TV Adverts and Sky/V+

[themightyboosh]

When watching a recorded TV show on my V+ box, the ability to fast forward through every advert break at 32 x normal speed is a thing of beauty.

In fact I've got so accustomed to it, that I find it very painful to watch normal TV anymore - As soon as its an ad break and I can't fast forward time I am gutted

To combat this I've started recording or pausing things at the beginning then watching another channel or going to do something else for a while so I can store up some time, then fast forward the crap out of it a bit later

I've become a dab hand at estimating how much time will be spent on adverts during each show and can get back to normal time at the end of the last ad break if I get it right :)

So am I in complete need of a new life or perhaps a hobby?, or does anyone else do this too ?!! Lifes too short to spend it watching adverts, so now I opt out thanks to my lovely V+

[scoobyood]

Yep, I used to do exactly what you do. But since I've gotten Windows Media Centre I've taken it to the next step and series linked every single show I watch, WMC doesn't forget a show after a series finishes so you only have to do it once. So regardless of whether I watch something live (pretty much only Top Gear), it's recorded. That means I can completely forget about TV in the evenings, play on the xbox with my friends, go out and then the next day in the early evening (when there's nothing on), or at the weekend, I scan through what was on yesterday or the day before and skip all the crap. It's very liberating to not even have to give a second thought about missing something on TV. You can do what you want.

[hookbeak]

i don't watch anything that i'm interested in live (unless it's on the BBC) any more. I no longer do adverts of any kind.

[Bish]

i don't watch anything that i'm interested in live (unless it's on the BBC) any more. I no longer do adverts of any kind.

Same here, I just delay any live show long enough to skip ads. I haven't sat through ads for years unless channel surfing.

[Silver Jet]

I don't watch anything 'live' anymore, apart from sports. If something I want to watch is on at 9pm, for example, I start watching it at 9.15pm and fast-forward through the ads. So I'm like you, I don't watch any adverts. Advertisers must hate sky+.

[Fatbloke]

I've not watched live stuff for years!

However, using my V+ is a source of frustration because it doesn't have the 30second forward jump like on my ageing TiVo. 6 quick presses and bang goes a 3 minute add break.
I can't gauge the 32x FF on the V+ quite as good as you, I tend to overshoot and sadly the V+ doesn't rewind a little coming out of FF mode.

I wonder if the new Tivo V+ (whenever that arrives) will be skippable in the same way.

[MarkR]

I'm a previous Tivo user now on V+ and I so hope the new Tivo software coming to the boxes will make it do half the things my original Tivo used to do. As you mentioned the 30 second skip was lovely and the slight rewind was superb. X32 I pretty much always overshoot unless it has a ident or whatever they are called before starting again.
My missus still occasionally says plop plop when FF the V+ :lol:

Pretty much never watch anything on a commercial channel live now and it's been like that for years. With OD on Virgin also that helps miss ads out as well.

[doogie]

LOL, aye, haven't watched an advert since I first got a Tivo about 10 years ago give or take!

[Gingerdawn]

I don't watch anything 'live' anymore, apart from sports. If something I want to watch is on at 9pm, for example, I start watching it at 9.15pm and fast-forward through the ads. So I'm like you, I don't watch any adverts. Advertisers must hate sky+.

Me too, I didn't realise how much I would appreciate that little fast forward button! We usually set up any recordings, spend the evenings on the computer or xbox or whatever then catch up on weekends.

[davecarter]

Im the same, if there is something I really want to watch live I will start it 10 - 15 minutes late so I can fast forward through all the crap, this goes for football too, Match of the day actually only lasts about half the time when you just watch the football minus all the pointless punditry and chit chat.

[Fatbloke]

LOL, aye, haven't watched an advert since I first got a Tivo about 10 years ago give or take!

OMG has it been that long?

/checks

Yes - I joined the TivoCommunity forums in Feb 2002 :eek:

[Tob]

I'm sure I read an article once about advertising and how you are actually more susceptible to the brand messages when you're fast forwarding as you're paying attention looking for when the ads will stop you can press play as oppose to just sat staring at the screen in a bored state waiting for your program to restart. So becareful! ;)

[welshmatt]

Advertisers must hate sky+.

Not sure how true it was, but I read an online article which said advertisers are embracing Sky+. Whereas before you would change the channel or go out of the room when the ads came on and totally miss them, now people with PVRs are actually watching them (albeit in FF).

So the advertisers are introducing ads where brand names are on screen long enough to be identified at higher speeds.

It does make sense but I cant say i've noticed it.

edit - Too slow!!!

[campdave]

Not sure how true it was, but I read an online article which said advertisers are embracing Sky+. Whereas before you would change the channel or go out of the room when the ads came on and totally miss them, now people with PVRs are actually watching them (albeit in FF).

So the advertisers are introducing ads where brand names are on screen long enough to be identified at higher speeds.

It does make sense but I cant say i've noticed it.

edit - Too slow!!!

It's also good apparently for companies that sponsor programmes - they're the cue to hit play again!

[Tob]

welshmatt, "great minds..." and all that ;)

[TigaSefi]

Can't stand adverts so yeah I do this too.

[VintageWhino]

It's also good apparently for companies that sponsor programmes - they're the cue to hit play again!

Carpet Right ad on house is a god send

[doogie]

OMG has it been that long?

/checks

Yes - I joined the TivoCommunity forums in Feb 2002 :eek:

Yeah, I just went to double check, my join date on there was April 2002.... so not quite the 10 years I initially thought, but still a blooming long time!

[T4V]

I've gone way beyond the FF way of skipping ads, I bypass the break completely. As soon as the break starts I press backup and ad how much I think the break will be. Most Sky shows are 5 mins in break 1-2 while break 3 is normally 1 min less. C4/5 shows tend to be another min less throughout, only ITV1's random lenghts fox me. ( not a huge prob as I barely watch ITV anymore, TV Burp that's it)

If it sounds like a lot of button presses then you should know that even my ludight 65yo mother uses it.

[AndrewP]

Freesat plus lets you set a time for the skip forward button. If you set it to four minutes, one button press usually skips all of the adverts.

[surfer_chicky]

Yep exactly what I do FF through all adverts! I rarely watch live TV anymore.
I also do Virgin catch up (itv and channel 4) as that skips the adverts completley (occasionally 1 will show but you can FF that)