maybe the networks are starting to get it

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Interesting tidbit from
http/www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-tribtv.htmlstory :

If nothing else, the "Gilmore" situation proves that networks ignore
viewers who watch pre-recorded shows via DVRs at their peril. Even
Turell [the WB's executive vice president for network communications]
says it's a brave new world.


--Charlene


--
To die for an idea is unquestionably noble. But how much nobler it
would be if men died for ideas that were true! -- H.L. Mencken


email perronnelle at earthlink . net

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

In article <ffAje.3956$X92.1652@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net>,
Charlene Charette <see.sig@for.address> wrote:

> Interesting tidbit from
> http/www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-tribtv.htmlstory :
>
> If nothing else, the "Gilmore" situation proves that networks ignore
> viewers who watch pre-recorded shows via DVRs at their peril. Even
> Turell [the WB's executive vice president for network communications]
> says it's a brave new world.
>
>
> --Charlene

I love this quote because it's such pure bullshit:

> "This is a new phenomenon, DVR use, and we are all getting used to it.
> I missed the Masters golf tournament's last 45 minutes and playoff
> because my DVR only recorded the show as long as it was scheduled, not
> as long as it lasted," said Turell.

"Getting used to it" has nothing to do with anything. They know what
time the shows end, and they know about DVRs. They run some of them
long on purpose to sell more ads inside them, and to deter viewers from
switching the channel when they end. It probably wasn't an accident
that this marriage proposal thing happened during the last minute or so
of the episode.

Network schedules used to be so stable that they'd send a time cue at
the top of the hour so you could set your watch, if you liked, and then
the program would begin. On the dot.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Dr. Personality wrote:

> "Getting used to it" has nothing to do with anything. They know what
> time the shows end, and they know about DVRs. They run some of them
> long on purpose to sell more ads inside them, and to deter viewers from
> switching the channel when they end. It probably wasn't an accident
> that this marriage proposal thing happened during the last minute or so
> of the episode.

I took his comments to mean the networks are starting to get that doing
this will result in lots of complaints from viewers who don't watch live
TV anymore. All the bitching about networks playing with air times will
do nothing unless it is aimed at the networks *and* the advertisers.
"Dear Company X -- I don't condone this practice and I'll never buy your
products as long as you support it." Money talks in the USofA.

--Charlene

--
To die for an idea is unquestionably noble. But how much nobler it
would be if men died for ideas that were true! -- H.L. Mencken


email perronnelle at earthlink . net

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"Charlene Charette" <see.sig@for.address> wrote in message
news:ffAje.3956$X92.1652@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Interesting tidbit from
> http/www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-tribtv.htmlstory :
>
> If nothing else, the "Gilmore" situation proves that networks ignore
> viewers who watch pre-recorded shows via DVRs at their peril. Even
> Turell [the WB's executive vice president for network communications]
> says it's a brave new world.

It wasn't just Tivo. Anybody recording the show got screwed. Tivo would
have done a better (correct) job had the schedule
service it uses been correct. Tivo has been catching two hour finals that I
had programmed for one hour when I used VCRs.
If the schedule is right Tivo will be right,

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

> It wasn't just Tivo. Anybody recording the show got screwed. Tivo would
> have done a better (correct) job had the schedule service it uses been
correct.
> If the schedule is right Tivo will be right,

There's no reliable way to push program updates for these sort of programs.
Yes, it would help if program guide data included a flag of some kind for
"this program is *likely* to run long" with a possible estimate. DirecTV
could do this pretty easily since they have downlinked data available
constantly. Dial-up standalone would be problematic as no amount of modem
banks would make it perfect. But even with a flag of some kind it wouldn't
help relieve the cascading programming problems. The Tivo does a lot of
work balancing between available tuners, free disk space (and deleting old
things to fit), suggestions and conflicts.

If a program runs long and you've got another program scheduled how should
it tell you? During scheduling it could perhaps tell you "this program
might run long" and let you decide what to do if conflicts come up. As in,
the game runs long and you have another program scheduled right after it.
Where this gets even worse is if the network plays the follow-on program in
its entirety. If the game runs long and just whacks the start of the
following program it's not too big a deal. But if the follow-on program
runs complete then what about other programs on that network later in the
schedule? What if there's some OTHER set of cascading conflicts? It
becomes a real train wreck.

It's VERY hard to come up with a sensible User Interface to present all this
to the user. Not that all this isn't "technically possible" but it might
end up being so hideously convoluted to use as to be a considerable
expensive support hassle.

Thus it often ends up being "screw it, it's just television, who cares what
gets missed?"