Time Warner Cable Patents Method For Disabling Fast-Forward Function On DVRs 298
antdude writes in with a story about a patent that won't have DVR users skipping for joy. "Time Warner Cable has won a U.S. patent for a method for disabling fast-forward and other trick mode functions on digital video recorders. The patent, which lists Time Warner Cable principal architect Charles Hasek as the inventor, details how the nation's second largest cable MSO may be able prevent viewers from skipping TV commercials contained in programs stored on physical DVRs it deploys in subscriber homes, network-based DVRs and even recording devices subscribers purchase at retail outlets."
Waiiiiit a minute... Huh? (Score:2, Interesting)
Disabling the fast-forward function on a DVR would likely spark a backlash from subscribers, and make it more difficult for Time Warner Cable to compete with DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV), Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and other multichannel providers that distribute DVRs that allow subscribers to skip commercials.
So... You're ROCKSTAR PR department lets THIS part slip but... I'm lost.
Isn't that the whole point of a DVR? (Score:3, Interesting)
Half the time I forget I'm watching recorded TV and forget to fast forward through the commercials anyhow. This is one more reason to cut the cable and look at alternative entertainment solutions.
Correct me if I am wrong (Score:4, Interesting)
in lay terms (Score:5, Interesting)
this munges up the keyframes (I frames) in a stream when it detects a cue embedded by the network (ADS START HERE!!1!). therefore, if a device is designed to fast-forward by skipping over the predicted (P and B) frames, it cannot do this as it can't find the I frames needed to display anything at all.
this will fail on sane devices because fast-forward is usually implemented as skipping just the B-frames (that are predicted off both I and P frames), while decoding the I frames and P frames.
this will further fail because MPEG-2 decoders are fast enough that they can decode the stream in it's entirety fast enough for a practical fast-forward (my 5 yo computer can do it on CPU only, 1 core only at about 200fps).
this will fail even further because a trivial firmware hack could detect this "cue tone" and skip the ads _entirely_. they're basically implanting a trivially readable signal that usefully tells us what are the ads and what is the show.
That's not what 'digital' is for... (Score:5, Interesting)
At first I was surprised that there was a new posting with the DEC logo [wikipedia.org], but then it turns out it's a newbie who doesn't know what the symbol means.
It's summer, it's endless summer...
Let us start a discussion of VAX and Alpha to compensate.
Re:Great idea douchebags! (Score:4, Interesting)
QUOTE: "By utilizing, for example, digital embedded cue-tones for advertisement insertion, a device in the network ⦠could use these points (i.e., the cue-tones) to selectively remove I-Frames/IDR-Frames to prevent trick modes during ads (or other portions) but not from the program being watched. Thus, consumers can be substantially prevented from skipping, fast forwarding and rewinding through video that the provider would like the consumer to view, such as advertisements, specific carriage agreement requirements, etc.," Time Warner Cable wrote in the patent.
Sounds like it would prevent ANY digital device from fast-forwarding, due to the deliverate introduction of errors.
If that's accurate the only device which would not be bothered by MPEG Iframe errors is on analog Super VHS VCR. (Not HD but neither's my tv, so I don't really care.)
Re:Next (Score:4, Interesting)
If ads were creative and amusing, even occasionally, they might be worth watching, but I am sick of being shouted at for the ten millionth time to go to the perpetual sale at the nearest furniture and electronics good emporium. Give it a rest.
I would actually prefer to pay-per-view at a rate that reflected the true cost or value of the delivered content as long as it were ad free. I recognise that it costs money to make programming and that the companies involved in its production and delivery have a right to make a reasonable profit. I just despise the way they do it by being subsidised by advertising. It's intrusive and aggressive, and frankly, I do not want it force-fed into my own home where otherwise a little bit of relief from the relentless commercialism of our age can be found.
Once apps come to Apple TV and similar devices, channels will be just another app, and this whole model will come tumbling down.
Re:Great idea douchebags! (Score:4, Interesting)
This is actually quite interesting point because it would be quite difficult to send the key frames when a subscriber joins an already in-progress multicast stream... but I suppose new set top box firmware could overcome this by joining you onto solid "commercial only" stream while the STB is waiting for the key frames of the stream you wish to watch. Can you imagine channel surfing and all the channels which would be playing commercials are instead playing the SAME commercials in PERFECT SYNCHRONIZATION!