saturday morning and run downstairs to the family TV to watch cartoons because that was the only day they were on.
> 
> ...


You guess wrong - at least in my case.

When I grew up the TV station didn't come on until noon on Saturday (there was only one). Which didn't matter because most of us didn't have a TV. If we watched it we went to my aunt's house - a popular place on Tuesday night when Uncle Milty was on.

When I grew up there were no more than four minutes of commercials in a half hour tv show. Most had less.

Entitled? Not on your life. I wore mostly clothes made by Grandma and they were handed down to my brother when I outgrew them.

So come up with another theory, mister. You got that one all wrong.

Or accept the fact that some of us genuinely feel that the ubiquitous ads on the TiVo UI -- for want of a more accurate term -- suck.

And, oh, we all understand that the use of the term 'whining' by posters without a decent vocabulary is intended to be a put-down. I don't whine, sir, I shout.


----------



## ZildjianKX (Jun 11, 2004)

The pause ads drive me crazy. They are bad enough that my wife noticed them and asked why they were there.

Regarding people mentioning the Moxi, I'm glad the Moxi came... TiVo really needs good competition and they haven't been innovative in years. When I hate something that TiVo does, it's nice to now be able to compare them to a real competitor and not a cable company.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

It *will* be nice once the Moxi HD DVR *becomes* competition for the TiVo HD. Right now, it isn't, because it is too expensive.


----------



## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

I wouldn't be jumping for joy about the Moxi too much yet. After watching this video on YouTube, it looks like there are some deficiencies they need to work through:


----------



## samo (Oct 7, 1999)

RoyK said:


> Or.... somebody will wake up and realize that there IS and will always be a market for "the best" product offering "the best" features even if it costs more.
> 
> Yes, TiVo has tried in the past to build its business based on the above premise and has not succeeded. But times have changed. Back a few years ago most people had no idea what a DVR was. Selling into that kind of market is difficult to be sure.
> 
> ...


You are correct, but only if product is *perceived *by the consumers as the best. Has nothing to do with product being the best or substantially better than competition. The perfect examples are designer merchandise.
TiVo's incompetent marketing department spent 100's of millions and never made a dent in customer's perception of TiVo as being the best product.
After using TiVo for nearly 10 years, I'm not convinced that TiVo has the best product either.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

samo said:


> You are correct, but only if product is *perceived *by the consumers as the best. Has nothing to do with product being the best or substantially better than competition. The perfect examples are designer merchandise.
> TiVo's incompetent marketing department spent 100's of millions and never made a dent in customer's perception of TiVo as being the best product.
> After using TiVo for nearly 10 years, I'm not convinced that TiVo has the best product either.


You'll get no argument from me there.


----------



## samo (Oct 7, 1999)

bicker said:


> It *will* be nice once the Moxi HD DVR *becomes* competition for the TiVo HD. Right now, it isn't, because it is too expensive.


Admittedly, I know close to nothing about Moxi. But why you keep referring to $100 difference in prices as a big deal? Just a short while ago when gas was $4 a gallon it would take you $100 to fill-up your full size truck. How about dinner for two? I don't see a $100 as a big deterrent for people who are willing to shell out $700-800 for the CE gear.


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

zalusky said:


> Pause is my marriage saver. It allows me to stop the show when somebody interrupts to bring up some point.


OMG - you have a wife as well who will just suddenly start back up on a conversation that happened hours or days ago because something just came out of the ever turning wheels in her head.
With pause we can now work over whatever was just churned out and get it behind us and then back to the show without missing anything.

Pause is indeed a win-win though sometimes the ad banner on the screen is way more interesting to me


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

samo said:


> I don't see a $100 as a big deterrent for people who are willing to shell out $700-800 for the CE gear.


well to anyone thinking about buying their first standalone cable DVR. But for someone who has TiVo capable of HD already it seems more like dropping the money already spent on TiVo if they move on to Moxi. Personally I need something far more compelling them currently no ads on the interface.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

samo said:


> But why you keep referring to $100 difference in prices as a big deal?


I'd be more than happy for you send me the spare $100 bills you have sitting around the house.


----------



## parzec (Jun 21, 2002)

I really don't [FOR MORE INFORMATION ON COKE CLICK HERE] see what all the [SEE THE NEW LEXUS HERE] complaining is about. If somebody wants to promote a product [SEE THE LATEST ON THE MOXI DVR HERE] that is their right. I mean, we live in a capitalistic society [CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON MCONALDS McCAFE] and ads will gradually [HAVE YOU TRIED BLU-RAY - CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION] migrate to all forms of communication and products[PRESS PAUSE TO TEMPORARILY DISABLE THESE ADS]


----------



## daveak (Mar 23, 2009)

samo said:


> Admittedly, I know close to nothing about Moxi. But why you keep referring to $100 difference in prices as a big deal? Just a short while ago when gas was $4 a gallon it would take you $100 to fill-up your full size truck. How about dinner for two? I don't see a $100 as a big deterrent for people who are willing to shell out $700-800 for the CE gear.


Price is enough of a deterrent that Beta lost to VHS. Though broadcasters and commercial companies didn't start to get rid of Beta until the last couple of years - they never adopted VHS. We had Beta because it was better.

Actually my parents still have their Beta and use it to watch their legacy (aka old) movies. The best thing about visiting them is all the classic Star Trek that looks so good on a Beta tape in a quality machine.

The problem is the average consumer is perfectly happy shelling out $10 - to $30 a month for a crapple (sorry meant cable) dvr that is usually not even HD, for a box they will never own that is certainly no equal to TiVo. Don't know about all the cable markets, but where I live the UI has ads. More than one and they make it hard to see the scheduled programs.

And of course the stand alone Moxi box itself has no ads, they are brand new and have a tiny customer base. Sure you can purchase a stand alone Moxi and get their guide service for 'free' (at $800 it better be free), and it does not have ads. We won't even discuss the boxes this same company makes for cable companies that have *gasp* ads... Must be the guide data supplier putting them there, Moxi would never allow that to happen to one of their boxes.

Assuming you actually get an actual service contract with the Moxi purchase, I would read it very carefully. Just where do they promise in writing that you will never see ads on the stand alone box they are selling? (I have not been able to find this in writing). I am hopeful someone can make this clear to me - after all, without a monthly sub base - what incentive do they have to keep you happy after you purchase their box?


----------



## solutionsetc (Apr 2, 2009)

daveak said:


> Price is enough of a deterrent that Beta lost to VHS.


Actually, consumer Beta died because Sony missed the boat on 4 and 6 hour tapes/record modes. Folks didn't care about quality but were desperate for more than a couple of hours of unattended recording.


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

parzec said:


> I really don't [FOR MORE INFORMATION ON COKE CLICK HERE] see what all the [SEE THE NEW LEXUS HERE] complaining is about. If somebody wants to promote a product [SEE THE LATEST ON THE MOXI DVR HERE] that is their right. I mean, we live in a capitalistic society [CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON MCONALDS McCAFE] and ads will gradually [HAVE YOU TRIED BLU-RAY - CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION] migrate to all forms of communication and products[PRESS PAUSE TO TEMPORARILY DISABLE THESE ADS]


yep, and if you had any new and informative content that I was willing to deal with the ads over then you could make some moeny and make the content even better.

However if you have nothing innovative otherwise then you fall by the wayside.


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

parzec said:


> I really don't [FOR MORE INFORMATION ON COKE CLICK HERE] see what all the [SEE THE NEW LEXUS HERE] complaining is about. If somebody wants to promote a product [SEE THE LATEST ON THE MOXI DVR HERE] that is their right. I mean, we live in a capitalistic society [CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON MCONALDS McCAFE] and ads will gradually [HAVE YOU TRIED BLU-RAY - CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION] migrate to all forms of communication and products[PRESS PAUSE TO TEMPORARILY DISABLE THESE ADS]


Hmmm....I hit the down button and easily read your post


----------



## daveak (Mar 23, 2009)

solutionsetc said:


> Actually, consumer Beta died because Sony missed the boat on 4 and 6 hour tapes/record modes. Folks didn't care about quality but were desperate for more than a couple of hours of unattended recording.


And that is probably why my folks have so many Beta tapes. Good point, but people like my parents just bought more tapes. They must have influenced me a little too much, why settle for less than optimum? 

And yes, optimum would probably be no ads. But I might just miss a couple of them (probably no the belly band, I have not clicked on that one - could someone let me know what that is good for?)>


----------



## caddyroger (Mar 15, 2005)

parzec said:


> I really don't [FOR MORE INFORMATION ON COKE CLICK HERE] see what all the [SEE THE NEW LEXUS HERE] complaining is about. If somebody wants to promote a product [SEE THE LATEST ON THE MOXI DVR HERE] that is their right. I mean, we live in a capitalistic society [CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON MCONALDS McCAFE] and ads will gradually [HAVE YOU TRIED BLU-RAY - CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION] migrate to all forms of communication and products[PRESS PAUSE TO TEMPORARILY DISABLE THESE ADS]


Just used the scroll down wheel and poof no more reading your post.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

daveak said:


> Assuming you actually get an actual service contract with the Moxi purchase, I would read it very carefully. *Just where do they promise in writing that you will never see ads on the stand alone box they are selling? * (I have not been able to find this in writing). I am hopeful someone can make this clear to me - after all, without a monthly sub base - what incentive do they have to keep you happy after you purchase their box?


You're a smart guy. What's really going to be a shame is all the folks who will be up-in-arms when Moxi does something that they don't like, that they assumed Moxi promised they would not do (when Moxi never really promised that at all).


----------



## jlb (Dec 13, 2001)

I don't mind the pause ads/extras. I just wish you could default it to "hide extras".


----------



## timckelley (Oct 15, 2002)

Any chance that the slippery slope has been crossed, and the next step is that we'll start seeing banner ads under our shows as the show is playing (thus taking a strip of space out from the bottom of our screen)? If that ever happens, that will be really annoying.


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

timckelley said:


> Any chance that the slippery slope has been crossed, and the next step is that we'll start seeing banner ads under our shows as the show is playing (thus taking a strip of space out from the bottom of our screen)? If that ever happens, that will be really annoying.


and how fast do you think TiVo subscriptions would also slide down that slope as well? Which leads to the next question - "Why on earth would TiVo do something like that which would quickly devalue the ad being there in the first place?"


----------



## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

ZeoTiVo said:


> and how fast do you think TiVo subscriptions would also slide down that slope as well? Which leads to the next question - "Why on earth would TiVo do something like that which would quickly devalue the ad being there in the first place?"


The answer, were that particular scenario to occur, would be because every other digital video receiver/recorder/downloader/player is doing the same thing, and there's no way for anyone to avoid the ads, if they want to watch the show.

On the other hand, a strip of cardboard would defeat those particular ads pretty quickly.


----------



## ppartekim (Jan 18, 2007)

I don't particularly like the new ads either but I will live with them until they get too abusive. Tivo needs to make money and they are not making it from me anymore. I bought two Series 1 Tivos with lifetime agreements like close to 10 years ago (so long, I don't remember tv without them). 

Granted I have upgraded them to Series 2 and now Series 3 but other than that I have not paid anymore for the Tivo subscription so where are they going to get there money if not from ads or raising the price for everyone else (and unless they cancel the lifetime, there will be no more from me).


----------



## timckelley (Oct 15, 2002)

gonzotek said:


> On the other hand, a strip of cardboard would defeat those particular ads pretty quickly.


Then the next thing you know, they'll start rotating where the strip ads appear (bottom, top, left, right). They just really want us to watch those ads.


----------



## net114 (Dec 29, 2000)

Well I don't LIKE the ads, I think they're annoying, but I would feel better about them if I knew Tivo was doing this because its a crucial revenue stream to keep them alive. 

That said, I don't mind the ads as much as the VERY intrusive way the "emergency broadcast" messages throw me out into live tv. THAT is a serious intrusion and should be fixed to at least show on top of my recorded program. (I assume the emergency messages are required or something...so at least don't force me out of what I'm watching).


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

I love my TiVo am still a devoted fan, but color me annoyed at this new direction. I have tolerated all the ads up until now without complaint, but these new "pause ads" are simply too intrusive, and I find the blatant pandering for money from advertisers to be somewhat offensive. I'm frankly shocked that TiVo would do something so _sleezy_. Up until now the product has had a lot of class and sophistication. I'm very disappointed at this new direction.


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

net114 said:


> That said, I don't mind the ads as much as the VERY intrusive way the "emergency broadcast" messages throw me out into live tv. THAT is a serious intrusion and should be fixed to at least show on top of my recorded program. (I assume the emergency messages are required or something...so at least don't force me out of what I'm watching).


Agree 100% about the Emergency interrupts. My comcast DVR puts up a "ER" message on the display letting you know what is happening at least. It's the only way I would know that my TiVo had not simply "crashed". Our S3's simply go blank and do NOTHING for a short while, gives no indication of what it's doing or why, and then kicks you out to live TV. Definitely not cool.


----------



## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

bareyb said:


> Agree 100% about the Emergency interrupts. My comcast DVR puts up a "ER" message on the display letting you know what is happening at least. It's the only way I would know that my TiVo had not simply "crashed". Our S3's simply go blank and do NOTHING for a short while, gives no indication of what it's doing or why, and then kicks you out to live TV. Definitely not cool.


I agree that there should be some kind of indication of what's going on. The first time I saw an emergency interrupt, they were testing the system (nice that I'm forced to watch the test ). When the test ended, I was stuck on a local community channel for about a minute with the remote not working. I was just about to pull the plug when control was returned to me.


----------



## parzec (Jun 21, 2002)

bareyb said:


> I'm frankly shocked that TiVo would do something so _sleezy_. Up until now the product has had a lot of class and sophistication. I'm very disappointed at this new direction.


Well put...IMO it is an undignified interface at this point.

I do get the sense that TiVo is double-dipping by collecting subscription revenue and ad revenue. In any event, they have completely undermined their original slogan "TiVo: Television Your Way" -- it should now be "TiVo: Television Our Way or the Highway"

General Questions to Avoid Pause Ads: Would rolling back the software to an earlier version be a viable solution to the ad-problem? Would there be any significant loss of functionality/stability? What would be the best version to go back to on a Tivo HD?


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

parzec said:


> Well put...IMO it is an undignified interface at this point.
> 
> I do get the sense that TiVo is double-dipping by collecting subscription revenue and ad revenue. In any event, they have completely undermined their original slogan "TiVo: Television Your Way" -- it should now be "TiVo: Television Our Way or the Highway"
> 
> General Questions to Avoid Pause Ads: Would rolling back the software to an earlier version be a viable solution to the ad-problem? Would there be any significant loss of functionality/stability? What would be the best version to go back to on a Tivo HD?


To paraphrase a cliche' You can't go back. At least not for long. If you had a hard drive with an old version and installed it then it would very quickly update to the latest version.


----------



## timckelley (Oct 15, 2002)

Yes, at this point you just have to lie back and enjoy those ads. 

So far they don't bug me, because I'm not forced to look at them. For example, when you hit <pause>, then when you're ready to resume, as long as you hit <play> and not , the show will resume with no ad.

If they ever start ads crawling across your screen in the middle the show, then that would bug me bigtime. Hopefully it never comes down to that.


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

I went ahead and emailed to the address posted earlier in the thread. Here is her response:



> Hi Barry,
> 
> Thank you for sending us your story and taking the time to write. I will pass along your thoughts on the Ad menus immediately, as we are always open to the suggestions of customers.
> 
> ...


Hey worth a shot. Anyone who wants to email her, she is at: [email protected]


----------



## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

timckelley said:


> Yes, at this point you just have to lie back and enjoy those ads.


I think you mean "bend over and enjoy".


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

parzec said:


> "TiVo: Television Your Way" -- it should now be "TiVo: Television Our Way or the Highway"


I'm sorry, but that made me LOL.


timckelley said:


> Yes, at this point you just have to  lie back  bend over and enjoy those ads.


FYP. 

ETA: Damn you, MickeS!


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

I have to say, I fall on the side that this doesn't bother me (much) because I rarely ever pause. If I do, it's because I want to look at something and I've always had to clear the screen anyway (because of the progress bar).

However, I feel that TiVo is on the verge of crossing the line. As has been documented before, ads first started on Tivo Central. Next, it was at the bottom of the NPL. After that, at the bottom in show folders (if you group your NPL). Now it's the pause screen.

We have to draw our line here.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

MickeS said:


> I think you mean "bend over and enjoy".


More like "bend over and take it"


----------



## timckelley (Oct 15, 2002)

timckelley said:


> Yes, at this point you just have to lie back and enjoy those ads.





MickeS said:


> I think you mean "bend over and enjoy".





RoyK said:


> More like "bend over and take it"


To tell the truth, my wording was deliberate and was meant as a facetious joke referencing the Texas governor campaign back when Ann Richards was elected. Clayton Williams dropped out of the race, after the media publicized an off-color comment he made equating rape with bad weather: "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it."


----------



## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

timckelley said:


> To tell the truth, my wording was deliberate and was meant as a facetious joke referencing the Texas governor campaign back when Ann Richards was elected. Clayton Williams dropped out of the race, after the media publicized an off-color comment he made equating rape with bad weather: "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it."


Ouch.


----------



## timckelley (Oct 15, 2002)

orangeboy said:


> Ouch.


Well really, I don't think my humor is much worse than "bending over and taking it". Both versions are referring to rape, after all.


----------



## rdlm (Apr 7, 2003)

Martin Tupper said:


> I finally broke down and reprogrammed the pause button on my universal remote to run a two command macro ('pause' and 'down'). Presto, no more pause ads.


I did the same thing. But it traded the very annoying Pause Ads for a "bong" sound whenever Pause is pressed twice in a show. I can change Play to be "Up+Play", but it doesn't help for those in the family who press the Pause button as an Un-Pause command. While my Harmony One is a brilliant device, it isn't quite smart enough.


----------



## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

timckelley said:


> Well really, I don't think my humor is much worse than "bending over and taking it". Both versions are referring to rape, after all.


No. No "ouch" concerning your humor. I was thinking about the pain that Clayton Williams had removing foot from mouth! I had not heard that bit of history before, but I can empathize with Mr. Williams concerning saying something that I immediately (or later) regretted.

There definitely is a divide between those who are not bothered by the ads and those who are. I personally don't see the ads being a cause to rally against. I would actually feel more violated (keeping with the rape theme) if this form of additional revenue were removed, and subscription rates increase. Having a Lifetime subscription, it wouldn't effect me immediately, but I'm not so short-sighted to see a Lifetime subscription for the rumored/hoped for Series 4 costing as much as or more than the hardware, if it is offered at all. I would hate to guess what recurring (monthly/annually) payments would be like.


----------



## timckelley (Oct 15, 2002)

I'm a little confused by these pause ads you speak of. When I pause a show in progress, a message shows up saying like "More about <name of show you're watching". If you press a screen comes up giving you the background of the show.

Are you guys seeing ads promoting a product or something? I'm not seeing that.


----------



## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

timckelley said:


> I'm a little confused by these pause ads you speak of. When I pause a show in progress, a message shows up saying like "More about <name of show you're watching". If you press a screen comes up giving you the background of the show.
> 
> Are you guys seeing ads promoting a product or something? I'm not seeing that.


Yes. Occasionally there will be 1 additional line of text for a product. Most of the programming I watch do not have advertisers that make use of this additional line, but I may see something from time to time.

It looks like tonight's Law & Order has an ad for an upcoming movie, "The Proposal" when I hit pause. It stated "Go Behind the Scenes of the Proposal". If I select it, I get a new screen with 3 options: View the trailer, View bloopers scenes, or View Behind the scenes with Sandra Bullock. Left arrow takes me back to the still paused show, exactly how I left it.
[sarcasm] Repulsive, isn't it? It makes me want to tear my hair out, gouge out my eyes and open a vein. [/sarcasm]

Actually, it doesn't bother me at all.


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

timckelley said:


> I'm a little confused by these pause ads you speak of. When I pause a show in progress, a message shows up saying like "More about <name of show you're watching". If you press a screen comes up giving you the background of the show.
> 
> Are you guys seeing ads promoting a product or something? I'm not seeing that.


That's the place holder they use for ads.


----------



## tdel73 (Dec 26, 2007)

I don't mind them and if I don't like it I just hit the clear button.


----------



## VancouverCanuck (May 21, 2009)

These days, it's impossible to go anywhere without being bombarded with ads. Without even knowing it, you're being advertised to. With new technology comes news ways to advertise. In a world society built on currency, things are only going to get worse.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

VancouverCanuck said:


> These days, it's impossible to go anywhere without being bombarded with ads. Without even knowing it, you're being advertised to. With new technology comes news ways to advertise. In a world society built on currency, things are only going to get worse.


A rare, wise first posting. Welcome to TCF.


----------



## Martin Tupper (Dec 18, 2003)

rdlm said:


> I did the same thing. But it traded the very annoying Pause Ads for a "bong" sound whenever Pause is pressed twice in a show. I can change Play to be "Up+Play", but it doesn't help for those in the family who press the Pause button as an Un-Pause command. While my Harmony One is a brilliant device, it isn't quite smart enough.


Hmm. I don't hear a "bong" sound. And I do not have sounds disabled.

If it bothers you, you could try programming the pause button with UP-PAUSE-DOWN. That would clear the ads after pausing, and unclear them before unpausing.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

VancouverCanuck said:


> These days, it's impossible to go anywhere without being bombarded with ads. Without even knowing it, you're being advertised to. With new technology comes news ways to advertise. In a world society built on currency, things are only going to get worse.


They will certainly get worse if nobody raises an objection. Blindly accepting them as a fact of life guarantees that they will be.

I never cease being astonished at the willingness of so many TiVo users to see this blight on the UI and say "Thank you sir, may I please have another?"


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

RoyK said:


> They will certainly get worse if nobody raises an objection. Blindly accepting them as a fact of life guarantees that they will be.


Bull.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

RoyK said:


> They will certainly get worse if nobody raises an objection.


"Raising an objection" only has value and impact when Robert's Rules of Order applies. It doesn't apply to the mass-market. What matters in the mass-market is how *lots and lots* of people spend their money. The only significant voice is where people direct their purchases.



RoyK said:


> Blindly accepting them as a fact of life guarantees that they will be.


There is nothing blind about accepting facts of life. Again, if you don't like the facts, then spend your money differently. Whining about something isn't the same as making responsible purchasing decisions.


----------



## padman0008 (May 23, 2009)

blam said:


> I *hate* the new pause ads.
> 
> Im about to move on to just use the Verizon DVR.
> 
> ...


I've had the Verizon Fios TV service for a week. Love the quality, price and channels offered. HATE THE DVR!!

It only has a 160 GB drive. Cannot be expanded and cannot have an external drive attached. Worse, it miss calculates the amount of hard disk space. 5.5 hours shows as 84% full. Verizon admits this is a firmware problem and plan to fix it "sometime."

I just ordered a TIVO HD unit with a 1 GB external drive today.


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

padman0008 said:


> I've had the Verizon Fios TV service for a week. Love the quality, price and channels offered. HATE THE DVR!!
> 
> It only has a 160 GB drive. Cannot be expanded and cannot have an external drive attached. Worse, it miss calculates the amount of hard disk space. 5.5 hours shows as 84% full. Verizon admits this is a firmware problem and plan to fix it "sometime."
> 
> I just ordered a TIVO HD unit with a 1 GB external drive today.


Welcome to the fold. You'll probably be in heaven with the TiVo DVR. Even with the annoying pause ads, it's still not as annoying as most of the Cableco DVR's. Kind of puts things in perspective.


----------



## SkeeterTV (Oct 27, 2005)

bicker said:


> "Raising an objection" only has value and impact when Robert's Rules of Order applies. It doesn't apply to the mass-market. What matters in the mass-market is how *lots and lots* of people spend their money. The only significant voice is where people direct their purchases.
> 
> There is nothing blind about accepting facts of life. Again, if you don't like the facts, then spend your money differently. Whining about something isn't the same as making responsible purchasing decisions.


And if The Facts of Life are really that annoying... try Diff'rent Strokes... that Ms. Garrett really knew her way around TV.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

bareyb said:


> Welcome to the fold. You'll probably be in heaven with the TiVo DVR. Even with the annoying pause ads, it's still not as annoying as most of the Cableco DVR's. Kind of puts things in perspective.


Yeah, that really says a lot about a product -- it's annoying -- just not as annoying as the others......

Give it time - if TiVo has its way and keeps on increasing the ads little by little it will catch up soon enough.


----------



## fallingwater (Dec 29, 2007)

I have two S3's, one with CableCARDS, one without. Both are running Software Version 11.0c-01-2-648.

One displays the Search option when paused, the other doesn't. One connects via broadband, the other by phone. Is the broadband connection the determining factor regarding the Search option display?

I temporarily set the S3 which connects by phone to broadband. Nothing changed. Must a time interval or download take place after a broadband connection is established to enable the Search option?


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

RoyK said:


> Yeah, that really says a lot about a product -- it's annoying -- just not as annoying as the others......
> 
> Give it time - if TiVo has its way and keeps on increasing the ads little by little it will catch up soon enough.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

Bierboy said:


>


Really mature post. Grow up.


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

Lol


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

RoyK said:


> Go ahead and get the last word in - you always do - no matter how worthless it is. I'm done arguing with you.





RoyK said:


> Really mature post. Grow up.


Talking to yourself?


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

bicker said:


> Talking to yourself?


ooh, and you got the last word currently.


----------



## bicker (Nov 9, 2003)

I was keeping relatively quiet waiting for Roy to step in his own leavings... he typically does.


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

ZeoTiVo said:


> ooh, and you got the last word currently.


Did he? 
I'll take your word for it - he's on my ignore list. I've had all of his garbage I can stomach.


----------



## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

fallingwater said:


> One displays the Search option when paused, the other doesn't. One connects via broadband, the other by phone. Is the broadband connection the determining factor regarding the Search option display?


I believe the TiVo software will only display the "More Info" link if it detects a broadband connection. In other words, if trying to use the VOD menu item results in a message about needing broadband, then the "More Info" menu won't display.

Ads can still display though, even if you don't have a broadband connection. As long as the Showcase item exists, the ad will display.

At least the above is what happened to me when I had a Internet outage about two weeks ago.


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

RoyK said:


> ...I've had all of *my* garbage I can stomach.


Well, FINALLY you said something I can agree with....


----------



## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

Bierboy said:


> Well, FINALLY you said something I can agree with....


Alter my post then claim to agree with it. Really a mature thing to do. As I said above - grow up.


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

RoyK said:


> Did he?
> I'll take your word for it - he's on my ignore list. I've had all of his garbage I can stomach.


yeah the thread is simply amusing me now


----------



## Jim_Huston (Jun 13, 2012)

I bought the TIVO because I didn't want to watch commercials on TV. It really irritates me that TIVO is placing the ads at the bottom of the screen during pause. We should be able to toggle our settings so we don't need to watch the ads if we don't wish to.


----------



## TerpBE (Jan 23, 2003)

Search for "S-P-S-Pause-S" or "SPSPS" for information on how to have the ads quickly disappear (<1 sec) when you hit pause.


----------



## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

I guess I don't get the whole pause ad thing, or even the dislike.
Its not like you are watching the TV while paused.


----------



## Jim_Huston (Jun 13, 2012)

I did the search & came up with nothing.
Thank you.


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

Jim_Huston said:


> I did the search & came up with nothing.
> Thank you.


Oh, what the heck...

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=446351


----------



## TrooperOrange (Apr 23, 2012)

So I also really dislike the ads. We do pay them monthly for a service that really should be free. 

Then to layer advertising on top of that is just salt in the wound.

What I am wondering is if we can find a simple solution. The ads I am guessing are served up from different URL's or IPs as the rest of the EGP etc... so if we knew what those addresses or ranges were we could simply block them at the router.

This would presumably prevent the ads from showing, but keep everything else as normal.

This is assuming that the ads are not served from the exact same addresses that the EPG et. al. is served from.

Wonder if something like that would be feasible?


----------



## TrooperOrange (Apr 23, 2012)

TrooperOrange said:


> So I also really dislike the ads. We do pay them monthly for a service that really should be free.
> 
> Then to layer advertising on top of that is just salt in the wound.
> 
> ...


Think I'll make this a project. Already have the tiro on a different router and subnet, getting wireshark going, see what I can find. Sift through the traffic like finding a needle in a haystack, just need to try and locate when it retrieves and ad, and an EPG update and see where they are headed.

Might be a better way to do this, I just don't have the expertise.


----------



## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

This thread is ancient. There are many many threads just like it.

The adds subsidize the service, and there are no options to pay an unsubsidized price. 

You get used to them, and like a billboard that you never look at, they will eventually disappear from your mind when using. How often do you pause and look at the screen? Most times, if you are doing that, you will end up hitting clear to get rid of the progress bar anyhow.

Go ahead and try what you want, nobody has been successful over a long period of time. I'm not sure if it is against the tivo service agreement, but you may want to look that over first.


----------



## TrooperOrange (Apr 23, 2012)

jrtroo said:


> This thread is ancient. There are many many threads just like it.
> 
> The adds subsidize the service, and there are no options to pay an unsubsidized price.
> 
> ...


Thanks jrtoo.

What are they subsidizing? lol I call BS, they are just money grabbing, of course that is normal though.

I mean $400 piece of hardware, then $15/mo on top of that for what amounts to an EPG? They obviously don't spend that much on development given the state of the half assed HD/non HD ui elements and slow as molasses implementations.

Anyway I digress. Advertising is everywhere these days.

Looks like it can be done with privoxy BTW.

EDIT: I guess I should clarify. I used to run an MCE setup and decided to go to Tivo. I guess the thing that chafes my hide is that prior to purchasing nowhere did I see them state it was subsidized by advertising etc... I found out the first time I turned on the device. It caught me off guard. This too however is normal. PS3 has advertising, the 360 has it as well and xbox live gold is a pay service too. So does my apple TV, and roku etc... So not unusual.

I have been spoiled by stuff like adblock on browsers etc...


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

TrooperOrange said:


> What are they subsidizing? lol I call BS, they are just money grabbing, of course that is normal though.


They are subsidizing our subscription rate. Which would you prefer?
$15/mo with ads or $25/mo without?



TrooperOrange said:


> I mean $400 piece of hardware, then $15/mo on top of that for what amounts to an EPG? They obviously don't spend that much on development given the state of the half assed HD/non HD ui elements and slow as molasses implementations.


You're getting the hardware at a reasonable price (IMO). Try to build your own DVR. Price out each of the following and let me know what you come up with.

Case
Motherboard
Memory
Video Card (may not be needed depending on MB)
Hard drive(s)
Tuner device(s)
Operating software (e.g. if you plan to use WMC)
Cooling fans
CD ROM (for installing software if needed)
The approximate value of your time putting it all together and getting it working
etc.

Now as for the service, it is much more than a EPG. You are basically paying a license fee to use the TiVo software and all the features that it offers, some of them exclusive. Just like other software licenses you get access to more features as opposed to using the free version of the software.



TrooperOrange said:


> Anyway I digress. Advertising is everywhere these days.


I can agree with that. You learn to ignore it all.



TrooperOrange said:


> Looks like it can be done with privoxy BTW.
> 
> EDIT: I guess I should clarify. I used to run an MCE setup and decided to go to Tivo. I guess the thing that chafes my hide is that prior to purchasing nowhere did I see them state it was subsidized by advertising etc... I found out the first time I turned on the device. It caught me off guard. This too however is normal. PS3 has advertising, the 360 has it as well and xbox live gold is a pay service too. So does my apple TV, and roku etc... So not unusual.


Yep. But IMO, TiVo is the least offensive perpetrator. It could be worse.
TiVo could put the ads at the TOP of your show folder instead of the bottom.
They could delete the backdoor code that makes pause ads disappear quickly.
I'm not going to extrapolate further because I don't want to give TiVo any ideas.


----------



## DancnDude (Feb 7, 2001)

Or get a Harmony remote and program the pause button to send Pause-DownArrow which will make the ad go away immediately after you pause. The Harmony One is awesome


----------



## shipspeed (Dec 11, 2006)

agreed. tivo should offer two monthly rates - with and without ads.


----------



## timckelley (Oct 15, 2002)

shipspeed said:


> agreed. tivo should offer two monthly rates - with and without ads.


I suppose by extension, two lifetime subscription prices. I wonder how many people would be willing to pay that higher price, just to avoid ads that aren't even being shown during the program.


----------



## nrc (Nov 17, 1999)

TrooperOrange said:


> Thanks jrtoo.
> 
> What are they subsidizing? lol I call BS, they are just money grabbing, of course that is normal though.


TiVo has yet to consistently turn a profit even though they require service fees and advertising. Nobody else seems to think that there's money to be made in the retail DVR market, or they've tried and failed. What do you know that TiVo and everyone else has failed to figure out?


----------



## lrhorer (Aug 31, 2003)

steve614 said:


> They are subsidizing our subscription rate. Which would you prefer?
> $15/mo with ads or $25/mo without?


That is not the choice. The choice is $35 a month with the ads, which is what we are paying now whether we own a Tivo or not, or $25 a month without. Anyone who thinks they are not paying a premium for the existence of an ad is a fool, and they do so whether they consume or make any use of the ad medium, or not.



steve614 said:


> You're getting the hardware at a reasonable price (IMO).


Actually, a bit too low.



steve614 said:


> Yep. But IMO, TiVo is the least offensive perpetrator. It could be worse.
> TiVo could put the ads at the TOP of your show folder instead of the bottom.
> They could delete the backdoor code that makes pause ads disappear quickly.
> I'm not going to extrapolate further because I don't want to give TiVo any ideas.


It doesn't matter to me in the least where they put them, especially since I eliminate them completely anyway. What does matter is I have to pay for those ads. (Note: the total cost to me must include the cost of all similar ads. The cost from just TiVo is small, but when added to all similar advertising, the cost mounts, and for every person who does not use a TiVo there is another using a Kindle, or an iPad, or whatever, that also is subsidized by ad revenues.) It would be much, much cheaper to the bottom line if no hardware were subsidized by advertising, and the extra $10 a month or so for my TiVo would be much smaller than the cost of advertising for which I must pay.


----------



## TiVo Fool (Dec 17, 2001)

I just don't get the whole "I can't stand the ads" thing. They are so unobtrusive. They don't impact the functionality of my DVR or how I use it. They don't make me wait for anything. I don't even see them anymore!


----------



## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

TiVo Fool said:


> I just don't get the whole "I can't stand the ads" thing. They are so unobtrusive. They don't impact the functionality of my DVR or how I use it. They don't make me wait for anything. I don't even see them anymore!


I'm with you, there have been plenty of other things they need to fix before this ever shows up on my RADAR, I'm pausing because I'm walking away for a bit, I'll never even notice the ad.


----------



## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

One of the reasons they are annoying is because some people pause it to see what is on the screen, maybe to read something.

But as mentioned, you can clear it so it's not the end of the world.


----------



## timckelley (Oct 15, 2002)

Another reason for pausing can be to see if some lady just flashed a piece of her body, or if that was your imagination. Probably one of the most famous examples being the superbowl halftime wardrobe malfunction. I was watching that alone, and when I rewound and paused to verify what I thought I saw, I saved the recording and told my wife later when she got home and she was very interested to see the scene played back.

I remember another scene on American Idol, I think when a girl got in an awkward position, and could swear for a split second, her dress moved in a way to show her non-underweared (aka commando) groin underneath. I played it back to be sure, and the next day as if in confirmation there was a story on TMZ about it.

The point being, who wants to to see distracting ads during times like those?


----------



## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

Excellent point! 

Maybe they could add a zoon in capability?


----------



## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Yes, interesting cases. But you would need to get rid of the progress bar as well. Since "clear" takes care of both, it does not require an extra step.


----------



## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

Yes, but the pause ad is much more likely to block their vajayjay than the progress bar is...


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

jrtroo said:


> Yes, interesting cases. But you would need to get rid of the progress bar as well. Since "clear" takes care of both, it does not require an extra step.


Just to be clear p), having to press "clear" is the extra step. Using the S/P/S/Pause/S backdoor code makes it so that you get a clean screen after hitting pause. No extra step.


----------



## TrooperOrange (Apr 23, 2012)

Adam1115 said:


> Yes, but the pause ad is much more likely to block their vajayjay than the progress bar is...


LMAO, I lost it when I read this, totally cracked me up.  :up:

Thanks for all the replies. I think the reality is, this is the world we live in with regards to advertising. I wouldn't give up the tivo for ads, but I was caught off guard by them felt kinda put off.


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

TrooperOrange said:


> LMAO, I lost it when I read this, totally cracked me up.  :up:
> 
> Thanks for all the replies. I think the reality is, this is the world we live in with regards to advertising. I wouldn't give up the tivo for ads, but I was caught off guard by them felt kinda put off.


You are not alone. You should have seen these forums when TiVo first implemented the integrated ads.

And I don't think you were the first person to think of trying to block the ads via network activity, but whatever you try will be of benefit.
We all learn from each other.


----------



## nrnoble (Aug 25, 2004)

steve614 said:


> They are subsidizing our subscription rate. Which would you prefer?
> $15/mo with ads or $25/mo without?


This is where I become skeptical, because TiVo is unlikely to turn down any amount of advertising money saying "_We've reached our limit for what is needed for the month_". If they are in business of selling Ad space, they will have a sales force that will try to get as many advertisers that are willing to pay, and each month their goals will be match\beat the previous month. If they can get 1000 more more advertisers per month, TiVo will find a way to makes sure those ads are in faces of TiVo customers. I am skeptical they will turn down Ad business as if there is limited ad space available, they simply will make the space.

Yeah, I am concerned that Tivo will redsign the UI so that the main TiVo screens will have one or more rotating ads, just like we see on webpages.


----------



## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Two quick points. Tivo is not profitable from operations- so questioning the subsidy is of no relevance now. It is clearly happening. Second- the main screens already have advertising.


----------



## randywalters (Oct 21, 2003)

Jim_Huston said:


> I bought the TIVO because I didn't want to watch commercials on TV. It really irritates me that TIVO is placing the ads at the bottom of the screen during pause. We should be able to toggle our settings so we don't need to watch the ads if we don't wish to.


The S-P-S-Pause-S hack does instantly clear the ad when you pause, with the added benefit of quickly clearing the progress bar during pause, FF, and Rewind. This is as important to me as clearing the ad.

I have an old Series3 and the ads seem to be gone nowadays. It's been about a year since i last rebooted my Tivo (which clears the SPSPS code) and when i rebooted the other day i tried to re-activate the SPSPS hack during playback and i could not get it to take, then i realized that i'm no longer getting the ads on pause, and apparently this was preventing the SPSPS hack from working.

But i still want the progress bar to disappear immediately like it was before the reboot so i did some searching here and found out that the SPSPS hack only worked when playing back recordings that contained the ad on pause. I tried to find a recording that has the ads on pause, but i checked dozens of my old and new recordings and none of them contained an ad on pause so i had no way to get the SPSPS hack to take.

I did some more searching and found a few posts saying that the SPSPS hack will also work if it's performed while playing a video from the Showcases section, so i brought up a Rob Zombie Woolite commercial and performed SPSPS while it was playing and it finally worked. I did not get any confirmation ding sounds but the hack did work and now my progress bar clears instantly on pause, FF, and Rew.

Here's a summary of how to perform the SPSPS hack:

1. Play back an existing recording from your Now Playing List that has an ad during pause. If none of your recordings have an ad on pause, then play a video from the Showcase section instead.

2. While the recording or video is playing, press this sequence of keys: Pause, Clear, Down arrow, Play, Clear, Select, Play, Select, Pause, Select.

That should do the trick.


----------



## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

Long ago, when smaller, less obtrusive ads appeared on TiVo, we complained and talked about the "slippery slope" -- and folks told us we were being paranoid...

Now, we have this:


----------



## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

Fofer said:


> Long ago, when smaller, less obtrusive ads appeared on TiVo, we complained and talked about the "slippery slope" -- and folks told us we were being paranoid...
> 
> Now, we have this:


I call foul, if you're going to show the new larger ads don't zoom in, show them in proportion to the whole screen.

I still don't like them, but they don't change my viewing habits or the button presses I use, I consider them a wash.


----------



## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

If you push down you can gawk at the drummer all you want.

Still don't see why pause ads are a bother, especially since you can make it go away if you paused to see something on the screen.


----------



## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

Making me tap a button, or take any manual effort or attention at all, to remove an ad, isn't something I want to do.

I'm sure there are browser extensions that would allow me to manually remove each and every ad too, but I prefer automatic AdBlock.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

But you had to install AdBlock. Plus, AdBlock *blocks* some stuff that is useful (e.g. the cvs specials page doesn't work unless I whitelist it).


----------



## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

mattack said:


> But you had to install AdBlock.


So? Took 45 seconds. Once installed, it's automatic. I don't have to do anything; it just works.



mattack said:


> Plus, AdBlock *blocks* some stuff that is useful (e.g. the cvs specials page doesn't work unless I whitelist it).


Yeah? And? That's the exception to the rule, and you know how to work around it, the rare times you need to.

And your counter to my analogy is silly, because there will never, ever be a time that I'd wish I _didn't_ block the TiVo's Pause Ad. I will want them to be removed from my screen 100% of the time.


----------



## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

Fofer said:


> So? Took 45 seconds. Once installed, it's automatic. I don't have to do anything; it just works.
> 
> Yeah? And? That's the exception to the rule, and you know how to work around it, the rare times you need to.
> 
> And your counter to my analogy is silly, because there will never, ever be a time that I'd wish I _didn't_ block the TiVo's Pause Ad. I will want them to be removed from my screen 100% of the time.


You have the need to see what's behind the ad that often?


----------



## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

Langree said:


> You have the need to see what's behind the ad that often?


It's not that. I don't want to see the ad.


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

Activate the SPSPS workaround then.
I know it makes the progress bar disappear quickly, but which is worse?
You have to pick your poison.


----------



## ffsteve61 (Nov 20, 2013)

If the TiVo service was free than I wouldn't mind the ads. I pay 20 bucks a month to TiVo,I shouldn't have ads for Carbonite shoved in my face!


----------



## bogart (Sep 24, 2002)

I'm in the habit of pressing the right arrow immediately after pause when I want to look at the paused screen free of clutter. It clears the screen, and being adjacent to the pause button, is much easier to press than "clear."

Edit--Actually, it seems to advance the freeze very slightly and clear.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

I hate ads too (a major reason I got a Tivo was to avoid ads, just like I was doing on VCRs for a long time before that).. But I do think people overreact to this.

You buy the newspaper, there are ads. You buy magazines, there are ads. You pay for cable, there are ads. Would I prefer, and in some cases, pay more for no ads? Yes.

But the paradigm of "pay but you still get ads" happened long before Tivo.. and Tivo's ads are _almost_ as unobtrusive as they can be _while still being shoved in your face_.


----------



## igirl (Feb 5, 2011)

One more Tivo user here that finds the ads to be rude - It's like getting spam and there is no junk filter to get rid of it. There should at least be an option to turn OFF these things.


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

igirl said:


> One more Tivo user here that finds the ads to be rude - It's like getting spam and there is no junk filter to get rid of it. There should at least be an option to turn OFF these things.


Just a reminder that once you "down arrow" to get rid of the ad it won't come back for the rest of the recording, so you really only have to select "Pause, Down Arrown" ONCE and they are gone until the next program. Not that I don't think the new larger "BOUNTY" Ads aren't ridiculous looking. It actually makes me want to NOT buy Bounty&#8230; Still, it's only one button press per show to get rid of it, so I live with it.

I used to use a backdoor code that would remove the Ads immediately, but I've forgotten the sequence now (Select-Play-Select-Pause-Select). That was a pretty decent work around too. It would basically instantly "Clear" the Ad (and everything else) as soon as you paused. Not sure if that still works on the newer models though&#8230;


----------



## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

bareyb said:


> Just a reminder that once you "down arrow" to get rid of the ad it won't come back for the rest of the recording, so you really only have to select "Pause, Down Arrown" ONCE and they are gone until the next program. Not that I don't think the new larger "BOUNTY" Ads aren't ridiculous looking. It actually makes me want to NOT buy Bounty... Still, it's only one button press per show to get rid of it, so I live with it.
> 
> I used to use a backdoor code that would remove the Ads immediately, but I've forgotten the sequence now (Select-Play-Pause-Select?). That was a pretty decent work around too. It would basically instantly "Clear" the Ad (and everything else) as soon as you paused. Not sure if that still works on the newer models though...


Works on my Premiere, I recently enabled it.


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

Fofer said:


> Works on my Premiere, I recently enabled it.


Ah. Thanks. I've been meaning to turn it back on.


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

bareyb said:


> I used to use a backdoor code that would remove the Ads immediately, but I've forgotten the sequence now (Select-Play-Pause-Select?)





bareyb said:


> Ah. Thanks. I've been meaning to turn it back on.


Just a reminder for when you do... it's

Select-Play-Select-Pause-Select.


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

steve614 said:


> Just a reminder for when you do... it's
> 
> Select-Play-Select-Pause-Select.


I'll update my post. Thanks.


----------

