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Hollywood, HBO starting to handcuff DVR users

Started by Mike Olbinski · 10 months ago

Thanks to a reader (the Cap'n of course) submitted tip, I came across this story about Hollywood and DVRs and it made me want to run down the street screaming hysterically.

Those of you with Direct TV may have noticed recently that pay-per-view movies suddenly have some with an ex ... Continue reading »

12 comments

  • R.A. Porter

    1 year ago

    Time to
    a) dust off the VCR
    b) buy a DVD Recorder
    c) tell HBO to go spit.

    Oh wait, I'm too cheap to pay for HBO; I just get DVDs after the fact. Guess I'll skip (c).

    R.A. Porter's last blog post..God Bless Yoga Pants
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  • Kory

    1 year ago

    I've already had the experience of having a movie deleted on Direct TV PPV. This was bad enough but at least I did not get charged for the movie. However, the new 24 hour rule is pretty much a bag of crap.
    reply
  • Mike

    1 year ago

    Yeah, a DVD recorder would be a good investment, although I'd want an HD one personally, which would cost a lot more.
    reply
  • The Trousered Ape

    1 year ago

    What a joke!

    The Trousered Ape's last blog post..Ape 2 - Dentist 1
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  • Cap'n Schwartz

    1 year ago

    Well hollywood consists of all democrats anyways so thats why they want to tell you what you can or can not do....

    Can you imagine HBO is going to limit how many times you can watch something...why would they even care?!!? who cares you watch it 25 times, shouldnt they take that data on how many people watch it and create or continue a series with it?!?!?! Rediculous...
    reply
  • D.L. White

    1 year ago

    This is ridiculous. We don't use PPV hardly ever, so that won't really effect us, but for TV shows and regular aired movies/programs it will. What if you go on vacation for a week and want to watch all the shows you missed when you got back? Or, like the hubby and I, we are busy during the week so we save up alot of stuff on DVR to watch on the weekend when we have time. I guess they'd rather not have us watch it at all, then watch it on delay?!?! Surely there's a better solution to the production companies' "concerns" about ownership, usage and advertising in regards to their shows?!?!

    D.L. White's last blog post..Let's get LOST! (Episode 7 - Ji Yeon)
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  • The Trousered Ape

    1 year ago

    This might actually make me watch less shows since I will have less control of when and how I can watch it. Good job Hollywood - what a bunch of morons...

    The Trousered Ape's last blog post..Ape 2 - Dentist 1
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  • Jason

    1 year ago

    What will end up happening is what always happens when companies start doing stupid stuff like this. Other, smarter, people will find ways to hack the systems (DVRs and whatnot) to break their controls and those of us brave enough or angry enough will have to use those hacks to get what we feel should rightfully be ours. I'm not saying I would do that, of course...

    This is the sort of thing that will keep downloaded movies from becoming the #1 way of renting movies. This is the reason people like my parents won't ever learn how to use their DVR.

    And yes, they will find a way to stop people from skipping over commercials. That's a guarantee. In fact, TIVO, I think it is, already has commercials that play over the fast forwarding of the commercials you're trying to skip.
    reply
  • Adam

    1 year ago

    Until money goes away, things like this will continue to happen. The music industry is finally realizing it's a hopeless battle, and are starting to go DRM-free, so it's only a matter of time before Hollywood does, too, IMO.

    Not skipping over commercials, I can definately see, though. I completely understand that, because it's the commercials that pay the bills for a lot of shows. Anything else, like restricting the time you can watch a TV shows, seems ridiculous. Though I must say, the restriction on PPV movies doesn't seem out of line to me -- no different than the late fee at a lot of rental places, most of which "new releases" are only available for a day or two as well.

    Adam's last blog post..Top 10 Reasons to Watch Battlestar Galactica
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  • Mike

    1 year ago

    @ DL - I didn't even think about that...can you imagine taping stuff while on vacation only to come back and have it all gone?

    The sad thing about HBO, is that we all FRAKKING pay for it, it's not even free TV, so let it sit on our DVRs for the love of Pete.
    reply
  • Jason

    1 year ago

    I'm with Mike on the HBO thing. If I'm paying extra for the channel I certainly don't expect to get less than I would with other networks.

    The reason people love DVRs so much is precisely because they can record and then watch whenever they want. If you take that away you take away half the value of having a DVR.

    If you take away the ability to skip commercials you take away the other half. I couldn't own a DVR if I couldn't skip commercials. I'd record more shows than I could humanly watch. And if I can't watch them faster than I could by watching them on regular TV...there wouldn't be much point.
    reply
  • The Trousered Ape

    1 year ago

    Well - you know what money grubbing people those corporations are - soon they will charge you extra for watching HBO to keep the shows you are already paying for indefinitely...I can see it coming.

    The Trousered Ape's last blog post..Ape 2 - Dentist 1
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