Could you check your software version in System Information? It's the BSC that has me worried the most.

 

21.9.2.v4-USC-11-849
BSC?

 

What the f*ck! No way! If they start doing this to me I'm out. No way they're forcing me to watch ads on a device I paid almost $1,000 for with lifetime service.

 

If this gets applied to TE3 I completely agree. If it's TE4 only then won't affect me (for now).

 

Was this for every single recording you played back or just a few random ones? Very annoying either way. (I guess another reason not to use TE4).

 

I was afraid something like this would happen eventually. It's not enough they have our viewing history to sell for a profit, they now have to target us with ads. [emoji849]

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

Just checked about 15 recording and none of them had any commercials at the start.

 

This is a short video commercial, I don't know who's servers. But they look like SD low bitrate videos.
Happened on every recording so far but there's only been 5 recordings since I set it up.
My service provider is Comcast.

You can skip over the video by pressing FFWD but that's not the point is it?

I wonder if they're just testing this with a few folks.

 

Andy, are you signed up as a beta tester for TiVo?

I want to make clear that I am NOT a TiVo beta tester. But... a little birdie who IS one told me this week that they're seeing ads inserted into the Hydra program guide grid on their TiVo.

Before everyone freaks out, we don't yet know what these pre-roll streaming video ads or static UI grid guide ads mean. Maybe it's something that TiVo is developing only for deployment on their pay TV partners' TiVo boxes. And/or maybe it's something that will be offered as an optional way for retail TiVo users to pay less for their monthly/annual TiVo service fees.

 

Is it fully activated with service?

 

Sorry, I'm not buying it.

 

Yes. Fully activated. But it was either temporary or not on all shows. I just tried to record The Simpsons so I could show a video and while I still got the BSC it didn't show a commercial and went straight to the recording. I'll try again tomorrow with the same shows I recorded this morning.

 

I have been a beta tester from 2000 through 2010. Nothing since, but my status on my account is Beta.

 

If the status on his box is listed as Beta, then most likely it sounds like he has beta software mapped to his TiVo (inadvertantly or purposefully). This will sometimes happen if beta hardware is handed out in a previous beta and not officially enrolled in whatever the latest beta program is. I would put down the pitchforks until more information is shared.

 

Here's a video of what happens with Young Sheldon on CBS

www.andyf.com/IMG_0950.MOV

 

Here's a video of what happens with Young Sheldon on CBS

www.andyf.com/IMG_0950.MOV

Nice discovery! But unfortunate!

I did mention the other day pre-rolls have been tested but not clear how and when they'd be utilized. I imagine this would be more a MSO solution or a subsidized retail offering, rather than something we'll see on existing hardware/service.

May I publish the video? Any pics of ads in guide? Thanks!

 

Have not gotten those ads, and they would be totally unacceptable. I don't even appreciate the significantly shorter ones on free YouTube (and they impact my viewership). I wouldn't accept this on a subscription TiVo box, not do I think that I would accept it in a subscription-free TiVo box. It would be time to explore the Amazon Recast.

 

Just info...I have an ota Roamio, hydra, latest system update and have not seen any ads previous to any recordings.

 

This is truly horrifying...

 

i'm wondering if @TiVo_Ted has any guidence?

 

This is truly horrifying...

Wait, wait the astronomical observatory at Ottershaw has picked up explosions on the surface of the planet Mars, creating an eerie green glow, preparing for their arrival in a New Jersey field the night before Halloween.

 

If the clock was off then I could see the Tivo catching ads before program starts.

Tivo thinks it is 7 but it is really 6:59

 

That would beg the question of any padding setup on the recordings.

 

You've got a drop in ad similar to what to what Sling, Direct TV Now, and some other streaming services drop into programming. Sounds like your cable co. is experimenting. The blue circle than the crappy SD video means there is delay pulling from a remote server. Are your cable provider and internet provider the same company. The other possibility is Tivo is experimenting and maybe you weren't supposed to get the ad.

 

The fact that the TiVo play bar doesn't show until after the ad seems to prove that it's being inserted by the TiVo and not part of the recording.

What the actual f*ck! Seriously if they force this on us I'm going to be p*ssed. I hate ads! I've paid TiVo thousands upon thousands of dollars over the years to avoid them in my recorded TV. If they start trying to force their own ads onto me I'm done.

 

What the actual f*ck! Seriously if they force this on us I'm going to be p*ssed. I hate ads! I've paid TiVo thousands upon thousands of dollars over the years to avoid them in my recorded TV. If they start trying to force their own ads onto me I'm done.

Unfortunately Roku has shown how profitable ads can be. Hopefully TiVO is testing this for the OEM market and not retail. Not ideal but if this keeps TiVO in business I can deal with one upfront commercial. The people who buy retail TiVo's are not very profitable customers. They do not buy directly from TiVO forcing TiVO to split profits with retailers. They buy onetime All-In service and then hold onto hardware forever. And now a lot of the TCF customers have become addicted to only paying rock bottom $599 DVR+All-In SALE prices. I'm surprised TiVO waited so long.

 

I use My Premiere to record shows I can't get on Hulu, Netflix, Prime, or using Playon Desktop recordings. Playon has an adequate commercial skipper for recordings, providing the media PC has a strong processor (mine is an i5-4590T, passmark of about 5400). I was thinking about upgrading to the new Tivo when it comes out, but now will wait for reviews.

Roku is my main access point to streaming. My pfSense router has an add on package called pfBlockerNG. It blocks as many ads as I can find lists for. This is blocking over the entire household. At this time, it seems to block Roku ads well. I occasionally have to whitelist sites so the home computers get access to the right sites and features.

 

I use Pi-hole in a similar way and have not seen ads like these in TiVo or Roku.

 

These ads are TRULY HORRIBLE in my opinion. Absolutely unacceptable, and they have made me seriously start looking at TiVo alternatives that I have always ignored. I have seen a lot of these pre-roll ads, and I am too disgusted for family-friendly words. I have never been interested in replacing my TiVos, but that has totally changed now, and I am certain I will never spend another cent with this company unless they turn this around! They have violated their implied contract with me, and they cannot be trusted.

Here is another BIG problem you will start to see with these ads: You can sometimes skip them before they start by hitting the jump forward button during that nasty BSC (but they seem to be trying to disable that). If you regularly try that, you will frequently see your TiVo lock up and then reboot after about a 30 second wait! The first clue that you have been screwed is a short error message that says "Can't play now. E117"; once you see that, it WILL eventually reboot.

BTW, the pre-roll commercials are absolutely NOT recorded with the show - if you stream a show from another box running TE3 (or copy it to a Series 3), the nasty ads are NOT seen. I have now totally quit watching ANYTHING directly on my one TE4 box for this very reason.

 

I haven't paid enough attention yet (Summer shows are the wife's department) to know if we have these.

Curious if everyone seeing this behavior is on TE4?



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

To my knowledge, these pre-roll ads ONLY affect TE4. Probably one of the best arguments ever to dump that terrible software and roll-back to TE3 while we still can!

But they have already shown their dishonest intentions now, so I do not believe for a second that they will allow us to keep using TE3 much longer. One way or another they seem to be intent on screwing all of us.

Can't you just hear the discussions they have been having with potential advertisers?

Hey, we have given our customers the ability to automatically skip all of your commercials, so unless you start paying us money directly to shove your ads down their throats at the beginning of every show, they will NEVER see your commercials again! Bwahahaha!!!

Oh, and if you get in on the ground floor now, we won't raise your rates when we start forcing them to watch our commercials every 30 minutes, and then every 15 minutes, which we are planning to do as soon as the initial outrage dies down!​

 

But they have already shown their dishonest intentions now, so I do not believe for a second that they will allow us to keep using TE3 much longer. One way or another they seem to be intent on screwing all of us.

I'm not in the beta program, but I heard second hand that they recently asked beta program participants if they still had TE3 units they'd be willing to beta updated TE3 software on.

That hints that they're keeping it for the moment. (Of course it doesn't mean the new update wouldn't contain its own nastiness)

 

Dammit I just switched over to tivo from fios during the summer sale so I'm beyond the 30 day return period.

If this ends up being a full time thing, I guess I'll put the tivo on ebay and switch back.

I didn't buy a dvr with really nice ad skipping capabilities to have ads added to my recordings.

 

I think it's time for @TiVo_Ted to step in and post something about this.

If the OP has Twitter, I would ask @TiVo_Support WTF?

 

I just tweeted Zatz's article to TiVo support on Twitter. Will see if they respond.

 

My take... since virtually the rest of the world is doing such I can't logically get upset. And in reality I'm saving more time with AutoSkip - as in if I had to pick both or neither I'd pick both. Although I don't think it will be implemented in all devices. As an example with Amazon's Kindle you can purchase the same tablet with ads (you pay less) or without ads.

If they were to show up illogically I might run out (next decent sale) and purchase a Recast to see how happy I could be with it. Logically even the reduced image quality would be enough to prevent me from switching... but often logical doesn't win out.

PS: I run pi-hole on an ODROID XU4 (Raspberry Pi Killer) along with many other apps (Plex Media Server / MySQL Server / Print Server / Media Server / Etc) and it blocks roughly 27% of my DNS requests (ads and or tracking sites).

 

Sorry, Charles R. but this post simply doesn't belong on this thread. Why are you posting about the Recast? And the Kindle? And something called the ODROID XU4? Those things have nothing at all to do with what this thread is about.

Please stick to the story at hand or refrain from posting.