I wonder if doing this gives networks a new avenue to sue Tivo for autoskip functionality? It is one thing for them to give people ways to skip ads, it is quite another to give people ways to skip ads and then introduce OTHER ads. How is this different from the Tivo recognizing when the network ads come in via the Autoskip signal and REPLACING them with Tivo's own (unskippable) ads? If they are willing to consider a preroll ad and customers accept it, who knows what they'll try next?
If this comes to TE3 I'm done with Tivo forever, will trash them anytime their name comes up and recommend everyone stay away. Maybe that's not going to hurt them much in the grand scheme of things but if everyone who is appalled by this does the same their reputation will suffer, guaranteed.
I could save money by going to go a streaming type TV package like Hulu Live TV or similar, the ONLY reason I still use my overpriced cable company is because of Tivo! Hell, they ought to find a way to collect a commission from Mediacom for keeping me around! Trick play with streaming sucks, but at least I don't have to worry about Apple TV trying to insert ads to scrape a few extra pennies off my eyeballs!
If people don't stand up and loudly tell Tivo that we will become ex-customers if they follow through with this, guaranteed it will become worse over time. If they can't make a profit at the current price structure, raise the prices. Offer a lower price tier for people willing to see ads, but don't force it on those of us who previously paid for 'all in' under the assumption Tivo wasn't going to sell us out.
I can't make much of an impact on Tivo financially since I'm 'all in' in the short run, but hopefully a lot of those who are paying monthly will drop service and tell Tivo EXACTLY why. Go from Tivo to the 'regular' cable DVR (since it won't be doing preroll ads) and tell your cable company why. That's the only thing that will make Tivo listen - take away their revenue and impact the bonuses of the idiot execs who approved this travesty!