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Microsoft Seeks Pay-to-TiVo Patent

(Mis)Uses of Technology

from the the-meter-is-running dept

Fri, Sep 23rd 2005 9:50am — Mike Masnick
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."
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14 Comments

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  • identicon
    eskayp, 23 Sep 2005 @ 11:38am

    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.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    keeponcoding, 23 Sep 2005 @ 12:08pm

    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

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Karl, 23 Sep 2005 @ 1:19pm

      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.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        keeponcoding, 23 Sep 2005 @ 2:01pm

        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

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2005 @ 1:41pm

          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)

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jim, 23 Sep 2005 @ 12:32pm

    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.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Hero, 23 Sep 2005 @ 2:27pm

      Re: Paying fee

      I will go back to the VHS or build my own system.
      Not for long you won't. VCRs won't record the new digital broadcasts and DMCA type laws will keep you from getting parts from which you could build a system that could bypass any kind of DRM.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 23 Sep 2005 @ 3:52pm

        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

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Solarcanine, 23 Sep 2005 @ 5:14pm

        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.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    jdw242, 23 Sep 2005 @ 1:03pm

    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.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    googly_eyes, 23 Sep 2005 @ 1:59pm

    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...

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Scott Dunn, 25 Sep 2005 @ 7:22am

    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

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Nadine, 25 Sep 2005 @ 10:34pm

    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?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Pete Austin, 26 Sep 2005 @ 1:35am

    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.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]


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