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Fox's Attempt To Block Ad-skipping TV Recorder Autohop Fails

Posted by samzenpus on from the skip-ahead dept.

another random user writes that Fox's preliminary attempt to stop Dish Network's Autohop feature has failed in court. "A bid to block a TV service that allows viewers to automatically skip adverts on recorded shows has been rejected. Fox had called for a preliminary injunction on Dish Network's Autohop ahead of a copyright ruling. Broadcasters Fox, Comcast, NBC and CBS have each sued Dish Networks, saying the show recordings are unauthorized. Fox said it would appeal against the ruling. It says Autohop is 'destroying the fundamental underpinnings of the broadcast television ecosystem.' But Dish called the decision not to grant a preliminary injunction a 'victory for common sense.' Its Hopper digital video recorder can record and store prime-time content from the four major networks for up to eight days. And the Autohop feature lets viewers skip advertisements completely — rather than fast-forwarding through them — at the press of a button."

7 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. I remember when... by inode_buddha · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I remember when the cable co (now Time-Warner) came to my town back in the 80's. They said the subscription model would eliminate the need for ads.

    AAahahahahahahahahahaha........

    It reminds me of the insurance companies back then, all led by good God-fearing Republicans.

    "If you pass seatbelt laws, the premiums can go down. If you pass Daytime-running lights the rates may go down. If you have airbags the rates will go *way* down."

    I'm still waiting for the rates to go down.
    ,
    .

    --
    C|N>K
    1. Re:I remember when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Rates will go down when the number of things causing accidents does. Texting/distracted driving has gone WAY up,

      Texting may have gone way up, but distracted driving hasn't. Just that the distraction itself is changing.

      Texting while driving is really dumb, but so is putting on makeup, reading a paper, eating a salad. But dumb people do dumb things
      and not much has changed overall.

    2. Re:I remember when... by sjames · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And those risks 'just happened' to come into existence right as the insurers were about to honor their promise that those new mandates would slash rates across the board. WHAT A SHOCKING COINCIDENCE! Who could EVER have guessed that? Billions to one and yet it happens every single time.

      Or perhaps they might just be liars.

    3. Re:I remember when... by mallyn · · Score: 3, Insightful
      I can put in my two cents for the rising cost of programs.

      Once upon a time, a film crew took over a neighbour's house (with their permission, of course) to film a TV program.

      I could watch the activity out of my bedroom window.

      This took several days' time to file just on half hour program.

      There were, of course the large number of trucks parked at the scene. Food trucks. Dressing room trucks. Lighting trucks (at least four or five of these and some of them were these giant semis). Even shower trucks. And *many* people.

      What **ASTOUNDED** me was the sheer number of people who looked like they were standing around doing nothing.

      I went downstairs and outside and started asking questions to other neighbours who were watching what was going on. She said that this is usual. Union rules require that each person have a very specific job. An electrician can only connect/disconnect lights. They cannot move anything.

      She also said that it take an average of two or three hours to film just a few seconds of what you see on screen.

      And *all* of the people I saw were paid union wages. Those wages bump up to 2x for each minute over 8 hours per day.

      Folks. That experience taught me that TV shows are not cheap by any means!

      --
      Most Respectfully Yours Mark Allyn Bellingham, Washington
  2. They don't like autohop? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well i wonder how pissed they are that i don't even watch network tv anymore.. BECAUSE THEY ARE CHOCK FULL OF FUCKING ADS! I really can't stand it anymore. It's gotten so bad over the last decade. Any given show is now at least 40% ads. Maybe even more now with product placement and other scumbag ideas.

    The world has too many ads. Period. And i'm not gonna join in anymore. Actually i even tend to avoid any products or stores that advertise often. Or annoyingly.

    Advertisers ruin every thing they have ever touched. TV, Radio, Internet, Phone, Magazines, Even the real world driving down the road you are blasted with ads every 50 feet.

    You make the world a worse place. I despise you all.

  3. Re:You will get what you pay for... by fustakrakich · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's not free when you have to pay to receive the 'broadcast'. If they want me to watch the ads, first they'll have to cover my subscription costs, and then they'll have to make the ads worth viewing. And also, the Betamax ruling says we are allowed to record shows for later viewing.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  4. Re:You will get what you pay for... by mysidia · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And also, the Betamax ruling says we are allowed to record shows for later viewing.

    That was before DRM, the DMCA, Macrovision technology, and the broadcast flag.

    Content providers can prevent recording and manipulation of their content, by encrypting it, and leveraging contractual relationships with cable and sat companies to require content by delivered DRM protected to certain hardware that meets certain security requirements such as HDCP and doesn't have specific capabilities (such as analog content export, and commercial skip).