A TV that forces you to watch ads? It's possible

MSNBC ^ | April 20,2006 | Unknown

[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.

[RogueIsland]

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

It's covered. You would be locked out of changing the channel during a commercial (I'm not kidding).

[Tanniker Smith]

If the TVs are free, I can see them selling. Maybe.

[John Jorsett]

[Publius6961]

Oh wonderful!
Does this mean that if we accidental tune in to the local PBS indoctrina... errr station we might never be able again to switch to another channel?

[Jim Noble]

Only members of the Inner Party are permitted to turn off the telescreen.

[Izzy Dunne]

If the TVs are free, I can see them selling.

Never misunderestimate the power of media lobbyists in Congress. They might get a law passed, making it mandatory to include the channel-freeze chip in all TVs. All existing TVs must be retrofitted.

[houeto]

Oh yea, I'm gonna run right out and buy one of THOSE!?!

Right.

[Publius6961]

Is Philips nuts?
How many TV sets do TV stations and producers buy?

[NativeNewYorker]

Yeah...I didn't know people still, uh, WATCHED television...

[P-40]

I think it's time to fill my TV with dirt and plant some flowers.

I got rid of mine long ago and have never missed it. Pure guano in my opinion.

[Tanniker Smith]

Channel hopping is near-extinct in my house since we got our Dish. The first problem was that you had to wait when you hopped for the receiver to acquire the new signal, it wasn't instanteous like the set in the kitchen (which isn't wired, but doesn't have any decent reception to speak of). Then we got a hard drive and you could pause and rewind shows -- but you lose all that if you change channels. So if someone leaves the room, you can't sneak a peek and the other channels because they might want to rewind if they missed something.

(Then again, we also can't tape a channel that we aren't looking at because all the channels are Ch. 3 now.)

[B4Ranch]

Or no "Mute" switch?

[ARCADIA]

Just as fast as they can develop this thing; someone else will develop a tool to hack it.

[G.Mason]

It's also possible that someone over the mental age of six will find Adam Sandler funny, but doubtful.

[thoughtomator]

I guess the death of broadcast TV isn't moving along fast enough for some.

[absolootezer0]

hrm.. i need to photochop a still of bambi into that picture for the next time some tree hugger whines about me shooting "bambi" next deer season :)

[sergeantdave]

Well what if channel 5 is showing a stupid di-tech ad and I want to watch the Bud ad with the bikini babes on channel 10? Can I sue di-tech and channel 5 for blocking me from watching bikini babes on channel 10?

This will be a lawyers feast.

[ravingnutter]

Drat! It's Levitra! Now I'm stuck here for 2 minutes!

Commercials lasting longer than four hours, though rare, will require immediate destruction of the TV... ; )

[IronJack]

Can they stop you from turning it off during the commercials? How about for good? By the way, who owns the TV, the network pukes who are trying to sell you to the advertiser, or the consumer?

I would think that you could build a strong legal argument against such intrusive technology, on the grounds that an outside party has no right to manipulate the products you have -- against your will -- in order to continue to profit from them.