|
Is there a gadget to delete commercials?
Tuesday, 14 November, 2006
With all this technology around us, surely there's a device that will automatically skip TV commercials.
Bronwen T., Braddon, ACT
 It's not quite as easy as you might think Bronwen. For a start, if it's live TV that you're watching, what are you going to replace the ads with - a blank screen for a couple of minutes?
It would be a lot easier to do it with recorded TV such as with a Foxtel IQ recorder or a TV hard disk recorder. I don't know the exact specifications (perhaps a reader will let us know) but you'll notice that there's a brief period of black before and after an ad-break on FTA TV, apparently to allow network stations to fit their ad breaks into the program that comes from the main station. There have been many attempts to put something based on this on the market, but they never seem to make it. (Conspiracy theorists may wish to comment here.) Remember that I'm talking about Australia, not other markets such as the US where they have TiVo.
At the moment the best you can do is time-shift the program and use the fast-forward control. But here's an interesting story contained in an LG press release. (Note the 30 second skip button.)
On Wednesday 1 November, 2006 LG celebrated the launch of another Australian first in digital technology with the release of its new LG 42” LCD television and 50” Plasma television, both with in-built 250GB High Definition Digital Video Recorder (HD DVR).
LG’s new HD DVR TV series incorporates highly advanced hardware and software in digital TV technology that allows consumers to record, play, pause and rewind HD and SD (standard definition) programs using a single remote control, all in the one unit.
Together with Belgiovane Williams Mackay (BWM), LG created a marketing campaign featuring a television advertisement which is an extension of last year’s highly successful HDTV campaign.
The tongue-in-cheek TVC uses a blend of good-natured humour and computer generated images of a ‘tuna’ and an external DVR unit being thrown inside a television to highlight the extension of the ‘all-in-one’ benefits of this technology.
Last week LG was advised that subscription television network MCN (Multi Channel Network) and free to air networks, Channel 9 and Network 7, would not run LG’s latest television commercial in its original format.
It is understood that the networks objected to the line: “and when you replay, you can skip the ads”. The line alludes to the capabilities of the commercial skip function.
As a leader in audio visual technologies, committed to delivering technologies that make life easier, LG believed the feature to be a key consumer benefit.
The commercial skip function is only one of many features that LG’s new in-built HD DVR offers. The function is simply a one touch solution to skipping an entire 30 second advertisement break should the viewer choose to do so.
During last week, LG attempted to work with the television networks request and produced an alternative to the line in question. LG believes the alternative addresses their concerns without compromising the key messages of the advertisement.
The line now states: “and when you replay, you can skip straight back to the action”.
LG commenced advertising on MCN and free-to-air stations on Sunday November 12 with the revised version of the advertisement. The original version of the TVC did however run on the MTV Network and to LG’s knowledge will continue to run in its original format on MTV.
The TVC campaign is supported by print, outdoor and on-line advertising.
(Oops. I think they forgot to tell us the price of the gadget.) Paul Zucker
 Reader solutions
Mike LeePosted: 16/11/2006 re: Is there a gadget to delete commercials? Yes there is and we are going to bring it to market in late Jan 2007. It is about the size of a small dvd player. Uses a universal remote control and will tell any recorder of your choice when to record a show. There is no built in storage as it streams the video to any device you choose, in real time.
(Tell us more. -PZ) Posted: 16/11/2006 re: Is there a gadget to delete commercials? Media Centre can use Dcut or Power Compress to cut out recorded shows ads. It works a treat, especially when you're recording a HD show. davePosted: 16/11/2006 re: Is there a gadget to delete commercials? Why release a technology that will skip the main medium used to advertise?
Plus, you'll never know about those screaming bargain ads! or is that a good thing..?
cheers
MarkPosted: 14/11/2006 re: Is there a gadget to delete commercials? As Paul has mentioned, it is not possible to skip commercials on live TV.
You could start a "timeslip" recording, waiting until the program has been recorded for about 10 minutes, and then start replaying it, and skipping through the commercials.
Eventually you will catch up with the live program, but you could pause the playback for a cup of tea etc, and then return to watching it again.
Mark graham whitehousePosted: 13/11/2006 re: Is there a gadget to delete commercials? Our TV broke four years ago and every night I stand in front of it and act out the shows and my friend has not noticed yet.
Matter of fact I've won Australian Idol the last three times because of that. I try to avoid movies with mrders and sex scenes though - I'm getting too old for that sort of acting. bodPosted: 13/11/2006 re: Is there a gadget to delete commercials? What about media center. is there a ad dropper for that?
(Not unless it's a third-party product Bod. -Paul Zucker)
|