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Trimming Television to Sell More Ads

gambit3 writes: "Tech TV has an article about a device called a "Digital Time Machine", that does something called "Time Trimming", which is basically a way to cut single frames from different scenes in TV programs, which, over the course of a 30 minute program, can add up to 30 seconds, which is, incidentally, the perfect length to add ANOTHER commercial."

10 of 536 comments (clear)

  1. Devil's Advocate here... by bethorphil · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe this technology could be used for GOOD! Instead of adding 30 seconds of commercials, they could squeeze one or two more jokes in the the Drew Cary show? Or one more idiotic plot twist into the X-Files?

    You guys are always naysaying! Why don't you come up with an invention like inward sing--- oh wait, wrong rant....

    --
    There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.
  2. I already do this . . . by Ezubaric · · Score: 5, Funny

    If only I had a patent.

    Each year, I prepare for the Super Bowl. Not that I like the Super Bowl, but apart from knowing the score at each quarter, the only knowledge you need to prove that you watched the game is what commercials were shown.

    After programming my VCR to record the game, I watch the amusing commercials and fast forward through the game itself. This new-fangled "Time Machine" just gives you the illusion of actually watching the show between ads.

    --

    ----------
    I am an expert in electricity. My father held the chair of applied electricity at the state prision.
  3. You folks are looking at it wrong... by wowbagger · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't look at this as being "another commercial" - look at it as "overclocking your TV" - just think, that's thirty seconds less time per show you have to watch, just by skipping over it with your Tivo.

    Heck, I've often wanted the ability to do just this - compress a TV show I want to see so as to be better able to fit it into my time.

    Now, if we could just compress the time wasted by laugh tracks....

  4. Re:So what's wrong with this? by Cheetah86 · · Score: 3, Funny

    From one of the thinkgeek demotivator posters:
    Pessimism: Every Dark Cloud Has a Silver Lining, but Lightning Kills Hundreds of People Each Year Who Are Trying to Find It.

  5. Re:Where to get addl time by Cardhore · · Score: 3, Funny

    Good idea! They could even go so far as to divide the screen up into four pieces, and play four simultaneous ads. The top two frames would get left and right audio, while the bottom two would get closed caption and rear surround.

  6. Re:Sounds like "Cash" on radio by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 5, Funny
    Rush Limbaugh among others have blasted it for ruining the listener's experience.

    <audio style="rush-limbaugh-voice">

    Rush Limbaugh doesn't like it. Folks, I can't believe the... the... the.. gall this guy has. People, I can't emphasize this enough: The radio stations are there to make money for Clear Channel stockholders, not as some charity to provide the best possible experience for Rush's listeners.

    Look, folks, if Rush doesn't want this technology applied to his show, he's free to negotiate a contract with the radio stations that enforces his wishes. Anybody in this great country of ours can negotiate any contract they want. I hope that he's not going to try to get the government weenies at the FCC to meddle with the radio stations' livelyhoods.

    Sheesh. Sometimes, I just don't know. We'll be back after this...

    <riff genre="80's rock">

    </audio>

  7. Re:And it has already gotten in trouble... by PurpleBob · · Score: 3, Funny

    This quote is priceless.

    "Officials at CBS' station in Pittsburgh, KDKA, said they accidentally created the delay when they used the machine during halftime to squeeze in extra advertising worth thousands of dollars." (my emphasis)

    --
    Win dain a lotica, en vai tu ri silota
  8. Re:bah by Our+Man+In+Redmond · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Television is called a 'medium' because when it's well done, it's rare." -- Ernie Kovacs (famous television personality)

    Also attributed to Fred Allen (famous anti-television personality)

    --
    Someone you trust is one of us.
  9. Re:Reminds of good old days in Hong Kong by Our+Man+In+Redmond · · Score: 3, Funny

    Reminds me of the theater owner in Seoul who thought "The Sound Of Music" ran too long, so he shortened it by cutting all the songs. :)

    --
    Someone you trust is one of us.
  10. Re:Sounds like "Cash" on radio by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 3, Funny

    Let's apply the Cashbox time-shrinking algorithms and see what we end up with here...

    <audio style="rush-limbaugh-voice" mime-type="cashbox-audio-compressed>
    RushLimbaughdoesn'tlikeit.Folks,Ican'tbelievethe .t he.thegallthisguyhas.People,Ican'temphasizethiseno ugh:TheradiostationsaretheretomakemoneyforClearCha nnelstockholders,notassomecharitytoprovidethebestp ossibleexperienceforRush'slisteners.Look,folks,ifR ushdoesn'twantthistechnologyappliedtohisshow,he'sf reetonegotiateacontractwiththeradiostationsthatenf orceshiswishes.Anybodyinthisgreatcountryofourscann egotiateanycontracttheywant.Ihopethathe'snotgoingt otrytogetthegovernmentweeniesattheFCCtomeddlewitht heradiostations'livelyhoods.Sheesh.Sometimes,Ijust don'tknow.We'llbebackafterthis.

    <riff genre="80's rock" rpm="45">

    </audio>