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A TV that forces you to watch ads? It's possible
MSNBC ^ | April 20,2006 | Unknown

Posted on 04/21/2006 5:42:38 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne

Philips technology could let broadcasters freeze channel during commercial

SAN JOSE, Calif. - In this era of easy ad skipping with TiVo-like video recorders, could television viewers one day be forced to watch commercials with a system that prevents channel switching?

Yes, according to Royal Philips Electronics. A patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says researchers of the Netherland-based consumer electronics company have created a technology that could let broadcasters freeze a channel during a commercial, so viewers wouldn't be able to avoid it.

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ads; commercials; tivo; tv
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All your television are belong to us.
1 posted on 04/21/2006 5:42:42 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne
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To: Izzy Dunne

Good thing I dont watch tv then I guess...


2 posted on 04/21/2006 5:45:12 AM PDT by Prysson
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To: Izzy Dunne
Posted here
3 posted on 04/21/2006 5:46:09 AM PDT by Xenophobic Alien (THE BATTLE FOR MANKIND HAS BEGUN!!! ALL HAIL XENU!!!!!!!)
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To: Izzy Dunne

Instead they ought to make a feature so an add scrolls across the top of your screen when your fastforwarding.


4 posted on 04/21/2006 5:46:58 AM PDT by The G Man (The Red States ... the world's only hope for survival.)
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To: Izzy Dunne
And don't you dare close your eyes or plug your ears during the commercials either.


5 posted on 04/21/2006 5:47:50 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (If you have a leaking pipe, you shut off the water valve before deciding on amnesty for the puddles.)
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To: Xenophobic Alien; Admin Moderator
ACK! Search showed nothing...

Pull if desired.

6 posted on 04/21/2006 5:47:56 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Izzy Dunne
I imagine they have this covered, but what if you're channel hopping?

"Channel 4 is boring. I wonder what's on Channel 5? Drat! It's that DiTech guy! Now I'm stuck here for 2 minutes! ... Whew, glad that's over. Huh. Channel 5 is boring too. I wonder what's on Channel 7? Drat! It's Levitra! Now I'm stuck here for 2 minutes!"

7 posted on 04/21/2006 5:48:22 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Never question Bruce Dickinson!)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Yep, its gonna suck. Which is why the Feds will have to mandate it.


8 posted on 04/21/2006 5:49:20 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: Izzy Dunne
All your television are belong to us.

Nice. Just like computer popups. Then they can sell software to defeat the forced commercials, and more software to defeat that software that defeats the software to defeat the software...

Of course the Gov't will have to get in on the fun by forcing us to watch public service "commercials" for the crisis-du-jour. Just so we know they're out there being a good Nanny.

9 posted on 04/21/2006 5:50:31 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: Izzy Dunne

Phillips said they are not likely to install this (yeah, right) on their equipment, and it's just an interesting "discovery". Well, I need a new TV, and I guarantee it will not be a Phillips, just in case.


10 posted on 04/21/2006 5:50:32 AM PDT by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
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To: Izzy Dunne
It's coming. There are already commercials that turn on my Closed-Captioning feature (en Espanol), and some of the cable stations are now playing commercials at the bottom of the screen during certain programs.

I think it's time to fill my TV with dirt and plant some flowers.
11 posted on 04/21/2006 5:50:40 AM PDT by LIConFem (A fronte praecipitium, a tergo lupi.)
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To: ClearCase_guy
Just wait til they have the TV chair, with wrist straps and ankle straps controlled by the TV station.

No more bathroom breaks...

12 posted on 04/21/2006 5:50:57 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: ClearCase_guy

"I imagine they have this covered, but what if you're channel hopping?"

I don't watch a lot of TV but I have noticed they have that covered. For some odd reason, all the channels tend to put their commercials on at the same time. Who'da thunk it?
They still haven't figured out sports. The breaks are irregular and don't fall in line with other programming.


13 posted on 04/21/2006 5:51:14 AM PDT by brownsfan (It's not a war on terror... it's a war with islam.)
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To: Izzy Dunne
In this era of easy ad skipping with TiVo-like video recorders, could television viewers one day be forced to watch commercials with a system that prevents channel switching?

Unless they can force me to watch TV, this won't affect me at all.

14 posted on 04/21/2006 5:51:38 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (When Al Franken had his bris, they threw away the baby and saved the foreskin.)
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To: Izzy Dunne
Well I'd be willing to bet that at least one manufacturer will offer a unit allowing the owner to switch channels whenever they want and will beat the living crap out of Phillips in sales.

Any manufacturer that does not offer the current level of owner functionality would be insane and deserves to go bankrupt.

15 posted on 04/21/2006 5:51:58 AM PDT by Wurlitzer (The difference between democrats and terrorists is the terrorists don't claim to support the troops)
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To: Izzy Dunne

No "off" switch?


16 posted on 04/21/2006 5:52:07 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: Izzy Dunne

Are you allowed to go get beer and pretzels during the commercial or will the set be equipped with a straight jacket which pins you to your chair?


17 posted on 04/21/2006 5:52:11 AM PDT by randita
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To: Izzy Dunne

There is a lot of difference between can and will. Can they freeze the on/off button? Will we get shocked if we pull the plug out of the wall? Do sellers really want people to boycott their product if they are "forced" to watch a commercial?


18 posted on 04/21/2006 5:52:33 AM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: Izzy Dunne

And thusly, the demise of television.

I barely watch at all anyways. Maybe a DVD here and there, or something on in the background whilst I seduce this week's little lovely. :^)


19 posted on 04/21/2006 5:52:48 AM PDT by Lazamataz (THE FUTURE IS NOW!!!!)
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To: PBRSTREETGANG

Remember "Max Headroom"? Off switches were illegal.


20 posted on 04/21/2006 5:55:58 AM PDT by massgopguy (massgopguy)
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