AOL's Mystro TV vs Tivo?

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Posted by CmdrTaco on Monday March 10, 2003 @05:53AM from the now-here's-where-it-get-interesting dept.

admiral2001 writes "Here is is a NYTimes story about AOL-Time-Warner's plans for a TiVo-killing 'Mystro TV' (nytimes annoying free registration required). They plan to begin rolling this out sometime in the next two years. Their major features are the simple pause, rewind, and fast forward that all PVRs have. However, they've taken the obvious stance to "let[s] networks set the parameters, dictating which shows users can reschedule, and it also creates ways for networks to insert commercials." The article even mentions how they could get an advantage in pushing their product because "viewers could try out Mystro TV by pushing a button on their remote"."

5 of 356 comments (clear)

as long by odyrithm · 2003-03-10 05:59 · Score: 5, Funny

as it dosnt say "welcome to AOL" every time its switched on fine.. otherwise shoot me, shoot me now.

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moo
What kind of a name is that? by Sgs-Cruz · 2003-03-10 06:27 · Score: 4, Funny

Mystro TV? Excuse me? I assume that's supposed to be pronounced like 'Maestro' but when I see that I think of a superhero or something... I guess what TiVo needs is a supervillain to defeat it... :)

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Karma: pi (Mostly due to circular reasoning in posts).
1. Re:What kind of a name is that? by Piquan · 2003-03-10 09:48 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  It wasn't until just now that I realized they weren't calling it "Mysterio". For those not into Spidey comics, Mysterio is a recurring bad guy who used to work for Hollywood...
Re:TiVo killer? by hendridm · 2003-03-10 06:34 · Score: 4, Funny

This is the part that struck me:

> it also creates ways for networks to insert commercials.

Why wouldn't the networks "insert" (ie, flag) all of their commercials into your PVRed program? You can't tell me they would just sit back and only include "the important ones". From their point of view, they're all necessary.

TiVo killer? More like PVR killer. At least my old VCR lets me do whatever I want with my programming, including fast forward through the same recycled Pepsi and Chevy commercials I've seen countless times before. I might not even care if they would limit commercials to new content I haven't seen (much) before, but who needs to see the same Coca-Cola ad every 5 minutes during breaks? I AM AWARE OF YOUR PRODUCT AND HOW REFRESHING IT IS, THANK YOU.

Look maw! The talking box says 'dem corporate folk made a new sody pop. Sum 'bout Cokie Colie!
Screw your ad revenue! We want fresh content. by hendridm · 2003-03-10 06:43 · Score: 2, Funny

> You reimburse them by watching the advertising.

I'm sure that will comfort me when I am watching yet another Pepsi, Chevy, 1-800-Collect, Volkswagon commecial that I've seen a million times and make me no more or less aware of their product's existence. I am aware that Pepsi is better than Coke and vice versa. I am aware that VW is looking for drivers. I am well aware 1-800-Collect is a retirement home for washed up actors.

One thing confuses me, however: Why is toilet paper always "new and improved"? It seems to work and feel the same as it always did to me. With retzin!