<< Telecom's Next Big Thing? Yep, You Guessed It -- Video Calls | Playing CDs On Computer Now A Privilege >>
theodp writes "Users' fears of TiVo restrictions will only be heightened after reading Microsoft's just-published patent application for Control-based content pricing, which describes a scenario in which viewers are charged higher fees if they skip commercials or replay sports highlights."
Google Blocking Set Top Boxes From Showing YouTube Unless They Pay Up? (23)
Netherlands The Latest To Propose Mileage Tax That Requires GPS For Tracking Driving (30)
Don't Post Comments On StlToday.com Or They Might Tell Your Boss (44)
Brazilian Hacking Attempts Fail To Break Brazilian E-Voting, But Do Improve The Process (16)
FreeCreditReport Wins Over 1,000 Domain Names In Dispute Process (27)
Brought to you by Floor64
About Techdirt | Contact Us | Advertise On Techdirt | Submit a Story | Twitter | Facebook
RSS
Twitter
Reader Comments (rss)
(Flattened / Threaded)
Goal: DRM everything
MS, RIAA, MPAA, et al, won't be satisfied until they get their pound of flesh from every living, breathing person.
Oh, you took 47 breaths during that commercial?
Let's see, at 58 cents per breath, the DRM you owe for using our 'Intellectual Property' amounts to $27.58,
which has already been deducted from your bank account, plus of course appropriate taxes, handling, and administrative fees.
Thank you for buying MicroSoft, Live for the moment.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Shift to the right?
I am a Republican, but I have always appreciated the more liberal views of MS (I apologize in advance if I have offended anyone, and, yes--I know that the majority of you will disagree with me, but this is not the basis for my argument, simply only an observation); however, this possible move is troublesome. In the essence of full disclosure I must make mention that MS has given me anything that I have ever wanted for FREE, so I am biased whether I want to be or not, so it is with much displeasure and consternation that I say that this shift in their thinking is deplorable and unacceptable.
Many over the last few months--particularly the last two weeks--have compared MS and Google, noting that Google may be the new MS. If this continues to play out and turns out to be true, then this is a good example of the differences between MS and Google--Google is free for the consumer but not for the business.
Mike, good catch...you have piqued my interest.
-keeponcoding
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Paying fee
In other new you will pay a higher fee you you go pee or grab a snack while the commercials is on.
Get real! Pay more for skipping commercials or replay sports highlight. Do I get paid if I replay the commercials?
What next I must buy the brand of ass wipe on the commercials or risk paying a higher fee.
This type of attidute just makes people find a way around it and violate the system/laws/copywrites/etc.
I will go back to the VHS or build my own system.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
TiVo destruction
what happens if a subscriber takes their TiVo out in the street, and blows the damn thing up with a stick of dynamite; jail time for not watching commercials while blowing it up??
This shit is just totally stupid.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Shift to the right?
"however, this possible move is troublesome."
And Mike doesn't mention that Microsoft is providing the IPTV DVR software for SBC, BellSouth, Verizon, and a dozen other global telcos.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
The price of being entertained
And is it any wonder that "back in the day" our parents used to make up games, play outside(or go hiking, biking, fishing...), draw, paint, etc. and guess what - no DRM, no licensing fees, no ELUA's, no price gouging, no new hardware needed....
My point is this - we are paying an ever increasing amount in dollars, and giving away an alarming amount of privacy - for what? To be entertained.
The simple solution (unpopular as it may be) is to turn off the TV, and stop buying DVD's and music.
If millions of people did that, the entertainment industry would be left scratching their heads (and probably blame piracy for their losses).
Humanity wouldn't know what to do with itself...
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Shift to the right?
"And Mike doesn't mention that Microsoft is providing the IPTV DVR software for SBC, BellSouth, Verizon, and a dozen other global telcos."
...making it difficult to avoid this platform and concept of thinking.
--keeponcoding
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Paying fee
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Paying fee
Ahhh I'm so glad my replaytv 4500 hundred still works. (of course no HDTV but I don't own one anyway
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Paying fee
...VCRs won't record the new digital broadcasts... I have to disagree on a fundamental level - from a merely technical standpoint, if a form of media (video or audio) can be reproduced by an authorized player, it can be duplicated through the same method, and there is ultimately no way to prevent it. May not be elegant, may not be a "perfect bit copy", but it *will* be duplicated. And regardless of any DRM-heavy formats the entertainment industry and their bed-buddies in the tech sector come up with, there will not only be a way to get around it, but it will be refined quickly to being a technology that anyone can use. It might not be *legal*, but it will exist and be used.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Re: Shift to the right?
making it difficult to avoid this platform and concept of thinking.
Nope, piece of cake. I haven't had cable in more than four years, and I don't see getting anytime soon (or the way things are going, ever)
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Microsoft Seeks Pay-to-TiVo Patent
Can you say "MythTV"? This is an open source platform for PVR functionality. The hardware and the software is out there. If MS keeps up, this could become a viable business - building FOSS PVRs.
Hmmm...
Scott
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Relax.... It's Just an Application
So there will be at least 8 more months before it is even examined. That said, can someone tell me the difference between this and pay-per-view? Granted I haven't read this thoroughly but just suggesting charging for skipping commercials is just a change in the pricing model and would be obvious, No?
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Sports highlights?
We don't even need to guess what this really means when Janet Jackson still holds [the] TiVo title and #2 is Britney+Madonna.
(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Add Your Comment