1 |
Duncan wrote: |
2 |
|
3 |
>I had two VCRs hooked up to my TV, such that I could watch previous shows |
4 |
>while recording the current nite's shows, allowing me to FF over the |
5 |
>commercials. That, and I could rent movies and record them to the second |
6 |
>VCR while playing them from the first. Interactivity was pretty much |
7 |
>limited to that FF button -- and hitting back when I overshot a bit. Now, |
8 |
>I don't even own a TV (other than a tiny 2.5" TFT version, bought back in |
9 |
>the day..., that I have around somewhere, don't even know where...), as |
10 |
>I've grown to despise the lack of control one has over a TV program, and |
11 |
>the fact that the programmers must cater to their paying customers, the |
12 |
>advertisers, which in turn are happiest with the zombies easiest |
13 |
>programmed to buy their warez even when they are twice the cost or more of |
14 |
>the generic brand and even when they don't need them and can't really |
15 |
>afford them. Thus, there's actually a DIS-incentive to program for the |
16 |
>discerning intellect -- those that actually /like/ to think, and can't be |
17 |
>so easily programmed to buy expensive stuff they don't need. |
18 |
> |
19 |
A little off topic, but I'll be brief: |
20 |
|
21 |
The ReplayTV brand DVR (or is it PVR these days) would automatically |
22 |
skip over the commercials in pre-recorded shows. I say "would" because |
23 |
this feature has been discontinued in the later models. The last ones |
24 |
to have it were the 4000 and 4500 series models. I rather enjoy being |
25 |
able to watch a typical thirty minute show in just over fifteen, knowing |
26 |
that I'm sticking it to the advertising nazis at the same time. |
27 |
|
28 |
It has happened on more than one occasion that people have been |
29 |
discussing some bit of pop-culture that originated in an ubiquitous |
30 |
commercial, and that I had no idea what they were talking about. There |
31 |
have been blockbuster movies that came and went without my learning of |
32 |
their existence until much later, if at all (I never saw Titanic, for |
33 |
instance). |
34 |
|
35 |
I'm not sure, but I believe one of the Linux based, home-brewed DVRs |
36 |
like MythTV has an automatic commercial skip feature too. |
37 |
|
38 |
You may be missing out on those few shows that are actually well |
39 |
written. On the other hand, it is probably better for your health to |
40 |
simply do without TV altogether. |
41 |
|
42 |
I find it extremely entertaining that you (apparently) have Cox cable |
43 |
internet, and yet you have no TV to speak of. More power to you. |
44 |
|
45 |
-- |
46 |
"Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate" - W. of O. |
47 |
|
48 |
-- |
49 |
gentoo-amd64@g.o mailing list |