9 Jan
My wife and I watch a fair bit of TV. Almost all of it recorded on the hard drive (PVR or DVR) of our set top box. As a result, I watch almost no commercials. The problem is that I realize I’m missing out on some commercials I actually like, not to mention network promo ads that tell me about new shows that I might want to watch and skip the commercials for.
I feel really bad when friends talk about the latest Mac/PC ads and I don’t know what they’re talking about. I can’t even get them on YouTube because apparently even showing a commercial somehow violates someone’s rights… I guess Apple thinks the ads are so good that they’ll be running in syndication on Nick at Nite 20 years from now. So then I end up fast-forwarding commercials more slowly for a few days until I run across the ad, grin and feel a slight frission of glee (I already have a Mac), and then get verbally assaulted by my wife. “What the hell are you doing!?” Huh? She gets really upset if I watch commercials because she just loves the fact that she can skip them. She actually feels offended when I fail to use the technology to its full effect. Also, the Mac’s mine. She has to live with XP.
I actually don’t mind commercials so much - they’re a good opportunity to get a drink or go to the loo. Now that we have a PVR, you can go to the loo whenever you want. Kind of spoils it. Reminds me of living in San Diego where I never went to the beach because it was *always* a good day to go to the beach. Unlike most of Canada, where a good day to go to the beach is when Air Canada has a seat sale to Cancun.
Now I’m stuck. If I skip the commercials I feel (a little bit) guilty of subverting the intent of the studio/network/cable mafia. Not that I feel bad for them per se, but that somehow they’ll come after me because I missed a decade of Head and Shoulders ads. If I don’t skip the commercials, I get my wife taking away my remote control. Damn PVR. I can’t even enjoy my trips to the loo anymore.
5 Responses for "The Problem with PVRs"
so since you are so into Mac, can I expect a mac version of your software soon?
It’s on our to-do list, but not until the Windows version is near-perfect.
Apple is just trying to keep the copyright control, because the actors can take action against them for failing to protect their residual rights if it is republished without them getting paid. Brother & sister in the industry. Those residual checks are important to the writers & actors, etc.
Aww, don’t worry, their embedding commercials right into the show as you watch. Soon 75% of the screen will be taken up by commercials right within the program. And people thought that the station or network I.D. on screen during the entertainment was annoying! You ain’t seen nothin yet! Give living room entertainment another decade and it will be 100% unentertaining. Best get up now turn the stuff off and go back to hobbies and personal sports for entertainment the living room entertainments goose is in the convection oven and the timer is fast approaching zero…. ding goose cooked!
I’m sure Apple is perfecting their plan to rape their customer base yet again with another hip, new, eccentric and don’t forget “green” product offering of complete bull. Mac owners think they are so smart and creative and different, when in actuality they are all stupid, boring metrosexuals.
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