IBM patent could pause your DVD movie for "a word from our sponsors"

Imagine this scenario. You've just received the latest Hollywood blockbuster in the mail from the DVD rental service of your choice. You've popped the popcorn, poured a tall glass of your favorite beverage, and settled back to watch the film on your flatscreen TV. 15 minutes or so into the movie—right as the action is building to a crescendo—the movie fades to a commercial. For the next minute, you're forced to watch the commercial as the fast-forward button has suddenly stopped working. The unhappy experience is repeated two or three more times before the movie ends. The only way to avoid the interruption is to pay another buck or two to the company you rented from.

Link

Shouldn't they be trying to invent more useful things?
Now I have to worry about commercials through my DVD player via a Ethernet connection. I think ill pay the higher cost for the non commercial ridden releases. Thats the reason I love my DVR is because I can fast forward past all those pesky commercials. And still I almost spend more time fast forwarding than I do actually watching the show.

[edit on 26-11-2007 by Digital_Reality]

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[edit on 27/11/07 by masqua]

I'm even more amazed at this from the same article:

the HD DVD spec requires players to have an Ethernet port for online connectivity. While the connectivity is intended for things like software and firmware updates as well as interactive content, there's no reason why it couldn't be used to download car commercials in 1080p.

This can't possibly be true. Does this mean you can't have/play an HD/DVD if you don't have internet service? That's crazy!

It's bad enough that we have to accept Intel trying to secretly install code in our CPU chips, or Sony trying to install Rootkits on our PCs, now they want access to our stand alone players? Screw that.

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Edit: OK, re reading, it says 'requires players to have an ethernet port', doesn't say it has to be connected. Nevermind.





[edit on 26-11-2007 by Badge01]

same deal with blu-ray so i've heard. just fyi. also heresay: the connectivity is there to help them keep tabs on your player. if it has been modified or hacked in some way supposedly they could detect that and disable it. if that's true then you can send all your thanks to the MAFIAA (MPAA & RIAA.) It takes a lot of force to stop them from putting some od the crap they want in place. If they had their way we'd have it A LOT worse.

Oh well, what can you do. I guess we can either live with it or live without it. I still think IBM can do more good than finding a way to pipe in commercials to your DVD player.

Just don't rent the stupid things. Why pay five bucks just to have to give it back when you can pay 20 bucks to own it complete with outtakes, deleted scenes, and director commentary (I only buy the special editions... only way to justify the cost... and even then only after they've been "previewed").

However if you just have to be one of those people, refuse to rent the afflicted discs and if necessary, boycott the store. Then go and rent the movie from some place that doesn't use them.

If they all start carrying the evil things, rest assured it won't take long for some ubergeek in his parent's basement to devise a way to spoof the ad server allowing the replacement of the advertisements with single frames of pornographic film.

From the article:

If it's the latter, the disc player would phone home to an online service to download commercials or play ads embedded on the discs themselves.

That sounds pretty stupid. If I just cut the hard-line, wouldn't that effectively disable the ad downloads?

Whatever. I hardly use the standalone player these days. My graphics card can hook up to the TV, been using my PC to play discs. If they release this sort of technology, mark my words -- it won't last for more than 3-months before some pissed off coder releases a hack.

Let 'em try it - the backlash will scare the hell out of 'em!!! Hey Netflicks or Blockbuster - go ahead and give this little idea a whirl and then watch your membership plummet, your stock tank and your PR hit the bottom of the toilet.

The reason we PAY to rent your stupid DVDs is to avoid commercials and enjoy a movie-like experience at home. If I wanted the freaking commercials I'd wait for it to hit cable!

IBM has totally lost sight of anything worthwhile anymore. Glad I sold the stock years ago as they obvioulsy have nothing of value to contribute to technology anymore.

yeah its called pirating.. doing that will endorse pirating more than anything i can think of other than making rental fees 10+ times whatthey are. dvdrip my friend. watch one + delete.. ethical? no. but i sure as hell didnt see it in the theater.. reduced quality.. ect..

anyways this does tie in with pirating id say.

Pure stupidity from technology burdening the paying public for more unwanted visual conditioning generating ad revenue for the movie/dvd industry. Doesn't this thing called tivo have this crap embeded in its circuitry for a 3rd party to open the tivo mic to listen in on the families watching movies on tivo.

If they all start carrying the evil things, rest assured it won't take long for some ubergeek in his parent's basement to devise a way to spoof the ad server allowing the replacement of the advertisements with single frames of pornographic film.

Whao.

Just stop right there.


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Dont you dare insult our ubergeeks in their mothers basement.

They gave you dvd's in the first place.And your insparable cell phone.


You need to go out with ubergeeks and mate with them.

reply to post by Digital_Reality


This is the part I like.

It [embedding commercials] could also become a way to get back-catalog, niche movies onto DVD, as embedded, unskippable commercials could shore up the business case for cracking open the vault.

arstechnica.com...

I have recently become aware of a very disturbing reality. As the world has moved from VHS to DVD, a heck of a lot of wonderful films are not in print in DVD and the VHS versions are no longer being made.

I recently had to buy a used copy of a VHS tape of the film "Wrestling Ernest Hemingway."

I know you probably never heard of it, but it is one of those little films that is character driven and features two of the finest actors ever to grace the "silver screen."

The very idea that this film could be lost to posterity is one of the most depressing thoughts I've had in a while and this is not the only title facing extinction if something isn't done.

Do I like commercials? NO!

Do I need to take a bathroom break during most of the films I watch? Yes!

You really don't have to watch anything you don't want to on your own TV, but if putting up with a little inconvenience or, if you will, having the opportunity to take a break during a film to relieve oneself, is what it will take to bring these wonderful films back, it just might be worth it.

Yea, people are being a little paranoid. I, for one, think this could be used very beneficially.

As the poster said above, this would help lesser known movies make it to DVD that wouldn't have gotten the funding before. There are tons of movies out there that still have not been transfered to DVD due to lack of demand. A lot of these movies are cult favorites that have a small, but very devoted fan base.

In addition, this could introduce tiered rental plans from online DVD renters. Not everyone wants to shell out $20 a month for unlimited DVDs, but $5 a month for unlimited 'commercialized' DVDs would be a bargain.

Besides, your average commercial runs around 30 seconds or so. Three interruptions a movie means 1.5 minutes of your time and that's not horrible, especially if it means a lower price and the ability to watch your 'long lost' movies on DVD finally.

[edit on 29-11-2007 by Speakeasy1981]

[edit on 29-11-2007 by Speakeasy1981]