An offer you can't refuse
this post is from our comrade and fellow futures student Takuya Murata, currently interning at the Institute for Alternative Futures....
Remember the article about the high tech future
where cars don't start, etc, and the world is safer
but big brother is watching us all?
This is from April, but here's something Philips is developing...
"Philips tries to stop viewers channel surfing during ad-breaks
Posted by Seán Byrne on 20 April 2006 - 00:00 - Source: Reg Hardware
Pretty much everyone who frequently watches DVDs has already experienced what it is like for the DVD player to prohibit the fast forwarding or skipping of the initial ads on the disc, such as the anti-piracy warnings. However, when it comes to broadcast content, it is still possible to avoid the ads by either fast forwarding through a recording or changing to another channel. Now, imagine what it will be like if the broadcaster had the ability to lock your TV to the tuned in channel until the current ad-break finishes.
Well, hard to believe, this is a technique Philips is attempting to patent, which can be taken advantage of by the Multimedia Home Platform, a feature included in most Interactive TVs. If broadcasters, PVR, DVD player and display manufacturers take on this technique, the viewer will be forced to keep the channel tuned for the duration of the ad-break or in some cases pay a fee to change channel or fast forward (for a recording). The technique would work much like the broadcast flag in that the ad-breaks in programmes can carry flags to force the TV, PVR or other compliant playback device to keep the ads playing until the ad-break finishes.
While Philips has admitted that this feature may not be taken lightly by the viewers, they suggest that broadcasters and device makers provide suitable warnings when the flag is being detected and used to avoid consumers wondering why their TV will not change channel all the sudden when the ads start up. Thanks to yronnen for letting us know about this news:
Philips is attempting to patent a technique that would prevent viewers from skipping through ads embedded within recorded programmes or even channel surfing during broadcast ad breaks - or force viewers to cough up cash if they want to avoid the ads.
"A viewer may either watch the advertisements or pay a fee in order to be able to change channels or fast forward when the advertisements are being displayed," Philips" potential patent states.
If DRM is not bad enough as it is, this is clearly a good example where the entertainment industry is more interested in controlling its viewers as opposed to just sticking with protecting their content against piracy. I seriously would not like to see such a measure put into broadcasts. For example, if this feature is not enforced properly, it could make channel surfing itself very tedious since each time the viewer would land on a channel showing a flagged ad-break, their TV may prevent them switching any further until this ad-break finishes first! So much for Philips' "Let's Make Things Better" slogan.
yronnen added: "Philips admits this might by greatly resented by the viewers "...really? I think that I'd simply love the idea of my PVR controlling me instead of me controlling it. So what is the future for PVRs? DRM to control what and if we can see a movie and this new technology to make sure we see the ads? Maybe they should give us a lubricant..."
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13324
oh, and an interesting post to this piece
that's an interesting possibility, that the pirated version is better than the "real" version:
"yup this wouldn't make even more people flog to the internet to download high quality commercial free episodes of tv shows.
and about the dvd player thing, when i buy a dvd player i tend to make sure theres a region free hack, i also like to see if theirs a UOP hack, so you can skip past the warnings and stuff on a dvd, i already bought the thing leave me alone and let me watch the movie i paid for.
its getting the point where the pirated version of things are going to offer better products then the pay for it version. Download a dvd off the net, those opening commercials are usually removed, and the UOP protection is stripped so you can skip past warnings. TV shows can be downloaded in higher resolution then standard tv with 5.1 sound.
These companies have to get a grip, not profit, for the thrill of it encoders who don't make money off it, are making better goods for consumers then companies trying to turn a dollar."
